مسمع بن الحجاج

“The staff of Moses belonged to Adam. It was passed to Shu‘ayb then to Moses ibn ‘Imran. Now it is with us. I have just, moments before, seen it. It is green just as being picked from its tree. It speaks if it is induced to do so. It is prepared for the one who will rise to establish the kingdom of Allah on earth. He will use it in the same way as Moses had done. It frightens and devours things made to trick people and it accomplishes whatever commands it receives. If it would proceed for a task it devours the treacherous materials. It opens into two branches; one on earth and the other towards the ceiling with an opening of forty yards in between and devours the deceptive materials with its tongue.”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: The Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) is (equal to) one Hajj. And after one has performed obligatory Hajj, it is equal to one Hajj and one ‘Umrah.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Those who go to the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) seeking (nearness to) Allāh, the Great and Almighty, will be accompanied by Jabra`īl, Mīkā`īl, and Isrāfīl until they return to their homes.

“It means to acknowledge the prophets and the executors of their wills especially Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.).” The Imam (a.s.) said, “The faith of a soul will not be of any benefit because it will be removed.”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Those who miss (the opportunity of) spending the Day of ‘Arafah in ‘Arafāt, but instead spend that day next to the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.), have not missed it. Verily (on the Day of ‘Arafah), Allāh, the Blessed and the Exalted, starts with the people who are next to the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) before the people who are in ‘Arafāt and then He mixes them with Himself.

The Prophet (MGB) ascended to Heaven one-hundred and twenty times. Every time, the Honorable the Exalted God recommended the love for Ali (MGB) and the Immaculate Divine Leaders (MGB) more than He recommended the obligatory deeds.”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Those who perform Ghusl with the water of the Euphrates (River) and then go to the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) become sinless like the day their mothers gave birth to them, even if they had committed major sins. It is recommended that one performs Ghusl before going to the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) and not when bidding farewell (to him), but rather wipe one’s hands over the face when bidding farewell.

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.”

“I once entered al-Madinah, visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and said to him, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I have come to you but I have not visited ’Amir al- Mu’minin.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You have done a bad thing. Were you not one of our followers, I would not have looked at you. Why should you not visit one whom Allah along with the angels visit, the prophets and believers visit?’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I did not know that.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must take notice that ’Amir al-Mu’minin is more excellent before Allah than all of ’A’immah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam. For him is the reward for their deeds and the degree of excellence is according to the measure of their deeds.’”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) asked me, “O Sadīr! Do you perform the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) once everyday?” 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 week?” I replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) asked, “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.)!!!”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.) anticipating the rewards from Allāh, without arrogance and ungratefulness, and without going to gain fame or to be seen by people, will be purified from their sins just as clothes are purified with water. (They will be purified completely) and no impurity will remain on them. With every step they take, a Hajj will be registered for them, and every time they raise their foot (to take a step), an ‘Umrah will be registered for them.

I entered Madīnah and went to Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) and said, “May I sacrifice myself for you! I have come to you but I have not gone to the Ziyārah of the Commander of the Believers (a.s.).” Imam (a.s.) replied, “How terrible! If you were not one of our Shia, I would not have even looked at you. Do you not go to the Ziyārah of the one to whose Ziyārah Allāh, the Exalted, along with His angels goes, and (the Ziyārah to which) the prophets and the believers go?!” “May I sacrifice myself for you! I did not know this,” I said. Imam (a.s.) said: Then know that the Commander of the Believers (a.s.) has a higher rank with Allāh than all of the Imams (a.s.). The Imams (a.s.) are elevated (above others) based on the number of their deeds, and the reward for their deeds is (registered) for the Commander of the Believers (a.s.).

