Story of the righteous gentleman, Haji Ali Baghdadi is
mentioned in the history of the compilation of this book, which is connected to
the previous incident and if there had not been any other incident in this
book, except this one, it would have sufficed to highlight his nobility and its
explanation is as follows: During the month of Rajab, last year, when I was
compiling the treatise of Jannatul Maawa, I decided to perform the Ziyarat
of Najaf Ashraf on 27th Rajab.
I reached Kazmain and went to meet Aga Sayyid Muhammad bin
Sayyid Ahmad bin Sayyid Haider Kazmaini, who was the student of Shaykh Murtaza,
one of the most sincere scholars in that place and the prayer leader in the
courtyard of the holy shrine; he was the refuge of students, the poor and the
pilgrims. His father and grandfather were famous scholars and his grandfather,
Sayyid Haider has written books on principles of jurisprudence and other
subjects.
I asked him: Please narrate a reliable anecdote regarding
this, if you know of it.
So he narrated this incident, which though I had heard
before also, I had not noted its proper references. So I beseeched him to write
with his own hand.
He said: A long time has passed since I heard it; therefore
I fear that there might be increase or decrease in it. So it is better that I
meet and ask him. Then I will write it; but it is very difficult to meet him,
because he rarely meets people after the occurrence of this incident.
He was a resident of
Baghdad and when he goes for Ziyarat he does not go anywhere else and after he
has performed it, he returns and sometimes it is possible to meet him once and
sometimes twice a year; otherwise most of the time he is very secretive, except
from some persons about whom he is sure that they will not publicize it,
fearing the ridicule of the opponents around that area, who are deniers of the
guardianship of Imam Mahdi (a.s.) and his occultation and fearing that the
general populace will accuse him of pride and arrogance.
I said: This humble servant wants to meet this gentleman in
any way possible and to inquire the story directly from him as it badly needed
and time was short.
After that I went away from him and after two or three hours
he returned and said: The most odd thing is that when I went home; immediately
someone came saying that they have brought a dead body from Baghdad and have
placed it in the courtyard and are waiting to pray on the bier. When I went and
prayed on it, I saw that Haji accompanying the bier. So I took him into a
corner and after much denial heard his story and thanked the Almighty Allah for
it. Thus, he wrote the complete story and I recorded it in Jannatul Maawa.
After some time I performed the Ziyarat of Kazmain in the
company of some scholars and leaders and from there I went to Baghdad
After performing the Ziyarat, I went to meet Agha Sayyid
Husain Kazmaini, brother of Sayyid Muhammad mentioned previously, who was a
resident of Baghdad
When he arrived, I requested him to narrate his story in the
gathering and he refused. After persuasion he agreed to narrate it, but not in
that gathering as some people from Baghdad
The Haji narrated as follows: ‘I was in possession of 80
Tumans from Sahme Imam. I traveled to Najaf and from this amount, gave 20
Tumans to Ayatullah Shaykh Murtaza and another 20 Tumans to Shaykh Mujtaba
Kazmaini and another 20 Tumans to Ayatullah Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Sharouqi. Now,
only 20 Tumans remained as my responsibility. I decided that on my return to Baghdad
It was Thursday, when I presented myself for the Ziyarat of
Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.) and Imam Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) in Kazmain. I met Shaykh
Muhammad Hasan Kazmaini Aale Yaseen and as intended, gave him the 20 Tumans. I
promised him that over a period of time, I would give him some more.
On that very day, after reciting the afternoon prayers, I
prepared myself to leave for Baghdad Baghdad
Consequently, I began my journey towards Baghdad Baghdad
He addressed me by name and asked, “Haaj Ali, how are you?
Where are you going?” I replied, “I just completed my Ziyarat in Kazmain and am
now returning home to Baghdad
He said, “Come with me so that I may witness before my
respected father Hazrat Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that you are amongst the
believers and friends of Ahle Bayt (a.s.), and the Shaykh too shall be your
witness. Both of us (myself and the Shaykh) shall bear witness for you, for
Allah has asked for two witnesses.”
