month of SAFAR (Mafatih ul Jinan)   Use this Transliteration font  

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The month of ¯afar is well-known for bringing bad luck; and nothing can remove bad luck except almsgiving, supplication to Almighty Allah, and traditional supplications of seeking His protection against Satan and bad things.

Al-Mu¦addith al-Fay¤ and other scholars have mentioned that if you desire to be saved from the misfortunes of the month of ¯afar, you may repeat the following prayer ten times every day in this month:    Mp3  Video   Jpg Image   pdf  

 

يَا شَدِيدَ ٱلْقِوَىٰ

shad¢da alqiw¡

O Lord of mighty prowess!

وَيَا شَدِيدَ ٱلْمِحَالِ

wa y¡ shad¢da almi¦¡li

O Lord of mighty power!

يَا عَزِيزُ يَا عَزِيزُ يَا عَزِيزُ

`az¢zu y¡ `az¢zu y¡ `az¢zu

O Exalted in might! O Exalted in might! O Exalted in might!

ذَلَّتْ بِعَظَمَتِكَ جَمِيعُ خَلْقِكَ

dhallat bi`a¨amatika jam¢`u khalqika

Submissive to Your Almightiness are all of Your creatures;

فَاكْفِنِي شَرَّ خَلْقِكَ

fakfin¢ sharra khalqika

so, (please) save me from the evil of Your creatures.

يَا مُحْسِنُ يَا مُجْمِلُ

mu¦sinu y¡ mujmilu

O All-liberal! O All-bountiful!

يَا مُنْعِمُ يَا مُفْضِلُ

mun`imu y¡ muf¤ilu

O Source of all bounties! O Doer of favors!

يَا لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ انْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ

il¡ha ill¡ anta sub¦¡naka

O He save Whom there is no god! All glory be to You!

إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ

inn¢ kuntu min al¨¨¡lim¢na

Verily, I have been a wrongdoer.

فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجّيْنَاهُ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ

fastajabn¡ lah£ wa najjayn¡hu min alghammi

So We heard his prayer and saved him from the anguish.

وَكَذلِكَ نُنْجِي ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

wa kadh¡lika nunj¢ almu'min¢na

Thus do We save the believers.

وَصَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ ٱلطَّيِّبِينَ ٱلطَّاهِرِينَ

wa ¥all¡ all¡hu `al¡ mu¦ammadin wa ¡lih¢ al§§ayyib¢na al§§¡hir¢na

May Allah send blessings to Mu¦ammad and his Household, the pure and immaculate.

As for Sayyid Ibn ±¡w£s, he has mentioned a supplicatory prayer that is said at the sight the new moon of ¯afar.

The First Day of ¯afar

On the first of ¯afar, AH 37, the battle of ¯iff¢n broke out. According to some narrations, on this day in AH 61, the head of Imam al-°usayn, the chief of martyrs, entered the city of Damascus, the capital of the Umayyad rulers, on spearheads after it had been carried to it from al-K£fah, Iraq. Therefore, the Umayyads betook that day as feast day. A poet says,

كَانَتْ مَآتِمُ بِالْعِرَاقِ، تَعُدُّهَا

While they were days of sadness in Iraq,

أَمَوِيَّةٌ بِالشَّامِ مِنْ أَعْيَادِهَا

The Umayyads betook them as feast days

In fact, on this day, the grievances of Imam al-°usayn’s adherents should be aroused.

According to some narrations, on the first, or the third, of ¯afar, Zayd ibn `Al¢ ibn al-°usayn was martyred.

The Third of ¯afar

Sayyid Ibn ±¡w£s writes down on the authority of the books of some Im¡miyyah scholars that it is recommended, on the third of ¯afar, to offer a two unit prayer at the first of which S£rah al-F¡ti¦ah and S£rah al-Fat¦ (No. 48) should be recited and at the second, S£rah al-F¡ti¦ah and S£rah al-Taw¦¢d should be recited. After accomplishment, invocation of blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household, invocation of curse upon the Umayyad, and imploration for forgiveness repeated one hundred times each. After all that, one may pray for granting his needs. The invocation of curse upon the Umayyads should be in the following form:

O Allah, curse the family of Ab£-Sufy¡n.

all¡humma il`an ¡la ab¢ sufy¡na

اَللَّهُمَّ ٱلْعَنْ آلَ ابِي سُفْيَانَ

The Seventh of ¯afar

According to the opinions of al-Shah¢d and al-Kaf`am¢, Imam al-°asan al-Mujtab¡ (`a) was martyred on the seventh of ¯afar, AH 50. As for the two Shaykhs, Imam al-°asan (`a) was martyred on the twenty-eighth of ¯afar.

