جعفر بن محمد الصادق عليه السلام

I pray for mercy for three – and it is their right to be prayed for mercy: (1) a person dear to his community who is afflicted with humiliation after glory, (2) a rich person that is afflicted with a need after needlessness, and (3) a scholar that is undervalued by his people and the ignorant.

If a traveller prays Jumu`a out of desire for it, Allah will give him the reward of one hundred Jum`a prayers of one who is not travelling.

Whoever completes his fast with a good saying or a good action, Allah will accept his fast. So, it was said to him: O son of the Messenger of Allah! What is the good saying? He said: The testimony that there is no god but Allah; and the good action is giving out [zakat] al-Fitra.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Whoever does good for the remainder of his life will not be taken for his past sins. Whoever does evil for the remainder of his life will be taken for his past and his end.

Al-Hasan b. `Ali (as) said to the Messenger of Allah (s): O father! What is the reward of one who visits you? So, he said: Whoever visits me, your father, you, or your brother will have a right over me to visit him on the Day of Resurrection so that I may redeem him from his sins.

I heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say: The boundaries of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) are twenty ells by twenty ells and this location is a garden from the gardens of Paradise… The above Ḥadīth has also been narrated to me through the following chain: My father, from Sa’d (ibn ‘Abdillāh), from Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad, from Ḥasan ibn ‘Ali Al-Washā, from Isḥāq ibn ‘Ammār, from Abī ‘Abdillāh (a.s.).

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: When one of you holds the clay of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.), you should recite (the following): O Allāh! I ask You through the right of the angel who picked it, and the Messenger who appointed it, and the Successor who is lying within it to make it the cure from every disease (and from this disease) – mention the name of the disease.

I was in Makkah when I said to Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)), “May I sacrifice myself for you! I have seen some of our companions take some of the clay of the Ḥā`ir and seek cure with it. Does it contain any cure like they say it does?” Imam (a.s.) replied: It can be used as a cure even if it is collected from the distance of four miles away from the Grave (of Ḥusain (a.s.)). The same applies to the grave of my grandfather, the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.), and the same applies to the clay of the graves of Ḥasan (a.s.), ‘Ali (Imam Sajjād (a.s.)), and Muḥammad (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)). Take some of it (the clay of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.)), for verily it is a cure for every disease and a shield against any fearful matter. Nothing else from among that which is used to cure (an ailment) can be compared to it except supplication. However, the containers in which it is (often) kept and the lack of certainty of those who treat themselves with it spoils it. Those who are certain that if they treat themselves with it, they will be cured, (will find that) it will suffice them with the permission of Allāh from having to use any other medicine. The devils and the disbeliever Jinns also spoil it by rubbing themselves against it. Nothing passes by it without smelling it. As for the devils and the disbeliever Jinns, they envy humans because of it so they rub themselves against it and all of its fragrance vanishes. An innumerable number from among them (the devils and the disbeliever Jinns) prepare themselves as soon as the clay leaves the Ḥā`ir – for they cannot enter the Ḥā`ir because of the angels (who guard it) – and they rub themselves against the clay while it is in the hands of the person who is carrying it. If any part of this dust remained intact and was used to treat any patient, he would be cured immediately. So when you take from this clay, keep it hidden and mention Allāh, the Exalted, increasingly on it. I have been informed that some of the people who take from the dust belittle it so much that some of them even place it in the feedbag of their camels, mules and donkeys, or in their own food containers, or in the handkerchiefs which are used to wipe the hands after eating, or in their saddlebags!!! How can a person who dishonours it in this way seek cure with it?!!! (Verily) the uncertain hearts of those who belittle that which leads to their righteousness will ruin its effect.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said to me, “O ‘Ali! I have heard that some of our Shia allow one or two years to pass without going to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.)!” I replied, “May I sacrifice myself for you! I know many people who are like this.” Imam (a.s.) said, “I swear to Allāh that they have turned their backs to their own fortune, they have declined Allāh’s rewards, and they have distanced themselves from nearness to Muḥammad (s.a.a.w.).” I asked, “May I sacrifice myself for you! How often should one go to his Ziyārah?” Imam (a.s.) replied, “O ‘Ali! If you can go to his Ziyārah once every month, do so.” I said, “I cannot do that because I am a manual labourer; people’s affairs are pending in my hands and I cannot be absent from my work for even one day.” Imam (a.s.) replied: You are excused, as are other manual labourers. I was referring to people other than manual labourers, people who have the possibility of going (to the Ziyārah) every week. Such people will have no excuse in front of Allāh and His Messenger (s.a.a.w.) on the Day of Judgment (if they do not go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.)). I asked, “Is it permissible for them to send someone on their behalf?” Imam (a.s.) replied: Yes. However, it is better for them and they will have a greater reward with their Lord if they go themselves, for He will see them sleepless at night and tired during the day (traveling to Ḥusain (a.s.)). Allāh will look at them with a glance which will inevitably cause them to dwell with Muḥammad (s.a.a.w.) and his family (a.s.) in the greatest places of Firdaws. Therefore, compete with one another in going (to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.)) and be among those who adhere to it.

