How Those Who Live Far (from the Grave of Ĥusain (a.s.)) Should Perform His Ziyārah

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: If any of you lives far (from us) and there is a great distance between you and us, you should ascend to the highest place of your house, establish two Rak’ah of prayers, point toward our graves, and say Salām to us, for verily it will reach us.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said to me – as part of a longer Ḥadīth: O Sadīr! How difficult is it for you to perform the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) five times every Friday and once every day?! I replied, “May I sacrifice myself for you! There is a great distance between us and his grave.” Imam (a.s.) said: Ascend to the roof of your house, look to the right and left, raise your head toward the sky, and then try to face the direction of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) and say: Salām to you, O Abā ‘Abdillāh. Salām to you and (may) Allāh’s Mercy and Blessings be upon you. (By doing) so, a ZAWRAH will be registered for you. And Zawrah is the performance of a Hajj and an ‘Umrah. Sadīr added, “(After hearing this) there were times when I would perform this (Ziyārah) twenty times during the day.”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) asked me, “O Sadīr! Do you perform the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) once every day?” I replied, “May I sacrifice myself for you! No.” Imam (a.s.) said, “How negligent you people are!!! Do you perform his Ziyārah once every month?” I replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) asked, “What about once every year?” I replied, “Sometimes.” Imam (a.s.) said: O Sadīr! How negligent you people are toward Ḥusain (a.s.)!!! Do you not know that Allāh has one million angels who are disheveled and covered with dust, who cry (over Ḥusain (a.s.)), and who perform his Ziyārah (at all times) and they never pause?! O Sadīr! How difficult is it for you to perform the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) five times every Friday and once every day?! I replied, “May I sacrifice myself for you! There is a great distance between us and his grave.” Imam (a.s.) said: Go to the roof of your house, look to the right and left, raise your head toward the sky, and then try to face the direction of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) and say: Salām to you, O Abā ‘Abdillāh. Salām to you and (may) Allāh’s Mercy and Blessings be upon you. (By doing) so, a Zawrah will be registered for you. And Zawrah is the performance of a Hajj and an ‘Umrah. Sadīr added, “(After hearing this) there were times when I would perform this (Ziyārah) twenty times during the day.”

I asked Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)), “How should I perform your Ziyārah if I am not able to (come to visit you?)” Imam (a.s.) replied: O ‘Isā! When you are not able to come (to my Ziyārah), perform a Ghusl or Wuďū on a Friday, ascend to the roof of your house, establish two Rak’ah of prayers, and then turn toward the direction of my location. Verily those who come to visit me during my life (are like those who) have performed my Ziyārah after my death, and those who perform my Ziyārah after my death (are like those who) have come to visit me during my life.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) asked me, “O Sadīr! (Why) do you not perform the Ziyārah of the grave of Abī ‘Abdillāh Al-Ḥusain (a.s.) frequently?” I replied, “Because I am busy.” Imam (a.s.) asked, “Should I not teach you an act that if you perform it, Allāh will register the Ziyārah for you?” I replied, “Yes, may I sacrifice myself for you!” Imam (a.s.) said, “Perform a Ghusl in your house, ascend to the roof of your house, and say Salām to him by pointing toward him (his grave). By doing this, the Ziyārah (of Ḥusain (a.s.)) will be registered for you.”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said to me: If you live far (from us) and there is a great distance between you and us, ascend to the highest place of your house, establish two Rak’ah of prayers, point toward our graves, and say Salām to us, for verily it will reach us.

Ḥanān ibn Sadīr Al-Sayrafi went to (visit) Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) when a group of his companions were with him. Imam (a.s.) asked him, “O Ḥanān ibn Sadīr! Do you perform the Ziyārah of Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Ḥusain (a.s.)) once every month?” Ḥanān replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) asked, “What about once every two months?” Ḥanān replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) asked, “What about once a year?” Ḥanān replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) said, “How negligent you people are toward your master!!!” Ḥanān said, “O son of the Messenger of Allāh! It is because of lack of wealth and the greatness of the distance.” Imam (a.s.) said, “Should I not teach you an accepted Ziyārah even from a great distance?!” Ḥanān asked, “How should I perform his Ziyārah, O son of the Messenger of Allāh?” Imam (a.s.) replied: Perform a Ghusl on a Friday or any other day you wish, wear the most purified of your clothes, ascend to the highest place in your house or in a desert, and then face the Qiblah after ensuring that the grave is also in the same direction, for Allāh, the Blessed and the Exalted, says, “Wherever you turn, there is the face of Allāh” (2:115). Then say: Salām to you, O my master and the son of my master and O my leader and the son of my leader. Salām to you, O my master, the Martyr and son of the Martyr, the Slain (One) and the son of the Slain (One). Salām to you and (may) Allāh’s Mercy and Blessings be upon you. I am performing your Ziyārah, O son of the Messenger of Allāh with my heart, my tongue, and my organs although I have not come to your Ziyārah physically where I can see your dome. Salām to you, O heir of Ādam, the Chosen Slave of Allāh; And O heir of Nūḥ, the Prophet of Allāh; And O heir of Ibrāhīm, the Friend of Allāh; And O heir of Mūsā, the One Addressed by Allāh; And O heir of ‘Isā, the Spirit of Allāh; And O heir of Muḥammad, the Love, the Prophet, and the Messenger of Allāh; And O heir of ‘Ali, the Commander of the Believers, the Successor of the Messenger of Allāh and his Caliph; And O heir of Ḥasan ibn ‘Ali, the Successor of the Commander of the Believers. May Allāh’s curse be upon those who killed you and may He renew their torment in this hour and in every hour. O my master! I seek nearness to Allāh, the Great and Almighty, and to your grandfather, the Messenger of Allāh, and to your father, the Commander of the Believers, and to your brother, Ḥasan, and to you, O my leader, through performing your Ziyārah with my heart, my tongue, and all of my organs. Salām to you and (may) Allāh’s Mercy and Blessings be upon you. O my master! Intercede on my behalf so that this Ziyārah is accepted from me. I seek nearness to Allāh and to all of you by dissociating myself from your enemies and by cursing them. May Allāh’s blessings, His Pleasure, and His Mercy be upon you. Then move a short distance to the left and turn your face toward the grave of ‘Ali ibn Ḥusain (a.s.), who is (buried) next to the feet of his father, and say Salām to him in the same way. Thereafter, ask Allāh for that which you want with regards to the matters of your religion and your life and then establish four Rak’ah of prayers. Verily the prayers of the Ziyārah can be established in either eight, six, four, or two Rak’ah, and the best is eight Rak’ah. After the prayers face the grave of Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Ḥusain (a.s.)) and say: I bid farewell to you, O my master and the son of my master and O my leader and the son of my leader. And I bid farewell to you, O my master and the son of my master, O ‘Ali ibn Ḥusain. And I bid farewell to you, O my masters, O crowd of Martyrs. May Allāh’s Salām, His Mercy, His Pleasure, and His Blessings be upon you.