Introduction — Kāmil al-Ziyārāt | al-imane

Introduction — Kāmil al-Ziyārāt | al-imane — al-imane.com

1. In the Name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Praise is due to Allāh who is worthy of praise and has authority over it. He guides the people toward it (praising Him) and rewards them and compensates them for it – an increasing praise which does not vanish nor end. His might is exalted and His sovereignty is great. He is exalted, His names are sacred, and His blessings are continuous. Everything is humiliated in His Awe and is humble before His Ruling and Divinity. One cannot describe His characteristics and the imagination cannot fathom knowing Him. He is as He has described Himself: the God, the One, the Only, the Eternal, He is not begotten nor does he beget, and there is none like Him. And I testify that there is no god but Allāh. He is alone and He has no partners. And I testify that Muḥammad (s.a.a.w.) is His Slave and His Messenger. He (Allāh) has given him (the Prophet (s.a.a.w.)) the platform (on the Day of Judgment), honoured him with (innumerable) merits, dignified him with prophethood, supported him with miracles, and manifested Islām through him. He has elevated him above all of His creation from among the inhabitants of His heavens, His earths, His lands, and His oceans. He has elevated him to a position which no one can ascend to and no one can describe. He has elevated the Prophets’ family (a.s.) above all of creation through him and He has appointed them as His Manifesting Decisive Proofs. He supported them with Imamate and made obeying them mandatory on everyone who follows His religion, believes in His Oneness, and testifies to (the prophethood of) His Messenger (s.a.a.w.). He has made their merits such that no one can describe them and no one can truly praise them. The most intelligent ones cannot truly understand their merits and no one can wrongfully desire their (unique) merits. He has appointed them as the stars for the earth through whom people are guided (and prevented) from going astray and through whom confusion and (spiritual) blindness are kept away. And He has appointed them as the pillars of the earth who prevent it from destroying its inhabitants. He has explained their merits on the tongue of His Prophet (s.a.a.w.) and made loving them obligatory on His slaves in His Speaking Book and through the tongue of His Truthful Prophet (s.a.a.w.) by saying – and He is the most honourable one to say anything – “Say (O Muḥammad) I do not ask you anything for the toils of prophethood, except love for my nearest kin” (42:23). The Prophet (s.a.a.w.) ordered (the people) to love them and stressed seeking nearness to them, being kind to them, and going to their Ziyārah during their lives and after their death. He mentioned such (incredible) merits and rewards for going to their Ziyārah that (these merits and rewards) are beyond that which can be fathomed by the human imagination, counted by all of the created beings, or truly described. However, his nation did the opposite of that which Allāh and His Messenger (s.a.a.w.) had ordered. Instead (his nation) killed those whom they were ordered to love, expelled those whom they were ordered to obey, and abandoned those to whose Ziyārah they were ordered to go. They frightened those who accepted the orders of Allāh willingly and who fulfilled them based on their ability and the circumstances of the time. They antagonized them (for going to Ziyārah). Despite this, they expect to be guided to the right path, they believe that they are the followers of the correct path and that they fulfill that which has been made obligatory on them day and night. And they expect the intercession of their Prophet (s.a.a.w.) on the Appointed Day (of Judgment). Nay!!! Their Prophet (s.a.a.w.) will be their enemy on the Promised Day! He will seek revenge against them at the time of reward (and punishment) on the Day of Judgment in front of the Lord of the lords. Verily He is Blessed and Exalted, far above oppressing the slaves. “Lo! Your Lord is ever watchful” (89:14). I will explain to you – may Allah extend your life – the rewards which Allāh gives to those who go to the Ziyārah of His Prophet and his family (a.s.) through that which has been narrated only from them (the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.)), against the will of those who deny their merits, those who reject them, and antagonize (them and their followers) based on this. I seek help from Allāh in this and rely on Him. He is sufficient for me in all affairs and He is the best One on whom one can rely. Verily that which led to writing this book was your repeated requests (to do so) as well as my knowledge of the rewards and the nearness which I can attain to Allāh, His Messenger, ‘Ali, Fāťimah, and the Imams (a.s.) by writing this book, and to the rest of the believers through publishing these narrations and sharing them with my brothers from among the believers. I started to think about this (compilation) and focused my energy on it and asked Allāh, the Blessed and the Exalted, for help until I finished compiling it, using only the narrations of the Imams (a.s.). I did not include anything which has been narrated from anyone else, for verily that which has been narrated from the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) is sufficient; there is no need to narrate anything from others. We acknowledge that we cannot encompass everything which has been narrated from them about this topic (Ziyārah) or about any other topic (for that matter). Furthermore, I have only narrated that which was reported to me by the trustworthy ones from among our companions – may Allāh’s Mercy be upon them – and I did not include anything which has been reported by unknown or unreliable sources who are not well-known for their knowledge and narrations. I named this book Kāmil Al-Ziyārāt and I have divided it into (many) chapters. Each chapter is about a separate topic; all of the narrations in the chapter are related to the topic. This has been done to prevent confusing the reader. The reader does not need to worry about how to find something (specific) that he may be looking for. (Unfortunately) this has been the case with the books of some other authors who have named a chapter using a specific title but have (nevertheless) included that which is not related to it in that chapter to such an extent that sometimes there are chapters in their books which do not contain even one Ḥadīth which clearly explains the topic of the chapter. The reason I have organized the book in this specific way is to make it easier for those who are looking for a Ḥadīth about a particular topic. The reader can simply look at the titles of the chapters and find the Ḥadīth about the topic in question. The book was also organized so that the readers, those who study this book, and those who listen to the narrations in this book do not become weary (looking for something specific). (Finally), this work was compiled to inform people of that which Allāh has chosen for His friends from among those who go to the Ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) and (the rest of) the Masters (a.s.) and to increase their desire to (attain nearness to) them and to go to their Ziyārah through seeking the great rewards and victory which Allāh, the Great and Almighty, has prepared for them. I ask Allāh for that which He is worthy of giving and I ask Him through His most beloved names to send His blessing on Muḥammad and his family and to reward me for this book with that which I have hoped for with His Mercy and His Generosity, and I ask him not to deprive me of it. May Allāh’s blessing be upon Muḥammad and his righteous and chosen family.