Dua at the time of making/wearing new garment

Changing Garments

Prayer for New Clothing

Reward of uttering a name of Allah while performing ablution

Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (a.s) says, "One who utters a name of Allah while performing ablution his whole body will become pure. All his sins between two ablutions will be wiped off. One who does not utter a name of Allah while performing ablution only the parts of body concerned with ablution will become pure and not his whole body."

Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (a.s) says, "A person who utters the name of Allah while performing ablution is like one who has performed a ghusl."

- Sawaabul Aa'amal

I am Concerned About You Regarding Barzakh

Umar ibne Yazid says that, "I asked Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.), "I have heard you saying that all our Shia's will enter Heaven however sinful they may be?" Imam replied,
"By Allah I had truly said, they shall all belong to Heaven."

Then I asked, "May my life be sacrificed upon you, even if their sins are great and in large number?" Imam said,
"All of you (Shias) shall enter Paradise by the intercession of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) or his successors on the Day of Judgement. But, by Allah I fear for you the Barzakh."

I asked,"What is Barzakh?"

He replied,
"Barzakh is the grave. Its duration commences from the time of death until the Day of Judgement."
(Al Kafi) 

- Greater Sins, Vol.1

Greater sins and smaller sins

Abstaining From the Greater Sins Cause the Lesser Sins to be Overlooked

If one avoids the Greater Sins, the Lesser sins shall be overlooked. Allah, the Almighty, by His grace, excuses the Lesser sins. As it is mentioned in the following verse of the Holy Qur'an
"If you shun the Greater Sins which you are forbidden, We will do away with your smaller sins and cause you to enter an honourable place of entering."
(Surah Nisa 4: 31)

The Gates of Paradise are Open for the Pious

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is reported to have said,
"I swear by Allah, in Whose power is my life, there is not a single person who prays five times a day, fasts during the month of Ramadhan and abstains from sins that the gates of Paradise will not be opened for him."
After this he recited the Qur'anic verse quoted above.
(Tafseer Minhaajus Saadeqeen)

Intercession

A person who commits a Greater Sin and does not repent for it, is a transgressor. Namaz is not allowed behind him (he cannot lead a prayer assembly). His testimony is unacceptable. After death, he is liable for Divine punishment. By the Grace of Allah such a person may yet get salvation; and the Grace of Allah that can make this possible is the intercession of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and his Progeny (a.s.).

As the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) says in one of his traditions:
"My intercession has been kept for the sinful among my followers."
(Behaarul Anwaar vol.3).

He (s.a.w.s.) also said,
"My intercession is specially for the sinful ones among my followers. But those who abstain from the Greater Sins, for them there is no accounting (of deeds)."

That is, they would be admitted to Paradise right away. 

Intercession Should not Prompt one to Commit Sins

There is hardly any doubt regarding the reality of Shafa'at (intercession). Actually it is the right bestowed upon the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and the purified Imams (a.s.), by Allah, to show their greatness and position. The other aim of intercession is to make their respect evident. The people who have committed Greater Sins shall be entrusted to them. By the grace of their intercession the sinful people will be able to ascend the heights like other groups of people. All this is evident from the Holy Qur'an and the authentic reports. It is also clear from Mutawatir (most frequently related) traditions. It would be needless to relate all such traditions for such a short discussion.

Only one point must be stressed at this stage. Intercession should not be taken as a license for committing sins nor should it make one heedless of repentance. 

Suicide in the Hope of Salvation

To sin and not to repent in the hope of intercession is akin to consuming poison or putting ones hand in the snake's mouth with the hope that a doctor would arrive and cure you. It is against logic, because after consuming poison it cannot be taken for granted that medical assistance would be available. Even if a doctor and medicines arrive on time it is still difficult to say that life would be saved. Before the medicine could have any effect the poison may spread to the whole body and death may occur.

In the same way, one who performs lewd actions in the hope that he would be interceded after death; cannot be sure that intercession will come to the rescue immediately. 

- Greater Sins, Vol.1

ZUHD AND PIETY

Another spiritual motif conspicuous in the teachings of the Nahj aI-baaghah is zuhd, which after taqwa is the most recurring theme of the book. Zuhd' means renunciation of the world', and very often we encounter denunciation of the world', and invitation and exhortation to renounce it. It appears to me that it forms one of the important themes of the Nahj aI-balàghah, which needs to be elucidated and explained in the light of various aspects of All's approach.


We shall begin our discussion with the word 'zuhd'. The words zuhd' and raghbah' (attraction, desire), if mentioned without reference to their objects, are opposite to each other. Zuhd' means indifference and avoidance, and raghbah' means attraction, inclination, and desire.
Indifference can be of two kinds: involuntary and cultivated. A person is involuntarily indifferent towards a certain thing when by nature he does not have any desire for it, as in the case of a sick person who shows no desire either for food, or fruits, or anything else. Obviously, this kind of indifference and abstinence has nothing to do with the particular sense implied in zuhd'.
Another kind of indifference or abstinence is spiritual or intellectual; that is; things that are natural objects of desire are not considered the goal and objective by a human being in the course of his struggle for perfection and felicity. The ultimate objective and goal may be something above mundane aims and sensual pleasures; either it may be to attain the sensuous pleasures of the Hereafter, or it may not belong to this kind of things. It may be some high ethical and moral ideal, like honour, dignity, nobility, liberty, or it may belong to the spiritual sphere, like the remembrance of God, the love of God, and the desire to acquire nearness to Him.

Accordingly the zahid (i.e. one who practises zuhd) is someone whose interest transcends the sphere of material existence, and whose object of aspiration lies beyond the kind of things we have mentioned above. The indifference of a zahid originates in the sphere of his ideas, ideals, and hopes, not in his physiological makeup.

There are two places where we come across the definition of zuhd' in the Nahj aI-balaghah. Both of them confirm the above interpretation of zuhd. Ali (a.s), in khutbah 81, says:

O people! zuhd means curtailing of hopes, thanking God for His blessings and bounties, and abstaining from that which He has forbidden.

In hikmah 439, he says:

All zuhd is summarized in two sentences of the Qur'an: God, the Most Exalted, says, ...So that you may not grieve for what escapes you, nor rejoice in what has come to you.' [57:23] Whoever does not grieve over what he has lost and does not rejoice over what comes to him has acquired zuhd in both of its aspects.

