The Excellence of the Visitation to Imam Rida's Holy Shrine

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The Shrine of Imam Rida, peace be on him, in Khurasan has become one of the holy and sacred shrines in Islam, for it has acquired a halo of admiration and sanctification, to the extent that none of the shrines of Allah's friends has such admiration and sanctification, for millions of Muslims visit it in order to seek nearness to Allah through it.

Mohammed b. al-Mu'ammal says: "We went out along with the Imam of the traditionalists, his brother-in-law Abu` Ali al-Thaqafi, a group of our Shaykhs, who were then coming to visit the grave of Ali b. Musa al-Rida at Tus. Ibn Khuzayma magnified that place, behaved humbly before it, and pleaded (to Allah) beside it, to the extent that he bewildered us.

"Surely Allah, the Exalted, has singled out the grave of His friend Imam al-Rida, peace be on him, with an excellence, for He has made it as a refuge for those who are afflicted (with disaster). All people have come to know of this wide-spread miracle. Two poetry lines has been written on one of the sides of the Holy Shrine as follows:

If one wants to be pleased by seeing a grave through which Allah removes the distress of him who sees it, then let him come to this grave, surely Allah has made dwell in it a distinguished one belonging to Allah's Messenger. ( Al-Durr al-Nazim, p. 214).

Many traditions ensured by many lines of transmission have been mentioned regarding the visitation to Imam al-Rida, peace be on him. The following are some of them:

1. Ja`bir b. Yazid al-Ju'fi has narrated, saying: [I heard the testamentary trustee of the testamentary trustees and inheritor of the knowledge of the prophets, Abu` Ja'far Mohammed b. Ali b. al-Hussein b. Ali b. Abu` Ta`lib, peace be on him, say: The master of the worshippers Ali b. al-Hussein related to me on the authority of the master of martyrs al-Hussein b. Ali on the authority of the master of the testamentary trustees, the Commander of the faithful Ali b. Abu` Ta`lib, peace be on him, who said: Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:

"A piece of me will be buried in the land of Khurasan. If a distressed person visits it, Allah will remove his distress; if a sinful one (visits it), Allah will forgive him his sins." (Uyun Akbar al-Rida, vol. 2, p. 258).

2. Mohammed b. 'Ammara has narrated on the authority of his father, on the authority of Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, on the authority of his fore-fathers, on the authority of Imam (Ali), the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, who said: Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: "A piece of me will be buried in the land of Khurasan. If a believer visits it, Allah, the Great and Almighty, will make the Paradise obligatory to him, and his body will be prevented from (touching) the Fire. (Uyun Akbar al-Rida, vol. 2, p.255).

3. Al-Hasan b. Ali al-Washsha' has narrated, saying: [Abu al-Hasan al-Rida, peace be on him, said:
"I will unjustly be killed by poison. So he who visits me out of knowledge of my right, Allah will forgive him his past sins and those to follow." ('Uyun Akbar al-Rida, vol. 2, p. 261).

4. Sulayman b. Hafs al-Marwazi has narrated, saying: [I heard Abu` al-Hasan Mu`sa` b. Ja'far, peace be on him, say:
"Surely my son Ali will unjustly be killed by poison and buried beside Ha`run (al-Rashid) at Tous. He who visits him is like him who visits Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family." (Uyun Akbar al-Rida, vol. 2, p.260).

5. Al-Saqr b. Dalaf has narrated, saying: I heard my master Ali b. Mohammed b. Ali al-Rida, peace be on him, say:
"He who has a need with Allah must wash his body, visit the grave of my grandfather al-Rida, peace be on him, at Tous, perform two units by his head, and ask Allah for his need during his personal prayers (qunut), for surely He will respond to him, unless he asks (Him) regarding a sin and cutting the bonds of blood relatives; his (al-Rida's) place is one of the places of the Paradise. If a believer visits it, Allah will release him from the Fire and make him stay in the Abode of Stability." (Uyun Akhbar al-Rida, vol. 2, p. 262).

Other traditions have been transmitted from the Imams of guidance; they urge men to visit the Shrine of Imam Rida, peace be on him, and mention an increasing reward for those who visit it.