Salutations and praises to you, O! Grandson of the Prophet (SAW),
Salutations and praises to you, O! leader of the defenders of Islam,
Salutations and praises to you, O! Great companions of Imam Hussein (AS),
Salutations and praises to you, O! Ladies of the grand household,
May our parents and loved ones be ransom to you,
O! The great personalities and guide lamps in our dark lives.
We thank you O! Father of worshippers and of those closest to our Lord
In proximity and in His Granted favours upon us,
the miserable souls that have erred so against His wishes.
Our gratitude for your invite, your hospitality, your love and your devotion,
Our gratitude for accepting us in close proximity to your favoured ones,
Our gratitude for safely delivering us to our homes after your visitation.
O! Grandson of the H. Prophet (SAW),
Accept our apologies for anything untoward we may have done whilst in your care,
Accept our apologies for our shortcomings in prayers and supplications,
Accept our apologies for lack of sanctifying what you hold dear and holy to your heart,
Accept whatever little we have given in way of prayer and charity in your holy abode,
Accept this servant’s gift and forgive our trespasses and call upon us again,
As we wish to be with you once more to better what we lacked in before,
As we wish to rectify our misdeeds and better our deeds whilst close to you,
As we wish to cleanse our souls and be one with you and your companions.
Our final farewell, may it not be final in its finality,
Our farewell with a wish and promise to meet you once more,
Our farewell in the hope of seeing your sacred mosque once again,
Our farewell in the prayer that should we die before we meet here again,
We can hope to be of your chosen and close ones in the life hereafter.
KERBALA
1428 A.H.
Did I really travel to the land where the Grandson of the H. Prophet (SAW) and his band of faithful companions and family members was mercilessly martyred 1367 years ago?
We
set of on our journey on a Sunday leaving our home town by flight connecting an
onward flight to
As
we landed in
Half way to Kerbala, at a road side stop, we had our first refreshment in the cool evening breeze, the evening prayer and a whispered thanks to The Almighty for the safety and His watchful gaze so far. This, together with some hot tea (black of course), large bread like rolls and some cheese as well as a little rice was refreshment enough to keep us going the rest of the way to our destination.
The reaching of our destination, a whispered thanks to The Almighty once again, setting foot on firm ground and loading of our goods onto handcarts for the trek to the centre of the holy sanctuaries was a bubble of sounds and exclamations from all travelers even those who had been before and more so from those who had never been before. As the caravan organized itself on foot, most walking the mile in awe whilst others followed with a watchful eye on the old, the young and the hand carts that held the baggage of each traveler. The first signs of insecurity and tension were the heavily armed patrols, the presence of security personnel and the check point through which everyone must go, every bag must be searched to ward off any unwarranted, unwanted problems within the Holy precinct.
As the checkpoints were cleared and the streets of Kerbala were underfoot, the first dome to appear was that of the resting place of H. AbulFazlil, Abbas son of Ali Ibn Abi Talib and brother and guardian of the grandson of the H. Prophet (SAW). Emotions raw from the sight of splendor and grandeur of this Holy sanctuary where the son of the Lion of God is buried, the procession went forth only to be awed by the Dome that followed and the mosque that was to be seen beyond, the final resting place of the Grandson of the H. Prophet (SAW), Hussein son of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, savior of the religion of Islam together with his sons and companions from the battle of Kerbala 1367 years before.
The hotels were located beyond another checkpoint, one across the road from the Holy Sanctuary of Imam Hussein (AS) and the other (for lack of space in the first one) some 100 yards down the road inside a side alley. The group was split into 161 in the first and 68 in the second hotel. However, all meals, refreshments, programs, gatherings and processions would start from the first hotel for the next six days that were to be spent within this Holy place. The purpose of travel on this particular time with the streets packed with travelers and residents alike? It was in commemoration of forty days after the date of martyrdom of these Holy personalities on the 10th of the first calendar month of the Islamic calendar.
The first day within the sanctuary was spent in visiting he Holy Shrines of both personalities mentioned afore. H. Abbas (AS) and Imam Hussein (AS). An emotional, heart wrenching, soul searching moment for each and every traveler, first timers and veterans alike for all were acutely aware of the sacrifices of these Holy personalities and their ability to watch their visitors in their true colours. The group had together with them, knowledgeable people who explained the virtues and calamities faced by the martyrs as well as poets who sang their eulogies and suffering, bringing the group to tears and beating of chests out of grief for the atrocities faced by the small band of faithful martyred in safeguarding the religion.