Obviously when something does not occupy a significant position amongst one's objectives and ideals, or rather is not at all significant in the scheme of things which matter to him, its gain and loss do not make the slightest difference to him.
However, there are some points that need clarification. Is zuhd, or detachment from the world, on which the Nahj aI-balaghah, following the Qur'anic teachings, puts so much emphasis, to be taken solely in an ethical and spiritual sense? In other words, is zuhd purely a spiritual state, or does it possess practical implications also?
That is, is zuhd spiritual abstinence only or is it accompanied by an abstinence in practical life also? Assuming that zuhd is to be applied in practice, is it limited to abstinence from unlawful things (muharramat), as pointed out in khutbah 81, or does it include something more, as exemplified by the life of Ali (a.s) and before him by the life of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w)?
Proceeding on the assumption that zuhd is not limited to muharramat only and that it covers permissible things (mubahat) as well, one may ask: what is its underlying rationale and philosophy? What is the use of an ascetic life that limits and confines life, rejecting its blessings and bounties? Is zuhd to be practised at all times or only under certain particular conditions? Is zuhd--in the sense of abstinence from even permissible things-basically in agreement with other Islamic teachings?
Apart from this, the basis of zuhd and renunciation of the world is the pursuit of supra-material objectives and ideals. What are they from the point of view of Islam? In particular, how does the Nahj al-balaghah describe them?

All these questions regarding zuhd, renunciation, and curtailing of hopes----themes which have so often been discussed in the Nahj al-balaghah----need to be clarified. We shall discuss these questions in the following pages and try to answer them.

Glimpses of the Nahj a1-Ba1aghah, by Shaheed Murtadha Mutahhari.

New Domes on the Holy Shrines of Kadhimayn (a.s)

New Domes on the Holy Shrines of Kadhimayn (a.s) + PICReplacement operations of the golden dome and minaret of the holly shrine of Imam Musa ibn Jafar (a.s) in Kadhimayn city of Iraq finished. The celebration held on September 14 with the presence of Iraqi authorities and the manager of the shrine.

        The area of the dome of the holly shrine of Imam Musa ibn Jafar (a.s) is 335 square meters. The constructors used 10 thousand and 261 golden bricks for the dome and 1416 golden brick for the three minarets.

    The reconstruction and replacement of the holly shrine completed in one and a half years.

Those A'mal which Prove helpful to pass over the poole serat easily

1. Sayyed ibne Tawoos in his book Iqbal relates that whoever recites twenty units (Rak'at) of prayers after Namaze Maghrib on the night of the first of Rajab, such that in each Rak'at after Surab-al -Hamd recites once Surah-al-Tawheed, then he and his family will be saved from the punishment in the grave, and will cross the poole Serat like lightening without any accounting. 
2. It is related that whoever fasts for six days in the month of Rajab will find peace in Qayamat, and will walk over the poole serat easily without been accounted. 
3. It is related that a person who recites ten units of Namaz on the night of twenty ninth Sha'ban, such that in each unit after Surah-al-Hamd recites ten times Surah-at-Takasur, Surah-an-Naas, Surah-al -Falaq, Surah-al-kaferoon, and Surah-at-Tawheed each, Allah will give him reward equal to theologians, and will increase his good deeds, will ease his accounting, and he will cross the poole Serat like lightening.  
4. As discussed in the earlier chapter, that whoever goes for pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Ali-ar-Reza (A.S.), Imam (A.S.) Himself comes for his rescue (in Qayamat) at three different places and saves him from the terrors of that day one of which is the Bridge of Serat’.

Ref: Manazelul Akherah

The Bodies were intact even after more than 1000 years

Though in normal cases and circumstances the dead bodies in the grave decompose and disintegrate yet there are proofs where the dead bodies of martyrs, prophets and saints have been found intact when their graves were dug.

In 1932 A.D. (1351 A.H.) the then ruling King of Iraq Shah Faisal I, dreamt that he was being addressed by Hudhaifa al-Yamani, who said :-

"O king ! Remove Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari and me from the bank of river Tigris and bury us at some safe place because my grave is already water-logged, (full of water) while Jabir's grave is slowly getting water-logged."

This dream was repeated again the next night, but King Faisal did not pay attention to it on account of his pre-occupation with state affairs. On the third night Hazrat Hudhaifa was seen in the dream by the grand Mufti of Iraq.

Hazrat Hudhaifa said to the grand Mufti: "I have been directing the king since two nights to transfer our Bodies but he has not paid any heed. Tell him emphatically to arrange for the transfer of our graves!"

So after discussing this matter, the King, his Prime Minister and the Grand Mufti decided to carry out this work. It was decided that the Grand Mufti should issue a fatwa (religious ruling) on this matter and the Prime Minister will issue the fatwa to the press, so that the public may know about this great event. It was declared that on 10th Zilhajj after noon prayers the graves shall be opened and the holy bodies shall be transferred to another place.

As it was Hajj season, pilgrims had gathered in Mecca. They requested King Faisal to postpone the event for a few days so that they all could attend the event after performing the Hajj. Hence, the King postponed this event to 20th Zilhajj.

After noon prayers, on 20th Zilhajj 1351 A.H. a large number of Muslims and non-Muslims gathered in Baghdad, and the city was heavily crowded. First when the grave of Hazrat Hudhaifa was opened water was found inside. The body was lifted with a crane in such a way that it safely came on a stretcher. Then the stretcher was lifted by the King, the Grand Mufti, the Prime Minister and Prince Farooq of Egypt and brought to a glass coffin box made especially to keep the holy bodies. The body of Hazrat Jabir was also transferred to the glass box in the same scrupulous manner.

The most marvelous spectacle was now seen by the huge crowd that had gathered to witness this great event. Both the holy bodies of these true companions of the Holy Prophet (SAWW) were fresh and intact while their open eyes issued forth such divine light that the spectator's eyes were dazzled. Furthermore, their coffin, clothes, kaffan were also intact and at first glance, it appeared as if these heroes of Islam were alive. The two bodies were then taken away and buried afresh near the grave of another great hero of Islam, Salman-e-Farsi, in Salman Park which is 30 miles from Baghdad. This miracle amazed the scientists, philosophers and doctors. They were all bewildered and spellbound to witness this great miracle.

A German physiologist who had been showing a lot of interest in this was so impressed by the conditions of the bodies, which were buried for more than a thousand years, that he immediately came to the Grand Mufti, held up his hands and said, "What more evidence can there be in support of Islam. I embrace Islam so teach me about it!"

Thus before thousands of people this German doctor became a Muslim. His example was followed by many Christians and Jews and for a long time it continued in Baghdad and a large number of people became Muslims as a result of this miracle.

Now let us all sit-back and think over this event and derive a lesson from this miracle. Pondering over such events is potent food for the mind and serves as an eye-opener to humanity. Some of the material above was published in a Pakistani newspaper, "Daily Jung" on 7th June 1970.

Let us now briefly look into the lives of these prominent personalities.

