Chapter on the Reward of Visiting the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and the Imams عليه السلام, Peace Be Upon Them All

Al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Washsha' narrated from Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام who said: "Indeed, every Imam has a covenant upon the necks of their followers and Shia, and part of fulfilling this covenant completely is visiting their graves. Whoever visits them out of a desire for their visitation and in affirmation of what they have invited towards, their Imams will be their intercessors on the Day of Judgment."

Ali ibn al-Hakam narrated from Ziyad ibn Abi al-Hilal, from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "No prophet or successor remains on earth for more than three days before their soul, bones, and flesh are raised to the heavens. However, people visit the places associated with their traces, and salutations reach them from afar and are conveyed to them. From near, they hear the salutations in the places associated with their traces."

Jabir narrated from Abu Ja’far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said: "Part of the completeness of Hajj is meeting the Imam."

Salih ibn Uqbah narrated from Zayd al-Shahham, who said: I said to Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام "What is the reward for someone who visits one of you?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "It is as if they have visited the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family."

The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, said to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام, peace be upon him: "O Ali, whoever visits me during my lifetime or after my death, or visits you during your lifetime or after your death, or visits your two sons during their lifetimes or after their deaths, I guarantee for them on the Day of Judgment that I will deliver them from its terrors and hardships until I bring them to be with me in my rank."

Ishaq ibn Ammar has narrated from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "The site of the grave of Husayn عليه السلام has been, since the day he was buried there, a garden from the gardens of Paradise."

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "The site of the grave of Husayn عليه السلام is a channel from the channels of Paradise."

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "The sanctuary of the grave of Husayn عليه السلام extends five parasangs from the four sides of the grave."

Ishaq ibn Ammar has narrated from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "Between the grave of Husayn عليه السلام and the seventh heaven is a pathway frequented by the angels."

Salih ibn Uqbah narrated from Bashir al-Dahhan, who said: I said to Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام "Sometimes I miss the Hajj, so I perform the acts of Arafah at the grave of Husayn, peace be upon him." Imam عليه السلام replied: "You have done well, O Bashir. Any believer who visits the grave of Husayn عليه السلام knowing his right, on a day other than Eid, will have twenty accepted Hajj, twenty accepted Umrah, and twenty battles with a divinely sent prophet or a just Imam recorded for them. And whoever visits him on the day of Eid will have one thousand accepted Hajj, one thousand accepted Umrah, and one thousand battles with a divinely sent prophet or a just Imam recorded for them." I said to him: "And how can this compare to the station of Arafah?" Imam looked at me with a displeased expression and then said: "O Bashir, when a believer comes to the grave of Husayn عليه السلام on the Day of Arafah, knowing his right, performs the ritual bath in the Euphrates, and then goes to him, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, will record for him with every step a Hajj with all its rites." And I do not recall him except saying: "and an Umrah as well."

It is narrated from Dawud al-Raqqi, who said: I heard Abu Abdullah (Ja‘far ibn Muhammad), Abu al-Hasan (Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim), and Abu al-Hasan (Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام) all saying: "Whoever visits the grave of Imam Hussain ibn Ali عليه السلام on the Day of Arafah, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, will turn their heart into one of contentment and tranquility."

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Indeed, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Blessed and Exalted, begins by looking at the visitors of the grave of Imam Hussain ibn Ali عليه السلام on the eve of Arafah." It was asked: "Does He look at them before looking at the people at the [Arafah] gathering?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes." It was then asked: "How is that?" Imam عليه السلام said: "Because among those [at Arafah] are illegitimate children, and among these [visitors of Husayn's grave], there are no illegitimate children."

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Whoever visits the grave of Imam Hussain ibn Ali عليه السلام their sins will be made into a bridge at the door of their house, and they will cross over it, leaving it behind, just as one of you leaves a bridge behind after crossing it."

Ali ibn Abi Hamzah narrated from Abu Basir, from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, has appointed seventy thousand angels to be with Hussain ibn Ali عليه السلام. They send blessings upon him every day, disheveled and dusty, and they pray for those who visit him. They say, 'O Lord عز وجل, these are the visitors of Hussain ibn Ali عليه السلام. Treat them with kindness and grant them Your blessings.'"

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Whoever comes to the grave of Husayn عليه السلام recognizing his right, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, will record them in the highest ranks of 'Illiyin."

Zayd al-Shahham asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام "What is the reward for someone who visits one of you?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "It is as if they have visited the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family."

Imam Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام said: "The least reward for the visitor of Abu Abdullah (Imam Hussain ibn Ali عليه السلام) at the banks of the Euphrates, if they recognize his right, sanctity, and authority, is that their past and future sins will be forgiven."

Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal narrated from Abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja’far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said: "Direct our Shia to visit Imam Hussain ibn Ali عليه السلام for his visitation protects from destruction, drowning, burning, and being devoured by beasts. His visitation is obligatory upon those who acknowledge Husayn عليه السلام as an Imam from Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted."

Harun ibn Khariqah narrated from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "When it is the middle of Sha‘ban, a caller from the highest horizon announces: 'O visitors of the grave of Husayn عليه السلام, return forgiven. Your reward is with your Lord عز وجل and Muhammad, your Prophet.'"

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Qummi has narrated from Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام that he said: "Whoever visits the grave of my father عليه السلام in Baghdad, it is as if they have visited the grave of the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, and the grave of the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام except that the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, and the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام have their unique superiority."