This dialogue was pointing towards an intention, which was
hidden in my heart. I had intended that when I meet Shaykh Hasan in Kazmain, I
would request him to write for me a document saying that he knew me as one, who
had accepted the infallibility and purity of Ahle Bayt (a.s.). I also intended
that when I die, this paper should be buried along with me.
I asked my respected companion, “How come you are aware of
this hidden intention and how will you bear witness for me?”
He said, “When a person fulfills the right of someone over
him, then how can it be that he does not recognize him?”
I asked, “Which right are you referring to?” He replied, “The
same right, which you have fulfilled with respect to my representatives.” I
asked, “Who are your representatives?” He replied, “Shaykh Mohsin” I asked, “Is
he your representative?” “Yes”, he replied.
At this point, a thought came to my mind that who is this
person, who knows me by name despite the fact that I do not know him and do not
recognize him? Then I thought to myself, maybe he knows me in some way and I
have forgotten him.
Then a thought arose that maybe this person is desirous of
some money from Sahme Sadat and it is better to give him some from it. I said
to him, “Some of the money, which is your right, was with me and I have given
it to Shaykh Muhammad Hasan. Now, if I have to give it to someone else, I must
take his permission first.” He smiled and said, “You are right. You have also
delivered some of my rights to my representatives in Najaf.” I asked, “Whatever
amount I have given, has it been accepted?” He said, “Yes, it has been
accepted.”
A thought came to my mind that who is this person, who calls
the scholars as his representatives? I pondered for a while and said to myself:
“The scholars are the representatives for collecting Sahme Sadat.”
Then he said, “Come let us go together for the Ziyarat of my
respected father.” So I went along with him towards Kazmain. He walked on the
right and I walked on the left. We came across a river, which had the whitest
and clearest water that I had ever seen. On the banks of the river were trees
of different kinds such as pomegranate, lemons, grapes and the like. All these
trees were seen at the same place at the same time! And most surprisingly, it
was not even the season for these fruits! As we walked, we were shaded from the
heat of the sun by these trees.
I asked my companion, “What is this river and these trees?”
He said, “All this is for our friends and those who perform
the Ziyarat of my respected father.”
I said, “Respected Sayyid! I would like to ask you a
question.”
He said, “Go ahead.” “The late Shaykh Abdur Razzaaq was a
teacher. One day I presented myself before him. He used to say that if there is
a person who fasts for the entire day, spends his entire night in worship,
performs 40 Hajjs and 40 Umrahs and is killed between Safa and Marwah without
being amongst the friends of Ameerul Momineen Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.), then
none of his actions will benefit him.” He (a.s.) replied, “By Allah, this is
correct. None of his actions will benefit him.”
Then I raised a question about one of my relatives whether
he was amongst the friends of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). He said, “Yes, he and
others like him, who are related to you, are amongst the friends of Ameerul
Momineen (a.s.).”
I sought his permission to ask another question to which he
agreed. I said, “The recitors of the Majlis of Imam Husain (a.s.) say that
Sulaiman Amash asked about the position of the Ziyarat of Imam Husain (a.s.)
and he was told that it is an innovation. That very night, Sulaiman Amash
dreamt that there was a palace extending between the sky and the earth. He
asked, “Who is in this palace?” He was told, “Lady Fatima Zahra (s.a.) and her
mother, Lady Khadijatul Kubra (s.a.).” Sulaiman asked, “Where are they going?” “Since
today is Friday eve, they are going for the Ziyarat of Imam Husain (a.s.).”
Sulaiman saw that they were throwing some chits from the palace on which was
written: ‘This is a protection from the fire for visitors to the grave of Imam
Husain (a.s.) on Friday eve. This is a protection on the Day of Qiyamat.’ Is
this tradition correct?”
He said, “Yes, it is a correct tradition and the meaning is
complete.”
I asked, “Then is it correct to say that one, who visits the
grave of Imam Husain (a.s.) on Friday eve, will be protected from the fire on
the Day of Qiyamat?”
He said, “Absolutely!” And tears started flowing from his
eyes.