The second day was a visitation to the hill from whence the lady who suffered most in her lifetime for her grandfather’s religion Lady Zainab (AS) watched the tragedy of Kerbala unfold and saw the final atrocities as each martyr was beheaded and their heads lifted on spears by the enemies of the religion of Islam. Known as the hill of Zainab or Til-e-Zainabia, a small mosque graces this place where pilgrims offer prayers to God whilst remembering this great lady’s contribution towards safeguarding Islam.
Beyond
this, another site marked by a great mosque under construction was the site
where the tents of the Household of the H. Prophet (SAW) and companions of Imam
Hussein (AS) were pitched. Again, eulogies in respect were recited, prayers from
the heart sent heavenwards for the great sacrifices and tears in tribulation
were shed at this point. Further on, two other points were marked by small
shrines where the hands of H. Abbas (AS) were cut off from his body in trying to
prevent him from taking water from the
On
Thursday, the third day of our visitation to these holy sites in this holy land,
we visited the shrines constructed to mark the points where 6 month old
Aliasgher son of Imam Hussein (AS) gave his life for the cause of the religion
of his great grandfather and where Aliakber, again, the son of Imam Hussein (AS)
also gave his life. AliAkber, whose character, face, personality and demeanour
depicted the H. Prophet in every facet. A young man who was martyred mercilessly
by the enemies of the religion of Islam and beheaded whilst his father, mother
and uncle watched with tears in their eyes. Further to these two points, we also
visited the place where our Imam (Al-Mehdi) (AF) used to rest during his visits
to Kerbala and where a mosque has been erected in memory of the same. It is said
that he (Imam Mehdi AF) still visits this site every Thursday night and sends
salutations on his grandfather, Aba Abdillah Al-Hussein (AS). Beyond this mosque
is the present location of river
I seek entry to your mosque, O! Commander of the forces of Aba Abdillah,
I seek entry to your sanctuary, your place of final rest.
I seek entry and permission to proceed from hereon to the shrine of Hussein,
Prince of martyrs, my lord, my guide, to whom my soul is ransom.
I seek entry with eyes brimmed with tears, heart heavy with sorrow,
I seek entry with a soul breaking fear my sins may form a barrier between thee and me,
I seek entry with humble tread and trembling body, shame engulfing my being.
O! Abbas Ibn Ali, guide my faltering steps as I walk tentatively towards thee,
O! Abbas ibn Ali, guide my tread in its path to the shrines of the martyrs,
O! Abbas Ibn Ali, you are the door of salvation as Aba Abdillah is the city of salvation.
O! Leader of the small band of faithful, strengthen my faith and belief lest I fall astray.
O! Abbas Ibn Ali, make my sincere apologies be heard in the heavens,
O! Abbas Ibn Ali, let the angels of mercy carry good tidings of my sins forgiven to me.
Friday, the day preceding the day of Arbae’en, most spent the morning revisiting various shrines and parts that had been opened to our eyes in the last couple of days. Thursday eve, we had recited Dua-e-Kumail in our hotel where the 68 had been grouped together. Thereafter, as was customary after every dinner at the other hotel, we joined the whole group or part of in majlis, mataam and on the Thursday, another recitation of Dua e kumail. On the Friday morning, Dua –e- Nudbah had been arranged in the hotel for the 68, a part of taking advantage. The best part being the owners of the hotel also joining in, giving the whole setting a home like feel.
As the Hara’amein were going to be pretty full considering it was Friday, a group of us had decided to visit the 12th Imam’s mosque for the afternoon prayers. On the eve of the Friday, the first of important events took place. The streets filled with processions marking the martyrdom and thereafter the taking away of the remaining family members of the Prophet’s household as prisoners, our own procession started taking shape. By the Grace of Allah SWT our group was permitted to carry out a procession reciting eulogies of the tragedy, marking our chests as we beat ourselves in mourning, moving around the two great mosques and then proceeding into the mosque of Abbas Ibn Ali (AS). A sight burnt to memory reappearing with a gush of tears, the holy shrine, O! The Holy Shrine, in front of my very eyes as I mourned and lamented your merciless killing O! Abul Fadhlil Abbas! Every stroke of my hand beating upon my chest merely a token of the pain you must have felt as the children cried out for water and the enemy soldiers gathered their ranks around and upon you. The grandeur of your mosque, your majestic shrine bearing witness to my being there even be it my physical body only were present there. O! The hope of salvation by this my smallest of deeds raising a prayer from deep within me, O! My Master, do not forsake me when my hour of need shall come to be, when the grave will avenge my trespasses against Allah’s Will, when the angels will punish my every misdeed, when the fire of hell will roar with a terrible cry, calling upon my flesh and soul to be burnt and raised and burnt again! O! Closest and choicest of companions of the closest to Allah (SWT), do not forsake me in my time of need for I will call your witness upon that hour, knowing that you will respond in kind for your parentage was Holy and your Kin are of the choicest of Allah’s slaves.
