The Ziarat Nahie Moqaddase is one of the most well-known Ziarats of Imam Hossein (PBUH) which is known to have come from Imam of the Time, Imam Mahdi (PBUH); and includes concepts such as love, wisdom, grieving and seeking intercession. This Ziarat illustrates the tragedy of Kerbala and places the reader in the midst of that heart retching event. The Ziarat starts with salutations upon the divine prophets and appointed leaders (PBUT). Then it continues with salutations upon Imam Hossein (PBUH) and the descriptions of him and his descent and his loyal friends. Then it goes on to the traits and deeds of Imam Hossein (PBUH) before the standoff and the background as well as the description of the sufferings and martyrdom of the Imam (PBUH); it ends with seeking intercession from the Infallible Imams (PBUT) and prayer to Allah.
With this introduction, and in the starting days into the month of mourning and memorial anniversaries, for becoming more familiar with Imam Hossein (PBUH)and his sufferings, we move forward to review some parts of the Ziarat:
[Oh Hossain peace of Allah upon you] I testify that you performed the Salat, and payed the tribute of the Zakat, and that you preached to the good and discouraged from the vice and animosity. And that you obeyed Allah and never disobeyed him, and you gripped to Him and His rope up to an extent that He was satisfied, and that you only were apprehensive toward Him, and you only looked for Him and only answered His call, and you made good traditions and you turned off the fires of hypocrisy, and you invited to guidance and vigilance, and you put light upon and clarified the paths of virtue and truth, and in the path of Allah you truly made the Jihad…
[You in worship] used to have long (Roku) and (Sojuds). Just as the man who knows that he will migrate from the world, you showed no desire toward this world, and you looked at it just as the man who becomes fearful when watching it. Your wishes were far away from the worldly and so were your will and great endeavor…
Up to an extent that cruelty and injustice started its invasion and disobedience and animosity demonstrated its face from behind the mask, and ignorance called on its forces…Then your
[divine]
knowledge guided you to know that standing against the vicious men is your duty. Therefore, you exited along with your children and family and the followers and your friends, and you exposed the divine logic and signs, and with wisdom and patience and good words you invited the people toward Allah (SWT); and you preached them to observe the limits of Allah (SWT) and obeying Him, and discouraged the vice and disobedience. However, in spite of all these they confronted you with injustice, intrusion and hatred.
And you, after trying to guide them and making the signs clear started your jihad and standoff. And they in return broke their oath and promise and angered Allah and your grandfather and started battling you.
Then you showed resistance against their accusations and words of animosity, and the injuries of spears and swords, and you smashed hard the army of the wrongdoers and the sinful, and in the midst of the dust you combated the enemy strongly with the Zolfaghar1 as if you are Morteza Ali (PBUH).
Then after they found you with a certain heart without any fear or horror, they started to make a conspiracy against you and battled you corruptly and unfairly. That damned one2 ordered his army to put a blockade on your water supply, and battled you to kill you and targeted you with the spears and arrows, and in order to uproot you they intruded you, and disrespected your dignity, and did not hesitate to commit any sin, neither in killing your friends and supporters or looting your camp and its belongings.
You went forward combating them in the midst of dust and suffered many disasters up to the point that the angles in the skies were surprised, then your enemies attacked you from all the sides and by making serious injuries they disabled you and blocked you every solution for you so that you became helpless. However, during all these inflictions, you were patient for the satisfaction of the Creator, and defended your family and children until they collapsed you from your horse.
Then with a body full of wounds you fell to the ground while the horses began to nail you with their hooves and the cruel insulted you with sharp swords. Up until your sacred forehead was damped by the sweat of death3…
The Roshd Website offers condolences to all Muslims of world, especially you dear friend, upon the arrival of the Month of Muharram, the time of mourning and oppression upon the Ahl al-Bait (PBUT).
Footnotes:
Zolfaghar is the name of Imam Ali’s (PBUH) sword which was passed to the next Imam amongst other items.
Referring to Umar Ibn Sa’d.
Excerpts taken from “Ziarat Nahie Moqadasa”; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 98, pg. 317; al-Mazar al-Kabir, pg. 496.