محمد بن عبد الله الطيار

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘If one refrains from drinking wine for his own protection Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, will provide him drink from the sealed wine of the garden (paradises).”’

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said that once an Arab man came to the Prophet (sw) and said, ‘Teach me a good deed whereby I can go to Paradise. He said, ‘Serve food and offer greetings of peace aloud.‘ He (the Imam) has said that the man then said, ‘I cannot afford this.‘ He (the Holy Prophet) asked, ‘Do you have a camel?‘ He replied, ‘Yes.‘ He then said, ‘Prepare your camel and provide water for a family who need water only every other day. This will not destroy your camel or damage your water container before your going to Paradise becomes necessary.‘“

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: There is not a worshiper who is insulted while he is fasting who responds: “Surely, I am fasting. Peace be unto you” except that the Lord says: “My servant sought refuge from My servant by fasting. Save him from My Fire and bring him into My Paradise.”

“I heard the Imam saying, ‘There are two kinds of believing people: one kind is true to the stipulations that He has made with him. He is with the prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs and the virtuous ones. These indeed are good companions. Such ones intercede on behalf of others but they themselves do not need anyone’s intercessions on their behalf. Such believers do not suffer from any frightening thing in this world or in the hereafter. There are the believers who lose balance. Such believers are like a sprouting plant that deals with the wind as it goes. Such believers face the frightening things in this world and in the hereafter. They need others intercession on their behalf but they are in good hands.’”

Prophet (s) said: For anyone who loves Ali in his lifetime and after his death, Allah will grant him security and faith as long as the sun rises and sets. Anyone who hates Ali in his lifetime and after his death will die as if he has never been Muslim and will be called to account for his deeds.

“Once I went to see abu al-Hassan (a.s.) and I said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, in all matters they wanted to extinguish your light and be unjust towards you. So much so that they have lodged you in this disgraceful place for the homeless.” He said, “O ibn Sa‘id, here. He pointed out with his hand and said, “Look there.” When looked I saw gardens. I saw very delightful gardens. There lived lovely boys and girls as if they well protected and secure pearls. There lived birds and beautiful deer. It have fountains and rivers that pur out and gush forth. My sight bewildered and my eyes turned dull. He then said, “Wherever we may live these are for us. We are in the lodging for the homeless.”

The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) said: Those who want to live like me, die like me, and enter my Paradise – the forever green Paradise whose trees my Lord planted with His own hand –should follow ‘Ali (a.s.), learn his merits and that of the successors after him, and dissociate from my enemies. (Verily) Allāh has given them (‘Ali and his successors (a.s.)) my knowledge and my understanding. (Verily) they are my descendants who are from my flesh and blood. I complain to Allāh about their enemies from my nation, about those who deny their virtues, and about those who abandon me by (oppressing) them. I swear to Allāh that they will kill my son. May Allāh exclude them from my intercession.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Whoever blesses me without blessing my family will not find the fragrance of Paradise. Its fragrance could be found at the travel distance of five hundred years away.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Allah will raise a group of people with faces of light, upon seats of light, wearing garments of light, in the shade of the Throne, at the rank of the prophets – and they are not prophets; and at the rank of the martyrs – and they are not martyrs. So, a man said: Am I from them, O Messenger of Allah? He said: No. Another said: Am I from them, O Messenger of Allah? He said: No. It was said: Who are they, O Messenger of Allah? So, he placed his hand upon the head of `Ali (as) and said: Him and his Shi`a.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Whoever says: “may Allah be glorified (subhanallah)”, Allah will plant a tree for him in Paradise due to that. Whoever says: “Praise be to Allah (alhamdulillah)”, Allah will plant a tree for him in Paradise due to that. Whoever says: “There is no god but Allah (la ilaha illallah)”, Allah will plant a tree for him in Paradise due to that. Whoever says: “Allah is the greatest (Allahu akbar)”, Allah will plant a tree for him in Paradise due to that. So, a man from Quraysh said: O Messenger of Allah! Then we have many trees in Paradise. He said: Yes, but beware of taking fire to them to burn them, for Allah says, “O you who believe! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and do not invalidate your deeds.” (47:33)

Messenger of God (ṣ) said, "God - Blessed and Exalted - has caused Islam to appear by my hands; He has revealed the Criterion to me; He has conquered the Kaʿbah by my hands; He honoured me above all his creatures; He made me the leader of the sons of Adam in this world, and the beauty of Resurrection in the next world. He has forbidden any Prophet from entering the Garden until I enter it, just as He has forbidden their nations from entering it. He made the succession in my Family after me until the trumpet is blown. Whoever has disbelieved in what I say has disbelieved in God Almighty."