On the seventh of ¯afar, AH 128, Imam M£s¡ ibn Ja`far al-K¡¨im (`a) was born at al-Abw¡’—a place between Makkah and al-Mad¢nah.


 

The twentieth of ¯afar; the Arba`¢n (fortieth Day)

In the word of the two Shaykhs, on the twenties of ¯afar, the harem of Imam al-°usayn (`a) arrived in al-Mad¢nah returning from Syria. On this day too, J¡bir ibn `Abdull¡h al-An¥¡r¢, the first to visit the tomb of Imam al-°usayn (`a), arrived there. It is recommended to visit the holy tomb of Imam al-°usayn (`a) on this day. Concerning this, Imam al-°asan al-`Askar¢ (`a) is reported to have said:

“The signs of a true believer are five: (1) offering a fifty-one units of daily obligatory and supererogatory prayers, (2) visiting the tomb of Imam al-°usayn on the twentieth of ¯afar (i.e. Ziy¡rat al-Arba`¢n), (3) putting a ring in the right hand, (4) covering one’s forehead with dust (i.e. prostrating oneself to Almighty Allah earnestly), and (5) repeating the Basmalah (Bismil-l¡hir-ra¦m¡nir-ra¦¢m: In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful) audibly in certain prayers.

In Tahdh¢b al-A¦k¡m and al-Mi¥b¡¦, Shaykh al-±£s¢ has mentioned a form of Ziy¡rah that is dedicated to this day. Later in the book, this form will be cited.

Forms of Ziy¡rah on the Arba`¢n;
the twentieth of ¯afar

Shaykh al-±£s¢, in Tahdh¢b al-A¦k¡m and in Mi¥b¡¦ al-Mutahajjid, has reported Imam al-°asan al-`Askar¢ (`a) as saying, “The signs of a faithful believer are five: (1) offering fifty-one units of prayer (a day): seventeen units of the obligatory prayers and thirty-four units of the supererogatory prayers (N¡filah), (2) visitation (of Imam al-°usayn’s tomb) on the Arba`¢n Day: the twentieth of ¯afar; forty days after the martyrdom of Imam al-°usayn, (3) wearing a ring in the right hand, (4) pressing the forehead (by very frequent prostration before Almighty Allah), and (5) raising the voice with bismi-ll¡hir-ra¦m¡nir-ra¦¢m (basmalah: In the Name of Allah; the All-beneficent, the All-merciful).

Two forms of ziy¡rah on the Arba`¢n Day have been mentioned in traditions:

First Form of Ziy¡rah on the Arba`¢n Day  ARBAEN PAGE

The first has been reported by Shaykh al-±£s¢, in Tahdh¢b al-A¦k¡m and Mi¥b¡¦ al-Mutahajjid, from ¯afw¡n al-Jamm¡l who said: My master al-¯¡diq, Allah’s blessings be upon him, instructed me to visit Imam al-°usayn (`a) on the Arba`¢n Day, advisably in the early forenoon, and to say the following words:

Imam Ja'far bin Muhammad Al Sadiq (as) had advised  to recite the following “Ziarat” on the day of Arbae’en in forenoon : Reported By Shaikh Toosi)

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The Purpose of Imams mission is very well summarised in this ziarat as  "...made every effort and put his heart, mind, soul and life at the disposal of Thy mission to liberate the people from the yoke of ignorance"

 

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَىٰ وَلِيِّ ٱللَّهِ وَحَبِيبِهِ

alssal¡mu `al¡ waliyyi all¡hi wa ¦ab¢bih¢

Peace be upon the intimate servant of Allah and His most-beloved.

