The importance of the visitation of the graves of Allah’s representatives has been explained in many traditions. The narrators of these traditions are not limited to the Shia authorities. The Sunnis have also narrated several traditions concerning Ziyarat. For instance, Ibn Umar narrated:
قالَ رَسولُ اللهِ (ص): مَن زارَ قَبري وَجَبَتْ لَهُ شَفاعَتي.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: “He
who visits my grave, my intercession becomes incumbent for him.” [1]
According to the holy Quran, those
who have been martyred in the path of Allah are alive.[2] Since the vice-regents of Allah were the
greatest of martyrs, visiting their graves while believing in their virtues is
like visiting them in their lifetime. Moreover, the Quran testifies that the
vice-regents of Allah are witnesses over the actions of humankind.[3]
Therefore, they see us when we visit their graves and hear our salutations and
our renewal of covenant with them. These facts are confirmed by the following
Sunni narrations as well:
قالَ رَسولُ اللهِ (ص): ما مِن مُسلِمٍ يُسَلّمُ عَلَيَّ إلّا رَدَّ اللهُ عَلَىَّ روُحي حَتّى أرُدَّ عَلَيهِ السَّلامَ، و قال (ص): مَن زارَني بَعدَ مَوْتي فَكَأنَّما زارَني في حَياتي، وَ قالَ (ص): مَن حَجَّ فَزارَ قَبري بَعدَ وَفاتي كانَ كَمَنْ زارَني في حَياتي، وَ قال (ص): مَن حَجَّ وَلمَ يَزُرْني فَقَد جَفاني.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said:
“There is no Muslim that greets me but that Allah delivers it to my soul
so that I may return the greetings to him.” He (PBUH&HF) also said in another Hadith,
“He who visits me after my death is like the one who has visited me in my
lifetime.” He (PBUH&HF)
further said, “He who goes to Hajj and then visits my grave is like the
one who has visited me in my lifetime.” He (PBUH&HF) also said, “He who performs Hajj
but does not visit me, has indeed turned away from me.” [4]
The above traditions also imply
that visiting the graves of the vice-regents of Allah is a duty to be fulfilled
by their followers and is a way of appreciating their rights. Moreover,
visitation of places that are related to the vice-regents of Allah causes
greater awareness and remembrance of Allah because they have been the places of
remembrance and worship of Allah and His blessings. The Sunnis further
narrated:
قَرَأ رَسولُ اللهِ (ص) هذهِ الآيةَ: في بُيوتٍ أذِنَ اللهُ أنْ تُرفَعَ و يُذكَرَ فيهَا اسْمُهُ. فَقامَ اِلَيهِ رَجُلٌ فَقالَ أيُّ بُيوتٍ هذهِ يا رَسولَ اللهِ؟ قالَ (ص): بُيوتٍ الأنبياءِ. فَقامَ اِليهِ أبو بَكر، فَقالَ: يا رَسولَ الله هذَا الْبَيتُ مِنها؟ البيت عليٍ وفاطِمَةَ؟ قالَ (ص): نَعَم، مِن أفاضِلِها.
When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) recited the
verse: “In houses which Allah has permitted
to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them,”
(24:36) someone asked, “Which are those houses, O Messenger of
Allah?” He (PBUH&HF)
answered, “The houses of the prophets (PBUT).” At this time, Abu Bakr asked, “Is
this house—the house of Ali and Fatima (PBUT)—among them?” The Messenger of Allah
(PBUH&HF) replied,
“Yes. It is one of their most virtuous.” [5]
Visiting the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and His pure Ahl
al-Bait (PBUT) is
visiting our spiritual parents who have brought us into spiritual life and have
raised us with divine teachings. Another Sunni narration states:
وَرُوِىَ أنّه (ص) قالَ لِعَلِيٍّ كَرَّم اللهُ تعَالى وَجهَهُ: أنَا وَأنتَ أبَوا هذِهِ الأُمَّةِ.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said to Ali (PBUH): “I and you are
the fathers of this nation.” [6]
According to the Quran, Allah has
decreed that one should be kind to his parents and lower the wings of humility
before them. In fact, this is Allah’s most important commandment after
His command in worshipping Him alone. Allah states in the Quran:
وَ قَضى رَبُّكَ ألاَّ تَعْبُدُوا إلاَّ إيَّاهُ وَ بِالْوالِدَيْنِ إحْساناً إمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أحَدُهُما أوْ كِلاهُما فَلا تَقُلْ لَهُما أُفٍّ وَ لا تَنْهَرْهُما وَ قُلْ لَهُما قَوْلاً كَرِيماً. وَ اخْفِضْ لَهُما جَناحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَ قُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُما كَما رَبَّيانِي صَغِيراً.