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: When a man leaves his house to go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.), seven hundred angels will accompany him who will be over his head, under his feet, to his right, to his left, in front of him, and behind him until he arrives at his safe haven. After he performs the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.), a caller will call out to him, “You have been forgiven. Therefore, continue with good deeds.” These angels will accompany him back to his house. When they arrive at his house, they will say to him, “We leave you in Allāh’s protection.” These angels will visit him continuously until he dies. Thereafter, they will go to the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) everyday, the reward of which will be registered for that man.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) asked me, “O Sadīr! Do you perform the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) everyday?” I replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) said, “How negligent you people are!!! Do you perform his Ziyārah every week?” I replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) asked, “Do you perform his Ziyārah every month?” I replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) asked, “Do you perform his Ziyārah once a 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 thousand angels who are disheveled and covered with dust, who lament and cry over Ḥusain (a.s.), and who perform the Ziyārah of his grave (at all times) without pause?! Verily the reward of their deeds is registered for those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.).

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.”

I heard Jabir b. `Abdullah al-Ansari say: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: On the Day of Resurrection, my daughter Fatima will come forward on a she-camel from the camels of Paradise. Its sides will be decorated, its muzzle will be of fresh pearl, its legs will be of green emerald, its tail will be of wondrous musk, and its eyes will be of red rubies. Upon it will be a dome of light, which could be seen both from within and from without. Her entrance is the forgiveness of Allah, and her exit is the mercy of Allah. Upon her head will be a crown of light. The crown will have seventy pillars, each with pearls and rubies inlaid, glowing just as a pearly planet glows atop heaven. On her right will be seventy thousand angels and, on her left, will be seventy thousand angels. Gabriel will be grasping the muzzle of the she-camel, calling at the top of his voice: “Lower your sights so that Fatima the daughter of Muhammad may pass.” That day, there will not be a prophet, messenger, saint, nor martyr but that he will lower his sight, until Fatima the daughter of Muhammad passes through. She will go before the Throne of her Lord, disembark from the she-camel, and say: “My God and my Master! Judge between me and those who oppressed me. O Allah, judge between me and those who killed my son.” Then, it will be called from the direction of Allah: “O My beloved and the daughter of My Beloved! Ask Me, and you will be granted your request; intercede, and your intercession will be granted; for, by My glory and My majesty, I will give My reward.” So, she will say: “My God and my Master! [Accept my intercession for] my offspring, my Shi`a, the Shi`a of my offspring, those who love me, and those who love my offspring.” Then, there will be a call from the direction of Allah: “Where are the offspring of Fatima, her Shi`a, those who love her, and those who love her offspring?” Then, they will come forward, surrounded by the angels of mercy. Fatima will then lead them until she brings them into Paradise.

to him (la). So they said, ‘O our chief and our master, what was that shriek which we heard which was so frightening that you (la) have never screamed like this before’. So he (la) said to them, ‘It was the action of this Prophet (saww), if acted upon, no one would disobey Allah (azwj) ever’. So they said, ‘O our chief, you (la) dealt with Adam (as)’. So when the hypocrites said, ‘He (saww) speak out of desires’, and one of them two (Abu Bakr and Umar) said to his companion, ‘Did you see his (saww) turn in his (saww) head as if he (saww) is a mad man?’ (By this) meaning the Rasool Allah (saww), Iblees (la) screamed with a scream of pleasure. So his (la) friends gathered. So he (la) said, ‘But, do you know that I (la) dealt with Adam (as) beforehand?’ They said, ‘Yes’. He (la) said, ‘Adam (as) set aside the Covenant and did not blaspheme with the Lord (azwj), and these ones have set aside the Covenant and blasphemed against the Rasool Allah (saww)’. So when the Rasool Allah (saww) passed away and the people established someone other than Ali (asws), Iblees (la) wore a crown of the king and established a pulpit and sat upon the cushion, and gathered his (la) cavalry and his (la) infantry. Then he (la) said to them, ‘Be delighted! Allah (azwj) will not be obeyed until the Imam (asws) makes a stand’. And Abu Ja’far (asws) recited: “[34:20] And certainly the Shaitan found true his conjecture concerning them, so they follow him, except a party of the believers”. Abu Ja’far (asws) said: ‘The explanation of this Verse came to the fore when the Rasool Allah (saww) passed away, and the conjecture from Iblees (la) where they said to the Rasool Allah (saww) that he (saww) speak out of desire, so Iblees (la) conjectured about them with a conjecture and they made his (la) conjecture to come true’.