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَىٰ خَلِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَنَجِيبِهِ

alssal¡mu `al¡ khal¢li all¡hi wa naj¢bih¢

Peace be upon the friend of Allah and His elite.

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَىٰ صَفِيِّ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبْنِ صَفِيِّهِ

alssal¡mu `al¡ ¥afiyyi all¡hi wabni ¥afiyyih¢

Peace be upon the choice of Allah and son of His choice.

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَىٰ ٱلْحُسَيْنِ ٱلْمَظْلُومِ ٱلشَّهِيدِ

alssal¡mu `al¡ al¦usayni alma¨l£mi alshshah¢di

Peace be upon al-°usayn the wronged and martyred.

اَلسَّلاَمُ علىٰ اسِيرِ ٱلْكُرُبَاتِ

alssal¡mu `al¡ as¢ri alkurub¡ti

Peace be upon the captive of agonies

وَقَتِيلِ ٱلْعَبَرَاتِ

wa qat¢li al`abar¡ti

and victim of the shed tears.

اَللَّهُمَّ إِِنِّي اشْهَدُ انَّهُ وَلِيُّكَ وَٱبْنُ وَلِيِّكَ

all¡humma inn¢ ashhadu annah£ waliyyuka wabnu waliyyika

O Allah, I do bear witness that he is verily Your intimate servant and son of Your intimate servant,

وَصَفِيُّكَ وَٱبْنُ صَفِيِّكَ

wa ¥afiyyuka wabnu ¥afiyyika

Your choice and son of Your choice,

ٱلْفَائِزُ بِكَرَامَتِكَ

alf¡'izu bikar¡matika

and the winner of Your honoring.

اكْرَمْتَهُ بِٱلشَّهَادَةِ

akramtah£ bilshshah¡dati

You have honored him with martyrdom,

وَحَبَوْتَهُ بِٱلسَّعَادَةِ

wa ¦abawtah£ bilssa`¡dati

endued him with happiness,

وَٱجْتَبَيْتَهُ بِطِيبِ ٱلْوِلاَدَةِ

wajtabaytah£ bi§¢bi alwil¡dati

privileged him with legitimate birth,

وَجَعَلْتَهُ سَيِّداً مِنَ ٱلسَّادَةِ

wa ja`altah£ sayyidan min alss¡dati

made him one of the chiefs,

وَقَائِداً مِنَ ٱلْقَادَةِ

wa q¡'idan min alq¡dati

one of the leaders,

وَذَائِداً مِنْ ٱلذَّادَةِ

wa dh¡'idan min aldhdh¡dati

and one of the defenders (of Your religion),

وَاعْطَيْتَهُ مَوَارِيثَ ٱلانْبِيَاءِ

wa a`§aytah£ maw¡r¢tha al-anbiy¡'i

gave him the inheritances of the Prophets,

وَجَعَلْتَهُ حُجَّةً عَلَىٰ خَلْقِكَ مِنَ ٱلاوْصِيَاءِ

wa ja`altah£ ¦ujjatan `al¡ khalqika min al-aw¥iy¡'i

and chose him as argument against Your created beings and one of the Prophets’ successors.

فَاعْذَرَ فِي ٱلدُّعَاءِ

fa a`dhara f¢ alddu`¡'i

So, he called to you flawlessly,

وَمَنَحَ ٱلنُّصْحَ

wa mana¦a alnnu¥¦a

gave advices,

وَبَذَلَ مُهْجَتَهُ فِيكَ

wa badhala muhjatah£ f¢ka

and sacrificed his soul for You

لِيَسْتَنْقِذَ عِبَادَكَ مِنَ ٱلْجَهَالَةِ

liyastanqidha `ib¡daka min aljah¡lati

to save Your servants from ignorance

وَحَيْرَةِ ٱلضَّلاَلَةِ

wa ¦ayrati al¤¤al¡lati

and perplexity of straying off.

