عبد الله بن احمد النهيكي

I asked Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) about the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.). Imam (a.s.) said, “(Go) once a year because I do not want you to be identified.”

I said to Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)), “I am a man with many illnesses and diseases and there is not any medicine that I have not tried.” Imam (a.s.) said: Why have you not used the dust (from the grave) of Ḥusain (a.s.)?! Verily it contains the cure for every disease and it is protection against any fear. When you take from it you should say: O Allāh! I ask You through the right of this clay, through the right of the angel who took from it, through the right of the Prophet who held it, and through the right of the Successor who is lying in it to send Your blessing on Muḥammad and his family and to make it my cure against every disease and my protection against any fear. Then Imam (a.s.) added: The angel who took from it was Jabra`īl who showed it to the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) and said, “This is the dust of this son of yours. Your nation will kill him after you.” The prophet who held it was Muḥammad (s.a.a.w.) and the successor who is lying in it is Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.), the Master of the Martyrs. I said, “I understand that it is a cure for every disease but how is it a protection against any fear?” Imam (a.s.) replied: If you fear a ruler or anything similar to that, do not leave your house without carrying some of the clay of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.). When you take from it, you should say: O Allāh! This is the clay of the grave of Ḥusain, Your Walī and the son of Your Walī, and I have carried it as protection against that which I fear and that which I do not. Imam (a.s.) added, “Verily it is possible that a tragedy which you do not fear might befall you.” So I took it as he had ordered and I swear to Allāh that I became healthy. It was also my protection against that which I feared and against that which I did not fear, just as the Imam (a.s.) had said. Praise be to Allāh that I have not seen any misfortune ever since.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: There is a grave near you to which no anguished person goes without Allāh removing his anguish and fulfilling his requests.

I heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say: There is a grave near you to which no anguished person goes without Allāh removing his anguish and fulfilling his requests. Verily there are four thousand angels next to his grave (who have been there) since the day his life was taken. They are disheveled, covered with dust, and they cry over him (and will continue to do so) until the Day of Judgment. These angels accompany those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.) back to their safe haven. If they become ill, the angels will visit them. And when they die, the angels will follow their corpses in their funerals.

Abu Ja’far (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)) said to a man: O so-and-so! What prevents you at times of need from going to the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.), praying four Rak’ah, and then asking (Allāh) for your needs?! Verily establishing an obligatory prayer next to his grave is equal to performing a Hajj and establishing a Nāfilah prayer (next to his grave) is equal to performing an ‘Umrah.

I heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say: Verily there is a grave near you to which no anguished person goes without Allāh removing his anguish and fulfilling his requests. Verily there are four thousand angels next to his grave (who have been there) since the day his life was taken. They are disheveled, covered with dust, and they cry over him (and will continue to do so) until the Day of Judgment. These angels accompany those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.) (back to their safe haven). If they become ill, the angels will visit them. And when they die, the angels will follow their corpses in their funerals.

It is like cheese. If you recognize its offspring exactly, then do not eat; but you can eat if you cannot recognize it.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Earning certain kinds of sustenance dries up one’s skin on his bones (very hard to earn).”’

“A man made a will and asked me to pay for al-Hajj from his legacy, but when I examined his legacy it was not sufficient. I then asked abu Hanifah and the jurists of al-Kufah. They said that I must give as charity on his behalf. When I performed al-Hajj, I met ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Hassan during tawaf. I asked him, saying, ‘A man of your followers of the people of al-Kufah has died and has made a will in which he has asked me to perform al-Hajj for him from his legacy, but when I examined his legacy, it is not sufficient for al-Hajj and I asked the jurist in our area. They said that I must pay charity for him and I did so. What do you say about it?’ He said, ‘This is Ja‘far ibn Muhammad in al-Hijr. Go and ask him.’ I went in al-Hijr and found abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), under al-Mizab facing the house and praying. He (the Imam) turned to me, saw me and asked, ‘What do you need?’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I am a man from al-Kufah of your friends.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Leave it. What do you need?’ I then said, ‘A man has died and has made a will that al- Hajj must be performed from his legacy. I examined it and it is not sufficient for al-Hajj. I then asked the jurists about it in our area. They said that I must pay charity on his behalf.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What did you do with it?’ I replied, ‘I gave it in charity.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You are responsible, unless it was not sufficient even for performing al-Hajj from Makkah, but if it was sufficient for performing al-Hajj from Makkah, then you are responsible.’”