I sought his permission to ask another question to which he
agreed. I said, “In the year 1269 A.H., I had gone for the Ziyarat of Imam Ali
Ibne Moosa Reza (a.s.). In Nishapur, I met a person from the Sharooqi clan of
Arabs. I kept him as a guest and asked him about the position of the Wilayat
(mastership) of Imam Ali Ibne Moosa Reza (a.s.). He replied, ‘It is like
heaven. It has been fifteen days that I am eating as a guest of Imam Reza
(a.s.). I am confident that when I die, Munkir and Nakeer will not harm me as
my body and my blood is formed from what I have eaten from the property of Imam
Reza (a.s.).’ Is this correct? When we die, will Imam Reza (a.s.) come to our
help in the grave?”
He said, “By Allah, this is correct. My respected father
will be a protector in the grave.”
I sought his permission to ask another question to which he
agreed. I asked whether my Ziyarat of Imam Reza (a.s.) is accepted or not? He
said, “Inshallah, it is accepted.”
I sought his permission to ask another question to which he
agreed. I asked whether the Ziyarat of Imam Reza (a.s.) by Haaj Ahmad Bazzaaz
Pashi (my companion in Mashhad ) is accepted or
not? He replied, “The Ziyarat of Abdus Saaleh is accepted.”
I sought his permission to ask another question to which he
agreed. I asked about the acceptance of one person in Baghdad Mashhad . (This person was amongst the elite of Baghdad
At this point, we had reached a place having gardens on both
the sides of the road. The city of Kazmain
The government had seized their land and attached it to this
road. The pious and god fearing people of the city knew this fact and generally
avoided taking this route for fear of usurping the right of the orphans. But I
saw that my companion was taking this road. I said, “Respected Sayyid! This road
is built on the land of the Sadat orphans. It is not correct to infringe upon
the rights of these orphans.” He said, “This property belongs to my respected
father, Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) and his progeny and these orphans are our
children. It is permissible for the friends of Hazrat Ali (a.s.) to travel
along this road.”
At some distance there was the garden of Haaj Mirza Hadi Iran Baghdad garden
of Haji Mirza Hadi
We then reached a place, where a canal had been constructed
from river and the sea and this passed through the middle of the road. From
this place, there were two roads, both leading to Kazmain. One road was named
Raahe Sultani and the other famous as Raahe Saadaat. I suggested going along
Raahe Sultani. He said, “No, we will go along my road.”
We had just traveled a short distance along this road, that
I found myself near the Holy courtyard of the mausoleum, where one generally
removes one’s shoes before entering the mosque. My respected companion had gone
ahead and I saw him entering the mausoleum from the west (from the direction of
the holy feet of Imam Kazim). He did not wait at the door and without reciting
the permission to enter he went straight inside the mosque. He stood at one
side and asked me to recite the Ziyarat. I declined saying that I could not
read. He said, “Okay, should I recite the Ziyarat on your behalf?” I accepted
his offer. He began reciting the Ziyarat thus:
“O Allah, I seek permission to enter. Peace be upon you, the
Holy Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.a.). Peace be upon you, Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).”
And in this way, he continued to convey salutations and blessings to every Imam
(a.s.) till he reached the name of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.). He said, “Peace be
upon you, Aba Muhammad Al-Hasan Al-Askari (a.s.).” Then he turned to me and
said, “Do you know Imam Zamaan (a.s.).” I said, “Of course!” He then said, “Then
convey Salaam to him (a.s.).”
I recited, “Peace be upon you, the Proof of Allah, O Saahebaz
Zamaan Ibne Hasan (a.s.).”
He smiled at me and said, “Alaykas Salaam wa rahmatullahi
wa barakatohu” (which is the standard way of replying to Salaam).
Then he entered the Haram and touched the Zari of Imam Kazim
(a.s.) and Imam Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) and kissed it. He then asked me to recite
the Ziyarat. I declined again saying that I could not read. He said, “Shall I
recite the Ziyarat on your behalf?” I accepted his offer. He asked me which Ziyarat
he should recite. I said: Recite whichever Ziyarat is having more merit. He
said, “Ziyarate Ameenullah is having greater merit.” And he began to recite it.
