Ziyarat of the Four Deputies of Imam al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s.)
Shaykh al-Tusi, in Tahdhib al-Ahkam, and Sayyid Ibn Tawus, in Misbah al-Za’ir, report this form of ziyarat of the tombs of the Four Deputies from Abu’l-Qas
Open Ziyarat of the Four Deputies of Imam al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) in Shia Companion
Merits
Shaykh al-Tusi, in Tahdhib al-Ahkam, and Sayyid Ibn Tawus, in Misbah al-Za’ir, report this form of ziyarat of the tombs of the Four Deputies from Abu’l-Qasim Husayn ibn Rawh. It is recited at the tomb of each of them, naming him.
The Four Emissaries of Imam al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) are Abu-’Amr ‘Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Asadi, Abu-Ja’far Muhammad ibn ‘Uthman, Shaykh Abu’l-Qasim Husayn ibn Rawh al-Nawbakhti, and the sublime Shaykh Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samari, may Allah be pleased with them all.
One of the duties of the visitors of the holy shrines in Iraq is to come to Baghdad, during their stay at al-Kazimiyyah city, for visiting the Four Emissaries who represented the Awaited Argument of Allah and the Imam of the Age, peace of Allah be upon him. Visiting the tombs of these personalities does not require much effort, because they are all situated in near places in Baghdad; therefore, they are not far away for the visitors. However, even if these graves were scattering in remote places, they would be worthy of being visited by covering long distances and suffering the troubles of travel, because great reward and abundant prize are gained from visiting these graves.
The Four Emissaries excelled all the companions and elite friends of the Holy Imams (a.s.) in rank and excellence. They thus won the Imam’s representation, emissary, and mediation between him and the subjects for seventy years. They also showed many extraordinary manners and innumerable miracles. Moreover, some scholars are reported to have imputed Divinely-granted infallibility (i.e. ‘ismah) to these personalities.
It goes without saying that these personalities are still mediators between the Imam (a.s.) and the subjects after their death; it is therefore necessary to make them the means and way to convey to the Imam, in a written form, the needs and ordeals from which his subjects suffer.
In conclusion, no pen can contain the great merits and supreme statuses of these personalities.
Text and Translation
At the tomb of any of the four deputies, begin by greeting the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the Imams (a.s.):
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA RASOOLILLAAH
Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى اَمِيْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَبِيْ طَالِبٍ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA AMEERIL MU'MINEENA A'LIYYIBNI ABEE TAALIB
Peace be upon the Commander of the Faithful, Ali son of Abi Talib.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى خَدِيْجَةَ الْكُبْرٰى
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA KHADEEJATAL KUBRAA
Peace be upon Khadijah al-Kubra.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاۤءِ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA FAATIMATAZ ZAHRAA'
Peace be upon Fatimah al-Zahra.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَى الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAL HASANIBNI A'LIYY
Peace be upon al-Hasan son of Ali.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAL HUSAYNIBNI A'LIYY
Peace be upon al-Husayn son of Ali.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA A'LIYYIBNIL HUSAYN
Peace be upon Ali son of al-Husayn.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA MUHAMMADIBNI A'LIYY
Peace be upon Muhammad son of Ali.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA JA'FARIBNI MUHAMMAD
Peace be upon Ja'far son of Muhammad.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى مُوْسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA MOOSABNI JA'FAR
Peace be upon Musa son of Ja'far.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوْسٰى
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA A'LIYYIBNI MOOSAA
Peace be upon Ali son of Musa.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA MUHAMMADIBNI A'LIYY
Peace be upon Muhammad son of Ali.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA A'LIYYIBNI MUHAMMAD
Peace be upon Ali son of Muhammad.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَى الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAL HASANIBNI A'LIYY
Peace be upon al-Hasan son of Ali.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الْمَهْدِيِّ صَاحِبِ الزَّمَانِ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAA MUHAMMADIBNIL HASANIL MAHDIYYI SAAHIBIZ ZAMAAN
Peace be upon Muhammad son of al-Hasan al-Mahdi, the Master of the Age.