There are eight gates for Paradise. One of these gates is for the Prophets (MGB) and the honest ones. One is for the martyrs and the good ones. Five of them are for our Shiites and those who like us. I will always be standing at the Bridge, praying and asking God, ‘O My Lord! Please grant peace and health to my followers, friends and those who have recognized my Mastery on the Earth.’ There shall be a reply from within God’s Threshold which says, ‘Indeed your supplications are fulfilled.’ Anyone of my followers, those who have accepted my Mastery, helped me, or fought with my enemies - verbally or physically - may intercede on behalf of seventy-thousand of his relatives or neighbors. The last gate is for the entry of all other Muslims who bear testimony that ‘There is no god but God’ and there is not the least bit of hatred of the members of our Holy Household in their hearts.’”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: I heard my father (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)) ask one of his servants, who had asked him about the Ziyārah (of Ḥusain (a.s.)), “To whose Ziyārah are you going and whom do you seek (to please) by going to this Ziyārah?” He (the servant) replied, “Allāh, the Blessed and the Exalted.” My father (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)) said: Those who establish one Salāt behind the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) seeking (nearness with) Allāh will meet Him on the Day of Judgment shining so brightly that the light (which emanates from them) will cover everything that looks at them. Allāh will honour those who go to the Ziyārah of Ḥusain (a.s.) and He will prevent the Fire from touching them. They will not be prevented from coming to the Pool and no one will precede them. The Commander of the Believers (a.s.) will be standing by the Pool and he will shake their hands and quench their thirst with the water. Then they will go to their dwellings in Paradise accompanied by an angel appointed by the Commander of the Believers (a.s.). This angel will order SIRĀŤ to humble itself before them and will order Hell not to touch them with its blazing fires. Therefore, they will pass Sirāť accompanied by the angel which had been sent by the Commander of the Believers (a.s.).

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked me, ‘O Harun ibn Kharijah, how far away do you live from the Masjid of Kufah? Is it one mile?’ I replied, ‘No, it is less than a mile.’ He then asked, ‘Do you perform all Salah (prayers) there?’ I replied, ‘No, I do not perform all Salah (prayers) there.’ He then said, ‘If I were nearby I hope I would not miss performing any Salah (prayer) therein. Do you know what is the excellence of Salah (prayer) performed therein? There is no believer of good deeds or prophet who has not performed Salah (prayer) in the Masjid of Kufah. Even when the Messenger of Allah was on his night journey, Jibril asked him, “Do you know where your are, O Messenger of Allah? At this hour you are across the Masjid of Kufah.” He said, “Ask my Lord for permission so I can go there and perform two Rak‘at Salah (prayer) therein.” He asked Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, for permission, which was granted. On the right side of this Masjid, there is a garden of the gardens of paradise, in the middle of it, there is a garden of the gardens of paradise and behind it, there is a garden of the gardens of paradise. Performing one obligatory Salah (prayer) in it is equal to one thousand Salah (prayer). One optional Salah (prayer) in it is equal to five hundred Salah (prayer). Sitting in it without performing any Salah (prayer) or speaking of Allah is worshipping. Had people known its excellence they would go to it even crawling.’ Sahl has said that narrators other than ‘Amr have said that performing obligatory Salah (prayer) in it is equal to performing Hajj and performing optional Salah (prayer) is equal to ‘Umrah.”

‘I heard Abu Abdullah (asws) saying: ‘When the believers says to his brother, ‘Uff!’ he comes out from his guardianship. If he says, ‘You are my enemy’, one of the two has blasphemed, because Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic does not Accept the deeds from anyone during the reproach of a Believer, and does not Accept from a Believer any deeds whilst he harbours evil in his heart against a Believer. If the covering is Lifted from the people, so they will see to the Means of what is between Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic and the Believers. Their necks would become submissive to the Believers, and their matters would become easier for them and they would be obedient to them. And if they were to look at the deeds rejected by Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic, they would say, ‘Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic does not Accept the deeds from anybody’. And I (the narrator) heard him (asws) say to a man from the Shites: ‘You all are the good ones, and your women are the good ones. Every Believing woman is a beautiful Hourie, and every believing man is a truthful one’. He (the narrator) said, ‘And I heard him (asws) saying: ‘Our (asws) Shites would be the closest of the creatures to the Throne of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic on the Day of Judgement after us (asws). And there is no one from our (asws) Shites who stand to Pray except that the number of Angels equal to the ones opposed to him Pray for him in congregation for him until he is free from his Salat (Prayer). And the one from among you who Fasts will be enjoying in the Gardens of the Paradise, and the Angels prepare it for him until he breaks the Fast’. And I (the narrator) heard him (asws) saying: ‘You (Shites) are the people Greeted by the Greetings of Allah (azwj), and the people Impacted by the Mercy of Allah (azwj), and the people Guided by the Protection of Allah (azwj), and the people Invited by Allah (azwj) for being obedient to Him (azwj). There is no Accounting for you (Shites), and no fear, and no grief. You are all for the Paradise and the Paradise is for you all. Your names (titles) in our (asws) presence are, ‘the righteous’, and ‘the reformers’. And you are the people of the Pleasure of Allah (azwj), Him (azwj) being Pleased with you, and the Angels are your brothers in the good. So if you are striving, they supplicate for you, and if you are in neglect, they strive for you. And you are the best of the created beings. Your houses are gardens for your (living ones), and the graves are the garden for your (deceased). It is for the Paradise that you have been created, and it is in the Paradise that you will be Favoured by, and it is to the Paradise that you are travelling to’.

