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The High Excellence of Visitation (Ziyāra) to Imam al-Reza's (A.S.) Holy Shrine
Ḥamdān b. Isḥāq says: “I went to Imam al-Jawād (A.S.) and said, ‘What is the reward of the one who visits your father [’s tomb] in Ṭūs?’ His holiness said, ‘Whoever visits my father in Ṭūs, Allāh will forgive his past and future sins’.”
Ḥamdān said, “After ziyāra of his holiness, I went on to Ḥajj pilgrimage and met Ayyūb b. Nūḥ; he said, Imam al-Jawād (A.S.) told me: Whoever visits my father’s tomb in Ṭūs, Allāh will forgive his past sins and the ones that follow and will set up a minbar (pulpit) across from the minbar of Muhammad(S.A.W.) and ‘Alī (A.S.), until He is finished with His judgments on people.
Imam al-Reza's (A.S.) Intercession
Commander of the Faithful ‘Alī (A.S.) said, “A man from among my progeny will be wrongfully murdered in the land of Khurasan; his name is [the same as] my name, his father’s name is [like] the name of Mūsā b, ‘Imrān’s name; let it be known that whoever visits him in his desolation, God will forgive his sins of the past and future, even though they may be as many as the number of the stars, drops of water, and leaves of the trees.”
Imam al-Reza(A.S.) said, “Whoever visits me while knowing the right that the Exalted Allāh has made obligatory for obeying me, I and my forefathers will be his intercessors on the Resurrection Day, and whoever we intercede, will be redeemed although the sins of man and jinn are upon him.
Imam al-Reza(A.S.) said, “Soon, I will be wrongfully murdered by poison; whoever visits me with spiritual understanding (ma‘rifa – admitting my Imamate), Allāh will forgive his past and future sins.
Abā Ṣalt said, “I was with Imam al-Reza(A.S.) when a group of people arrived in from Qum. They greeted the Imam and his holiness revered them, and then said, “Welcome! You are our real Shī‘a; there will come a day that you will visit my grave in Ṭūs; whoever visits me while having performed ghusl (major ablution), will be cleansed of sins as if being born again.”
The Pilgrim of Paradise
Imam al-Jawād (A.S.) said, “Whoever visits my father, the Paradise will be his abode.” He also said, “I guarantee the Paradise on behalf of God for the one who visits [the Shrine of] my father in Ṭūs while recognizing his rightfulness.”
‘Alī b. Asbāṭ said, “I asked Imam al-Jawād (A.S.): What is the reward for the one who visits your father in Khurasan? He said, Paradise, I swear by God. Paradise, I swear by God.”
Imam al-Sadiq said, “My grandson will be murdered in the land of Khurasan in a city called Ṭūs; whoever visits him in Ṭūs while recognizing his rightfulness, I will take his hand and let him into Paradise, even though he is a perpetrator of great sins! It was asked from him: “What is meant by recognizing his rightfulness?” He answered: “To know that he is the Imam whose obedience is obligatory (wājib al-ṭā‘a), he is estranged (gharīb) and a martyr…”
The Apostle of Allāh said, “Soon, a part of my body will be buried in Khurasan, and whoever from among the believers goes there on pilgrimage, Allāh will surely destine them to Paradise, and their body will be forbidden #7717;arām) to the Hell-fire.
Similarly, Imam al-Kazim(A.S.) said, “Whoever makes a pilgrimage to this son of mine – pointing at Imam al-Reza(A.S.) – will enter Paradise.
The Pilgrim of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)
Imam al-Sadiq said in a ḥadīth: “Whoever makes a pilgrimage to him (Imam al-Reza– A.S.) in his desolation and knows that, after his father, he is the Imam whose obedience is obligatory, in the sight of Allāh is like the one who has made a pilgrimage to the Apostle of Allāh (S.A.W.).”
Imam al-Reza(A.S.) said, “There is a buq‘a (mausoleum) in Khurasan and there will come a day when it will become the frequenting place of the angels; a group will descend from the heaven and another will ascend to heaven until the Resurrection Day.” The narrator asked: “What buq‘a?” The Imam answered: “In the land of Ṭūs. By God, it is a garden of the gardens of Paradise; whoever visits me in that buq‘a is like the one who has visited the Apostle of Allāh (S.A.S.) and God will grant them the reward of a thousand proper Ḥajj pilgrimages and a thousand accepted ‘Umra pilgrimages; and, I and my forefathers will intercede with Allāh on their behalf on the Day of Resurrection.