“There is a man who divorces his wife, then does not go back to her until three cycles of Hayd (menses) are complete, then divorces and leaves her until three cycles of Hayd (menses) are complete then marries her then divorces without going back to her and leaves until three cycles of Hayd (menses) are complete. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘He can marry her forever as long as he does not go back and touch her.’ Ibn Bukayr and his companions were of this opinion and ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah narrated it to me that he asked, ‘On what basis do you say so?’ He replied, ‘I say so on the basis of Hadith narrated by Rifa‘ah who has narrated from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that it destroys what is passed. He (the narrator) has said, that Rifa‘ah has only said, ‘He divorced, then another man married her, then divorced; then the first man married her and this destroys the first ‘Talaq’ (divorce).”’

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: After you finish your invocations next to the grave (of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.)), proceed to the pulpit. Rub your hands on it and then hold its two bottom knobs. Rub your face and your eyes on them, for it is said that they cure the eyes. Thereafter, stand by the pulpit, praise Allāh, glorify Him, and then ask for your needs. The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) has said: There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise between my pulpit and my grave. My pulpit is placed over an oasis from the oases of Paradise and its pillars were built in Paradise. Imam (a.s.) continued: Then go to the place (where) the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) (used to pray) and establish as many prayers as you wish. Send blessings on Muḥammad and his family (a.s.) when you want to enter or exit the Mosque of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) and establish prayers increasingly while you are in the Mosque of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.).

Ja’far ibn Muḥammad Al-Sādiq (a.s.) said: Allāh will forgive the past and future sins of those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.) on the night of the fifteenth of Sha’bān. Allāh will register the reward of one thousand accepted Hajj and one thousand purified ‘Umrah for those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.) on the Day of ‘Arafah. Those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.) on the Day of ‘Āshūrā, it is as if they have gone to the Ziyārah of Allāh on top of His Throne. The above Ḥadīth has also been narrated to me through the following chain: Muḥammad ibn ‘Abdillāh ibn Ja’far, from his father ‘Abdillāh ibn Ja’far Al-Ḥimyari, from Muḥammad ibn Ḥusain, from Ḥamdān ibn Mu’āfā, from Ibn Abī ‘Umayr, from Zayd Al-Shaḥḥām, from Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)).

Ja’far ibn Muḥammad (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Allāh will forgive the past and future sins of those who go to the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) on the night of the fifteenth of Sha’bān. Allāh will register the reward of one thousand accepted Hajj and one thousand purified ‘Umrah for those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.) on the Day of ‘Arafah. Those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.) on the Day of ‘Āshūrā, it is as if they have gone to the Ziyārah of Allāh on top of His Throne.

I asked Abāl Ḥasan (Imam Kāżim (a.s.)) about establishing voluntary prayers next to the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.), in Makkah, and in Madīnah as a Muqassir. Imam (a.s.) replied, “You can establish as many voluntary prayers as you like as a Muqassir next to his grave, in Masjid Al-Ḥarām, in the Mosque of the Messenger (s.a.a.w.), and in the (holy) sites of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.). Verily this is a blessing.” The above Ḥadīth has also been narrated to me through the following chains: A) ‘Ali ibn Ḥusain, from ‘Ali ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Hāshim, from his father, from Ibn Abī ‘Umayr, and from Ibrāhīm ibn ‘Abdil Ḥamīd, from Abil Ḥasan (a.s.). B) My father, from Sa’d ibn ‘Abdillāh, from Ḥasan ibn Mūsā Al-Khashāb, from Ja’far ibn Muḥammad ibn Ḥakīm Al-Khath’ami, from Ibrāhīm ibn ‘Abdil Ḥamīd, from Abil Ḥasan (a.s.).

I asked Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) about (the reward for) going to the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.). Imam (a.s.) replied, “It is equal to one Hajj and one ‘Umrah and this much reward.” Um Sa’īd added that the Imam (a.s.) stretched open his arms and closed them (three times).