We are angels. When you recited Laa ilaaha illallaah in the world, we saw you and this city along with the servants is for you. You would be given a better reward from the Almighty Allah. You will see in Darus Salaam, the neighborhood of Allah what He has given you. You will see that this reward would never be taken back.” The narrator says that one must recite this supplication much so that one is rewarded more.

VISITING FATIMAH {s.a}, DAUGHTER OF THE PROPHET (sw) (PEACE BE UPON HER AND UPON HER FATHER (sw), HUSBAND (as), AND SONS (as)) The compiler of this book—may Allah (swt) have mercy on him—stated: There are differing narrations regarding the burial place of Fatimah, the Lady of the Worlds, peace be upon her. Some narrations state that she was buried in al-Baqi‘. Others suggest that she was buried between the Prophet’s grave and his pulpit, and that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: “What is between my grave and my pulpit is a garden from the gardens of Paradise” because her grave lies between the two. Another set of narrations claims that she was buried in her house. When the Umayyads expanded the mosque, her burial site became part of the mosque. This last opinion is the one I consider to be correct. When I performed Hajj to the Sacred House of Allah (swt), my return journey took me to Madinah through the grace of Allah (swt), the Exalted. After completing my visitation to the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family, I went to the house of Fatimah, peace be upon her. It lies from the column near the entrance through the Gate of Archangel Jibril (as) extending to the rear of the sacred enclosure that houses the grave of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. I stood near the enclosure, to its left side, with my back facing the Qiblah and my face directed towards her resting place. I performed this while in a state of ritual purification and recited: "Peace be upon you, O daughter of the Messenger of Allah (swt). Peace be upon you, O daughter of the Prophet of Allah (swt). Peace be upon you, O daughter of the Beloved of Allah (swt). Peace be upon you, O daughter of the Friend of Allah (swt). Peace be upon you, O daughter of the Chosen of Allah (swt). Peace be upon you, O daughter of the Trustworthy of Allah (swt). Peace be upon you, O daughter of the best of Allah’s (swt) creation. Peace be upon you, O daughter of the most excellent of Allah’s (swt) Prophets, Messengers, and Angels. Peace be upon you, O daughter of the best of creation. Peace be upon you, O Mistress of the women of the worlds, from the first to the last. Peace be upon you, O wife of the Friend of Allah (swt) and the best of creation after the Messenger of Allah (swt). Peace be upon you, O mother of Hasan and Husayn, the chiefs of the youth of Paradise. Peace be upon you, O truthful martyr. Peace be upon you, O content and satisfied one. Peace be upon you, O virtuous and pure one. Peace be upon you, O heavenly human. Peace be upon you, O pious and pure one. Peace be upon you, O learned and inspired one. Peace be upon you, O oppressed and usurped one. Peace be upon you, O persecuted and subdued one. Peace be upon you, O Fatimah, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (swt). May the mercy and blessings of Allah (swt) be upon you." "Peace and blessings of Allah (swt) be upon you, upon your soul, and upon your body. I testify that you departed this world upon clear guidance from your Lord (azj). Verily, whoever pleases you has pleased the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family; whoever distances themselves from you has distanced themselves from the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family; whoever harms you has harmed the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family; whoever connects with you has connected with the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family; and whoever severs ties with you has severed ties with the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family. For you are a part of him, his very essence, as he, peace and blessings be upon him, has said, 'You are his soul which resides between his sides.' I call upon Allah (swt), His messengers, and His angels as witnesses that I am pleased with those whom you are pleased with, I am displeased with those whom you are displeased with, I disassociate myself from those from whom you have disassociated yourself, I maintain loyalty to those whom you have allied with, I oppose those whom you oppose, I detest those whom you detest, and I love those whom you love. And Allah (swt) suffices as a Witness, Reckoner, and Rewarder." "O Allah (swt), bless and send peace upon Your servant and Messenger Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and the best of all creation. Bless the Successor, Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Commander of the Faithful, the leader of the Muslims, and the best of successors. Bless Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, the mistress of the women of the worlds. Bless the two leaders of the youth of Paradise, Hasan and Husayn. Bless Ali ibn Husayn, the adornment of worshippers. Bless Muhammad ibn Ali, the expositor of the knowledge of the Prophets. Bless Ja'far ibn Muhammad, the truthful about Allah (swt). Bless Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim, who restrained anger for Allah (swt). Bless Ali ibn Musa, the contented. Bless Muhammad ibn Ali, the pious. Bless Ali ibn Muhammad, the pure. Bless Hasan ibn Ali, the righteous. And bless the Hujjah (the Proof), the Awaited, son of Hasan ibn Ali. O Allah (swt), give life to the earth with justice through him and destroy tyranny through him. Adorn the earth with the extension of his reign and manifest Your religion and the Sunnah of Your Prophet through him so that no aspect of the truth remains concealed out of fear of any of Your creation. Include us among his supporters, followers, and those accepted among his allies, O Lord (azj) of the worlds. O Allah (swt), bless Muhammad and his household, whom You have purified and removed all impurity from thoroughly.