From the shrine of Hadhrat Abbas (AS), we proceeded in procession, cries and lamentations filling the air from all around us as others followed or led the same path moving towards the Prince of Martyrs. O! Hussein (AS)! What a sight it was to behold, burnt to memory, my soul searching for the same sight again and again and again. Standing at the door to your sanctuary, my hands beating down upon my chest yet your grief overwhelmed me such that I felt not my own but felt a part of the pain that must have seared your heart at the inhumanity and injustice of the forces of Kufr. We marched into your sanctuary, by your permission, lamenting, crying, beating our chests and seeking nearness to you. O! The choicest of Allah’s dearest. Do not forsake us in your prayers and do not forsake us in our hour of need. Be it that our sins were a barrier, our misdeeds prevented our eyes from grieving you as you rightly deserved. Be it that we are the lowliest amongst the low of your followers. Bear witness for us in our hour of need, we were there to mourn you, having overcome our worldly fears for our safety and comfort, having traveled vast distances to be one with you, to be there with you with the multitudes that sought your blessings to be there, to commemorate the tragedies that befell you and your family and companions. O! Aba Abdillah, arbitrate for us, for our families and loved ones, for our friends and for all those who try to stay on the path of your choosing. Arbitrate for us all in return for this, our smallest of sacrifices so that we may be closer to you in the world that is to follow and save us by the blessings of that blessed moment from the moments of torment that are to follow, in the grave, in the path from the grave to our destination, at the destination as we knock on the doors of salvation and from the fire that will beckon us to a severe burning. Help us by your guiding hand in this life, to change what we can by will and might, to speak against that which we cannot change by will and might and to condemn by heart which we cannot speak out about, be it that this last may be the lowliest form of worship. Help us mould ourselves to conform to the religion of Allah (SWT) as it ought to be and not as to what we may practice.
The sight was one that can be seen from the eyes of the recorders that a few had in hand, but the emotions and turmoil faced by one and all in the procession will live on, only in the hearts of those who were blessed by this occasion. Imagine if you may, standing inside the holy precincts of the mosque of Aba Abdillah Al Hussein (AS), hands on chest, tears flowing freely from the eyes, our backs to the doors and the world beyond, our faces towards the shrine within the mosque seen through the veils and doors, the green lights of the shrine a beacon of hope. Imagine if you may, the emotions coursing through the multitudes each person wishing to express his or her grief in his or her own words, sobs and choking sounds emitting from parched throats as the eyes travel skywards seeking out divine guidance and assistance to let out the sea of emotions. Therein we stood, shoulder to shoulder within the holy mosque, facing the shrine, paying homage to the closest and dearest of Allah’s friends. He saw us as we saw his final place of rest in this world, together with the martyrs buried with him and around him, his sons and sons of his sons, all the Prophets from Adam to Muhammad (P.B.U.H), all the Imams and their companions who were also martyrs, present amongst us, around us, near us, witnessing our presence, our lamentations, our grief, our tears for this prince of martyrs.
As
the procession came to an end, not an eye remained dry, not a tear remained
unshed in the grief of the tragedy or of the pleasure felt in showing the grief
to the Imam at his final worldly place of rest. Most kept vigil all night long
spending this holy night in religious discourse, prayer or silent vigil awaiting
the first rays of the sun to signal the end of the night of mourning. The day of
Arbae’en dawned and many succumbed to fatigue after the morning meal and took
refuge in rest as the streets teamed with people, not an inch of open ground to
be seen for miles around. The
A second momentous incident was the beating of chests and backs with knives (Zanjeer) that was done outside the Holy Shrine by part of the group. This was something that had been banned for over 35 Years under the dictatorial regime in power before. For years since, the Iraqi people had been beating themselves with chains devoid of knives but our group managed to get permission for the use of knives on the chains and thus another milestone was achieved for those whose grief knew no bounds.