وَقَدْ تَوَازَرَ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ غَرَّتْهُ ٱلدُّنْيَا

wa qad taw¡zara `alayhi man gharrat-hu aldduny¡

Yet, those whom were seduced by this worldly life,

وَبَاعَ حَظَّهُ بِٱلارْذَلِ ٱلادْنَىٰ

wa b¡`a ¦a¨¨ah£ bil-ardhali al-adn¡

who sold their share (of reward) with the lowliest and meanest,

وَشَرَىٰ آخِرَتَهُ بِٱلثَّمَنِ ٱلاوْكَسِ

wa shar¡ ¡khiratah£ bilththamani al-awkasi

retailed their Hereafter with the cheapest price,

وَتَغَطْرَسَ وَتَرَدَّىٰ فِي هَوَاهُ

wa tagha§rasa wa taradd¡ f¢ haw¡hu

acted haughtily, perished because of following their desires,

وَاسْخَطَكَ وَاسْخَطَ نَبِيَّكَ

wa askha§aka wa askha§a nabiyyaka

brought to themselves Your wrath and the wrath of Your Prophet,

وَاطَاعَ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ اهْلَ ٱلشِّقَاقِ وَٱلنِّفَاقِ

wa a§¡`a min `ib¡dika ahla alshshiq¡qi walnnif¡qi

and obeyed the dissident and hypocritical servants of You

وَحَمَلَةَ ٱلاوْزَارِ ٱلْمُسْتَوْجِبِينَ ٱلنَّارَ

wa ¦amalata al-awz¡ri almustawjib¢na alnn¡ra

and the bearers of the burdens (of sins) who deserve Hellfire—all those supported each other against him.

فَجَاهَدَهُمْ فِيكَ صَابِراً مُحْتَسِباً

faj¡hadahum f¢ka ¥¡biran mu¦tasiban

However, he fought against them painstakingly with steadfastness expecting Your reward

حَتَّىٰ سُفِكَ فِي طَاعَتِكَ دَمُهُ

¦att¡ sufika f¢ §¡`atika damuh£

until his blood was shed on account of his obedience to You

وَٱسْتُبِيحَ حَرِيـمُهُ

wastub¢¦a ¦ar¢muh£

and his women were violated.

اَللَّهُمَّ فَٱلْعَنْهُمْ لَعْناً وَبيلاًَ

all¡humma fal`anhum la`nan wab¢lan

So, O Allah, pour heavy curses on them

وَعَذِّبْهُمْ عَذَاباً الِيماً

wa `adhdhibhum `adh¡ban al¢man

and chastise them with painful chastisement.

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ

alssal¡mu `alayka yabna ras£li all¡hi

Peace be upon you, O son of Allah’s Messenger.

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ سَيِّدِ ٱلاوْصِيَاءِ

alssal¡mu `alayka yabna sayyidi al-aw¥iy¡'i

Peace be upon you, O son of the chief of the Prophets’ successors.

اشْهَدُ انَّكَ امِينُ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبْنُ امِينِهِ

ashhadu annaka am¢nu all¡hi wabnu am¢nih¢

I bear witness that you are verily the trustee of Allah and the son of His trustee.

عِشْتَ سَعيداً

`ishta sa`¢dan

You lived with happiness,

وَمَضَيْتَ حَمِيداً

wa ma¤ayta ¦am¢dan

passed away with praiseworthiness,

وَمُتَّ فَقِيداً مَظْلُوماً شَهِيداً

wa mutta faq¢dan ma¨l£man shah¢dan

and died missed, wronged, and martyred.

وَاشْهَدُ انَّ ٱللَّهَ مُنْجِزٌ مَا وَعَدَكَ

wa ashhadu anna all¡ha munjizun m¡ wa`adaka

I also bear witness that Allah shall inevitably fulfill His promise to You,

وَمُهْلِكٌ مَنْ خَذَلَكَ

wa muhlikun man khadhalaka

exterminate those who disappointed you,

وَمُعَذِّبٌ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ

wa mu`adhdhibun man qatalaka

and chastise those who slew you.

وَاشْهَدُ انَّكَ وَفَيْتَ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ

wa ashhadu annaka wafayta bi`ahdi all¡hi

I also bear witness that you fulfilled your pledge to Allah

وَجَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ حَتَّىٰ اتَاكَ ٱلْيَقِينُ

wa j¡hadta f¢ sab¢lih¢ ¦att¡ at¡ka alyaq¢nu

and strove hard in His way until death came upon you.