HAZRAT HUDHAIFA AL YAMANI

He was one of the most trusted companions of the Holy Prophet (SAWW) and a near associate of Hazrat Imam Ali (AS). He was one of those seven persons who joined the funeral prayers of Bibi Fatemah (AS). There are several instances in history where Hazrat Hudhaifa has proved steadfast in his loyalty to our Holy Prophet (SAWW). Hazrat Hudhaifa had responded to the Prophet's call in battle of Trench (Khandak) when the Prophet had promised Paradise to the person who would venture out to the enemy's camp with the intention of spying their activities.

Hazrat Hudhaifa was known as "the possessor of the Secret", since the Holy Prophet (SAWW) had revealed to him the names and specific identity of those hypocrites who intended to kill him on his return journey from Tabuk, but had strictly instructed him not to disclose the secret.

Hudhaifa was appointed governor of Madain (which is a place near Baghdad, Iraq) by Caliph Omar and held that post for many years. He was holding that post till Hazrat Imam Ali (AS) assumed the caliphate. Hazrat Imam Ali (AS) then sent a letter to the people of Madain, informing them of his caliphate and that Hudhaifa would continue to be the governor of Madian. Hudhaifa al Yamani died just before the battle of Jamal in 36 A.H. He was buried in Madain.

HAZRAT JABIR IBNE ABDULLAH-E-ANSARI

Jabir-e-Ansari was also one of the most exalted companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW). Jabir was in the forefront in 18 battles, under the banner of Islam. Jabir was blessed enough to have met all the imams up to Imam Mohamed Baker (as) in his lifetime. Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq (AS) has said : "Jabir -e-Ansari was the last survivor amongst the companions of the Holy Prophets (SAWW).

Jabir, on hearing about the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions and the imprisonment and humiliation of the surviving members of his family, hastened towards Kerbala with his devoted friends and followers and buried the martyrs there. He was the first person to pay homage to the martyrs of Kerbala and carry out their burial rites.

The Holy Prophet (SAW) once told Jabir that, he would live long enough to come across a person whose name would be Mohamed Baker (as) and he will resemble the Holy Prophet in appearance and values. The Holy Prophet asked Jabir to convey his salaams to this man. Throughout his life Jabir was waiting eagerly to meet our Imam. Finally, when Jabir did meet the Holy Imam he was very old but very happy and he conveyed the prophet's salaam to the Imam. Jabir did not live long after that. He was tortured by Hajjaj bin Yusuf and it is reported that molten lead was poured on the hands of Jabir by the tyrant. Jabir-e-Ansari was 94 years old when he left this world for the heavenly abode in 78 A.H. He was also buried in Madain.

Thus let us send our gift of Sure-Fateha for these two brilliant graduates from the school of Prophet hood, who devoted all their efforts in safeguarding our religion. Let us not forget their invaluable contribution to keep the flame of Islam kindled in our hearts. And pray to The Almighty Allah to help us follow their footsteps and elevate our level of imaan. 

When will Deliverance Take Place?

It has been narrated by Jabir Jaufi that: I asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (as) about Imam Mehdi (as)’s reappearance that when will ‘Faraj’ deliverance take place?

Our fifth Holy Imam (as) replied: “Alas! Alas! There shall be no Faraj until you all become a mesh (he repeated the sentence three times), the impure believers are exterminated and only the pure believers remain!”
 
Almighty Allah (s.w.t) says in the Holy Quran: “Do men think they will be left alone on saying – we believe; and not be tried?”

Sheikh Saduq (May Allah elevate his position) has recorded this event in the book – ‘Kamaluddin’ from Sadir Sairafi who was bestowed with the honor of visiting our 6th Imam (as) along with Mufazzal bin Umeir and Abu Baseer.

We asked the son of the Messenger of Allah about Qaem (as). Imam Jaffer Sadiq (as) replied: “The characteristics Allah assigned for his Prophets have been assigned for our Qaem (as) too. Just as Prophet Isa (as) went away into occultation from his people, similarly Allah Almighty has ordained that our Qaem (as) shall also go away into occultation from his people. His occultation shall be lengthy such that the deviators shall deny him.

The delay of our Qaem (as) is like the delay of Prophet Nuh (as). Nuh (as) had asked Allah to punish the disbelievers and requested salvation for the believers.

Allah informed Nuh (as): “Plant these seeds because you will attain salvation and deliverance after they become trees and bear fruit. Give glad tidings about this matter to your followers.” Prophet Nuh (as)  followed the orders of Almighty Allah.

When after a long time the seeds turned into strong trees possessing branches, leaves and dates; Prophet Nuh (as) asked Allah to fulfill his promise.

For the second time Allah ordered Nuh (as) to sow fresh date seeds yet again. Allah ordered Nuh (as) to adopt patience and inform his believers. When Prophet Nuh (as) informed his people - three hundred of his believers turned apostates; doubting the Prophet Hood of Nuh (as) and Allah’s promise.
 
Once again the seeds turned into strong trees bearing dates Prophet Nuh (as) asked Allah for deliverance. And yet for the third time Nuh (as) was ordered to follow the same instructions as before; and on informing his followers a greater number of his believers turned away from him. They turned away from Allah’s representative and Allah’s promise.

Now the number of Nuh (as)’s true believers remained seventy in number. And here Allah revealed to Nuh (as): “The brightness of dawn has obviated the darkness of night since truth has been established and faith has been purified. My promise was salvation and deliverance for the believers. I was aware of the shaky faith and evil nature of those among your followers who later turned apostates. Now by our command, you may start building the ship; for those who remain are the ones whose monotheistic belief is based on sincerity and they have clung to the rope of your Prophet Hood. My promise is to make them vicegerents over the earth, give strength to their religion and turn their fears into tranquility.”

Imam Sadiq (as) said: “The same condition shall prevail for our Qaem (as). The period of occultation will be a long one until absolute truth appears and faith gets clearly distinguished from the evils of discord; so that any of the Shia who are evil in nature and have feelings of discord will exit from religion. “

These are the ones about whom our Masumin (as) have foretold that faith shall depart from them just as a knife slices easily through butter.

Conclusion

Al Imam Mahdi (as) is the Imam through whose obedience we should be upright. Imam e Zamana (as)  is the channel between us and Allah. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w) repeatedly emphasized to hold on to the Holy Quran and the Holy Ahlul Bayt (as). Holding on to them does not mean we have to catch hold of their hands; rather it means we have to act upon their sayings and follow their path. This is feasible and possible for each and every person. Therefore there cannot remain any excuse and none can say: “The Twelfth Imam (as) was hidden so we could not hold on to him.”

It is not obligatory on Imam (as) to approach us; rather it is obligatory upon us to approach His Excellency. And the best way to do this is by sincerely following the commands of Allah and Ahlul Bayt (as); protecting the Ahlul Bayt (as); warding off their enemies; increasing our love for the Masumin (as) and deeply hating their enemies.