I asked Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)), “What does it mean when it is said that going to the Ziyārah of the grave of Abī ‘Abdillāh Al-Ḥusain (a.s.) is equal to performing Hajj and ‘Umrah?” Imam (a.s.) replied: Verily Hajj and ‘Umrah can only be performed here (in Makkah). However, if one decides to go to Hajj but does not have the means (to do so) and goes to Ḥusain (a.s.) instead, Allāh will register a Hajj for him. (Similarly) if one decides to perform an ‘Umrah but does not have the means (to do so) and goes to Ḥusain (a.s.) instead, Allāh will register an ‘Umrah for him.

“Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said, ‘Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr and Abu al-Khalid al-Kabuli were of the trusted and reliable companions of Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.).” The Imam (a.s.) has said, “My mother was a true believer, pious and a person of good deeds. Allah loves the people of good deeds.” He has said, “My mother has said that my father said, “O ’Umm Farwa, I pray to Allah to forgive the sins of the sinners of our Shi‘a (followers) a thousand times a day because we exercise patience knowing well the facts of reward but they exercise patience in that of which they have no knowledge.”

“Those who were opposed to the rule of Abu Bakr before Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) were twelve persons from the Emigrants (Muhajirin) and the Helpers (Ansar). The ones from amongst the Emigrants were Sa’id ibn Al-As; al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad; Abi ibn Ka’ab; Ammar ibn Yasir; Abuzar al-Qaffari; Salman al-Farsi; Abdullah ibn Mas’ood; and Baridat al-Aslami. And those who were from the Helpers were Khazimat ibn Sabit Zulshahadatein; Sahl ibn Hanif; Abu Ayoob Al-Ansari; Abul Haysam ibn al-Tayhan and others.
When Abu Bakr sat on God’s Prophet’s (sw) pulpit as the Caliph they consulted with each other in this regard. Some of them said, ‘Let us go and force him down from the pulpit.’ The others said, ‘This would be like contributing to our own destruction and the Honorable the Exalted God has said, ‘And make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction;’ It is better that we all go to see Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) and consult with him to see what he says.’ Then they all went to see Ali (AS) and said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! You have given up your position and your due right. We do not want to take Abu Bakr down from the pulpit without consulting with you.’ Ali (AS) told them, ‘A war would break out if you do so. You are nothing when compared with them in terms of force. The people have agreed to his Caliphate now and have not acted according to what the Prophet (sw) said. They have denied their Lord! I consulted with my family on this issue. They believe that there is no solution except being silent since these people hate the Honorable the Exalted God and the Prophet’s Household. They want to retaliate for the blood shed in the Age of Ignorance. I swear by God that if you do so, they will unsheathe their swords and become ready for a battle as they quarreled with me so much that they defeated me; dominated over me; surrounded me and said, ‘Either you pledge allegiance or we will kill you.’ I had no way except to protect myself since I remembered the words of God’s Prophet (sw) who told me, ‘O Ali! If these people did not let you become the Caliph; disagreed with you and disobeyed my orders regarding you, you must be patient until God descends an order for you. Beware that they will certainly deceive you. You should not give them any excuses, since then they will belittle you and shed your blood. Gabriel has informed me on the authority of the Blessed the Sublime God that the nation will break their pledge of allegiance after me.’ You should all go to that man and tell him what you have heard from your Prophet (sw), so that he may have no doubts in what he is doing. It would be best to give him an ultimatum so that he deserves a greater punishment from his Lord, since he has disobeyed God’s Prophet (sw) and has acted against his orders.’
Then they all waited until Friday when they surrounded the pulpit of God’s Prophet (sw). The Helpers told the Emigrants, ‘Indeed the Honorable the Exalted God has preferred you to the Helpers and said, ‘Allah turned with favor to the Prophet, the Muhajers and the Ansar …’ Therefore, you may speak first. Because of this the first one who stood up and started to speak was Khalid ibn Saeed ibn Aas with the support of the Umayyads.
