Ayatollah Marʿashī’s Encounter with Imam al-Mahdi

Regarding his encounter with Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance), Ayatollah Marʿashī stated:¹

During my studies of the Islamic theological sciences and jurisprudence according to the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) in Najaf al-Ashraf, I was deeply eager to attain the honor of meeting our master, the Great Remnant of God (Baqiyyat Allāh al-Aʿẓam, may God hasten his reappearance).

Therefore, I made a personal commitment to travel on foot to the Mosque of Sahlah every Tuesday night. I regarded this journey as a great spiritual achievement and remained faithful to my commitment for thirty-five or thirty-six nights. However, on the final night, I left Najaf for the Mosque of Sahlah later than usual, though not intentionally.

The sky was cloudy and it was raining. As night fell, I became increasingly frightened because of the robbers and bandits who were known to be present along the way. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me, which increased my fear and anxiety.

I turned around and saw an Arab Sayyid dressed in the clothing of the Bedouin Arabs. He approached me and greeted me in eloquent Arabic, saying, “O Sayyid, peace be upon you.”

At that moment, all my fear and anxiety disappeared, and I felt a deep sense of tranquility and reassurance. Yet I was astonished: how had this man recognized that I was a Sayyid in such complete darkness?

In any case, we continued walking and talking. He asked me, “Where are you going?”

I replied, “To the Mosque of Sahlah.”

He asked, “Why?”

I answered, “To attain the honor of visiting the Walī al-ʿAṣr (may God hasten his reappearance).”

After some time, we reached the Mosque of Zayd ibn Ṣūḥān, a small mosque near the Mosque of Sahlah. We entered the mosque and performed the prayer. Afterward, the Sayyid recited a supplication. It seemed to me that even the walls and stones were joining in the recitation. I experienced such a profound spiritual transformation that I find it difficult to describe.

After the prayer, he said, “O Sayyid, you are hungry. It would be better for you to have dinner.”

He then took a cloth from beneath his cloak and spread it out. It contained three pieces of bread and three fresh cucumbers. I was astonished to see fresh cucumbers in the freezing winter.

Afterward, he said, “Stand up. Let us go to the Mosque of Sahlah.”

He began performing the special acts of worship associated with the mosque, and I followed him.

Then the honorable Sayyid asked me, “O Sayyid, would you like to remain here, or would you prefer to go to the Mosque of Kufa like the others?”

I replied, “No, I will remain here.”

We then sat at the Maqām of Imam al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him). I asked the Sayyid, “Would you like some tea, coffee, or something similar?”

He replied, “These things are among the superfluous matters, and we keep away from such things.”

His words had a profound effect on me.

The Sayyid then taught me a number of valuable points, including the following:

1. Recommended Recitation of Certain Sūrahs
The Imam emphasized the recitation of certain sūrahs after the five daily prayers:

After the Fajr Prayer, recitation of Sūrah Yāsīn was recommended.
After the Ẓuhr Prayer, recitation of Sūrah al-Nabaʾ was recommended.
After the ʿAṣr Prayer, recitation of Sūrah Nūḥ was recommended.
After the Maghrib Prayer, recitation of Sūrah al-Wāqiʿah was recommended.
After the ʿIshāʾ Prayer, recitation of Sūrah al-Mulk was recommended.
2. A Recommended Two-Rakʿah Prayer
A special two-rakʿah prayer was also recommended after the Maghrib Prayer.

In the first rakʿah, one may recite any sūrah after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah (al-Ḥamd). In the second rakʿah, however, Sūrah al-Wāqiʿah should be recited.

3. Visiting Sayyid al-Shuhadāʾ
The Imam strongly emphasized the visitation (ziyārah) of Sayyid al-Shuhadāʾ, Imam al-Ḥusayn (peace be upon him).

Notes

This article presents only a summary of what the Imam is reported to have told Ayatollah Marʿashī.
An ʿabāʾ is a traditional Arab outer garment or cloak.