Quran and Ahlul-Bayt

Based on a parallel (Mutawatir) tradition upon whose authenticity all Muslims agree, the Messenger of Allah (AS) informed his followers in several occasions that he would leave them two precious/weighty things and that if Muslims adhere to both of them, they will never go astray after him. They are

the Book of Allah (Quran) and the Members of the House of the Prophet (Ahlul-Bayt), peace be upon them all.

It is narrated in Sahih Muslim as well as many other sources that:

Someday (after his last pilgrimage) the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) stood to give us a speech beside a pond which is known as Khum (Ghadir  Khum) which is located between Mecca and Medina. Then he praised Allah and reminded Him, and then said: "O' people! Behold! It seems the time

approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. Behold! I am leaving for you two precious things. First of them is the book of Allah in which there is light and guidance... The other one is my Ahlul-Bayt. I remind you in the name of Allah about my Ahlul-Bayt. I remind you in the name of Allah about my Ahlul-Bayt. I remind you in the name of Allah about my Ahlul-Bayt. (three times)."

Sunni Reference:

- Sahih Muslim, Chapter of the virtues of the companions, section of the virtues of Ali, 1980 Edition Pub. in Saudi Arabia, Arabic version, v4, p1873, Tradition #36.

- And many others such as Sahih al-Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad (see below).

For the English version of Sahih Muslim, see Chapter CMXCVI, v4, p1286, Tradition #5920

Despite the fact that the author of Sahih Muslim and many other Sunni traditionists have recorded the above tradition in their authentic books, it is regrettable that the majority of Sunnis are unaware of its existence at the best, or deny it at the worst. Their counter argument is that the most reliable tradition in this regard is the one recorded by al-Hakim in his al-Mustadrak, on the authority of Abu Huraira, attributing to the Messenger of Allah saying: "I leave amongst you two things that if you follow or act upon, you will not go astray after me: The Book of God and my Sunnah (traditions)."

There is no doubt that ALL Muslims are required to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). However, the question remains that which Sunnah is genuine and which one is invented later and was falsely attributed to the Prophet.

On tracing the source of this report of Abu Huraira which states "Quran and Sunnah," we found out that it has NOT been recorded in any of the six authentic Sunni collections of the traditions (Sihah Sittah). Not only that, but also al-Bukhari, al-Nisa'i, and al-Dhahabi and many others rated this

report (Quran and Sunnah) as weak because of its weak Isnad. It should be noted that although the book of al-Hakim is an important Sunni collection of traditions, yet it is ranked inferior to the six major Sunni books. This is while Sahih Muslim is in the second rank among the six Sunni collections of traditions.

al-Tirmidhi reported that the "Quran and Ahlul-Bayt" version of the tradition is traced to 30+  companions. Ibn Hajar al-Haythami reported that he knows of 20+ companions witnessed that also. This is while the "Quran and Sunnah" version reported by al-Hakim has only one source!  Thus we must conclude that the "Quran and Ahlul-Bayt" version is much more reliable. Moreover al-Hakim has also mentioned the "Quran and Ahlul-Bayt" version in his book (al- Mustadrak) through several chain of authorities and confirmed that the "Quran and Ahlul-Bayt" version of the tradition is authentic based on the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Moreover, the word "Sunnah" by itself does not serve the purpose of knowledge. All Muslims  irrespective to their persuasions claim that they follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). The differences among Muslims come from the transmitted Prophetic traditions through different avenues.

Such traditions serve as explanatory means of the Holy Quran upon whose authenticity all Muslims agree. Thus divergence in the transmitted traditions, which in turn has led to differing interpretation of Quran and the prophetic Sunnah, has created numerous versions of Sunnah. All Muslims, as a result, splintered into different schools, groups, offshoots, which is believed to add up to seventy three groups. All of them are obeying their own version of Sunnah which they claim to be the true one. Which of these groups follow the true Sunnah of the Prophet? Which one (out of 73 groups) will be

the prosperous one, and will survive? Other than the tradition of Sahih Muslim mentioned above, the following authentic traditions provide a unique detailed answer for this question:

The messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: "I am leaving for you two precious and weighty  Symbols that if you adhere to BOTH of them you shall not go astray after me. They are, the Book of Allah, and my progeny, that is my Ahlul-Bayt. The Merciful has informed me that These

two shall not separate from each other till they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)."

Sunni references:

(1) Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, pp 662-663,328, report of 30+ companions, with reference to several chains of transmitters.

(2) al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, Chapter of "Understanding (the virtues) of Companions, v3, pp 109,110,148,533 who wrote this tradition is authentic (Sahih) based on the criteria of

                    the two Shaikhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim).

(3) Sunan, by Daarami, v2, p432

(4) Musnad, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v3, pp 14,17,26,59, v4, pp 366,370-372, v5, pp 182,189,350,366,419

(5) Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p585, Tradition #990

(6) al-Khasa'is, by al-Nisa'i, pp 21,30

(7) al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p230

(8) al-Kabir, by al-Tabarani, v3, pp 62-63,137

(9) Kanz al-Ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Chapter al-Iti'sam bi Habl Allah, v1, p44.

(10) Tafsir Ibn Kathir (complete version), v4, p113, under commentary of verse 42:23 of Quran (four traditions)

(11) al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, by Ibn Sa'd, v2, p194, Pub. by Dar Isadder, Lebanon.

(12) al-Jami' al-Saghir, by al-Suyuti, v1, p353, and also in v2

(13) Majma' al-Zawa'id, al-Haythami, v9, p163

(14) al-Fateh al-Kabir, al-Binhani, v1, p451

(15) Usdul Ghabah fi Ma'rifat al-Sahaba, Ibn al-Athir, v2, p12

(16) Jami' al-Usul, Ibn al-Athir, v1, p187

(17) History of Ibn Asakir, v5, p436

(18) al-Taj al-Jami' Lil Usul, v3, p308

(19) al-Durr al-Manthoor, al-Hafidh al-Suyuti, v2, p60

(20) Yanabi al-Mawaddah, al-Qundoozi al-Hanafi, pp 38,183

(21) Abaqat al-Anwar, v1, p16

Reference: A  SHI'ITE  ENCYCLOPEDIA

Settle the Value of Water You had been Drinking!

One day Hazrat Musa (a.s.) was passing through a barren hill. He noticed a pious person busy in prayer sitting in a cave of the hill. Hazrat Musa (a.s.) felt the urge to meet and talk to the person. He went near and greeted him.

The pious person asked disinterestedly, "Who are you?"
 
Hazrat Musa (a.s.) said, "I am Musa (a.s.)!"

The person asked, "Are you the Prophet Musa (a.s.)?"