Thus ended the eventful stay in Kerbala, as Sunday dawned to find the group in preparation for its onward journey to Najaf, in final salutations and prayers at the Holy Shrines of H. Abbas and Imam Hussein (AS). As the group departed trekking some 10 kilometres to the vehicles that were to carry them away, many gave furtive final glances at the domes of the two Shrines, the river Euphrates, the mosque of the 12th Imam, a prayer in each heart that a call would once more summon each one to this holiest of places.
Important Notes: (Kerbala)
- The Hara’am of Abul Fazl Abbas Ibn Ali (AS) can be accessed through Nine (9) Doors namely:- The doors of:- Qibla, Imam Hussein (AS), Imam Hassan (AS), Imam zamaan (AF), Imam Al Qadhim (AS), Imam Jawaad (AS), Imam Hadi (AS), Imam Ali (AS) and Door of Al-Qama’ah or Fura’at.
- The hara’am of Abul Fazl Abbas (AS) has only the shrine of H. Abbas (AS).
- The hara’am of Imam Hussein (AS) has the following:
a) Shrine of Imam Hussein (AS)
b) Janaab-e-AliAkber & AliAsgher buried within the shrine of Imam (AS).
c)
Shrine of Shohada –e-
d) Shrine of Habib Ibn Madhahir (AS)
e) Shrine of Ibrahim son of 6th Imam (AS).
f) Qatlagha – Where the head of Imam (AS) was severed.
g) Tah’tal Quba’a – Place near shrine where Imam’s head is buried.
- Miracles that took place that the writer is aware of and is certain of are:
a) A cloud in the shape of Ya Hussein written in Arabic seen over the Holy Shrines.
b) Food cooked on a gas stove without any gas – fire kept burning (food for the Zahirin travelling from various places being cooked at a camp)
c) A lame person was able to walk again having prayed in Qatlagha.
As the caravan of six buses departed Kerbala in the late afternoon of Sunday, it stopped at two other places just outside the boundaries of Kerbala. One, the place where Jana’ab-e-Hur is buried and the other where Aun Ibn Abdullah – nephew of Imam Hussein (AS) and son of Bibi Zainab (AS) is buried.
It amazes me no end,
O! Martyr, son of a martyr,
As travellers in thousands
Pay their daily tribute,
Not one eye is awed
By the glitter of your shrine,
Every eye seeks you,
Seeks your mercy and help.
This worldly glimmer and shimmer,
Pales in the light of your glamour,
This worldly goods lose their value
In the shadows of your grandeur.
Onwards we travelled with hearts heavy at leaving behind the warmth and peace of the shrines of the martyrs of Kerbala. Eyes heavy with sleep seeking the next destination, the shrine of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS). The only person in history to have been born in the house of God, to have been martyred in the house of God and to have been buried in a sanctuary that is also classified as the house of God. It was at the Shrine of Hur which was still under construction that our evening prayers were offered as weary travellers prostrated to the Lord of the Worlds giving thanks for His Omnipresence and safe conduit through this trouble prone country.
NAJAF
In the late hours of the evening, we reached the town of Najaf where a quick meal to lift our spirits was spread after which rooms were allocated and each person, heedless of the others rushed to find his or her room in order to get some much needed rest. The hotel designated in Najaf was further away from the Holy Shrine simply because it was the largest in the town and accommodation for such a big group under one roof could only be found there. Even then, some fourteen members of the group had to be relocated to another hotel nearby as the rooms were still not enough.
Monday dawned and a few braved the chill of the early morning to visit the Hara’am of Imam Ali (AS) whilst most waited for the group to set out as one later in the morning after breakfast. The group set out mid morning and the first stop was at Masjid-ul-Hannan (Hannan meaning to bow down or prostrate). This mosque has been aptly named for it is said that when Imam Ali (AS)’s body was being taken for burial, the minaret of this mosque bowed down in respect to him and the mosque gave salutations to the Imam. A point to ponder for the believers, if a mosque can be given such distinction that its salutation becomes the cause of the mosque’s magnanimity and point of respect then what of those who give salutations to the Aima’ah (AS) wholeheartedly every single day of their lives? Here, two raka’ats were offered and a short majlis together with mataam was conducted after which the group set off for the second stop.
This site was of no lesser significance than the first. For the second stop was at the mosque built around the shrine of that holy personality due to whose virtues the whole world was blessed with the greatest of supplications amongst the lamentations of the believers. This was the place where Kumail Ibn Ziad was buried through whom the world received the supplication of Kumail from Imam Ali (AS). As we entered this sanctuary and place of peace as well as worship, the hearts were awed by the respect accorded to this great companion of the Imam. He who persevered in his lifetime and faced persecution for his staunch faith, steadfastness in the way of the Prophet (SAW) and sincere support for Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), Allah (SWT) Granted him distinction and a position through which he will be remembered eternally till the end of time. This is the reward of the just, recognition in this world as well as high positions in the hereafter. Their names called out every now and again, their final resting places becoming places of worship and of seeking nearness to Allah SWT.