Towards the latter half of the Ziyarat, I saw that the
lights inside the shrine had come on. This was not an unusual event, except
that this time, there seemed to be a different kind of brightness that I had
never seen before. The entire place seemed to be illuminated by this light. The
lamps of the shrine paled in comparison with the brightness of this light just
as any light would pale before the brightness of the sun. My mind was in such a
state that despite these signs, I was unable to comprehend the meaning of all
these events.
After completing the Ziyarat, we moved from the direction of
the holy feet of Imam (a.s.) towards the holy head of Imam (a.s.). He turned to
me and asked, “Do you intend to recite the Ziyarat of my respected father, Imam
Husain (a.s.)?” I said, “Yes, it is Friday eve, we must recite the Ziyarat.”
He recited Ziyarate Waritha. By this time, the dusk prayers
were upon us and the Adhan of the dusk prayer had just been completed. He
turned to me and said, “Go and recite the Maghrib prayer with congregation.” We
went together into the mosque, which is towards the holy head of Imam (a.s.).
The people had already gathered for prayers. My respected companion however
stood separately to the right of the Prayer leader and began reciting his prayer.
I stood in the first row of the congregation and began to pray. When I
completed my prayer, I looked in the direction where the respected Sayyid was
praying, but could not see him. I quickly got up from my place and looked all
over for him – outside the mosque and at every place in the sanctuary, but
could not find him. My intention was to be a host to him and to serve him and
present a few copies of Quran to him.
Suddenly, an amazing feeling passed over me. It was as if I
had got up from a dream. A few thoughts passed through my mind – who was this
respected Sayyid, my companion? There were so many miraculous events that
occurred during my journey with him. He convinced me to return with him to
Kazmain, despite the fact that I had made up my mind not to return today. I had
never seen him before, yet he was familiar with my name. His knowledge of the
hidden things in my heart and his bearing witness to my faith, the flowing of
the river, the presence of the trees laden with unseasonal fruits and replying
to the Salaam, which I recited for Imam Zamaan (a.s.)!
Finally, I came to the place where I had taken off my shoes.
I asked the caretaker whether he had seen the person who had accompanied me
when I entered the shrine. He said that this person had just left. He asked me,
“Was this person your companion?” I replied in the affirmative and left the
place.
I spent the night at the house of my host. In the morning, I
presented myself before Aqa Shaykh Muhammad Hasan and narrated the entire
incident. He placed his hand on his mouth indicating that I should not narrate
this incident to anyone and prayed to Allah in my favor.
I complied with his request and did not narrate it to
anyone. It was about one month since this event that I was in Kazmain where a
respected Sayyid walked up to me and said, “What have you seen?” I said, “I
have not seen anything”. He repeated the question and I repeated my answer.
This time I was more firm in my reply than before. Suddenly he disappeared from
my eyes and then I did not see him again. Surely the cause of this meeting and
the pointed question about the earlier meeting was a sign that I should narrate
this incident to people.[1]
The author says: Haji Ali was son of Haji Qasim
Baghdadi, a common trader of no distinctive rank. But if any prominent person
of Baghdad or Kazmain is inquired about him, he invariably praises him and
states that he was an honest and truthful man; and have personally seen these
noble qualities in him, which is clear from his regretting so much not
recognizing His Eminence in that meeting.[2]
However, the report, which has come in the Ziyarat of Abu
Abdullah (a.s.) on Thursday eve, in a way that he asked about its authenticity,
is the report, which Shaykh Muhammad Mash-Hadi has narrated in his Mazaar
Kabeer[3]
from Amash that he said:
I was living in Kufa and I had a neighbor, with whom I sat
most of the time and it was Friday. I asked him: What do you say about reciting
the Ziyarat of Imam Husain (a.s.)?
He said: It is an innovation and every innovation is deviation
and every deviation is in Hellfire.
I got up from him full of anger and said: In the morning I
will meet him and narrate the excellence of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) to him so
that his eyes become warm (an allusion to grief and sorrow).
