Musa bin Qasim says: I said to Imam Jawad (peace be upon him): “I wanted to perform Tawaf (circumambulation) of the House of God (the Ka’bah) on your behalf and your father’s behalf, but I was told that performing Tawaf on behalf of the Imams is not allowed.”
Imam Jawad (peace be upon him) replied: “No, rather, perform Tawaf as much as you can, and know that performing Tawaf on behalf of the Imams is permissible.”
Three years passed since this incident. One day, I met the Imam again and said: “Three years ago, I asked for your permission to perform Tawaf on your behalf and your father’s behalf. You gave me permission, and I performed the Tawaf as I had intended. Then, a thought came to my heart, and I acted upon it.”
The Imam asked: “What thought did you have and what did you do?”
I replied: “One day, I performed Tawaf on behalf of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). He repeated three times: ‘Blessings be upon the Messenger of God.'”
I continued: “On the second day, I performed Tawaf on behalf of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (peace be upon him), on the third day on behalf of Imam Hasan (peace be upon him), on the fourth day on behalf of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), on the fifth day on behalf of Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him), on the sixth day on behalf of Imam Baqir (peace be upon him), on the seventh day on behalf of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), on the eighth day on behalf of Imam Kadhim (peace be upon him), on the ninth day on behalf of Imam Reza (peace be upon him), and on the tenth day on your behalf. These are the ones through whom I accepted the religion of God based on their authority.”
Imam Jawad (peace be upon him) replied: “By God, you now possess the religion of God, the same religion that is accepted from His servants, and no other is accepted.”
I said: “Perhaps I performed Tawaf on behalf of your mother, Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her), and sometimes I did not perform it.” Imam Jawad (peace be upon him) said: “You should do this often, for with God’s will, it is the best action you can perform.”[1]
Indeed, throughout our lives, we perform various deeds with different intentions. However, the deeds that truly benefit us are those done with the intention of servitude to God. And if these deeds are infused with the fragrance of love for those who are the best of God’s creation, our actions acquire greater significance and are more accepted in the sight of God.
Moreover, when we want to express our love and affection to those we hold dearest, one of the best gifts we can offer is to remember them in the best moments and conditions of our lives. Truly, if no one is more beloved to us in the depths of our hearts than the Prophet and his noble family, how wonderful it is for the best moments of our lives to be connected with their memory and name.
(Excerpted from the book Al-Anwar al-Bahiyyah fi Tawarikh al-Hujaj al-Ilahiyyah by the late Sheikh Abbas Qummi (may Allah have mercy on him))
Footnote:
[1] Al-Kafi, Vol. 4, p. 314.