فَلَعَنَ ٱللَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ

fala`ana all¡hu man qatalaka

So, may Allah curse those who slew you.

وَلَعَنَ ٱللَّهُ مَنْ ظَلَمَكَ

wa la`ana all¡hu man ¨alamaka

May Allah curse those who wronged you.

وَلَعَنَ ٱللَّهُ امَّةً سَمِعَتْ بِذٰلِكَ فَرَضِيَتْ بِهِ

wa la`ana all¡hu ummatan sami`at bidh¡lika fara¤iyat bih¢

May Allah curse the people who, when informed about that, were pleased with it.

اَللَّهُمَّ إِِنِّي اشْهِدُكَ انِّي وَلِيٌّ لِمَنْ وَالاَهُ

all¡humma inn¢ ushhiduka ann¢ waliyyun liman w¡l¡hu

O Allah, I do ask You to witness for me that I am loyalist to those who are loyalists to him

وَعَدُوٌّ لِمَنْ عَادَاهُ

wa `aduwwun liman `¡d¡hu

and enemy of those who are enemies of him.

بِابِي انْتَ وَامِّي يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ

bi'ab¢ anta wa umm¢ yabna ras£li all¡hi

May my father and mother be accepted as ransoms for you, O son of Allah’s Messenger.

اشْهَدُ انَّكَ كُنْتَ نُوراً فِي ٱلاصْلاَبِ ٱلشَّامِخَةِ

ashhadu annaka kunta n£ran f¢ al-a¥l¡bi alshsh¡mikhati

I bear witness that you were light in the sublime loins

وَٱلارْحَامِ ٱلْمُطَهَّرَةِ

wal-ar¦¡mi almu§ahharati

and purified wombs;

لَمْ تُنَجِّسْكَ ٱلْجَاهِلِيَّةُ بِانْجَاسِهَا

lam tunajjiska alj¡hiliyyatu bi'anj¡sih¡

the impurities of the Ignorance Era could not object you to filth

وَلَمْ تُلْبِسْكَ ٱلْمُدْلَهِمَّاتُ مِنْ ثِيَابِهَا

wa lam tulbiska almudlahimm¡tu min thiy¡bih¡

nor could its murky clothes dress you.

وَاشْهَدُ انَّكَ مِنْ دَعَائِمِ ٱلدِّينِ

wa ashhadu annaka min da`¡'imi aldd¢ni

I also bear witness that you are one of the mainstays of the religion,

وَارْكَانِ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ

wa ark¡ni almuslim¢na

the supports of Muslims,

وَمَعْقِلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

wa ma`qili almu'min¢na

and the haven of the believers.

وَاشْهَدُ انَّكَ ٱلإِمَامُ ٱلْبَرُّ ٱلتَّقِيُّ

wa ashhadu annaka al-im¡mu albarru alttaqiyyu

I also bear witness that you are the God-fearing, pious,

ٱلرَّضِيُّ ٱلزَّكِيُّ

alrra¤iyyu alzzakiyyu

pleased, immaculate,

ٱلْهَادِي ٱلْمَهْدِيُّ

alh¡d¢ almahdiyyu

guide, and well-guided Imam.

وَاشْهَدُ انَّ ٱلائِمَّةَ مِنْ وُلْدِكَ كَلِمَةُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ

wa ashhadu anna al-a'immata min wuldika kalimatu alttaqw¡

And I bear witness that the Imams from your progeny are the spokesmen of piety,

وَاعْلاَمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ

wa a`l¡mu alhud¡

the signs of guidance,

وَٱلْعُرْوَةُ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ

wal`urwatu alwuthq¡

the firmest handle (of Islam),

وَٱلْحُجَّةُ علىٰ اهْلِ ٱلدُّنْيَا

wal¦ujjatu `al¡ ahli aldduny¡

and the decisive Argument against the inhabitants of the world.