Imam al-Mūsā b. Ja‘far (A.S.) said, “My son, ‘Alī, will be poisoned to death and buried next to Hārūn; whoever visits him is like the one who has visited the Holy Prophet (S.A.W).
Reward of the Martyrs
Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) said in a ḥadīth: “Whoever visits him – Imam al-Reza(A.S.) – while recognizing his rightfulness, the Exalted Allāh will grant them the reward of seventy martyrs from among those truly martyred in front of the Apostle of Allāh (S.A.W.).
Imam al-Reza(A.S.) said, “By Allāh, there is no one among us who will not be killed or martyred.” Abā Ṣalt asked: “Who will kill you O son of the Apostle of Allāh (S.A.W.)?” The Imam answered: “The worst of God’s creatures in my time, and will bury me in a dark room and a strange land. Know that whoever visits me in my desolation, the Almighty and Glorious Allāh will reward them with the reward of a thousand martyrs, and a thousand truthful ones, a thousand Ḥajj and ‘Umra pilgrimages, and a thousand combats, and He will raise him with us and he will be with us in the highest positions of Paradise.
The Pilgrims of God
Imam Musā b. Ja‘far said, “Whoever visits the tomb of my son, ‘Alī, in the sight of Allāh they are like the ones who have performed seventy proper Ḥajj pilgrimages.” The narrator asked: “Seventy Ḥajj pilgrimage?” The Imam said, “Yes, and seven thousand Ḥajj pilgrimages.” The narrator asked surprisingly: “Seven thousand?” The Imam said, “Many are the Ḥajj pilgrimages that are not accepted; whoever visits him and stays with him (near his tomb) for one night, is like the one who visits God in the Divine Throne (‘Arsh).
The Fulfiller of Needs and Remover of Sorrows
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said, “Soon, a part of my body will be buried in Khurasan; no sorrowful one would visit him, except that Allāh would remove his sorrow and no sinful person would visit him except that Allāh would forgive their sins.”
Imam al-Hādī (A.S.) said, “Whoever has a request from God, should perform ghusl and visit the tomb of my ancestor al-Reza(A.S.) and say two rak‘as of prayer at the upper part of his tomb and ask in the qunūt what they want from God; if they do so, their prayer will be answered, provided that they do not commit any sins and do not break off the ties of kinship. Verily his mausoleum is a chamber of the chambers of Paradise. No believer would make a pilgrimage to it except that Allāh would release them from the Fire and enters them to a safe place.
Better than Optional Ḥajj
Aḥmad b. Muhammadal-Bazanṭī said, “I read in a hand-writing by Imam al-Reza(A.S.): Convey this message to our Shi'asthat visiting me (pilgrimage to my tomb) would equal a thousand Ḥajj pilgrimages in the sight of Allāh.”
Bazanṭī said, “I said to Imam al-Jawād (A.S.): a thousand Ḥajj pilgrimages?” His holiness said, “Yes, by God, reward of a thousand (a million) Ḥajj pilgrimages are for the one who visits him while recognizing his rightfulness. It is related in another tradition from Imam al-Kazim(A.S.): “Whoever visits my son’s tomb will be rewarded with seven thousand Ḥajj pilgrimages.”
It is related in a tradition from Imam al-Reza(A.S.) who said, “Allāh would write the reward of a thousand proper Ḥajj pilgrimages and a thousand accepted ‘Umra pilgrimages (for my pilgrims).” Yet, in another tradition he is quoted as saying: “Whoever visits me in my desolation, Allāh will write for him the reward of a thousand Ḥajj and ‘Umra pilgrimages.”
I (the author) believe that perhaps this difference in reward is due to the difference in the pilgrimages in terms of easiness or difficulty, sincerity and devotion, and the difference in the excellences and attainments of the pilgrims.
Secure from the Fire
Imam al-Jawād (A.S.) said, “Between the two mountains of Ṭūs there lies a piece of land from the lands of Paradise; whoever enters there will be secure from Fire on the Resurrection Day.
In another tradition he said, “Whoever visits my father’s tomb in Ṭūs, Allāh will forgive his past and future sins and will set up a minbar (pulpit) across from the minbar of the Apostle of Allāh (S.A.W.), until He is finished with His judgments on people.
