ZIYARAH OF ASHURA

MERITS

The first form of ziyarah to be mentioned hereinafter is the famous ziyarah of ‘Ashura’, which can be said at the tomb of Imam al-Husayn (‘a) and also from far distance. The following is the elaborate report of this form of ziyarah, as has been narrated by Shaykh Abu-Ja’far al-Tusi in his book of al-Misbah:

Muhammad ibn Isma’il ibn Buzaygh has reported on the authority of Salih ibn ‘Aqabah on the authority of his father on the authority of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) who said, “Whoever visits al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (‘a) on the tenth of Muharram (i.e. the ‘Ashura’ Day) and remains there weeping, will meet Almighty Allah on the day of meeting Him having the reward of two thousand times of going on hajj, two thousand times of going on ‘umrah, as well as the reward of one who has participated with the Holy Messenger of Allah and with the Holy Imams in two thousand campaigns.”

The reporter asked, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! What should one who lives in remote regions and cannot come to the tomb on that day do?”

The Imam (‘a) explained, “As for such people, they may come out to a wasteland or go up a high roof in their houses, wave towards Imam al-Husayn (‘a) with greeting, invoke earnestly curses on those who killed him, and then offer a two-unit prayer. They may do so before midday. They may then mourn and weep for al-Husayn (‘a) and order those who live with them in their houses to weep for him, unless they fear for themselves from certain individuals who live with them. They may hold mournful ceremonies in their houses and show grief for him. They may also console one another on this terrible occasion of Imam al-Husayn’s sufferings. If they do all that, I myself guarantee for them to grant the rewards that I have mentioned beforehand.”

The reporter asked, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! Do you really promise them and guarantee for them to have that reward?”

The Imam (‘a) answered, “Yes, I do. I do promise them and guarantee for them having that reward.”

The reporter asked, “In which method should we console one another on this occasion?”

The Imam instructed, “You may address the following words at one another:

اَعْظَمَ اللّهُ اُجُورَنا وَاُجورَكُمْ بِمُصابِنا بِالْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَجَعَلَنا وَاِيّاكُمْ مِنَ الطّالِبينَ بِثارِهِ مَعَ وَلِيِّهِ الاِْمامِ الْمَهْدِىِّ مِنْ الِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلامُ.

If possible, you may not leave your house on that day to settle any of your needs, because this day is doomed and no need of a faithful believer is settled on it; and even if it is settled, it will be unblessed. Moreover, whatever is saved on this day will be unblessed and so will be his family members. If they do all that, they will have the reward of one thousand times of hajj and one thousand times of ‘umrah as well as one thousand participations in campaigns with the Holy Messenger of Allah. They will also gain the reward of all misfortunes that have inflicted every prophet, prophet’s successor, veracious, and martyr who have died or been killed since Almighty Allah has created this world up to the Resurrection Hour.”
Salih ibn ‘Aqabah and Sayf ibn ‘Umayrah have reported ‘Alqamah ibn Muhammad al-Hazrami as saying that he, once, asked Imam al-Baqir, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, to teach him a supplicatory prayer with which he would pray Almighty Allah on that day (of ‘Ashura’) when he would visit Imam al-Husayn’s tomb and to teach him another supplicatory prayer with which he would pray Almighty Allah on that day when he would be unable to visit the tomb and then he would point to the tomb and send greetings to Imam al-Husayn (‘a) from his own house.
The Imam thus said, “Listen, ‘Alqamah! After you point to Imam al-Husayn (‘a) with greetings and offer the two-unit prayer, you may utter the Takbir statement (i.e. allahu-akbar) and then say... (the forthcoming form of Ziyarah). If you do so, you will have said the prayer that is said by the angels who visit Imam al-Husayn (‘a). You will be also raised one hundred million ranks to join the rank of those who were martyred with him (i.e. Imam al-Husayn) and you will be included with their group. You will, moreover, be awarded the reward of the visiting of all Prophets and Messengers as well as the reward of all the visitors of Imam al-Husayn (‘a) since the day of his martyrdom. Peace of Allah be upon him and upon his household.”