I said to Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)), “We go to the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) two or three times a year.” Abū ‘Abdillāh (a.s.) replied, “I do not like you to go there frequently. Go to his Ziyārah once a year.” I asked, “How should I send blessing on him (when I go to his Ziyārah)?” Imam (a.s.) replied, “Stand behind him (the grave) next to his shoulders and send blessing on the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) and then send blessing on Ḥusain (a.s.).”

Abu Bassir, Maysara, and other individuals were with Abu Abdullah (a) when I visited him. As soon as I sat, he turned to me and said: O Sadir, our disciple worships Allah while he is standing, sitting, sleeping, alive, and dead. I said: Allah may make me your sacrifice. We can understand how he worships Allah while he is standing, sitting, and alive. But how is it when he is asleep and dead? He (a) said: When the time of the prayer comes while our disciple is asleep, two angels whom were created in the earth and had never ascended to the heavens or seen the kingdom there will offer prayers next to him so as to awaken him. Allah will record the reward of the prayers of these two angels for that disciple. A single rak’a that is offered by these angels is equal to one thousand prayers that are offered by people. When Allah seizes the soul of our disciple, his two angels ascend to the heavens and say: ’O our Lord, Your servant (so-and-so) has withdrawn from worship and taken in full his life. You, however, are more knowledgeable with this matter than we are. Allow us to worship you in the horizons of Your heavens and the extremes of Your lands.’ Allah, then, says to them -in a form of revelation-, ’In My heavens, there are many who worship Me while I am not in need for their worship. In fact, it is they who are in need for worshipping Me. On My lands, likewise, there are many who worship me so properly; yet, I have not created anything that is needier for Me than they are. Hence, descend to the grave of my disciple.’ They will say, ’O our Lord, who is that one who is enjoying Your love for him?’ Allah will answer them -in a form of revelation-, ’That one is he who has put himself under the pledge of being loyal to Mohammed; My servant, his successor, and their descendants. Descend to the grave of My disciple (so-and-so) and offer prayers there until I resurrect him for the Day of Resurrection.’ The angels then descend to offer prayers at the grave until Allah resurrects him. Allah will record the reward of the prayers of these two angels for that disciple. A single rak’a that is offered by these angels is equal to one thousand prayers that are offered by people. I said: "Allah may make me your sacrifice, son of Allah’s Messenger. In his sleep and death, your disciple worships Allah in a way better than it is in his life and waking." He (a) said: No, Sadir. This is too far (from the truth). On the Day of Resurrection, our disciple will seek security -for others, probably- from Allah and Allah will grant him (that security)."

Allah has given Rasulullah (s) the nobilities of character exclusively. You should test yourselves through such characters. If you have them all, you should thank Allah and seek more. These are ten: conviction, satisfaction, tolerance, thankfulness, clemency, good mannerism, openhandedness, sense of honor, courage, and personality.

“When His Eminence, Salman Farsi entered Kufa, he glanced at it and mentioned all the troubles and events that were to occur in it till he mentioned about Bani Umayyah rulers and the period after them. After that he said: ‘When all this is over, you must remain confined to your houses till the reappearance of the master of the affair, the pure one, son of the pure and purifying. The one who has occultation and who is the ‘Shareed’ and ‘Tareed’

I asked Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)), “Is praying in the Mosque of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) the same as praying anywhere else in Madīnah?” Imam (a.s.) replied, “No. One Salāt (prayer) in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) is equal to one thousand prayers elsewhere. However, praying anywhere else in Madīnah is just like praying in any other city.”

The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) said: Those who come to my mosque, the Mosque of Qubā, and pray two Rak’ah in it, will receive the reward of performing an ‘Umrah.

I heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say: The boundaries of the grave (Ḥaram) of Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.) are twenty ells by twenty ells, and this location is a garden from the gardens of Paradise. The ascent of the angels toward the heavens begins from here. Every high-ranked angel and every prophet, who was chosen as a messenger, asks Allāh (at all times) for permission to go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.). (There is always) a crowd descending (from the heavens to go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.)) and a crowd ascending (back).

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Allāh will register those who go to (the Ziyārah of) the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) among those (who will be) in ‘Illīyyīn.

“The man of this matter will recite in one of his (two) disappearances, “So I fled from you when I feared you, then my Lord granted me wisdom and made me of the messengers.”

“The man of this matter disappears twice. The first one lasts long until some people say that he has died, some say that he has been killed and others say that he has gone. None of his companions will still believe in him except a very few people. No one knows his place except the guardian, who manages his affairs.” If there is no any other tradition narrated about the disappearance except this one, it will be sufficient for whoever ponders on it.

When Amirul Mo’mineen (as) was paid homage as the caliph after Uthman had been killed, he ascended the minbar and made a speech. He said: “Your affliction became as it had been when Allah had sent His messenger Muhammad (as). I swear by Him, Who has sent His messenger with the truth, that you will be confused and will be sifted until your notables become low and your lows become notable. Some of you, who have been indecent, will be virtuous and some, who have been virtuous, will be indecent. By Allah I have not hidden a truth nor have I told a lie. I have been inspired with this position and this day.”