Excellence and Virtue of Visiting abu al-Hassan, al-Rida, ‘Alayhi al-Salam

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ali ibn Mahziyar who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), saying, ’I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, Is visiting al-Rida (a.s.), more virtuous or that of abu ‘ Abd Allah, al-Husayn (a.s.), more virtuous?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Visiting my father is more virtuous; all people visit abu ‘Abd Allah, al-Husayn (a.s.), but only very special people of our followers visit my father.”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Kufiy from al-Husayn ibn Sayf from Muhammad ibn Aslam from Muhammad ibn Sulayman who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘A man has performed al-Hajjahta al-Islam, he then commences al-Hajj with al-‘Umrah, and Allah grants him the opportunity to complete his al-Hajj and al-‘Umrah. He then comes to al-Madinah and offers his greeting of peace to the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. Then he comes to you with proper understanding of your rights that you possess authority from Allah over His creatures and that you are the door through which they can go to Him. He then comes to you saying, “(I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are a ‘Alayhi al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments) and offer my greeting of peace to you.” He then goes to abu ‘Abd Allah, al-Husayn (a.s.), and offers him his greeting of peace. He then goes to Baghdad and offers his greeting of peace to abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.). He then goes to his home. When al-Hajj season comes, Allah then grants him the opportunity to perform al-Hajj. Which one is more virtuous; is performing al-Hajj al-Islam then going for al-Hajj again, or instead going to Khurasan to visit your father, Ali ibn Musa (a.s.), and offering him his greeting of peace?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, but he should go to Khuransan to offer his greeting of peace to abu al- Hassan (a.s.). It is more virtuous; but this should be done in the month of Rajab. You should do this these days, because the sultan will deride us and you as well.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Ja’fariy from Hamdan ibn Ishaq who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja‘far, or it was narrated to me from abu Ja‘far (a.s.)”, -uncertainty is from Ali ibn Ibrahim- “that abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever visits my father in Tus (Iran), Allah forgives his sins of the past and those that comes later on.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I then performed al-Hajj after Ziyarat (visit). Thereafter, I met Ayyub ibn Nuh who said to me, ‘Abu Ja‘far, the 2nd (a.s.), has said, “Whoever visits the grave of my father in Tus, Allah forgives his sins of the past and that which come later. Allah builds for his use a pulpit, parallel to those for Muhammad and Ali, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, until He will complete all creatures, accounting.’” I (the narrator) saw him when he already had visited and said, ‘I have come to claim my pulpit.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Naysaburiy from Ibrahim ibn Ahmad from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa‘id al-Makkiy from Yahya’ ibn Sulayman al-Mazeniy who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever visits the grave of my son, Ali it is before Allah like performing seventy thousand well-performed accepted Hajjah.’ He (the narrator) said, I asked, ‘Is it seventy well-performed Hajjah?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, and it is seventy thousand Hajjah.’ I then said, ‘Seventy thousand Hajjah!’ He (the Imam) said, ‘A Hajjah perhaps is not accepted. One who visits him and spends the night near his grave is as if one’s visiting Allah in His Throne. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, on the Day of Judgment, on the Throne of the Beneficent there will be four from those of the earlier times and four from the latter generations. The four from the earlier generations are Nuh, Ibrahim, Moses and Jesus, ‘Alayhim al-Salam. The four from the later generations are Muhammad, Ali, al-Hassan and al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam. Thereafter, the leveling tool is applied and along with us will sit those who have visited the graves of ’A’immah, and among them of the highest degree and the first to receive gifts are those who have visited the grave of my son, Ali (a.s.).”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from Salih ibn ‘Uqbah from Zayd al-Shahham who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘What is the reward for one who visits the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is like visiting Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, on His Throne.’ He (the narrator) has said that I then asked, ‘What is the reward for one who visits any one of you?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is like visiting the Messenger of Allah.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.