Whilst those who persecuted and caused pain and suffering to just and righteous people, their names, places of burial as well as eminence have been wiped off or if remembered, they are thought of by very few and given due respect by none.
A lesson indeed was there to be learnt at the shrine of Kumail where we prayed our two raka’ats in his remembrance, recited the supplication of Kumail, a tribute to a glowing light for those who seek nearness to Allah (SWT) and a lesson for us all, even a common person can strive for the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and He (Allah) Exalts those who please Him and diminishes in stature those who earn His displeasure. Indeed He (Allah SWT) Has Power over everything.
My tread falters as my eyes lower their gaze in shame,
My mind awash with emotions as my heart beats its rhythm,
I feel guilt ridden as I walk towards your mosque, your shrine,
O! Commander of the faithful, the first to bring faith,
O! Leader of Imams the first of the pure light,
I have nothing to hide from you for you see it all,
I have nothing to conceal my inner most secrets for you know them all.
O! Ali Son of Abu Talib cousin of the Holy Prophet,
With what right do I walk up to your shrine,
With what authority do I come from afar,
To pay homage to you as I carry my misdeeds for you to see,
O! My Master, My intercessor with the Oft Forgiving Lord,
I come as a slave would come to his master,
I
come in the hope that you shall be my saviour here and in the hereafter.
O! Guiding light in the dark recesses of this misleading life,
O! Shinning lamp in the abyss of this treacherous world,
O! He who knows what has been from Adam and knows what is to come,
O! Purity of the purest of light, foremost of Allah’s creation and Mercy,
O! Source of comfort and guide for Adam, Nuh, Yunus, Ibrahim and Issa,
O! Companion, helper and trustee of the greatest and last of Prophets,
O! My master I humble my heart towards thee and will my soul towards thee.
I know as you know too my lord and master I claim to be from thee and follow thee,
Yet I know that you know too how frail is my will and desire towards thee,
I could not have been any further away from you than I am at this moment of need,
You know too as I know how my misdeeds overwhelm the few good deeds I have done,
Yet I stand before thee, at the threshold of your sanctuary, your shrine, your place of rest,
Seeking entry, pardon, mercy from your famed boundless fountain of forgiveness and piety,
Knowing as know thee, I shall once again turn my face away from thee.
O! My Imam, what a state of ignorant bliss I have lived in for years committing excesses,
O! My guide, how I have shunned your teachings for the short lived pleasures of this life,
O! My Master, how I keep hurting my soul and tormenting my mind with meaningless things,
O! My leader, you guided yet I was lost, an open rebellion towards your call on the path,
O! Ali servant of Allah (SWT), the best amongst the worshippers with free will and decisive power,
I beseech you at this hour of my closeness to you, by your aid, grace, kindness and mercy,
Now that I have repented my sins, guide me and help me keep on the right path.
May I enter your sanctuary? Leaving behind my worldly burdens, lighter of heart and soul?
May I enter your shrine? With a promise to fulfil my obligations from hereon till end,
May I step forth towards your fountains of knowledge and abundance drinking my lot?
May I with your aid come forth and obtain your pleasure seeking your mercy and grace?
May I be of those who please you and of those with whom Allah is Pleased for your sake
I am humbled, I am broken, I am shattered with the burden of guilt and sorrow I carry,
I beseech you for your mercy, your pardon and your permission to come forward.
Three days to the end of our trip having just come off the emotional tide of being with the prince of martyrs and now we stood close to the threshold of his father, whose spirituality cannot be defined as it is beyond our comprehension. The group had left Kumail Ibn Ziad’s shrine and Masjidul Hannana and had made its way to a point between the great mosque of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) and wadi us Salaam. The buses had to park about half a kilometre or so away from the holy shrine and at this point, a mosque known as Imam-e-Zamana mosque was located. Due to the time of Dhuhur having set in and in consideration of the fact that by the time the group would have walked to the Shrine of our Imam, checked through the security and managed to find place for prayer, we would possibly have lost the jamaat prayer, the group leader felt it prudent that we offer our prayers in Jamaat at this mosque.