Hazrat Musa (a.s.) said, "Yes!"

"Then ask Allah to Grant my wish!"

Hazrat Musa (a.s.) asked, "What is it that you want?"

The person said, "Since the last one hundred years I am sitting here praying to Allah. I don't do anything other than the Prayer. Ask Allah, what He will give me for my efforts?"

Hazrat Musa (a.s.) said, " I shall find about it immediately."

He immediately climbed up the hill and called aloud, "O Sustainer Allah! This person wants to know about the reward for his prayers! Tell me, what shall I inform him?"

He heard the sound, "O Musa (a.s.)! Tell him, we shall inform him about his reward tomorrow."

Hazrat Musa (a.s.) went to the person and conveyed the message to him. The pious man said, " It's fine! Tomorrow is not much of a time!"

The pious person was in the habit of going to a nearby canal early every morning for bathing and fetching some water for his use. Therefore, the next morning too he started for the canal but he lost his way and reached somewhere else. Because of the sun's heat he became very thirsty and tired. He sat on a lonely boulder and started thinking about his death. In that time he found a person coming from the other direction. He waved to the person to come to him. When the person came nigh, he asked him to help him with some water.

The man said, "Where is any water in this wilderness? Whatever little I have is only for me."

The pious person started crying. The other person said, "Fine! What will you give me if I give you a tumbler of water?"

The pious man said, "I don't have anything. I have been busy in the cave praying for the last one hundred years."

The man said, "If you agree to transfer to me the Rewards for your prayers of one hundred years, I shall give you a tumbler of water."

The pious man thought, if he lived, he could pray for a further period to get the Reward from Allah. He said, "I am ready to transfer to you my reward for the hundred years' of my prayers”.

The man gave him a tumbler full of water and the pious person returned to his cave.

In the morning Hazrat Musa (a.s.) got a Revelation that the pious person transferred his hundred years' prayers to another person in exchange for a tumbler of water. Ask the man to settle the value of the tumblers of water that he had been drinking during the last hundred years!

Therefore, Hazrat Musa (a.s.) went to the cave and told to the person that he had a message for him from Allah. The man said: “O Prophet (a.s.)! I have already sold my hundred years of penance!"

Hazrat Musa (a.s.) said, "Yes! I know. But Allah has said that when the value of one hundred years of prayer is one tumbler of water, then he must settle the value of the water he had been drinking over the last hundred years."

When the pious person heard this, he was shocked and shouted, "O Prophet (a.s.)! Recommend to Allah to forgive my sins! Allah is Beneficent and Merciful!"

Hazrat Musa (a.s.) got the Revelation, "Tell the pious person! Your penitence of this moment pleased us more than your prayers of a hundred years and we have given to you rewards for a thousand years of prayers!".

From AINAL HAYAT by Allama Majlisi : CHAPTER 8

Imam Mohammed Baqir (a.s.) said: Two persons entered the mosque. One was pious and the other a transgressor. When they emerged from the mosque after the prayer, the transgressor was pious and the person with piety had turned a transgressor. The reason was that the pious person came out of the mosque with pride at his piety and the transgressor was penitent at his past misdeeds.

If Anyone Favors his Wife over his Mother …!

At the time of the Messenger of Allah (saww), there was a young man named Alqamah. He was very diligent in obeying Allah by engaging in prayer and fasting and spending in charity. Then he fell ill and his illness became serious. His wife went to the Messenger of Allah (saaw) and said, "My husband, Alqamah, is on his deathbed. I therefore came to tell you, Messenger of Allah (saww), about his condition."

The Messenger of Allah (saww) sent for Ammar bin Yasir, Suhaib and Bilal bin Rabah and told them to go to him (Alqamah) and have him repeat the Shahadah. They went to him and found him in the agony of death. They asked him to say, "La illaha illa Allah," but his tongue was unable to pronounce it. At that, they came and told the Messenger of Allah (saww) that he was unable to repeat the Shahadah.

The Messenger of Allah (saww) asked, "Is either of his parents alive?"

He was told, "Messenger of Allah (saww), his mother is, but she is very old."

The Messenger of Allah (saww) sent her a message that if it was convenient for her (if she was able to go out), she should come to him; otherwise she should stay in her house and the Messenger of Allah (saww) would come to her.

The Messenger of Allah's (saww) messenger came to her and informed her of the Messenger of Allah's (saww) message. She said, "May my life be a ransom for him, it is my pleasure to go to him!"

She stood up, leaning on her walking stick, and came to the Messenger of Allah (saww) and greeted him. The Messenger of Allah (saww) returned her greeting and said to her, "Umm Alqamah, tell me the truth, for otherwise Allah Most High will reveal the truth to me! What is the situation concerning your son, Alqamah?"

She replied, "Messenger of Allah (saww), he prays much, fasts a great deal, and spends a great amount in charity."

The Messenger of Allah (saww) said, "And what about yourself?"

She said, "Messenger of Allah (saww), I am angry with him."

He said, "Why?"

She replied, "Messenger of Allah (saww), he has preferred his wife to me and has disobeyed me."

The Messenger of Allah (saww) said, "Umm Alqamah, surely your anger has prevented Alqamah's tongue from pronouncing the Shahadah."

The Messenger of Allah (saww) then turned to Bilal ibn Rabah and said, "Bilal, go out and collect a quantity of firewood."

She said, "Messenger of Allah (saww), what do you plan to do?" The Messenger of Allah (saww) replied, "I will burn him in front of your eyes."

She said, "Messenger of Allah (saww), he is my son! My heart cannot bear your burning him in front of me!"

The Messenger of Allah (saww) said, "Umm Alqamah, Allah's punishment is more severe and more lasting! Therefore, if you want Allah to forgive him, be reconciled to him. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, the prayer, fasting, and spending in charity (which he has done) are of no benefit to Alqamah as long as you are angry with him!"

Thereupon she said, "Messenger of Allah (saww), I call upon Allah Most High and His angels and the Muslims who are present to be my witnesses that I am pleased with my son Alqamah."

The Messenger of Allah (saww) said, "Bilal, go to him and see whether he is now able to say, "La illaha illa Allah" or not. It may be that Umm Alqamah is saying something for my sake which is not in her heart."

Bilal ibn Rabah went, and while entering the door he heard Alqamah saying, "La illaha illa Allah."

Bilal ibn Rabah remarked, "It is surely true that while Alqamah's mother was angry with him his tongue was tied, and now that she is pleased with him his tongue is freed."

Alqamah died the same day. The Messenger of Allah (saww) came to him and gave the order for his washing and shrouding, and then prayed the funeral prayer for him and buried him. The Messenger of Allah (saww) then stood by the side of his grave and said, "You company of Muhajirun (Emigrants) and Ansar (Helpers), if anyone favors his wife over his mother, Allah and His angels and all the people curse him! Allah does not accept his spending (in charity) and his uprightness unless he repents toward Allah, the Glorious and Majestic, and reconciles with her and attains her pleasure, because Allah's pleasure consists in her pleasure and Allah's anger consists in her anger."