He said, ‘O Abu Bakr! I admonish you to fear God. You well know what God’s Prophet (sw) has said about Ali (AS). Don’t you know that on the day of the Battle of the Qariza clan, (when we were all around him) faced the noble ones of us - and said, ‘O Emigrants and Helpers! I have a recommendation to you which you must honor. I have an order which you must obey. Beware that Ali (AS) is your Commander and my Trustee after me. My Lord advised me so. If you do not respect my will in this regard, and do not support and assist him, you will fall into disunion regarding your decrees. Your religious affairs will be in a mess, and the most wicked ones amongst you will take charge of your affairs. The members of my Household are in charge of the affairs after me. They are to run the affairs of my nation after me. O my Lord! Please include anyone who honors my will regarding Ali (AS) to be amongst those who are resurrected along with me. Also grant them some of my Friendship with which they can become prosperous in the Hereafter. O my God! Please forbid Paradise which is wider than the heavens and the Earth for whoever mistreats my Household.’
When Khalid said this Umar ibn al-Khattab yelled and said, ‘O Khalid! Shut up. You are not one of the members of the council or the ones on whose sayings we could rely.’ Then Khalid said, ‘O Ibn al-Khat’tab! You should shut up. I swear by God that you well know that you are not just saying what you yourself think. Rather, you are defending other people’s interests. I swear by God that all of the Quraysh know that my lineage is nobler than everyone else. I am the most literate, the most well-known one and expect the least from God and His Prophet (sw), but you are of the worst lineage, the most infamous one that is much more distant from the Honorable the Exalted God and His Prophet (sw). Indeed you are a coward in fighting, stingy at times of drought, and of a base lineage. You have nothing to be proud of amongst the Quraysh.’ Thus, Khalid silenced him and sat down.
Then Abuzar (ra) stood up, praised God, expressed God’s glorifications and said, ‘O group of the Emigrants and the Helpers! You and the good ones amongst you all know well that God’s Prophet (sw) said, ‘The Rule over the affairs belongs to Ali (AS) after me. After him, it belongs to Al-Hassan (AS) and al-Hussein (AS). Then after them it belongs to the members of my Holy Household from the progeny of Al-Hussein (AS). You have ignored what God’s Prophet (sw) said. You have become materialists and have forgotten what God’s Prophet (sw) said. You have forsaken the permanent blessings of the Hereafter which is everlasting and never ends or gets ruined where the residents neither grieve nor die. You have become just like the deviated nations who changed the orders of their Prophets after them. Soon you will be bitterly punished for your deeds. God doesn’t oppress His servants.’
Abuzar finished his speech and then Salman al-Farsi (ra) stood up and said, ‘O Abu Bakr! Who do you cite when you issue your judgements and to whom do you seek refuge when you are asked things which you do not know? Who is more knowledgeable in the nation than you are? Who is closer to God’s Prophet (sw) than you are? Who has a more extensive background with God’s Prophet (sw) than you do? You have ignored the Prophet’s orders which he issued when he was alive. You have forgotten the Prophet’s (sw) will. Soon everythingwill become very clear for you when you die and enter the graveyard with a heavy load of sins and wicked deeds. When you enter your grave you will find exactly what you sent ahead of yourself. If you pay attention to the truth and be fair and acknowledge the right of the just ones, it will save you on a Day on which you will be in need of your own deeds and when you will be left alone in your grave with your (own) deeds. You have heard what we have heard and you have seen what we have seen. Why do these remarks not prevent you from doing what you are doing? I beseech you by God to consider God. Whoever ponders over things in advance would act according to what is right.’
Then Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad (ra) stood up and said, ‘O Abu Bakr! First measure yourself and see how much you measure up to. Sit in your own house and cry over your sins, since that would be better for you in this life and after your death. Return the position of the Caliphate to the one whom God and His Prophet (sw) have already determined. Do not rely on this world as your supporter and do not let these lowly people deceive you. Soon the world will end for you and you will be taken to your Lord to be rewarded for what you have done. You know well that the position of the Caliphate belongs to Ali (AS). He (MGB) is the one to whom it belongs to after God’s Prophet (sw). I have only advised you. You may accept it or not as you please.’Then Barideh Aslami stood up and said, ‘O Abu Bakr! Have you really forgotten things or do you pretend to have forgotten? Are you deceiving yourself? Don’t you remember that God’s Prophet (sw) ordered us to greet Ali (AS) as the Commander of the Faithful during his lifetime. Fear God and get a grip on yourself before it gets too late. Save yourself from destruction! Leave the position of Caliphate and entrust it to the one who deserves it. Do not go astray. Return while you still can. I have only advised you and did my best. You may accept it or not as you please. You will become triumphant and prosper if you accept it.’