وَاشْهَدُ انِّي بِكُمْ مُؤْمِنٌ وَبِإِِيَابِكُمْ

wa ashhadu ann¢ bikum mu'minun wa bi'iy¡bikum

I also bear witness that I believe in you all and in your Return,

مُوقِنٌ بِشَرَايِعِ دِينِي وَخَوَاتِيمِ عَمَلِي

m£qinun bishar¡yi`i d¢n¢ wa khaw¡t¢mi `amal¢

I have full confidence in the laws of my religion and in the seals of my deeds,

وَقَلْبِي لِقَلْبِكُمْ سِلْمٌ

wa qalb¢ liqalbikum silmun

my heart is at peace with you all,

وَامْرِي لاِمْرِكُمْ مُتَّبِعٌ

wa amr¢ li'amrikum muttabi`un

all my affairs are based on your commands,

وَنُصْرَتِي لَكُمْ مُعَدَّةٌ

wa nu¥rat¢ lakum mu`addatun

and my support for you all is already all set

حَتَّىٰ يَاذَنَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ

¦att¡ ya'dhana all¡hu lakum

until Allah permits you.

فَمَعَكُمْ مَعَكُمْ

fama`akum ma`akum

So, I am with you. I am with you,

لاََ مَعَ عَدُوِّكُمْ

ma`a `adduwwikum

not with your enemies.

صَلَوَاتُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ

¥alaw¡tu all¡hi `alaykum

Allah’s blessings be upon you,

وَعَلَىٰ ارْوَاحِكُمْ وَاجْسَادِكُمْ

wa `al¡ arw¡¦ikum wa ajs¡dikum

upon your souls, upon your bodies,

وَشَاهِدِكُمْ وَغَائِبِكُمْ

wa sh¡hidikum wa gh¡'ibikum

upon the present and the absent from you,

وَظَاهِرِكُمْ وَبَاطِنِكُمْ

wa ¨¡hirikum wa b¡§inikum

and upon the apparent and the invisible from you.

آمِينَ رَبَّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ

¡m¢na rabba al`¡lam¢na

Respond to us, O Lord of the Worlds.

You may then offer a two-unit prayer and then pray Almighty Allah for anything you like. Then, you may return.


 

Second Form of Ziy¡rah on the Arba`¢n Day

The second form of ziy¡rah of Imam al-°usayn (`a) on the Arba`¢n Day is reported from J¡bir. `A§¡ has reported the following:

I was accompanying J¡bir ibn `Abdull¡h al-An¥¡r¢ on the twentieth of ¯afar (the Arba`¢n Day). When we arrived at al-Gh¡¤iriyyah,([1]) he bathed himself from the water of its river and then put a pure (i.e. clean and ceremonially pure) shirt that he had carried with him. After that, he asked me, “Do you carry with you any fragrance, `A§¡?” As I answered in the affirmative, I handed some fragrance over to him and he put some of it on his head and other organs. He then walked barefooted until he stopped at the side of Imam al-°usayn’s head. He then repeated three times the Takb¢r statement. He then fell to the ground fainted. When he recovered consciousness, I could hear him saying these words:

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَا آلَ ٱللَّهِ

alssal¡mu `alaykum y¡ ¡la all¡hi

Peace be upon you all, O Household of Allah.

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَا صَفْوَةَ ٱللَّهِ…

alssal¡mu `alaykum y¡ ¥afwata all¡hi…

Peace be upon you all, O elite of Allah…

This is the very form of ziy¡rah previously cited under the title “Form of Ziy¡rah on the Fifteenth of Rajab.

Yet, there is a difference in a very few statements, which, as maintained by Shaykh al-±£s¢, came from the difference in the manuscripts of this form of ziy¡rah.Hence, one can say the previously mentioned form of ziy¡rah on the fifteenth of Rajab.


 

([1]) Taking its name from Gh¡¤irah ibn Bagh¤, one of the forefathers of the Ban£-Asad, a famous Arab tribe, al-Gh¡¤iriyyah is a village near Karbal¡'. More specifically, it is the very place where Imam al-°usayn (`a) was martyred and buried.

