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Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has made the tombs of His saints places where divine mercies descend. These mercies then overflow to all creation, especially to those who seek Allah’s favor through His saints. Such tombs are abodes of Allah’s blessings, acting as a fortified refuge for those who turn to them. This is especially true for the tomb of Imam Al-Hussain, peace be upon him, who was martyred in distress.
There’s a saying that Allah has taken it upon Himself that no distressed person visits Hussain’s grave without being relieved of his sorrows. Another narration from Fudayl bin Yasar quotes Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, as saying: “Beside you lie a grave, and anyone in distress who visits it finds relief and his needs are fulfilled.”
The Blessings of Visitation of Imam Hussain
is among the many blessings associated with visiting Imam Hussain:
Twelfth: A visitor to Hussain, peace be upon him, will be resurrected alongside him
One of Imam Sadiq’s, peace be upon him, companions performed Hajj and Umrah 19 times. The Imam told him, “Perform Hajj and Umrah one more time, and you will be credited with a visit to Imam Hussain.” Then, the Imam asked him, “Which would you prefer: to perform twenty Hajjs and twenty Umrahs or to be resurrected alongside Hussain?” He replied, “I’d choose to be resurrected with Hussain.” The Imam then said, “Then visit Aba Abdillah (Imam Hussain).”
Thirteenth: Freeing a descendant of Ishmael
Abu Saeed al-Qadi said, “I went to Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, and heard him say: ‘Whoever visits Hussain’s grave on foot, Allah will decree, for every step taken, the liberation of a descendant of Ishmael.’“
Fourteenth: The Divine Manifestation to Hussain’s Visitor
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: “Allah Almighty manifests (looks at) Himself to the visitors of Hussain’s grave before the pilgrims at Arafat, fulfills their needs, forgives their sins, and intercedes for them. Then He turns to the pilgrims of Arafat and does the same for them.”
Fifteenth: A visitor to Hussain, peace be upon him, has their prayers answered
Based on a narration from Basheer al-Dahhan about Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, peace be upon him: “A man who embarks on a journey to visit Hussain’s grave, with each step away from his home, has his sins forgiven. And as he continues, he becomes more purified until he reaches the grave. Upon arrival, Allah says: ‘O My servant, ask of Me, and I will grant you. Call upon Me, and I will respond. Seek from Me, and I will provide. Ask for a need, and I will fulfill it.’ Imam Jafar al-Sadiq also said, ‘It is Allah’s promise to grant what is asked for, especially if the supplication is made beneath Hussain’s dome.’
Indeed, prayers beneath that noble dome are not turned away out of honor for Hussain, unless one asks for a sinful desire or seeks to sever kinship ties.’ Supporting this, there’s a narration from Imam Sadiq that Allah compensated Hussain for his martyrdom with special blessings: healing from the soil of his grave, answered prayers beneath his dome, and the lineage of Imams from his descendants.
Sixteenth: The Angels’ Visitation to the Visitor of Hussein, Peace Be Upon Him, During Illness and Their Presence at His Funeral
It is narrated by Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said to Muhammad bin Marwan: “Indeed, Allah has appointed at the tomb of Hussein, peace be upon him, four thousand angels, all of whom mourn him and accompany the one who visits his tomb back to his family. Should the visitor fall ill, they visit him, and if he dies, they attend his funeral, seeking forgiveness for him and showing mercy upon him.”
Seventeenth: All Beings Praying for the Visitor of Hussein, Peace Be Upon Him
Safwan al-Jamal narrated from Abi Abdillah, peace be upon him, saying: “Indeed, when a visitor sets out on his journey, everything he comes across prays for him. If the sun shines upon him, it consumes his sins as fire consumes wood, leaving no trace of sin. He returns with elevated ranks that even the martyr who sacrifices his life in the path of Allah cannot achieve. An angel is then assigned to take his place and seek forgiveness for him until he revisits the tomb or three years pass or until his death…”
Eighteenth: Whoever Visits Him Once Every Month Is Rewarded the Merit of a Hundred Thousand Martyrs from the Martyrs of Badr
It is narrated by Dawood bin Farqad who asked Abi Abdillah, peace be upon him: “What is the reward for one who visits the tomb of Hussein, peace be upon him, every month?” He replied, “Such a person is rewarded with the merit equivalent to a hundred thousand martyrs from the martyrs of Badr.”
Nineteenth: Joining the Standard of the Messenger of Allah, Being in Its Shade, held by Ali, Peace Be Upon Him
Abi Abdillah, peace be upon him, said: “On the Day of Resurrection, a caller will announce: ‘Where are the visitors of Hussein, peace be upon him?’ A vast number of people, whom only Allah can count, will rise. They will be asked, ‘What did you intend by visiting the tomb of Hussein?’ They will reply, ‘Out of love for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, and out of love for Ali, Fatima, and out of compassion for him.’ Then they will be told, ‘This is Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hassan, and Hussein; join them for you shall be at their level. Join the standard of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and you will be under its shade, held by Ali, peace be upon him, until you all enter Paradise together, being in front of the standard, to its right, to its left, and behind it.'”
Why are these merits given to the visitors of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him?
In reality, Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, championed the religion of Allah, and supported Islam which was brought by the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny. If not for him, the religion would have neither name nor form. This saying holds true: “The initiation of Islam is through the prophet Muhammad, and its preservation is through Hussein.” Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, dedicated his life, family, offspring, and wealth for the sake of Allah Almighty. In honor of his sacrifices and efforts, Allah granted him numerous distinctions, including specific honors for those visiting his noble grave.
Imam Hussein’s grave, peace be upon him, is a thorn in the eyes of oppressors. Tyrants throughout history have feared the name of Hussein and the rituals that commemorate and are associated with him. This fear stems from their knowledge that Imam Hussein’s grave is a beacon illuminating the path for the free souls worldwide. When they visit his grave, they draw lessons and reflections from his pure resting place.
Therefore, the adversaries of the faith and opponents of the doctrine tried to prohibit the rituals associated with Imam Hussein, prevent people from visiting Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, and dissuade them from undertaking pilgrimages to his shrine. However, by Allah’s will, the tyrants and oppressors vanished. Millions flocked to visit his grave after the demise of the oppressive criminal, Saddam Hussein. This pilgrimage was broadcast globally by television stations and radio channels, underscoring the countless past and recent attempts to obstruct visitors from reaching Imam Hussein, Peace be upon him.
Historical accounts narrate numerous efforts made by these adversaries to stop visitors from paying their respects to Imam Hussein. Among these attempts was the presence of a lote tree next to the sacred grave that served as a landmark for Imam Hussein’s resting place. The enemies cut it down. Yet, a pilgrim approached and, upon not finding the familiar tree, bowed to the soil of Karbala, inhaling its fragrance and shedding tears. His silent sentiment echoed:
They wished to obscure his grave from his devotees,
Yet the scent of the grave’s soil revealed its location.