We must always be respectful and obedient to our parents. However, we are not to obey them if they order us to disobey Allah and His Messenger of Allah (saww). Other than this, they deserve our utmost attention and respect.

O our Lord! grant me protection and my parents and the believers on the day when the reckoning shall come to pass! Noble Qur'an (14:41).

Azadari pictures from Syria on the occasion of Arba'een of Imam Hussain (AS) at the shrine of Syeda Zainab (SA). Click the picture to view.

Why Arba'een?

Significance of Arba'een and the Performance of the Ziyarat of Arba'een

Why is so much importance given to the performance of the Ziyarat of Arba’een and the observance of Arba’een (40 days of mourning)?

Ziyarat, as we all know is a visitation, which in essence, is the act of speaking with and visiting our role models.  Of course the physical manifestation of the ziyarat is actually being present in Kerbala to perform the Ziyarat of Arba’een, but, in reality, that is not possible for every believer.  So does making ziyarat while not in Kerbala give one the same benefits?  Ahadith tell us that performing the Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (a.s.) far from Kerbala would hold the same significance as being in the land of Kerbala, as long as the person performing the Ziyarat has truly understood the status of the Imam and seeks to emulate him.

Imam Muhamed al-Baqir (a.s.) states that the heavens wept over Imam Hussain (a.s.) for forty mornings, rising red and setting red.  As we complete 40 days of remembrance of our Imam, we re-assert our pledge of obedience and loyalty to him,

“I bear witness that you are the Imam (who is) the upright, the pious, well-pleased (with Allah), the pure, the guide and the rightly-guided.
I bear witness that you fulfilled the pledge of Allah and you struggled in His way…I am a friend of whoever befriends him ...”

By performing the Ziyarat of Arba’een, we pledge that we will continue to follow the path of justice and righteousness and will reject injustice and speak up against the oppressors of the time,

I am an enemy of whoever is his enemy

In essence, we make a promise to continue to mold our lives according to the teaching of Imam Hussain (a.s.). 

But why is it that we mourn and remember Imam Hussain (a.s.) for a period of forty days and then move on? 

Our Prophet has said, “The earth mourns the death of a believer for forty mornings.”   Therefore it appears that the deceased should be remembered and mourned over for a period of forty days.  Performing an act for a continuous period of forty days is also known to help one to not just form a habit, but also to carry on the practice for the rest of his life. 

If we look at studies dealing with bringing a lifestyle change, we notice the time period emphasized to bring about a change is usually 6 weeks which is about the same time period as 40 days (to be exact it is 42 days).

In the book 40 Days to Personal Revolution: A Breakthrough Program to Radically Change Your Body and Awaken the Sacred Within Your Soul, the author Baron Baptiste explains the significance of forty days:

Why forty days? Because the number 40 holds tremendous spiritual significance in the realm of transformation. Jesus wandered in the desert for forty days in order to experience purification and come to a greater understanding of himself and his mission. Moses and his people traveled through the desert for forty years before arriving at their home in the holy land. Noah preserved the sacredness of life by sailing his ark for forty days and forty nights. According to the Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical text, it takes forty days to ingrain any new way of being into our system….

Reciting particular duas for a period of 40 days is highly recommended in our practices as well. 
The unit 40 (forty) is said to be very effective. If a particular Duaa is recited 40 times, or 40 people gather to recite it, or it is recited for 40 days then its effectiveness is highly increased. (Duas.org)

It is reported from Imam Ja'fer Sadiq (a.s.) that whoever recites Dua-e-Ahad for forty days, after morning prayers will be amongst the helpers of the 12th Imam (a). Visitation of the shrine of Imam Hussain (a.s.) as well as Masjid-e-Sahla for 40 consecutive Thursdays is also very highly recommended and is one of the acts that promises a visit from the 12th Imam (ajtf).

Thus, as we perform the Ziyarat of Arba’een and commemorate the Arba’een, 40 days of mourning of Imam Hussain (a.s.), we hope and pray that this forty days of remembrance of Imam Hussain (a.s.), brings about a transformation in us by which we can continue to follow the path of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and carry on his message of upholding justice with true faith and a strong sense of sacrifice!

Refs:
A’maal of Muharram and Safar (Tayyiba Publishers)
Kerbala and Beyond by Yasin T. Al-Jabouri
The Miracle of Ziyarat-e-Ashoora
Commentary on Ziyarat Ashura, translated by Saleem Bhimji from the work of Ali Asghar Azizi Tehrani
Kitab al-Irshad, translated by IKA Howard, authored by Sheikh Al-Mufeed

Excellence of Hasnain al-Kareemain (as)

1. It is reported that once, Imam Hassan (as) approached Prophet Muhammad - blessings and peace be upon him - and climbed on his shoulders. A person, (who was present) remarked, "O blessed son! What a nice steed you have". In reply, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) declared, "And how nice a rider (too)." [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, Manaqib Abi Muhammad al-Hasan - Hadith no. 3809, Vol 5, Page 432].

2. Once, when Prophet Muhammad - blessings and peace be upon him - was in ritual prostration Imam Hassan wrapped himself on the blessed back of Prophet Muhammad - blessings and peace be upon him. Due to this, Prophet Muhammad - blessings and peace be upon him - lengthened the ritual prostration so that he (Imam Hassan) would not fall when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) raised his head. [Musnad Abu Ya'la, Musnad Anas bin Malik, Hadith no. 3415, Vol 3, Page 21].

3. Prophet Muhammad - blessings and peace be upon him - declared: "these two sons of mine are the leaders of the youth in Paradise." [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, Manaqib Abi Muhammad al-Hasan, Hadith no. 3793, Vol. 5, Page 426].

4. Prophet Muhammad - blessings and peace be upon him - has also stated that, "Their friends are my friends, their enemies are my enemies." [Sunan ibn Maja, kitab al-Sunna, Fadl al Hasan wa al Husain, Hadith no. 143, Vol. 1, Page 96].

5. He has also stated that, "these two are the swords of the heavens." He has also stated that, "Hussain is from me and I am from Hussain. May Allah keep him as a friend who keeps Hussain as his friend. Hussain is a grandchild from among grandchildren." [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith no. 3800, Vol. 5, Page 429].