Then greet the deputy, naming him and his father in place of fulan ibn fulan: Uthman ibn Sa'id, Muhammad ibn Uthman, Husayn ibn Ruh or Ali ibn Muhammad:
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAYKA YAA FULAANABNA FULAAN
Peace be upon you, O (name) son of (name).
اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكَ بَابُ الْمَوْلٰى
ASH-HADU ANNAKA BAABUL MAWLAA
I bear witness that you are verily the door to the Chief;
اَدَّيْتَ عَنْهُ وَاَدَّيْتَ اِلَيْهِ
ADDAYTA A'NHU WA ADDAYTA ILAYH
you conveyed on behalf of him and conveyed to him;
مَا خَالَفْتَهٗ وَلَا خَالَفْتَ عَلَيْهِ
MAA KHAALAFTAHOO WA LAA KHAALAFTA A'LAYH
you neither contradicted him nor disagreed with him.
قُمْتَ خَآصًّا وَانْصَرَفْتَ سَابِقًا
QUMTA KHAASSAN WANSARAFTA SAABIQAA
You represented him individually and passed away excelling all others.
جِئْتُكَ عَارِفًا بِالْحَقِّ الَّذِيۤ اَنْتَ عَلَيْهِ
JI'TUKA A'ARIFAN BIL HAQQIL LADHEE ANTA A'LAYH
I have come to you, recognizing the truth you are following
وَاَنَّكَ مَا خُنْتَ فِي التَّاْدِيَةِ وَالسِّفَارَةِ
WA ANNAKA MAA KHUNTA FIT TA'DIYATI WAS SIFAARAH
and understanding that you have never cheated in conveyance and in representation.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ بَابٍ مَا اَوْسَعَكَ
AS-SALAAMU A'LAYKA MIN BAABIN MAA AWSA'AK
Peace be upon you; you are a door opened extremely wide,
وَمِنْ سَفِيْرٍ مَاۤ اٰمَنَكَ وَمِنْ ثِقَةٍ مَاۤ اَمْكَنَكَ
WA MIN SAFEERIN MAA AAMANAKA WA MIN THIQATIN MAA AMKANAK
an emissary trusted immeasurably, and a very versed trustworthy.
اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ اخْتَصَّكَ بِنُوْرِهٖ حَتّٰى عَايَنْتَ الشَّخْصَ
ASH-HADU ANNALLAAHAKH TASSAKA BINOORIHEE HATTAA A'AYANTASH SHAKHS
I bear witness that Allah has given you His light so exclusively that you could see (the Imam) in person;
فَاَدَّيْتَ عَنْهُ وَاَدَّيْتَ اِلَيْهِ.
FA-ADDAYTA A'NHU WA ADDAYTA ILAYH
you therefore conveyed on behalf of him and conveyed to him.
Then repeat the greetings from the Messenger of Allah to the Imam of the Age (a.t.f.s.), and say:
جِئْتُكَ مُخْلِصًا بِتَوْحِيْدِ اللّٰهِ وَمُوَالَاةِ اَوْلِيَاۤئِهٖ
JI'TUKA MUKHLISAN BITAWHEEDILLAAHI WA MUWAALAATI AWLIYAA'IH
I have come to you professing Allah’s being the One and Only Lord, declaring loyalty to His loyalists,
وَالْبَرَاۤءَةِ مِنْ اَعْدَاۤئِهٖ وَمِنَ الَّذِيْنَ خَالَفُوْكَ
WAL BARAA'ATI MIN A'DAA'IHEE WA MINAL LADHEENA KHAALAFOOK
and declaring repudiation from His enemies and those who dissented you,
يَا حُجَّةَ الْمَوْلٰى
YAA HUJJATAL MAWLAA
O Argument of the Chief.
وَبِكَ اِلَيْهِمْ تَوَجُّهِيْ
WA BIKA ILAYHIM TAWAJJUHEE
Through you do I turn my face to them
وَبِهِمْ اِلَى اللّٰهِ تَوَسُّلِيْ.
WA BIHIM ILALLAAHI TAWASSULEE
and through them do I seek means to Allah.
Then pray and ask Allah for whatever you wish; it will be granted, Allah willing.
