On the Reward of Visiting the Shrine of Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام

66-20 Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Masroor - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Aamir quoted on the authority of his uncle Abdullah ibn A’mir, on the authority of Soleimanibn Hafs al-Marwazi who said that he had heard (Ar-Ridha’’s عليه السلام father) Abal Hassan Musa ibn Ja’far (al-Kadhim) عليه السلام say, “God the Highest will grant the reward of seventy accepted pilgrimages to the Kaaba (the House of God) to anyone who goes on pilgrimage to the shrine of my son Ali (Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام).” He عليه السلام was asked, “Do you mean the reward of seventy accepted pilgrimages to the Kaaba?” The Imam عليه السلام replied, “Yes, even more. The reward of seventy-thousand pilgrimages to the Kaaba!” Again he عليه السلام was asked, “Do you mean the reward of seventy-thousand pilgrimages to the Kaaba?” The Imam عليه السلام replied, “Yes. There are many occasions on which one’s pilgrimage to the Kaaba may not be accepted. When someone goes on pilgrimage to him (Imam Ridha’) or spends one night next to him, it is as if he has gone on the pilgrimage to God the Highest at His Throne.” The Imam عليه السلام was asked, “Is the reward similar to going on the pilgrimage to God at His Throne?” The Imam عليه السلام replied, “Yes. When the Resurrection Day comes, there will be four of the previous and four of the latest Divine Leaders present at the Throne of the Sublime God. Those of the previous Divine Leaders will be Noah عليه السلام, Abraham عليه السلام, Moses عليه السلام and Jesus عليه السلام. And those of the latest Divine Leaders will be Muhammad عليه السلام, Ali عليه السلام, Al-Hassan عليه السلام and Al-Husayn عليه السلام. Then a rope will be dropped from the base of the Throne, and those who have gone on pilgrimage to the shrines of the Immaculate Imams will sit there along with us. Indeed those who have gone on pilgrimage to the shrine of my son Ali (Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام) will have the highest rank there and will receive the greatest rewards.”The author of this book (a.s.heikh Sadooq) - may God have mercy upon him - said, “When It is said, ‘The reward is like going on the pilgrimage to God at His Throne?’ is does not mean that this is a physical event. Indeed the angels visit the Throne, take refuge there and circumambulate around it. Then it is said, ‘The reward is like going on the pilgrimage to God at His Throne’ similar to saying that we go on pilgrimage to the House of God (the Kaaba). We know that there is no place for God. He is High and cannot be described by ascribing a place to His Throne. He is indeed the Highest.”