Ab£-Mikhnaf, in his famous book of Maqtal al-°usayn, has reported on the authority of al-Kalb¢ that when the caravan of Imam al-°usayn (`a) arrived in the land of Karbal¡' on Wednesday, the horse of the Imam stopped. The Imam (`a) therefore rode off it and then rode on another horse. Yet, this horse, too, did not move any further step. The Imam (`a) therefore rode other seven horses all of which did not move. Having noticed this strange matter, the Imam (`a) asked, “O people, what is the name of this place?”

“It is called al-Gh¡¤iriyyah,” they answered.

“Does it have another name?” the Imam (`a) asked.

“Yes, it is also called N¢naw¡ (Nineveh),” they answered.

“Does it have a third name?” the Imam (`a) asked.

“Yes, it is also called Sh¡§i' al-Fur¡t (the shore of the Euphrates),” they answered.

“Does it have a fourth name?” the Imam (`a) asked.

“Yes,” they answered, “It is called Karbal¡'.”

Upon hearing this name, the Imam (`a) sighed deeply and said, “This is the land of agony (karb) and ordeal (bal¡')! Halt here and never leave. This is, by Allah (I swear), the place where we will make our riding animals lie. This is, by Allah, the very place were our blood will be shed. This is, by Allah, the very place where our women will be despoiled. This is, by Allah, the very place where our men will be killed. This is, by Allah, the very place where our children will be slain. In this very place, our graves will be visited. This is the very soil of which my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, promised me (to be slain on it). Never failing is his promise—Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.”

Refer to al-Dam`ah al-S¡kibah (by B¡qir ibn `Abd al-Kar¢m al-Dahdasht¢ al-Bahbah¡n¢) 4:256; N¡sikh al-Taw¡r¢kh (by Mu¦ammad Taq¢ al-Saphar) 2:168; Dhar¢`at al-Naj¡t (by M¢rz¡ Raf¢` Garmr£d¢), pp.76.

Imam al-B¡qir (`a) is reported to have said, “Al-Gh¡¤iriyyah is the very spot on which Almighty Allah spoke to (Prophet) Moses the son of `Imr¡n and talked confidentially to (Prophet) Noah. It is the most honorable of all of His lands to Him. Had it not been so, He would not have entrusted with it the bodies of His most intimate servants and the descendants of His Prophets. So, visit our graves at al-Gh¡¤iriyyah.”

Refer to Bi¦¡r al-Anw¡r (by `All¡mah al-Majlis¢) 98:108. [Translator]

 

 

 

The Twenty-Eighth of ¯afar

On the twenty-eight of ¯afar, AH 11, the Holy Prophet Mu¦ammad, the Seal of the Prophets, departed life. As is unanimously agreed, it was Monday. The Holy Prophet (¥) was sixty-three years old when he departed life. At the age of forty, he was commissioned, by Almighty Allah, to convey the Divine Mission; and Archangel Gabriel began conveying to him the commandments of Almighty Allah and the Divine Revelation. At Makkah, he invited people to follow the religion of monotheism for thirteen years. He then immigrated to al-Mad¢nah at the age of fifty-three. He departed life in the tenth year after his immigration (Hegira). Hence, Imam `Al¢ Am¢r al-Mu'min¢n (`a) did the funeral rituals and then offered the ritual Prayer of the Dead for his soul. The companions, in groups, then would come near him to offer prayers individually without having any im¡m to lead them in prayer. Imam `Al¢ (`a) buried him in the holy room where he—may Allah send peace and blessings upon him and his Household—departed life.

It has been narrated that Anas ibn M¡lik said, “As soon as we accomplished the ceremonies of burying the Holy Prophet (¥), Lady F¡§imah (`a) came to me and said, ‘How could you be bold enough to pile up soil on the face of the Messenger of Allah?’ She then wept and shouted, ‘Oh for my father whose prayers were responded by the Lord! Oh for my father; how nigh he is from his Lord!’…etc.”

According to a narration, Lady F¡§imah al-Zahr¡' (`a) took a handful of the soil of the Holy Prophet’s tomb, put it between her eyes, and said,

مَاذَا عَلَىٰ الْمُشْتَمِّ تُرْبَةَ أَحْمَدٍ

Indeed! If one who smells the soil of A¦mad’s tomb

اَنْ لاَ يَشَمَّ مَدَىٰ الزَّمَانِ غَوَالِيَا

Shall never smell any perfume any more!