The additional delay had heightened the expectations of one and all to seeing the shrine of Imam Ali (AS) and tempers ran high as quite a number felt that the benefits of praying within the Shrine far outweighed those of praying Jamaat in the mosque of our present Imam. The merits of this discussion are not a subject of discussion however, on reflection, the writer can see one major benefit that was derived from not proceeding to the shrine which in the writer’s opinion and from his knowledge of Allah (SWT)’s Grace and system of Justice as given from Aima’ah (AS) was possibly equal to the mentioned benefits of praying within the holy shrine.
Before the jamaat prayers were conducted, some issues pertaining to Jamaat prayers were raised and clarified especially beneficial to the ladies who do not often pray in Jamaat. This lesson would have been missed and as a result, many issues would have remained unclear for them had this particular stop not been made.
After praying at the mosque of our present Imam, the group slowly made its way amidst rubble of destroyed buildings and construction of new buildings towards the Holy Shrine of the Commander of the faithful, Ameerul Mo’meenin Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS). Trepidation in the hearts and prayers on the lips as the dome was visible from afar. Not one eye was dry, not one soul at peace as the mosque and its doors came in sight. Security even here was at a high. Every person was searched and again as had become the norm, mobile phones, cameras and the like were dispatched to the “Amana’at Khwan” or keeper of the public properties.
As the final check was passed and the group entered the hara’am, tears flowed as salutations were recited and permission sought from this Eminent and Holy Personality whose legacy, the Shias had come from afar to visit. Ladies then separated from the men as each took their own path to enter the mosque in prayer, salutation and lamentation each seeking intercession from Allah (SWT)’s choicest and closest.
As the time to return to the hotel drew near, not one of the 229 wished to step out of the mosque, furtive glances towards the shrine and mosque were cast as the group made even slower progress back towards the buses. This was the greatest of miracles of these grand personalities, their final abodes cast such an aura that once within the sanctuary, indeed they are sanctuaries of peace, one does not feel a need to part from them. Even promises of a return for Maghribain were not enough as the soul found affinity with the pure light that is their legacy.
“Chaliye, Chaliye, Chaliye…..” A cry for let’s go, let’s go, let’s go from the leader of the group, Dr. Ehsanullah that became so popular that the coolies and drivers had also picked this up. Don’t be surprised when you (May Allah SWT and His Choosen ones call you towards them) visit these places and hear this call. The call was sounded and the people gathered on Monday evening again to visit the Shrine of Imam Ali (AS) The Lion and Sword of Allah (SWT). After another emotional meeting with the Imam and maghribain prayers behind Agha Hakim the son of Martyr Marhum Ayatullah Mohsin Al Hakim, the group was given some time to carry out their personal ibada’at and ziara’ats after which the group regrouped and went to pay a visit to one of the very very few Ullema who speak the urdu language. This was Shaykh Hafiz Basheer Hussein Najafi. Here, the group was made to feel quite at home and the Shaykh recited some urdu verses in remembrance of Imam Hussein (AS) and his family which brought many a tear to the eye.
A return to the hotel and preparations were made for an early departure to Kufa the following morning. It was also learnt at this time in the trip that only a handful or 20% of the group would most likely meet the Marja-e-Taqleed Ayatullah Al-Udhma Agha Ali Sistani. With this disappointment in heart, many an individual slept the night offering prayers in his or her own way to be either one of the few or for some miracle to allow the whole group to meet up with this eminent scholar.
Quite a number braved the early morning chill of Najaf and the group set off for Kufa in the early pre-dawn hours. This trip was split into two days, Tuesday and Wednesday hence the narrative here carries the doings of both. Kufa, the treacherous town that had seen the death of Ameerul Mo’meenin, that treacherous town that was witness to the rebellion of Talha, Zubeir and the lady of the camel in the battle of the camel.
Kufa, O! Kufa,
Why did not your land split asunder and swallow
When the army of Ibn Ziad was within your boundary,
Kufa, O! Kufa,
Sanctuary could not be found for Muslim’s sons
When the father was killed by Sa’ad’s men,
Kufa, O! Kufa,
Did not your town crumble, did not your walls bow in shame,
When two small children of Muslim were murdered?
Kufa, O! Kufa,
You are safe for now, the house of Ali is within you,
The
sanctuary of
Yet your streets did not deny,
When the army of Yazid brought these ladies through,
Why then, O! Kufa,
Did you not protest seeing the daughters of Ali
Mercilessly paraded through your streets?
Kufa! O! Kufa!