METHOD

The form of ziyarah of ‘Ashura’ is as follow:

اَلسَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يا اَبا عَبدِ الله اَلسَّلامُ عَلَيكَ يَابْنَ رَسُوْلِ الله اَلسَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ اَميِر المُؤمِنِيَن وَ ابْنَ سَيِدِ الوَصيّيَن اَلسَّلامُ عَلَيكَ يَا بْنَ فاطِمَةَ سَيِدَةِ نِساءِ العْالَمِينَ اَلسَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ثَارَ الله وَ اَبنِ ثَارِهَ وَالوِتْرَ الْمَوْتُورِ اَلسَّلامُ عَلَيكَ وَ عَلي الَأرواحِ الَّتِي حَلَتْ بِفِنآئِكَ عَلَيكُمْ مِنْي جَمِيعاً سَلامُ اللهِ اَبداً ما بَقَيتُ وَ بَقِيَ الَّليلِ وَ النَّهارُ يا اَبا عَبدِ اللِه، لَقَدْ عَظُمَتِ الرَّزِيَّةُ وَ جَلَتْ وَ عَظُمَتِ الُمصيبَةُ بِكَ عَلَينْا وَ عَلي جَميِع اَهْلِ الِأسْلِام وَ جَلَّتْ وَ عَظُمَتِ اَلمُصيبَتكَ في السَّمواتِ عَلي جَميع اَهْلِ السَّمواتِ فَلَعِنَ اللهُ اُمَّةً اَسَسَتْ اَساسَ الظُّلمِ وَ الجُورِ عَلَيكُمْ اَهْلِ البَيتِ وَلَعَنْ اللهُ اُمَّةً دَفَعَتْكُمْ عَنْ مَراتِبِكُمُ الَّتي رَتَبِكُمُ اللهُ فيها وَ لَعَنَ اللهُ اُمةً قَتَلَتكُمْ وَ لَعَنَ اللهُ المُمهِدِينَ لَهُمْ بِا لتَمكيِن مِنْ قِتالِكُمْ بَرِئتُ اِلَي اللهِ وَ اِلَيكُمْ مِنهُمْ وَ اَشياعِهِمْ وَ اَتْباعِهِمْ وَ اَوْليائهِمْ يا اَبا عَبدِ الله اِني سِلْمٌ ِلِمَنْ سالَمَكُمْ وَ حَربٌ لِمَنْ حارَبَكُم اِلي يُومِ القِيمةِ وَ لَعَنَ اللهُ الُ زِيادٍ وَ ال مَروانَ وَلَعَنَ اللهُ بَنِي اُمَيةَ قاطِبَةً وَ لَعَنَ اللهُ بْنَ مَرجانَةً وَ لَعَنَ اللهُ عُمَرِبْنِ سَعْد وَ لَعَنَ اللهُ شِمراً، وَلَعَنَ اللهُ اُمةً اَسْرَجَتْ وَالجَمَتْ وَ تَنَقَّبَتْ لِقِتالِكَ بِاَبي اَنتَ وَ اُمّي لَقَدْ عَظُمَ مُصابي بِكَ فَاَسئلُ اللهَ الَّذي اَكرَمَ مَقامَكَ وَ اَكْرَمَني اَنْ يَرزُقَني طَلَبَ ثارِكَ مَعَ اِمامٍ مَنصُورٍ مِنْ اَهْلِ بَيْتِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلي اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ الِه اَللّهُمَّ اَجْعَلني عِندكَ وَجيهًا با الحُسَينِ عَليهِ السَّلامُ فيِ الدُنيا وَ الأخِرَةِ يا اَبا عَبْدِ اللهِ اِني اَتَقرَّبُ اِليَ اللهِ وَ اِلَي رَسُولِهِ وَ اِلَي اَمير الُمؤمِنينَ وَ اِلي فاطِمَةً وَ ِالي الْحَسَنْ وَ اِلَيكَ ِبمُوالاتِكَ وَ بالَبرائةِ ِ. ممنِ اَسَّسَ ذلِكَ وَ بَني عَليهِ بُنيانَهُ وَ جَري في ظُلمِه وَجَوْرِه عَلَيْكُمْ وَ عَلي اَشياعِكُمَ بَرِئتُ اِليَ اللهِ وَ اِليكُمْ مِنْهُمْ وَ اَتَقَربُ اِلَي اللِه ثمَّ اِلَيكُمْ بِموالاتِكُمْ وَ مُوالاةِ وَلِيكُمْ وَ بِالبَرائةِ مِنْ اَعدائِكُمْ وَ النّاصِبينَ لَكُمُ الْحَرْبَ وَبالبرآئةِ مِنْ اَشياعِهمْ وَ اَتباعِهمْ اِنيّ سِلمٌ لِمَنْ سالَمَكُمْ وَ حَربٌ لِمَنْ حارَبَكُمْ وولٌّي لِمَن والاكُمْ وَ عَدُ وٌّ لِمَنْ عاداكٌمْ فَاسُئلُ الله اَلذي اَكرَمَني بِمَعرفَتِكُمْ وَ مَعرفَةِ اَوليائِكُمْ وَرَزَقنِي اَلبرائَةَ مِن اَعدائِكُمْ اَنْ يَجعَلنِي مَعَكُمْ في الدُّنيا وَ الاخرةِ وَ اَن يُثَبِتَ لي عِنْدَكُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ في الدُّنيا وَالأخرةِ وَ اَسَئلهُ اَن يُبَلغَنيَ المَقامَ الَمحمودَ لَكُمُ عِنْدَ اللهِ وَ اَنْ يَرزُقَني طَلَبَ ثاري مَعَ اِمامٍ هُدي ظاهِرٍ ناطِقٍ بالحَقِ مِنْكُمْ وَ اَسئلُ اللهَ بِحَقِكُمْ وَ بِالشَانِ اَلذيِ لَكُمْ عِندهُ اَنْ يَعطنِي بِمصابي بِكُمْ اَفْضَلَ ما يُعطي مُصاباً بِمُصيبةً ما اَعْظَمَها وَ اَعظمَ رَزَيِتها ِفي اِلاسلامِ وَ في جَميعَ السَّمواتِ وَ الارضِ اَللهُمَّ اجْعَلني في مَقامي هذا ِممَنْ تَنالُهُ مِنكَ صلَواتٌ وَ رحمةٌ وَ مَغفِرةٌ اَللهُمَّ اَجْعَلْ مَحيايَ مَحيا محمدٍ و ال مُحمد وَ مَماتي مَماتَ مُحمدٍ وَ ال مُحمدٍ. للهمَّ اِنَّ هذا يَوْمٌ تَبركَتْ به بنوامَيَةَ وَ ابْنُ اكِلةَ الاَكبادِ الَّلعينُ ابنُ اللعينِ عَلي لِسانِك وَ لِسانِ نَبِيكَ صليَّ الله عليهِ و اله في كُلِ مَوْطِن وَ مَوقِفٍ وَقَفٍ فيهِ نَبيكَ صلي الله عليهِ و اللهمَّ الَعن اَبا سُفيانَ وَ معاويةَ وَ يزيدَ بْنَ مُعاويةَ عَليهِمْ مِنكَ الَّلعنةُ اَبَدَ الابِدينَ وَ هَذا يَوْمٌ فَرِحَتْ به ال زِيادٍ وَ الُ مَروانَ بِقَتلِكُمْ اَلحسُيَن صَلواتُ اللهِ عَليهِ اَللهُمَّ فَضاعَفْ عَليهمُ اللعنَ منكَ وَالعذابِ الاَليمَ اللهمَّ اني اتقربُ اليكَ في هذا اليومِ وَفي مَوقفي هذا وَ اَيام حَيوتي بِالبرآئةِ مِنهم وَاللعنةِ عَليهَمّْ وبِالمُوالاتِ لِنبِیَّکَ وَ الِ نَبِیَّک(عَلَیهِ وَ) عَلَیهِمُ السلامُ.