Your Lord has
decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether
one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of
contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And, out of
kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say, “My Lord! Bestow
on them Your mercy as they cherished me in childhood.” (17:23-24)
According to the Shia traditions,
visiting the graves of the Imams (PBUT)
is one of the duties of their followers and is an acknowledgement of their
lofty status. It is narrated that Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said:
إنَّ لِكُلِّ إمَامٍ عَهْداً فِي عُنُقِ أوْلِيَائِهِ وَ شِيعَتِهِ وَ إنَّ مِنْ تَمَامِ الْوَفَاءِ بِالْعَهْدِ وَ حُسْنِ الْأدَاءِ زِيَارَةَ قُبُورِهِمْ فَمَنْ زَارَهُمْ رَغْبَةً فِي زِيَارَتِهِمْ وَ تَصْدِيقاً بِمَا رَغِبُوا فِيهِ كَانَ أئِمَّتُهُمْ شُفَعَاءَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.
“Certainly, for every Imam there
is a covenant incumbent on those who accepted their Wilaya[7]
and their followers. Without a doubt, that which completes and perfects the
fulfillment of the covenant is visitation of their graves. Those who visit them
longingly as a (practical) acknowledgment of what they long for (in their
hearts), their Imams (PBUT)
shall certainly be their intercessors on the Day of Rising.” [8]
The proofs of Allah are the means
of remembrance of Allah. Remembering them is remembering Allah. It is narrated
that Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH)
said:
شِيعَتُنَا الرُّحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمُ، الَّذِينَ إذَا خَلَوْا ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ. إنَّ ذِكْرَنَا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ. إنَّا إذَا ذُكِرْنَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ، وَ إذَا ذُكِرَ عَدُوُّنَا ذُكِرَ الشَّيْطَانُ.
“Our followers are compassionate
among each other. When they are alone or when they hold a private meeting, they
remember Allah. Verily, the remembrance of us is of the remembrance of Allah.
When we are remembered, Allah has been remembered, and when our enemy is
remembered, Satan has been remembered.” [9]
The Ziyarat of the vice-regents of
Allah involves remembering them, their virtues, sayings, actions, and aims, all
of which are counted as the remembrance of Allah and His worship.
[1] This Hadith is found in 41 Sunni books of traditions, as quoted by al-Amini in his seminal book, al-Ghadir, vol. 5, pp. 93-96. See, for instance, al-Durr al-Manthur, by al-Suyuti, vol. 1, p. 569, under the commentary of Chapter 2, Verse 203 of the Quran, narrated from al-Tirmithi, al-Bazzar, Ibn Khuzaima, Ibn Adi, al-Dar Qunti, and al-Baihaqi.
[2] C.f. the holy Quran, Chapter 2, Verse 154, and Chapter 3, Verse 169.
[3] C.f. the Quran, Chapter 2, Verse 143.
[4] These traditions have been narrated by several Sunni authorities. See, e.g., al-Durr al-Manthur, by al-Suyuti, vol. 1, pp. 569-570, under the commentary of Chapter 2, Verse 203. For more detailed account, see al-Ghadir, vol. 5, pp. 98-99.
[5] al-Durr al-Manthur, by al-Suyuti, vol. 6, page 203, under the commentary of Chapter 24, Verse 36 of the Quran, narrated by Anas Ibn Malik and Buraida.
[6] Mufradat Alfadh al-Quran, by al-Raghib al-Isfahani, Chapter Alif, under the word “Ab”; Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’ani, vol. 22, p. 31, under the commentary of Chapter 33, Verse 40.
[7] To accept of the Wilaya of a divinely appointed leader (al-Wali), means to believe that he and his sayings should be preferred (Awla) over other people and their opinions (including oneself and one’s opinion). This belief eventually urges one to follow the divinely appointed leader in practice. C.f. the holy Quran, 33:6, 5:55, 4:59.
[8] al-Kafi, vol. 4, p. 567, Hadith 2; Kamil al-Ziyarat, p. 121; Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha (PBUH), vol. 2, p. 260, Hadith 24; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 97, p. 116, Hadith 1.