We address you, the land of revolts,
Pure were the steps that fell on your land,
After the impure soles that defined you first were felled,
You were absolved from your past by Ali Ibn Abi Talib,
Yet you failed to revolt against Yazid’s tyranny.
Do
you not feel any shame O!
Do you not feel anything when tears are shed?
In remembrance every day of your treacherous lanes,
Kufa! O! Kufa!
Your name our every child will know,
Till the time will come to an end,
The treacherous lanes of Kufa,
Where atrocious behaviour was tolerated by you.
The mosque, the place where the commander of Faithful Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) was struck was a sight not one easily forgotten. The house of the Imam in Kufa, the room where prayers were offered in the silence of the night, the streets through which the household of the Prophet (SAW) was taken, the place where Muslim Ibn Aqeel was martyred, the house of Hani Ibn Urwa. As each heart cried at each new site, as prayers were recited and ziara’ats prayed, as the lectures oft repeated came to mind, emotions ran high and cries of lament reached the heavens from the earth. The well of the house of Imam Ali (AS) still discharges its pure water over 1370 years later when most wells would have run dry, fallen foul or caved in. The group sought refreshment from its cooling water another tribute to a fallen soldier, the mightiest to have lived in time.
There
were many ziara’ats to be done in Kufa but some were left out as time was
limited. It was on this same day that we found out that our stay in Najaf had
been shortened and that we would be departing for
Kufa
was created in the Khilafat of the first two caliphs when a need was felt for a
base closer to the newly conquered lands such as
After Kufa, the group progressed to Wadi Us Salaam where the pure souls or souls of the believers are believed to come after death. This is also the place near the Hara’am of Imam Ali (AS) where a number of Prophets are said to be buried.
Tuesday night will remain in the memories of one and all for the rest of their lives. A visit to masjid-us-Sahlaah. The mosque of the Present day Imam. It is said that the Imam visits this place on every Tuesday and it was our good fortune to be there on this auspicious day. Again, permission was sought to enter its holy precincts and prayers offered for Maghribain. After these prayers, two raka’ats were offered with duas at several points within the mosque’s great compound. These points are said to be the prayer mats or places of prayer and rest of the following: Nabi Khizr, Nabi Idris, Nabi Ibrahim, Makaam of all Prophets, Imam Sadiq, Imam Sajjad and the 12th Imam’s house. It is at this place where the 12th Imam will (according to ahadith) establish his residence and he will rule from the mosque of Kufa over the entire world when he reappears.
The most memorable treasure we carried from this point was the recitation of Dua-e-Tawassul by an eight year old girl who did it verbatim although a book was at her disposal for reference. At this point, it is a must for it to be pointed out, the Imam would have been proud of us and would possibly grant our wishes on this night just by the prayer of this girl. Together with her five year old sister, these two daughters of the Ummah may have been the greatest cause of acceptance of our deeds for they were a pride to have with us and the Imam too would have been done proud to have children like these from amongst us, who knew the duas (including Dua e Kumail) by heart. They may reside in the West but they certainly have adopted the true path of salvation in soul and deed, our salutations to their parents and the parents of such parents, for indeed there was a lesson for us all in their discipline, etiquettes and upbringing.
Tuesday night was indeed a memorable night, a night not to be forgotten for years and years to come. May it be the last thing I remember as I cross from this temporal abode to your eternal realm O! My Lord, My Master. It was also on this night that another commendable act of selfless desire to serve the masses was committed by one of the organisers. This act lead to the confirmation of a visitation of the Grand Ayatullah by all 229 members of the group on the next day, Wednesday, the last day of our stay in Najaf. No one knows the effort that was put into this act accept for those who had tried on Tuesday as individuals, to gain an audience and had failed to do so.
Come Wednesday, the morning was a repeat of the Tuesday with Ziara’ats of Kufa. At ten in the morning, the whole group made its way to the residence of Ayatullah Ali Sistani where one after another, each person got the opportunity to commit his or her loyalty to the Imam of our time (Baya’at) at the hands of this eminent scholar and obtain blessings from him. Many may not have realised the significance of this gesture of paying allegiance to the Imam of our time at the hands of his representative yet, this act alone is not enough as our actions must follow true to this promise and commitment made. Lest we be of those who paid lip service and gave their hands in the hands of Ameerul Mo’meenin at Ghadir and changed at the death of the Holy Prophet (SAW). How ironical, we paid allegiance close to the final abode of the Commander of the Faithful to the leader and Imam of our time.