صُبَّتْ عَليَّ مَصَائِبٌ لَوْ اَنَّهَا

If the misfortunes that have been poured on me

صُبَّتْ عَلَىٰ الاَيَّامِ صِرْنَ لَيَالِيَا

Were poured on days, they should turn to black nights!

In his book of al-Durr al-Na¨¢m, Shaykh Y£suf al-Sh¡m¢ has mentioned that Lady F¡§imah al-Zahr¡' (`a) composed the following verses, elegizing her father (¥):

قُلْ لِلْمُغيَّبِ تَحْتَ أَثْوَابِ الثَّرَىٰ

Tell him who is concealed under the layers of soil:

إِنْ كُنْتَ تَسْمَعُ صَرْخَتِي وَنِدَائِيَا

If you can hear my scream and my call

صُبَّتْ عَلَيَّ مَصَائِبٌ لَوْ اَنَّهَا

If the misfortunes that have been poured on me

صُبَّتْ عَلَىٰ الاَيَّامِ صِرْنَ لَيَالِيَا

Were poured on days, they should turn to black nights!

قَدْ كُنْتُ ذَاتَ حِمىً بِظِلِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

Under the shadow of Mu¦ammad, I used to be sheltered

لاَ أَخْشَ مِنْ ضَيْمٍ وَكَانَ حِمَىٰ لِيَا

I did not anticipate any grievance since he was my haven

فَالْيَوْمَ اَخْضَعُ للِْذَّلِيلِ وَاَتَّقِي

But today I am made subservient to the lowly, suffering grievances,

ضَيْمِي وَاَدْفَعُ ظَالِمِي بِرِدَائِيَا

And I have to ward off the wrongdoer with my dress

فَإِذَا بَكَتْ قُمْرِيَّةٌ فِي لَيْلِهَا

If a turtledove weeps on a branch in eves

شَجَناً عَلَىٰ غُصْنٍ بَكَيْتُ صَبَاحِيَا

Out of grief, I will weep in morns

فَلاَجْعَلَنَّ الْحُزْنَ بَعْدَكَ مُؤْنِسِي

I shall betake grief, after you, as my entertainment

وَلاَجْعَلَنَّ الدَّمْعَ فِيكَ وِشَاحِيَا

And I shall betake shedding tears, for you, as my sash

Ziaraat of the holy prophet

The Last Day of ¯afar

According to the narration of al-±abirs¢ and Ibn al-Ath¢r, Imam `Al¢ ibn M£s¡ al-Ri¤¡ (`a) was martyred on the last day of ¯afar, AH 203, because of poison that was mixed with grapes and offered to him. He was fifty-five years old when he departed life. His tomb was at the house of °am¢d ibn Qa¦§abah in the village of San¡b¡d in the city of ±£s. In the same house, H¡r£n, the `Abb¡sid ruler, was buried, too.


 

([1]) T¡s£`¡’ means the ninth, but it has been restricted to the ninth of Mu¦arram. Similarly, although the word `ªsh£r¡’ means the tenth, it has been restricted to the tenth of Mu¦arram.

([2]) This is an indication of the famous story of Prophet Moses with al-Kha¤ir that is mentioned in the Holy Qur'¡n, S£rah al-Kahf No. 18, Verses 60-82.

([3]) The author of Shif¡’ al-¯ud£r is Ayatollah M¢rz¡ Abu’l-Fa¤l al-±ahr¡n¢.

([4]) All these are fabrications that were invented by the Umayyads and their fans in order to cover their crime of slaying Imam al-°usayn (`a) and in order to make people forget this astounding event.

([5]) Na¥ib¢s (or Naw¡¥ib) are those who openly declare enmity towards the Ahl al-Bayt and their adherents. Addressing to the Sh¢`ah, Im¡m al-¯¡diq defines a N¡¥ib¢ as the one who shows enmity to the followers of the Holy Imams.