Etiquettes of Ziyarat
Approaching the shrine: In fact, such acts of disobedience cause harm to the Holy Infallibles (‘a) themselves. If a visitor thinks for a few minutes of the
Open Etiquettes of Ziyarat in Shia Companion
Merits
Approaching the shrine: In fact, such acts of disobedience cause harm to the Holy Infallibles (‘a) themselves. If a visitor thinks for a few minutes of these matters and ponders over his behavior in general, his feet will no more be able to go on walking, his heart will be fearful, and his eyes will shed tears. This is in fact the heart of the ziyarah etiquettes in general.
Approaching the shrine: Quoting the book of ‘Uyun al-Mu’jizat, ‘Allamah al-Majlisi, in his book of Bihar al-Anwar, has mentioned this precious narration. ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin, the vizier of Harun the ‘Abbasid ruler, did not permit Ibrahim al-Jammal, a poor Shi’ite cameleer, to see the ruler just because the latter was poor. Hence, when ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin undertook the hajj that year, he visited Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (‘a) in al-Madinah, but the Imam did not allow him to enter. The next day, ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin could see the Imam (‘a), “My master, what was my sin due to which you did not allow me to visit you?” asked ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin. The Imam (‘a) answered, “I did not allow you to visit me because you had not allowed your brother, Ibrahim al-Jammal, to see the ruler. For that reason, Almighty Allah has decided that He would not accept your acts (of the ritual hajj) unless Ibrahim al-Jammal would forgive you.” ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin said, “Master, how can I contact Ibrahim at this time while I am in al-Madinah and he is in al-Kufah?” The Imam (‘a) instructed, “When night comes, you may walk to al-Baqi’ alone and do not let any of your servants or companions know about you. There, you will find a saddled camel. You may ride on it and it will take you to al-Kufah.” As he did what he had been instructed, ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin found himself standing in front of Ibrahim al-Jammal’s house in a short time. As he knocked the door and introduced himself, Ibrahim al-Jammal said in surprise, “What is the vizier, ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin, doing at my doorstep?” “I am here for a great matter!” answered ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin and begged Ibrahim to let him in. When Ibrahim did, ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin said, “The Master (i.e. the Imam) has stipulated that you should forgive me lest he would not accept me.” Ibrahim said, “May Allah forgive you!” Insistently, ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin begged Ibrahim to step on his cheek, but Ibrahim refused to do so. When he insisted too much, Ibrahim did. “O Allah! Be the Witness!” repeated ‘Ali ibn Yaqtin. He then left, rode the camel, returned to al-Madinah at the same night, and stopped at the door of Imam Musa al-Kazim’s house. He rode off and knocked the door. He was thus allowed to see the Imam (‘a). This narration demonstrates the significance of respecting one’s friends and brethren-in-faith.
At the tomb: In fact, it is illusive to believe that to stop far away from the tomb is a sort of politeness. Seemingly, this etiquette is dedicated to the ziyarahs of the Holy Infallibles (‘a).
First sight of a shrine: It is narrated that one who utters this statement at the first sight of a holy shrine will be included with the Grand Pleasure of Almighty Allah.
Reported forms of ziyarah: Shaykh al-Kulayni reports ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Qasir to have narrated that he, once, visited Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) and said, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! I have composed a supplicatory prayer (du’a’) for myself.” The Imam (‘a) answered, “Save me from your composition. Whenever you encounter a problem, you may resort to the tomb of the Messenger of Allah (s), offer a two unit prayer there, and provide it as gift to him etc.”
Reciting the Qur’an in the shrine: Of course, this act brings about rewards to the za’ir and shows honoring of the holy person buried in the shrine.
Idle talk in the shrine: Of course, nonsense and offensive speech are discommended everywhere and at all times. Such language stops sustenance and results in hardheartedness, especially in such pure places and under such superior domes about whose superiority and highness, Almighty Allah has said, “In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them; there glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings. 24/36”
Custodians of the shrines: As a matter of fact, the custodians of the holy shrines must be virtuous, righteous, religious, and honorable. They are required to respect the zuwwar (pl. za’ir) and to stand their behaviors. They must not wreak their wrath upon those zuwwar or shout at them. Instead, they must settle all the needs of the zuwwar and guide the strangers if they are lost. In general, the custodians are required to act as servants, to arrange and guard the holy shrine, to watch over the zuwwar, and to do whatever necessary.