Those who had questions to ask were asked to either put them in writing and leave them for answer later or some issues were dealt with by the agents of the Marja’. Some had other issues and amana’at of the Imam to forward which also they were able to do. The ladies were most respectably received, given tea and seated first after which the men paid their respects and the ladies then followed through. Dr. Ehsanullah was at hand to translate either way between the Zairi’in and the Marja’. A gift from the Imam through his representative in the form of two dates from Imam Sadiq (AS)’s gardens, some dust (either of Najaf or Kerbala) for shafa’a and a stone of Dur’e Najaf was presented to each of the group. (The dust was limited to one per family). A few people were lucky enough to get rings set with Dur’e Najaf and the coin of the 12th Imam as well.
The
group then went on to the Shrine of Ameerul Mo’meenin, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS)
to pay their final respects and recite or not to recite (As some chose not to)
the Ziara’at of farewell or Wida’a to the Imam. It was an emotional time
whilst time was against us as time for Dhuhur had also set in and we were to
make haste to return to the hotel in order to depart onward for a night in
Farewell, O! Commander of the faithful,
Farewell, O! First amongst the ranks of pious,
Farewell, O! Pure of soul and at Peace with your Lord,
My apologies for anything untoward I may have done whilst there,
My apologies for disrespect I may have shown whilst in your land,
O! My Master, the shepherd that guides his flock,
Count me amongst your true lovers and followers,
Lest I be taken with those who persecuted and martyred you.
O! My liege, to whom my heart submits in obedience,
O! Leader of leaders, master of all who submit to Allah’s Will,
I bear witness that you served your Lord with unswerving loyalty,
I bear witness that you were the vicegerent of the Holy Prophet,
I bear witness that you communicated the laws to me correctly,
Let my witness be a testimony in creed and deed,
Let my character and etiquette also be in harmony with thee,
Let my every thought and action bear witness to your leadership.
I seek your intercession as I depart from thee,
I seek your pardon and assistance as I leave thee,
I of ungrateful servants seek your leave, with a promise to return,
Should you call upon me whenever you chose my presence before thee,
I know my deeds do not allow me to seek from thee,
I know too that you are the door of mercy and forgiveness,
Intercede on my behalf to the Lord of The Worlds,
Pardon from you and from Him do I thus seek.
Make my return to your final abode an expeditious return,
Make me of your true, obedient and humble of servants,
Make my heart and soul thus so inclined towards thee,
Make me of the pure and guide me through your pure light,
Make my steps from hereon only a service to thee,
Make my very living a tribute to your teachings and guidance,
I seek all these as I depart from thee,
Let this not be our last meeting nor a moment of reproach for thee.
I seek your closeness, your friendship and your help,
I seek this with a humble heart, a heavy soul seeking forgiveness,
I seek your guidance in my everyday affairs from thee,
O! Master, call upon me and make me one who can be called upon,
O! Guide in the darkness of this temporal abode,
Make me of those whose souls are at peace with their Lord,
Happy with their Lord and their Lord too Is Happy with them.
Make me as perfect as you would like me to be.
One
stop was made after
From
here, it was on to
In conclusion, I thank those who have taken the pain to patiently read the whole event and indeed to those who have been kind enough to comment. It may be obvious from the narrative that there was more said of Kerbala than of the later journey, this was because of the main reason was to enlist our names in the list of those present in Kerbala on the day of Arbae’en. It would be unfair to key people if my gratitude was not recorded here for without them, this trip would not have been presented to you thus, by this humble servant of Allah (SWT).
Dr.
Ehsanullah and Moh’dRaza Hemani from
Brother Moh’dRaza Karim from Mombasa who made this trip a reality for this undeserving person and also made the trip more memorable for us all by arranging the meeting with Ayatullah Sistani against great odds, the procession permits and zanjeer mata’am permits in Kerbala as well.
Last but not least, if you have read this then I recommend personally that you keep an eye out when in Canada next for the two little angels of Brother NusratAbbas (Nushy) who may well have been the cause of acceptance of our prayers throughout the trip and are a shinning example of how our children should truly be according to the teachings of these Holy Personalities (Our Aima’ah AS).
Those wishing to travel onward with me in this written form, please mail back so that I may add you to a mailing list of people to whom I forward a weekly article on religious issues that I discuss or research on for discussion which are important guidelines for our lives in this world. If not, I bade you farewell as well, thank you for your time, your support, your kind words and advice.
I remain in your service for the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and The Masume’en (AS).
A
humbled servant of Allah (SWT).