It is narrated from Al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ that he asked Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha عليه السلام about the visitation of the grave of Abu al-Hasan Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام and whether it is similar to the visitation of Husayn عليه السلام, peace be upon him. Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes."

Ali ibn Mahziyar narrated from Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Thani (Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Jawad عليه السلام) who said: I asked him: "May I be your ransom, is the visitation of Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام superior, or the visitation of Abu Abdullah al- Husayn عليه السلام, peace be upon them?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "The visitation of my father عليه السلام is superior, and that is because Abu Abdullah عليه السلام is visited by everyone, while my father عليه السلام is visited only by the select among the Shia."

It is narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr al-Bazanti, who said: I read the letter of Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha عليه السلام which stated: "Convey to my Shia that my visitation is equivalent before Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, to one thousand Hajj." I then asked Abu Ja‘far (his son, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Jawad عليه السلام) "One thousand Hajj?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes, by Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and one thousand thousand Hajj for the one who visits him knowing his right."

Al-Husayn ibn Zayd narrated from Abu Ja’far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said: I heard him say: "A man from the descendants of Musa, whose name is the name of the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام will emerge. He will be buried in the land of Tus, which is in Khurasan. He will be killed there by poison and buried there as a stranger. Whoever visits him, recognizing his right, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, will grant them the reward of one who spent (in charity) and fought (in battle) before the victory."

Al-Bazanti narrated from Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام who said: "No one among my followers visits me, recognizing my right, except that I will intercede for them on the Day of Judgment."

Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Ridha, Imam Al-Jawad عليه السلام said: "Between the two mountains of Tus is a portion that was taken from Paradise. Whoever enters it will be safe from the Fire on the Day of Judgment."

Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Jawad عليه السلام said: "I guarantee Paradise with Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, for whoever visits the grave of my father in Tus, recognizing his right."

The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, said: "A part of me will be buried in Khurasan. No distressed person will visit it except that Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, will relieve their distress, and no sinner will visit it except that Allah سبحانه وتعالى will forgive their sins."

It is narrated from Nu‘man ibn Sa‘d, who reported that the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "A man from my progeny will be killed unjustly by poison in the land of Khurasan. His name will be my name, and his father's name will be the name of the son of Imran, Musa, peace be upon him. Behold, whoever visits him in his estrangement, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, will forgive their sins—both past and future—even if they are as numerous as the stars in the sky, the raindrops, or the leaves of the trees."

Hamdan al-Diwani narrated from Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام that he said: "Whoever visits me despite the distance of my abode, I will come to them on the Day of Judgment in three places until I deliver them from its terrors: when the records are distributed to the right and to the left, at the Bridge (al-Sirat), and at the Scale (al-Mizan)."

Hamzah ibn Humran narrated that Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "My descendant will be killed in the land of Khurasan, in a city called Tus. Whoever visits him there, recognizing his right, I will take them by the hand on the Day of Judgment and admit them into Paradise, even if they are among those who committed major sins." I said: "May I be your ransom, what does it mean to recognize his right?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "To know that he is an Imam whose obedience is divinely mandated, a stranger, and a martyr. Whoever visits him, recognizing his right, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, will grant them the reward of seventy martyrs who were martyred before the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, in truth."

Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal narrated from Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, peace be upon him: A man from Khurasan said to him: "O son of the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I saw the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, in a dream, as if he were saying to me, ‘How will you be when a part of me is buried in your land, entrusted to your care, and my star is concealed in your soil?’" Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام replied: "I am the one who will be buried in your land. I am a part of your Prophet, I am the trust, and I am the star. Be aware that whoever visits me, recognizing the right that Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, has made obligatory for me and my obedience, I and my forefathers will intercede for them on the Day of Judgment. And whoever has us as their intercessors will be saved, even if they have burdens equal to the sins of the two weighty creations (humans and jinn). Indeed, my father narrated to me from my grandfather, from his father عليه السلام that the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, said: ‘Whoever sees me in their dream has truly seen me, for Satan cannot assume my form, nor the form of any of my successors, nor the form of any of their Shia. A truthful vision is one part of seventy parts of prophethood.’"

It is narrated from Abu al-Salt Abd al-Salam ibn Salih al-Harawi, who said: I heard Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام say: "By Allah سبحانه وتعالى, there is none among us except that they are killed and martyred." He was asked: "Who will kill you, O son of the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "The worst of Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى creation in my time will kill me with poison, then bury me in a constrained house and a land of estrangement. Behold, whoever visits me in my estrangement, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Exalted, will write for them the reward of one hundred thousand martyrs, one hundred thousand truthful ones, one hundred thousand pilgrims and those performing Umrah, and one hundred thousand fighters in the path of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. They will be resurrected in our group and placed in the highest ranks of Paradise as our companions."

Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal narrated from Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام that he said: "Indeed, there is a spot in Khurasan where a time will come when it will become a place frequented by the angels." Imam عليه السلام continued: "A group will constantly descend from the heavens and a group will ascend, until the Trumpet is blown." Imam was asked: "O son of the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, which spot is this?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "It is in the land of Tus. By Allah سبحانه وتعالى, it is a garden from the gardens of Paradise. Whoever visits me in that spot will be as if they have visited the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Blessed and Exalted, will write for them the reward of one thousand accepted Hajj and one thousand accepted Umrah. I and my forefathers will be their intercessors on the Day of Judgment."

The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, said: "A part of me will be buried in the land of Khurasan. No believer will visit it except that Allah سبحانه وتعالى will make Paradise obligatory for them and will forbid their body from the Fire."