Text and Translation
Neighbors of the shrines: Hence, those are the worthiest of receiving charity and custody.
In point of fact, Shaykh al-Shahid’s recommendation that women perform ziyarah apart from men manifests the horrible amount of hideousness and repulsiveness that some women, these days, commit. As they come to the holy shrines, they adorn themselves, put on their best clothes, and stand side by side with men inside the holy shrines. They, moreover, push men with their bodies so as to find themselves places near the holy tombs, or sit in the direction of the kiblah where men offer prayers for reciting the ziyarah formulas. They thus attract attentions and divert men from acts of worship, beseeching to Almighty Allah, and weeping for themselves at these sacred areas. By doing so, they bring to themselves sins and offenses. The ziyarahs of such women must be decided as discommendable acts that bring about chastisement, not acts of worship. In this respect, Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a) has reported Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) as saying to the people of Iraq, “I have been informed that your women are meeting men on the public ways. Are you not ashamed? Curse of Allah be upon him who is not jealous.”
In man-la-yahzuruhu’l-faqih, it is mentioned that al-Asbagh ibn Nubatah reported Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) as saying, “In the last of time, which is actually the worst of ages, when the Hour (of Resurrection) comes near, there will appear women - unveiling themselves, exposing themselves, adorning themselves, being out of the religion, entering in seditious matters, inclining to lusts, hurrying to their pleasures, and violating the inviolable things; therefore, they will abide in Hellfire forever.”
Before the Journey
It is recommended to bathe oneself before beginning the journey of ziyarah.
It is advisable to avoid vain language, disputes, and heated discussions during journeys of ziyarah.
It is recommended to do the bathing dedicated to the visiting of the Holy Imams’ shrines and to say the associated supplicatory prayers.
It is required to be pure from ceremonial impurities.
It is recommended to put on pure, clean, and new clothes, preferably white.
Approaching the Shrine
At directing to a holy shrine, it is recommended to walk in short steps with tranquility and gravity, to be submissive, to incline one’s head, and to avoid looking upwards or to the sides.
It is recommended to perfume oneself except when the holy shrine of Imam al-Husayn (‘a) is visited.
While directing towards the holy shrine, it is advisable to utter statements of glorifying Almighty Allah, such as alhamdu-lillah (all praise be to Allah), subhanallah (All glory be to Allah), la-ilaha illallah (There is no god but Allah).
Perfume one’s mouth with the endless scent of ‘allahumma salli ‘ala muhammadin wa ali muhammad (O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad).’
It is recommended to stop at the outer gate of the holy shrine and seek entrance permission (from the holy person buried in that shrine).
Do your best to be at the utmost degree of deference and submission.
Ponder over the greatness and eminence of the holy person buried in the visited shrine.
Believe that this holy person can see, hear, and respond to the greetings of the visitor, as is confirmed by the forms of asking entrance permission (isti’dhan).
Think deeply about his compassion and love for his followers in general and his visitors in particular.
Call to mind one’s corruption and disobedience to the Holy Infallibles (‘a) through breaking their orders and acting unjustly to them as well as to their adherents and followers.
Being in such a state, call to mind these poetic verses of al-Sakhawi:
قَالُوْا غَدًا نَاْتِيْ دِيَارَ الْحِمٰى وَ يَنْزِلُ الرَّكْبُ بِمَغْنَاهُمُ فَكُلُّ مَنْ كَانَ مُطِيْعًا لَهُمْ اَصْبَحَ مَسْرُوْرًا بِلُقْيَاهُمُ قُلْتُ فَلِيْ ذَنْبٌ فَمَا حِيْلَتِيْ بِاَيِّ وَجْهٍ اَتَلَقَّاهُمُ قَالُوْا اَ لَيْسَ الْعَفْوُ مِنْ شَاْنِهِمْ لَا سِيَّمَا عَمَّنْ تَرَجَّاهُمُ فَجِئْتُهُمْ اَسْعٰىۤ اِلٰى بَابِهِمْ اَرْجُوْهُمُ طَوْرًا وَ اَخْشَاهُمُ
QAALOO GHADAN NA'TEE DIYAARAL HIMAA WA YANZILUR RAKBU BIMAGHNAAHUMU FAKULLU MAN KAANA MUTEE'AN LAHUM ASBAHA MASROORAN BILUQYAAHUMU QULTU FALEE ZANBUN FAMAA HEELATEE BI-AYYI WAJHIN ATALAQQAAHUMU QAALOO A LAYSAL 'AFWU MIN SHA'NIHIM LAA SIYYAMAA A'MMAN TARAJJAAHUMU FAJI'TUHUM AS'AA ILAA BAABIHIM ARJOOHUMU TAWRAN WA AKHSHAAHUM
Said they, “Tomorrow, we shall enter their homeland, And our caravan will settle near their houses Hence, only he who has been obedient to them Will be pleased to meet them.” Said I, “I have committed sins! What will I do? And how will I behave in the face of them?” Said they, “Is it not that pardon is the habit of them? Especially for those who have put faith in them!” I thus hurried to their house door Hoping and fearing them!
