In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

In Remembrance of the Most Beautiful Rose

Imam Sadiq (PBUH) says in section of Ziarat al-Arba’een, ” he gave his life in Your way to rescue your slaves from ignorance and confusion of misguidance”.

Jabir bin-Abdullah al-Ansari is one of the Prophet’s (PBUH&HP) great companions and a plighted lover of Imam Hussain (PBUH). It is sufficient for him to boast over being the first pilgrim of the grave of Imam Hussain (PBUH); this rejoining occurred on the fortieth day after the martyrdom of the Imam (PBUH) and his companions.

How beautiful it is to find one’s missing and to join him after separation! How beautiful it is when a canary sings beside a rose! What is better than rejoining after separation?

Atiyah Oufi narrates the following story:

Jabir and I exited Medina in order to visit Imam Hussain’s (PBUH) grave. When we arrived in Karbala, Jabir performed ablutions in Euphrates River, wore a cloth, and perfumed his body. He recollected Allah (SWT) with every step he took towards the grave. When we reached the grave, he asked me to put his hand on it and I did so. At that moment, he passed out and fell on the grave. I poured some water on his face; when he became conscious, he trilled,

“O Hussain! O Hussain!  O Hussain!”

Then, he addressed the grave and said, ”A friend who does not answer his friend”…

At this point, he answered himself by saying, ”How could you answer me when your head has been cut off your body?” Next, he started reciting the Ziarat of his Master, Imam Hussain (PBUH).    

Arba’een is the fortieth day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (PBUH) and his companions. On this day, the hearts of the believers are directed towards his grave and yearn for his visit. Visiting the grave of Imam Hussain (PBUH) on such day is so important that it is considered as one of the sings and characteristics of the believers.

On the brink of this day, it is appropriate to join Imam Sadiq (PBUH) in reciting the Ziarat of Arba’een, in remembrance of Imam Hussain (PBUH) and his holy shrine.

Indeed, how beautiful Imam Sadiq (PBUH) has described the merits of Imam Hussain (PBUH), the purposes and consequences of his martyrdom, and the characteristics of his enemies in this Ziarat:

“… O Allah! I testify that he is your guardian and the son of your guardian; he is your chosen one and the son of your chosen one; he is the victorious by Your might; You honored him with martyrdom and bestowed him with salvation; and You chose him with pure race, and made him a master among the masters, a leader among the leaders, and a defender (of right) among the defenders; You gave him the inheritance of the Prophets, and made him a guardian on Your creation among the successors; in his invitation, he left no room for excuses, and preached without hesitation; he gave his life in Your way to rescue Your slaves from ignorance and confusion of misguidance. And indeed, the people united against him were those who were deceived by the world, and sold their share of existence for a low price, and gave up their Hereafter for a depreciated price, and became arrogant, and threw themselves in the cliff of their desires, and displeased You and Your Messenger, and obeyed from Your servants those who provoked disunion and hypocrisy…”

(The above is a selection taken from “Bihar al-Anwar”, vol. 65, p. 130, and a portion of the Ziarat of Arba’een of Imam Hussain (PBUH))

Honored be the Arba’een of the master of the martyrs, Imam Hussain (PBUH), and peace be upon the purified souls of him and his respected companions.

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