So I went to him and knocked his door. A voice came from the
rear that he has intended to perform the Ziyarat since the beginning of night.
I hastened and came to Kerbala. I saw the Shaykh suddenly
that he had placed his head in prostration and he was not exhausted by
prostration and genuflection.
I said: Yesterday you were saying that Ziyarat is an
innovation and every innovation is deviation and every deviation will be in the
fire and today you are performing the Ziyarat of the Imam!
He said: O Sulaiman, do not chastise me as the Imamate of
Ahle Bayt (a.s.) was not proved for me till this night arrived and I saw a
dream, which terrified me.
I asked: What did you see, O Shaykh?
He replied: I saw a man who was neither very tall nor very
short. I am not capable of describing his elegance and handsomeness. There were
some people who surrounded him from all sides. In his front was a rider on a
horse having many tails and there was a four-tier crown on its head; and jewels
on every tier, which illuminated the distance of three days of travel.
I said: Who are they?
They said: Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib (s.a.w.a.).
I asked: Who is the other one?
He replied: His successor, Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.).
At that moment, I glanced and saw a she camel of effulgence
upon which was a litter, suspended between the earth and the sky. I asked: Whom
is this she camel for?
They said: For Khadija, daughter of Khuwailad and Fatima daughter of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.).
I asked: Who is that youth?
They said: Hasan bin Ali (a.s.).
I asked: Where are they going?
They said: All of them are going for the Ziyarat of one, who
was killed unjustly. Martyr of Kerbala, Husain bin Ali (a.s.).
At that moment, I noticed a litter. Suddenly I saw slips of
paper falling from it saying: There is peace and security from the Almighty
Allah for the visitor of Imam Husain bin Ali (a.s.) on Friday eve.
Suddenly a caller called out: Know that we and our Shia are
in the highest stage of Paradise . By Allah, O
Sulaiman, I will not leave this place till my soul separates from my body.
Shaykh Tarihi has mentioned the last part of this report as
follows: Suddenly I saw written slips of paper dropping from the top. I asked:
What are these slips of paper?
He said: These are letters guaranteeing safety from Hellfire
to the visitor of Imam Husain (a.s.) on Thursday.
I asked them for one slip of that paper. He said: You say
that Ziyarat of the Imam is an innovation? You will not get it till you perform
the Ziyarat and believe in his excellence and superiority.
I woke up in terror and that very moment decided to perform
the Ziyarat of my chief, Imam Husain (a.s.) and I have repented to the Almighty
Allah for what I said afore.
[1]
In the written manuscript, this incident
is mentioned in a different way from that of the printed version and since the
date of lithograph printing was three years after the manuscript and that was
also possibly in view of the author he has refrained from quoting it for the
sake of brevity.
[2]
The honest scholar Haji Ali – may Allah
increase his Taufeeq – has narrated under his account of Mash-had Muqaddas
that: Seven or eight stages remained from Mashad, one of his traveling
companions died. I spoke to the carrier about carrying his body. He said: I
will do it for fourteen Tomans. We collected among ourselves seven Tomans and
we wanted him to do it for this amount. He did not agree. One of our companions
was having a donkey. He placed the body on it and said: I will take the body in
any way possible. We began to move from there and that believer, in distress
and fatigue when we had traveled a little a rider became visible from Mash-had.
When it reached us he asked about the condition of the dead body. We mentioned
what all had happened. He said: I will carry it for so and so amount. His mount
was nice and there was a magnificent litter on it. So he placed the corpse on
it and secured it. We wanted to give him that amount. He said: I will take in
Mash-had.
Thus, he set
out and we said: It would not be buried till we don’t reach. And we have not
given Ghusl to this corpse. Then we did not see him. The next week, when it was
Thursday that we reached Mash-had; when we entered the holy courtyard, we saw
that the corpse was given Ghusl and shrouded and placed in the hall; all its
clothes were at the head and we did not see anyone else. We made inquiries, it
was learnt that the corpse arrived in Mash-had Muqaddas the same day we had
given it and nothing else became apparent from it. [Author]