You may then repeat the following words one hundred times:

اللهمَّ العن اولَ ظالم ظلمَ حقَّ محمد و ال محمد و اخِرَ تابِع له علي ذالكَ اللهمَّ العنِ العصابةَ التي جاهدتِ الُحسين وَشايعتْ و بايِعتْ و تابِعتْ علي قِتله اللهمَّ العنهم جميعاً

You may then repeat the following words one hundred times:

السلام عليكَ يا ابا عَبداللهِ وَ علي الاَرواح الَّتي حَلت بفنآئِكَ عليكَ مِني سلامُ الله ابداً ما بَقيتُ وَ بقيَ الليلُ وَ النهارَوَ لاجعلهُ اللهُ اخرَ العهدِمني لزيارتكم السلامُ علي الحسين وعلي علي بن الحسين و علي اولاد الحسين و علي اصحاب الحسين

You may then say the following words:

اللهمَ خُصَّ انتَ اَوّل ظالم باللعن مني وَابدَءُ به اولاًثمَّ الثاني وَالثالث َوَالرابعَ اللهمَّ العنِ يزيد خامساً و العن عبيدَ اللهِ بن زيادٍ و ابن مرجانةَ و عمربن سعد وَ شمراً و ال ابي سفيانَ وَال زياد و ال مروان و الي يوم القيامَة

You may then prostrate yourself and say the following words meanwhile:

اللهمَّ لكَ الحَمد حمدَ الشاكرينَ لَكَ علي مصابهم الحمدُ للهِ علي عَظيمِ رَزيتي اللهمَّ ارزقني شَفاعَةَ الْحُسَيْنِ يَوْمَ الْوُروُدِ وَثبِتْ لي قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِنْدِكَ مَعَ الحُسَينِ وَ اَصْحابِ الحُسَينِ الَّذينَ بَذَلُوا مُهْجُهْم دُوْنَ الحُسَينِ عَلَيه السَّلام.