6. It is stated that once, Prophet Muhammad - blessings and peace be upon him - placed Imam Hussain on his right thigh and his own son, Sayyidina Ibrahim on his left thigh. Angel Gabriel (Jibreel) appeared to him and said, "Allah will not keep them both with the Prophet, choose one of them." Prophet Muhammad - blessings and peace be upon him - could not bear being separated from Imam Hussain and three days later, Sayyidina Ibrahim passed on to the Divine Lord. After this incident, whenever Imam Hussain came in front of him, he used to kiss him and say, 'Welcome to the one for whom I have sacrificed my own son.' [Tarikh al-Baghdad, Vol. 2, Page 200].

7. Prophet Muhammad - blessings and peace be upon him - has also declared that, "They are my sons and the sons of my daughter. O Allah! I have kept them in my friendship; You also keep them in Your friendship and keep him as Your friend who keeps them as his friends." [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, Hadith no. 3794, Vol. 5, Page 427].

8. He advised his blessed daughter Fatimah Zahra (sa), "Bring me both my sons." He used to then smell them and then hug them to his chest. [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, H adith no. 3797, Vol. 5, Page 428].

Sermon of Lady Zainab (PBUH)

A part of the sermon Lady Zainab (S.A) gave with utmost bravery in the gathering of Yazid in Syria is as follows:

“What you consider today as spoils of war will become ruins for you tomorrow and on that day you will find what you have sent from before. Allah does not oppress his servants. I express my complaint only to Allah and have trust in Him. You may therefore do any treachery that you have, make all your attempts, and try all you can. By Allah, you cannot remove us from the minds (of people), and you cannot fade our message. You will never reach our glory and can never wash the stain of this crime from your hands. Your decisions will not be stable, your period of ruling will be short, and your population will scatter. In that day, a voice will shout: “Indeed may the curse of Allah be upon the oppressors….”.

If They Sever our Legs and Hands, We shall Crawl to the Holy Lands!

Several years ago, I met an Australian man who had converted to Islam (and, specifically, to Shia Islam). He told me that, in 2003, he had been watching the news one evening and was astonished by scenes of two million Iraqis streaming towards the holy city of Karbala, chanting: "Hussein, Hussein." For the first time in three decades, in a globally televised event, the world had caught a glimpse of Shia Iraq from the inside.

With the Sunni Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein toppled, Australians, like everyone else, were eager to see how Shia Iraqis would respond to a new era of freedom. "Where is Karbala, and why is everyone heading in its direction?" he recalls asking himself. "Isn't Baghdad the capital of the country? Isn't that where all 'the action' is? Who is this Hussein who motivates these people?”.   They were the first in a long line of questions that eventually led him to relinquish his Roman Catholic faith and instead embrace Shia Islam.

What he witnessed in that single, 60-second television news report was especially moving because the imagery was unlike any he had seen before. There was something intense about the commotion. A fervent sense of connection turned human pilgrims into iron filings, automatically aligning with each other as they drew closer to what could only be described as Karbala's powerful magnetic field. It was more than intriguing; it was astonishing and inspiring.

Long Trek

In 2007, I travelled to Karbala, my own ancestral home, to find out for myself why such scenes are so captivating. What I witnessed proved to me that even the widest-angle camera lens is too narrow to capture the spirit of this tumultuous, annual Shia ritual.  Thousands upon thousands of men, women and children -- but mostly black-veiled women -- filled the eye from one end of the horizon to the other. The crowds were so huge that they caused a blockade for hundreds of miles. I had the privilege of being driven to Karbala in armored vehicles with a police escort throughout the nine-hour journey. But the road was overflowing with pilgrims on foot.

The 425-kilometre distance between the southern port city of Basra and Karbala is a long journey by any measure, and must be unimaginably arduous on foot. It takes pilgrims a full two weeks to complete the walk. Some push their parents in wheelchairs. People of all age groups trudge in the scorching heat of the sun during the day and in the bone-chilling cold at night.  They travel across rough terrain, down uneven roads, through terrorist strongholds and dangerous marshlands. Without even the most basic amenities or any travel gear, the pilgrims carry little besides their burning love for "The Master" -- their Imam, Hussein. Flags and banners remind them, and the world, of the purpose of their journey.  One banner I saw on my journey read:

O self, you are worthless after Hussein.
My life and death are one and the same,
So be it if you call me insane!

The message recalled words said to have been uttered by Abbas, Hussein's half-brother, who was also killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D. while trying to fetch water for his thirst-stricken nieces and nephews. 

Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is adored by all Shias. Millions of Sunnis also revere him, as Sayyid ash Shuhada, the "prince of martyrs". He was killed in Karbala on Ashura, the tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram, having refused to pledge allegiance to the corrupt and tyrannical Ummayad caliph, Yazid.

He and his family and friends were isolated in the desert, starved of food and water and then beheaded. Their bodies were mutilated. In the words of the English historian Edward Gibbon: "In a distant age and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Hussein will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader."  Shias have since mourned the death of Hussein each year, in particular on the days of Ashura and Arba'een. The latter is the Shia holy day of religious observation that occurs 40 days after the day of Ashura. Forty days is the usual length of mourning in many Muslim (and Middle Eastern) cultures. This year, Arba'een falls on Friday 5 February.

Care and Devotion

The horrific bomb blasts of late January and early February in Baghdad and Karbala, which killed dozens and wounded hundreds, illustrate the dangers facing Shias living in Iraq, and the insecurity that continues to plague parts of the country after the war. So it is striking to see so many people -- young and old, Iraqis and foreigners -- making the dangerous journey to Karbala.  And it is far from easy to understand what inspires these people. On my own trip, I saw a woman carrying two children in her arms, old men in wheelchairs, a man on crutches, a blind boy holding a walking stick.  I met a 46-year-old man who had travelled all the way from Basra with his disabled son. The 12-year-old had cerebral palsy and could not walk unassisted. For most of the trip, the father put the boy's feet on top of his own and held him by the armpits as they walked. It is the kind of story out of which Oscar-winning films are made, but no Hollywood director or screenwriter dares venture into Iraq these days.

One image that never failed to grab my attention was the sight of thousands of tents, with makeshift kitchens and medical clinics set up by the local villagers who live around the pilgrims' path. The tents (called mawkeb, or "caravan") are the only places where pilgrims can find a space to rest from the exhausting journey.  More surprising were the people asking pilgrims to join them for food and drink. They intercept the pilgrims' paths to invite them, plead with them and eventually prevail on them to take a short break by the side of the road, without asking for payment. They would say: "Please honour us with your presence. Our masters, bless us by accepting our offerings."

Entire towns in Iraq seemed to shut down as millions converged on the holy city. One local tribal leader -- who, in keeping with Iraqi tribal traditions, bows to no one and is treated by his followers as a king -- was standing on the road, calling out through a loudspeaker: "Welcome, o pilgrims of Hussein. I'll kiss the soles of your shoes. May I be sacrificed for you!"