Then Abdullah ibn Mas’ood stood up and said, ‘O the Quraysh clan! You and all the good ones amongst you well know that the members of the Household of your Prophet are closer to God’s Prophet (sw) than you are. If you claim the position of the Caliphate to be for the relatives of God’s Prophet (sw) and say you have a background in Islam, then the members of the Household of God’s Prophet (sw) are closer to him than you are. They are closer to God’s Prophet (sw) and have a more extensive background with him. Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) is in charge of this after your Prophet (sw). Therefore, entrust to him what God has already entrusted him with and do not step backwards, since then you may experience a detrimental ending.’
Then, Ammar ibn Yasir stood up and said, ‘O Abu Bakr! Do not grasp by force the right which God has granted to someone else. Do not be the first one to disobey God’s Prophet (sw) and oppose him regarding his Household. Return the right to its owner. Lighten the load and burden on your back and meet God’s Prophet in such a manner that he may be pleased with you. Then you may go to the Merciful God for the Reckoning of your deeds and asking you about what you have done.’
Then Khuzayma ibn Sabit Zul-Shuhadatayn stood up and said, ‘O Abu Bakr! Don’t you know that God’s Prophet accepted my testimony alone and did not ask for anyone else’s testimony?’ Abu Bakr replied, ‘Yes.’ Khuzayma said, ‘I swear by God and bear witness that I heard God’s Prophet (sw) say, ‘The members of my Household are the ones who distinguish the difference between right and wrong. In fact, they are the Divine Leaders whom you must follow.’’
Then Abul Haysam ibn al-Teehan stood up and said, ‘O Abu Bakr! I bear witness to the Prophet (sw) and his Holy Household that God’s Prophet (sw) raised up Ali (AS) by his arm.’Then the Helpers said, ‘The Prophet (sw) indeed raised him up by his arm for the position of Trusteeship.’ Others said, ‘The Prophet (sw) raised him up so that the people could know who is the Master of whomever the Prophet (sw) is the master of and that the Prophet (sw) had said, ‘Beware that the members of my Household are the stars on the Earth! Honor them and do not surpass them.’’Then Sahl ibn Hanif stood up and said, ‘I bear witness that I have heard God’s Prophet (sw) say the following from the pulpit, ‘Your Divine Leader after me will be Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS). He is the one person who is the most caring of the nation!’’
Then Abu Ayoob al-Ansari stood up and said, ‘Fear God regarding the members of the Holy Household of your Prophet and return this Rule to them. You should listen and obey as we did from the Prophet (sw) in one position after another as they are more deserving for that rank than you are.’ Then he sat down.
Then Zayd ibn Wahab stood up and spoke. Then a group of people stood up after him and spoke likewise saying similar things. It has been reported on the authority of one of the trustworthy companions of God’s Prophet that after this session Abu Bakr stayed in his house for three days.
On the third day Umar ibn al-Khat’tab, Talha, Zubayr, Uthman ibn Affan, Abdul Rahman ibn Oaf, Sa’id ibn Abi Waqqas, Abu Ubaydat ibn al-Jarah each accompanied with ten men armed with swords went to his house and took him to the pulpit. One of them announced, ‘Should any of you say what he said before, we shall tear him into pieces with our swords.’ Thus, they stayed home and did not say anything any more.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Maintaining good neighborly relations increases the development of the country and one’s life span.’”

“I once heard abu al-Hassan, al-Awwal (a.s.), saying, ‘If one eats pomegranate on Friday before breakfast his heart becomes bright for forty mornings. If one eats two pomegranates, it then is eighty days, if one eats three pomegranates, it then is three hundred and twenty days and temptation of Satan is kept away from him. One from whom temptation of Satan is kept away he does not disobey Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, and one who does not disobey Allah is admitted in paradise?”