Imam al-Reza(A.S.) said, “Whoever visits me while being far away from home, I will come to them on three occasions on the Day of Resurrection to relieve them from the horrors of that Day: when records of deeds are giving to the left and right hands; at the Ṣirāṭ (the bridge over Hell leading to Paradise) and at the Mīzān (Balance).
Best of Allāh’s Guests
Imam Mūsā b. al-Ja‘far (A.S.) is quoted as saying: “When the Day of Resurrection comes, four people from among the earlier ones and four people from among the latter ones will be upon the Throne; the four from the earlier will be: Noah, Ibrāhīm, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them); and the four from among the latter will be: Muhammad(S.A.W.), ‘Alī, al-Ḥasan, and al-Husayn(A.S.).” Then, he went on to say: “The pilgrims of the tombs of the Imams (A.S.) will be with us. Know that the pilgrims of the tomb of my son, (al-Reza– A.S.), will enjoy the highest rank.”
Imam al-Reza(A.S.) said, “I will be killed wrongfully with poison and buried next to Hārūn. God will make my grave the frequenting place of my Shi'asand visitors; whoever visits me in my desolation, I will pay a visit to them on the Resurrection Day.”
“I swear by the One who honored Muhammad(S.A.W.) with Holy Prophethood and chose him over all His creatures that no one of you will perform prayers next to my grave except that they will deserve forgiveness when meeting with God.”
“I swear by the One who honored us with Imamate after the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) and gave us superiority in succession that the visitors to my grave are indeed the best of the Exalted Allāh’s guests on the Resurrection Day.”
In the Same Rank as the Imam (A.S.)
Imam al-Reza(A.S.) said, “Days and nights will not pass until Ṭūs will become the frequenting place of my Shi'asand visitors. Let it be known that whoever visits me in my desolation, will be in the same rank as me on the Resurrection Day.”
In another tradition, he stated: “Whoever visits me in my desolation, will be resurrected in our company and will be our companion in higher stations of the Paradise.”
The Pilgrim of Imam al-Reza(A.S.) and Imam al-Husayn(A.S.)
‘Alī b. Mahziyār said, “I said to Imam al-Jawād (A.S.): May I be your ransom! Is pilgrimage to Imam al-Reza(A.S.) more preferable or the pilgrimage to Abā ‘Abd Allāh al-Husayn(A.S.)? His holiness answered: Pilgrimage to my father is more preferable, because all (Muslims) make pilgrimage to Abā ‘Abd Allāh al-Husayn(A.S.), whereas no one but the elite among the Shi'aswill make pilgrimage to my father.”
‘Abd al-‘Aẓīm al-Ḥasanī – may Allāh be pleased with him – said, “I said to Imam al-Jawād (A.S.): I am bewildered between pilgrimage to Abā ‘Abd Allāh al-Ḥusayn’s (A.S.) grave and that of your father in Ṭūs, what do you suggest? His holiness stated: Wait here. Then he went in (a room); when he returned, while tears were rolling down his cheeks, he said, Pilgrims to Abā ‘Abd Allāh al-Husayn(A.S.) are many, whereas pilgrims to my father’s grave in Ṭūs are few.”
The author says: “By the grace of Allāh and the blessing of the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.), today the esteemed nation and the lovers of Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) in Iran turn caringly and enthusiastically around the radiant mausoleum of Imam al-Reza(A.S.), displaying their zealous interest in the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.), to the extent that there are fewer mausoleums today that are rival in grandeur to the Holy Shrine of Imam al-Reza(A.S.).
The High Value of Enduring Hardship on the Way to Pilgrimage
His holiness, Imam al-Jawād (A.S.) stated: “No one will visit my father, tolerating hardships such as rain, cold, or heat, except that Allāh will make his body forbidden to the Hell-fire.”
His holiness Imam al-Hādī (A.S.) stated: “The people of Qum and the people of Abe are forbidden (have found salvation) because they make pilgrimage to my great grandfather’s grave; let it be known that whoever visits him and undergoes suffering as little as a raindrop on his way to that visitation, Allāh will make Hell-fire forbidden to their body.” Similarly, Imam al-Reza(A.S.) stated: “No believer will visit me while a raindrop strikes them, except that Allāh will make their body forbidden to the Hell-fire.”
Reference:
Story of the Sun
A Look at Imam al-Reza's Life
Author: Sayyid Muhammad Najafi Yazdi
Translated by: Ahmad Rezwani
Published by: Islamic Research Foundation, Astan Quds Razavi, Mashhad - I.R. Iran
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