Sacrifice for Truth

Just looking at the crowds leaves you breathless. What adds to the peculiarity of the phenomenon is that, as the security conditions get worse, even more people are motivated, it seems, to challenge the terrorist threats and march in defiance to Karbala.  When, days before Arba'een, a female suicide bomber blew herself up after inviting pilgrims to eat in her tent in Alexandria, 45 kilometres south of Baghdad, the crowds turned out in even greater numbers. They chanted in unison:

If they sever our legs and hands,
We shall crawl to the Holy Lands.

And it is not just peasants who take part in this multimillion-man march. There are doctors, engineers, teachers, academics, as well as wealthy entrepreneurs and leading politicians, all of whom participate in what is today one of the biggest annual mass demonstrations in the world. They journey from all over the globe -- Iran, India, Pakistan, Britain, Canada, the United States.  This year, the total number of pilgrims visiting Karbala for Arba'een is officially estimated to have reached ten million. Some say that as security improves in Iraq the figure may one day top 20 million.

Seeing the crowds and joining the procession of pilgrims, I was reminded of the questions that my Australian friend had asked himself when he witnessed the Arba'een procession of 2003: "Who is Hussein? And how does he continue to inspire so many people, over 13 centuries after his martyrdom?"  For Shias, Hussein is the ultimate moral exemplar: a man who refused to bow in the face of tyranny and despotism. Shias see his martyrdom as the greatest victory of good over evil, right over wrong, truth over falsehood. In the words of the Urdu poet Muhammad Iqbal: "Imam Hussein uprooted despotism for ever till the Day of Resurrection. He watered the dry garden of freedom with the surging wave of his blood, and indeed he awakened the sleeping Muslim nation . . . Hussein weltered in blood and dust for the sake of truth."

Holy of Holies

But why would all these people walk for hundreds of miles to remember a painful event that took place over 13 centuries ago? Visitors to the shrine of Hussein and his brother Abbas in Karbala are not driven by emotion alone. They cry because they make a conscious decision to be reminded of the atrocious nature of the loss and, in doing so, they reaffirm their pledge to everything that is virtuous and holy.  The first thing that pilgrims do on facing his shrine is recite the Ziyara, a sacred text addressing Hussein with due respect for his status, position and lineage. In it, the Shia imams who followed him after the massacre in Karbala instruct their followers to begin the address by calling Hussein the "inheritor" and "heir" of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

There is something profound in making this proclamation. It shows that Hussein's message of truth and freedom is viewed as an inseparable extension of that list of divinely appointed prophets.  Pilgrims go to Karbala not to admire its physical beauty, or to shop, or to be entertained, or to visit ancient historical sites. They go there to cry. They go to mourn. They go to join the angels in their grief. They enter the sacred shrine weeping and lamenting.

It is as though every person has established a personal relationship with the Imam. They talk to him and call out his name; they grip the cage surrounding his tomb; they kiss the floor leading into the shrine; they touch its walls and doors in the way one touches the face of a long-lost friend. It is a picturesque vista, on epic proportions. What motivates these people is something that requires an understanding of the character and status of Imam Hussein and the spiritual relationship that Shias, and in particular Shia Iraqis, have developed with his living legend.

"Who is this Hussein"? For millions of Shia pilgrims, questions this profound, which can cause a man to relinquish his religion for another, can be answered only when you have marched to the shrine of Hussein for 14 days on foot. The verses of a Shia friend of mine sum it up:

The closer I get and when you I'll be seeing,
My emotions take control, with love I begin to shake.
I look at you now and my life has new meaning.
From you some painful beauty with me I must take.

O Karbala, I feel what you're feeling,
O land of loving sorrow, O land of heartbreak,
O land where my leader does rest,
Welcome me as a pilgrim, please make me your guest.

By Sayed Mahdi Al-Modaressi (A  Shia cleric and chief executive of Ahlulbayt Television Network)

Over 15 Million Shia Pilgrims Throng to Holy Karbala in Arabaeen / Photos

More than 15 million Shia pilgrims thronged the holy Iraqi city of Karbala on Tuesday for annual mourning rituals, with security forces keeping a tight watch following a spate of deadly attacks.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - More than 15 million Shia pilgrims thronged the holy Iraqi city of Karbala on Tuesday for annual mourning rituals, with security forces keeping a tight watch following a spate of deadly attacks.

Worshippers continued to pour into the city south of Baghdad for the climax of Arbaeen, mindful that dozens had been martyred in recent days as they made their way there on foot from across Iraq for the ceremonies.

Arbaeen marks 40 days after the Ashura anniversary commemorating the slaying of Imam Hussein (A.S) and his 72 faithful companions, by the armies of the Yazid (L.A) in 680 AD.

Throngs of mourners overflowed Hussein's shrine in Karbala and remorse at not defending him by beating their heads and chests.

Sad songs blared from loudspeakers throughout the city and black flags fluttered alongside pictures of Hussein and his half-brother Hadrat Abbas, both of whom are buried in the city.

Security forces were on alert throughout, following a triple car bombing on Monday killed at least 12 people.

Karbala governor Amal al-Deen al-Har said that over 15 million Shiite pilgrims had been through the city, 110 kilometres (70 miles) south of Baghdad, over the past two weeks.

Mohammad Sadiq al-Har, the head of the city's hospitalities guild, said Karbala's packed hotels and restaurants had catered to 11 million Iraqis and 50,000 pilgrims from 30 other countries.

Security for the pilgrims was paramount, said Muhammed al-Mussawi, head of the provincial council.

"The security plan is flexible and changeable according to the development in the security situation," he said.

"The number of security forces was increased after the latest attacks, and cars were prevented from entering Karbala city," he said.

Monday's car bombs targeted crowds of pilgrims gathering on the outskirts of the city to make the rest of the journey on foot. Another triple car bombing on Thursday killed 45 pilgrims.

"These attacks only strengthen our resolve to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein," said Mohammed Mohsen, a 40-year-old who came with a convoy of other volunteers with food and drinks to feed pilgrims as an act of devotion.

"These acts will not stop us from practising our religion," he said.

Brigadier General Nohman Dakhel Jawad, commander of Iraq's emergency response forces, said his officers had carried out multiple raids, arresting 32 suspects and uncovering a cache of weapons.

This year marks the first time Iraqi troops have been in sole charge of security for Ashura since 2003. While the Americans have not provided ground forces for it in several years, they have previously helped with surveillance and reconnaissance.

There are around 50,000 US troops still stationed in Iraq, but all of them must pull out of the country by the end of 2011, under the terms of a security pact.

Now-executed dictator Saddam Hussein's regime barred the vast majority of Ashura and Arbaeen commemorations throughout his rule until his overthrow in 2003.