It is recommended to kiss the high threshold of the holy shrine.
Shaykh al-Shahid says, “It is even more preferable to prostrate oneself at the threshold in the intention of thanking Almighty Allah for reaching such a sacred place.”
As is done when entering and leaving mosques, it is recommended to enter the holy shrine with the right foot and to leave it with the left.
At the Tomb
It is recommended to stop as near as possible to the tomb that one can stick to it.
Narrations have confirmed that one should lean to and kiss the tomb.
It is advisable, when saying the ziyarah form, to turn the face towards the tomb and turn the back towards the kiblah direction.
After saying the ziyarah form, it is recommended to put the right cheek on the tomb and pray Almighty Allah beseechingly, and, then, to put the left cheek on the tomb and pray Almighty Allah, in the name of the holy person buried in the tomb, to include him/her with the persons for whom the holy person buried in the tomb will intercede.
It is also recommended to pray Almighty Allah as insistently as possible and then move to the side of the head (of the holy entombed person), stand erect, face the kiblah direction, and pray Almighty Allah again.
It is highly advisable to stand erect while uttering the ziyarah form except when one is too weak to stand up for a long time due to an ailment, such as backache, foot ache, and the like.
Before beginning with the ziyarah, it is recommended to raise the voice with statements of allahu-akbar when the shrine is seen.
At the first sight of a holy shrine, recite:
لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهٗ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهٗ
LAA ILAAHA ILLAL LAAHU WAHDAHOO LAA SHAREEKA LAH
There is no god save Allah; One and Only and having no partner.
It is advisable to follow the instructions that are reported from the Holy Imams (‘a) concerning the etiquettes and forms of ritual ziyarahs.
Thus, it is necessary to neglect the fabricated forms of ziyarah that have been invented by some unwise ordinary people in order to attract the attentions of the ignorant people.
Ziyarah Prayer & Conduct
It is recommended to offer the Ziyarah Prayer (salat al-ziyarah) the least of which is two units.
Shaykh al-Shahid (i.e. the martyr) says, “As for those who visit the tomb of the Holy Prophet (s), they may offer salat al-ziyarah in the Rawzah. And those who visit the tombs of the Holy Imams (‘a) may offer it near the head of the tomb. It is however legal to offer it at the courtyard of the shrine.”
‘Allamah al-Majlisi says, “In my conception, as for salat al-ziyarah, as well as the other prayers performed in the holy shrines, it is preferable to offer them behind the tomb or to the side of the head.”
