The Virtue of Staying in al-Madinah, Fasting and Performing I‘tikaf Near the Pillars

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع‌[1] أَيُّمَا أَفْضَلُ الْمُقَامُ بِمَكَّةَ أَوْ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالَ أَيَّ شَيْ‌ءٍ تَقُولُ أَنْتَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ وَ مَا قَوْلِي مَعَ قَوْلِكَ قَالَ إِنَّ قَوْلَكَ يَرُدُّكَ إِلَى قَوْلِي قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَمَّا أَنَا فَأَزْعُمُ أَنَّ الْمُقَامَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْمُقَامِ بِمَكَّةَ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَمَا لَئِنْ قُلْتَ ذَلِكَ لَقَدْ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع ذَاكَ يَوْمَ فِط

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘Is staying in Makkah more virtuous or in al- Madinah?’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What do you say about it?’ I (the narrator) replied, ‘My words are not of any significance before your words.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Your words return you to my words.’ I (the narrator) then said, ‘I believe

دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَ عَمَّارٌ وَ جَمَاعَةٌ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ص بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالَ مَا مُقَامُكُمْ فَقَالَ عَمَّارٌ قَدْ سَرَّحْنَا ظَهْرَنَا[2] وَ أَمَرْنَا أَنْ نُؤْتَى بِهِ إِلَى خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً فَقَالَ أَصَبْتُمُ الْمُقَامَ فِي بَلَدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ الصَّلَاةَ فِي مَسْجِدِهِ وَ اعْمَلُوا لآِخِرَتِكُمْ وَ أَكْثِرُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ قَدْ يَكُونُ كَيِّساً فِي الدُّنْيَا فَيُقَال

“Once ‘Ammar, a group and I went to visit abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), in al-Madinah and he asked, ‘For how long have you decided to stay in al-Madinah?’ ‘Ammar said, ‘We have sent our camels to pasture for fifteen days.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Your decision to stay in the town of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compens

مَنْ مَاتَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الْآمِنِينَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْهُمْ يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ وَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَذَّاءُ وَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ‌[1].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that if one dies in al-Madinah, Allah will raise him on the Day of Judgment among those who have received immunity. Of such people are Yahya ibn Habib, abu ‘Ubaydah al-Hadhdha’ and ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj.”

إِذَا دَخَلْتَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تُقِيمَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ- الْأَرْبِعَاءَ وَ الْخَمِيسَ وَ الْجُمُعَةَ فَصَلِّ مَا بَيْنَ الْقَبْرِ وَ الْمِنْبَرِ- يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ عِنْدَ الْأُسْطُوَانَةِ الَّتِي تَلِي الْقَبْرَ فَتَدْعُو اللَّهَ عِنْدَهَا وَ تَسْأَلُهُ كُلَّ حَاجَةٍ تُرِيدُهَا فِي آخِرَةٍ أَوْ دُنْيَا وَ الْيَوْمَ الثَّانِيَ عِنْدَ أُسْطُوَانَةِ التَّوْبَةِ وَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ عِنْدَ مَقَ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when you enter the Masjid, if you can stay three days, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, perform salat (prayer) between the grave and the pulpit. On Wednesday, perform salat (prayer) near the pillar next to the grave. Appeal before Allah and ask Him for your wishes for the matters of

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ صُمِ الْأَرْبِعَاءَ وَ الْخَمِيسَ وَ الْجُمُعَةَ وَ صَلِّ لَيْلَةَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ وَ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ عِنْدَ الْأُسْطُوَانَةِ الَّتِي تَلِي رَأْسَ النَّبِيِّ ص وَ لَيْلَةَ الْخَمِيسِ وَ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ عِنْدَ أُسْطُوَانَةِ أَبِي لُبَابَةَ[3] وَ لَيْلَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ عِنْدَ الْأُسْطُوَانَةِ الَّتِي تَلِي مَقَامَ النَّبِيِّ ص وَ ادْعُ بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ لِحَاجَت

5. Ibn abu ‘Umayr has narrated from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘You should fast on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Perform salat (prayer) during Wednesday night and day near the pillar next to the head of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to