In his book of al-Durrah, ‘Allamah Bahr al-’Ulum has composed these verses:
وَ مِنْ حَدِيْثِ كَرْبَلَا وَ الْكَعْبَةِ لِكَرْبَلَا بَانَ عُلُوُّ الرُّتْبَةِ وَ غَيْرُهَا مِنْ سَاۤئِرِ الْمَشَاهِدِ اَمْثَالُهَا بِالنَّقْلِ ذِيْ الشَّوَاهِدِ وَ رَاعِ فِيْهِنَّ اقْتِرَابَ الرَّمْسِ وَ اٰثِرِ الصَّلَاةَ عِنْدَ الرَّاْسِ وَ صَلِّ خَلْفَ الْقَبْرِ فَالصَّحِيْحُ كَغَيْرِهٖ فِيْ نَدْبِهَا صَرِيْحٌ وَ الْفَرْقُ بَيْنَ هٰذِهِ الْقُبُوْرِ وَ غَيْرِهَا كَالنُّوْرِ فَوْقَ الطُّوْرِ فَالسَّعْيُ لِلصَّلَاةِ عِنْدَهَا نُدِبَ وَ قُرْبُهَا بَلِ اللُّصُوْقُ قَدْ طُلِبَ
WA MIN HADEESI KARBALAA WAL KA'BATI LIKARBALAA BAANA U'LUWWUR RUTBATI WA GHAYRUHAA MIN SAA-IRIL MASHAAHIDI AMSAALUHAA BIN NAQLI ZISH SHAWAAHIDI WA RAA'I FEEHINNAQTIRAABAR RAMSI WA AASIRIS SALAATA I'NDAR RA'SI WA SALLI KHALFAL QABRI FAS SAHEEHU KAGHAYRIHEE FEE NADBIHAA SAREEHUN WAL FARQU BAYNA HAAZIHIL QUBOORI WA GHAYRIHAA KAN NOORI FAWQAT TOORI FAS SA'YU LILSSALAATI I'NDAHAA NUDIBA WA QURBUHAA BALIL LUSOOQU QAD TULIB
Comparing Karbala' to the Holy Ka'bah Karbala', in Hadith, is superior Similar are the other shrines, according to narrations At these shrines, try to come near the tomb And to offer prayers at the side of the head Offer the prayer behind the tomb, too Authentic reports have confirmed so The difference between these tombs Is like the light on a mountain peak Offering prayers at these tombs is recommended To come near them and to stick to them is required
If there is no particular form of salat al-ziyarah, it is recommended to recite [Surah Ya-Sin](A40) in the first unit and [Surah al-Rahman](A59) in the second.
It is also recommended to beseech Almighty Allah after these prayers for the worldly welfare as well as success on the Resurrection Day.
It is also recommended to pray for all people generally in order that his prayers will be more acceptable.
Shaykh al-Shahid says, “If one enters a shrine and finds that a congregational prayer is held, the prayer must be offered before doing the ziyarah rites. The same thing must be done if one enters a shrine at the time of an obligatory prayer. Because the ziyarah is the purpose, one may do the ziyarah rites on other conditions.
When a congregational prayer is held while one is doing the ziyarah rites, it is recommended to cut off the rites and join the congregational prayer. It is thus discommended to ignore the congregational prayers. Moreover, the supervisors in the shrine must order the za’ir (i.e. performer of ziyarah) to join the congregational prayer.
In the word of Shaykh al-Shahid, to recite a portion of the Holy Qur’an in the shrines and to dedicate the recitation to the soul of the holy person buried in that shrine is one of the etiquettes of ziyarah.
It is advisable to refrain from nonsensical and meaningless speech in the holy shrines and to avoid discussing this-worldly affairs.
As I have confirmed in my book of hadiyyat al-za’ir, it is recommended not to raise one’s voice with the recitals of the ziyarah formulas.
When the area around the holy tombs is overcrowded, those who are nearest to the holy tombs are required to hurry up and end their ziyarah so as to give others the opportunity to come near the holy tomb and win the honor of approaching these holy tombs.
The ziyarah of the holy shrine of Imam al-Husayn (‘a) has particular etiquettes of its own: see [Etiquettes to be Observed During the Journey to Imam Husayn (a.s.)'s Tomb and Inside His Holy Shrine](AG2).
Leaving & Charity
At leaving, it is recommended to bid farewell to the Imam (‘a) through reciting the formulas dedicated to so (wada’) or any similar formulas.
It is advisable to declare repentance, implore Almighty Allah for forgiveness, and pray Him to make the deeds and words after the Ziyarah better than one’s deeds and words before it.
It is recommended to give some money to the custodians of the holy shrines.
It is also recommended to give some money to the neighbors of the holy shrines - the poor, the needy, and the modest, especially the Sayyids (i.e. descendants of the Holy Prophet) and the students of religious sciences who accepted to live in poverty, alienation, and neediness for the sake of glorifying the rites of Almighty Allah.
Shaykh al-Shahid says, “Among the etiquettes of ziyarah is to hurry in leaving the holy shrine when the ziyarah is accomplished, so that the sanctity of the shrine will be preserved and eagerness to repeat ziyarah will be aroused.”
Shaykh al-Shahid further says, “When they perform ziyarah, women must isolate themselves from men. Preferably, women may perform ziyarah at night. They may also disguise themselves by putting ordinary clothes rather than precious, so that they will not be recognized. They may also try to hide and veil themselves. However, it is legal, yet discommended, for women to perform ziyarah amongst men.”
