Visiting Imām Zamān (pbuh), after forty nights worshipping

The 22nd event was, the event of visiting the Excellency by Shaykh Huṣayn Al Rahim’s:

The knowledgeable, virtuous, Shaykh Bāqir Najafī Najal, who was the offspring of the knowledgeable, devout Shaykh Hādī Kāẓimi and was known as “Ale Ṭālib” narrated:

There was a religious man in Najaf Ashraf, from a family known as “Ale Raheem”, and was called “Shaykh Huṣayn Raheem”. In addition, he [Shaykh Huṣayn] had been praised by both the virtuous scholar and the perfect devout “Miṣbāḥ al-Atqiya1”; Shaykh Tāhā and by the unique, great, pious, devout, Shaykh Huṣayn Najaf, who was later the imam of the congregation in Hindiyya Mosque of Najaf Ashraf. He [Shaykh Tāhā] was approved by the common and special people in being pious, benefactor and virtuous

The mentioned Shaykh Ḥusayn was a pious man with a pure nature who was of righteous special people. He was suffering from a chest disease and was coughing up blood and phlegm.

Yet, he was in extreme poverty and misery, and he could not even effort his daily bread. Most of the time, he went to the Arab Bedouin around Najaf in order to get some food, even some barley. Tolerating all poverty and disease, he was enamored of a girl from Najaf. But her relatives rejected his proposal, because of his poverty.

Hence, this increased his sorrow and grief. Since illness, poverty, and despair of marrying that girl made it difficult for him, he decided to do what is famous among the people of Najaf: Whoever faces a difficult problem, if attends the Mosque of Kūfah for forty Tuesday night, will certainly meet His Excellency Ḥujjat (mgehr). But it will be in a way, that he would not recognize the Excellency, but will attain his need.

The late Shaykh Bāqir narrated as:

Shaykh Huṣayn said, ‘I carefully committed this act for forty Tuesday nights. The last Tuesday night was a dark winter night, and a strong wind was blowing with a little rain. I was sitting in the stall which was inside the mosque. The stall was in the east of the mosque, which would be the left side of an individual who entered the mosque.

I wasn’t allowed to enter the mosque, because of the blood coming from my chest and I didn’t have anything with me, to clean the sputum. Also, I was not expected to drop it in the mosque.

However, I did not have anything to ward off the cold. So, I felt sorrowful, my sadness increased and the world looked dark to me

Also, I had nothing to save me from cold weather.

I felt heartfelt sorrow, my sadness increased, and the world became gloomy in my eyes. I was thinking that the nights were over and it was the last night, but I had neither seen anyone, nor anything appeared to me. It was while, I suffered all this great hardship, bearing that much difficulty and dread for forty nights coming from Najaf to Mosque of Kūfah.

Now, nothing has left for me but despair. I was thinking about my condition, and there was no one in the mosque. I lit a fire to heat the coffee that I had brought with me from Najaf

I used to drink it, but it was very little. All of a sudden, an individual entered the mosque through the first door and came to me. When I saw him, I got sad. I said to myself, ‘He is a nomadic Arab who is living around the mosque, so he came to me to drink coffee. Well, there will be no coffee for me to night! In this dark night, my grief and sorrow increased.

I had this thought in my mind, when he said “Hi”, called my name, and sat against me! I got shocked at how he knew my name! I supposed he was of those, who were living around Najaf and I sometimes came to them. Therefore, I asked him which Arab tribe he was from. He replied, ‘I am from some of them.’ Then, I named all of the Arab tribes around Najaf

Then I took and drank it. I didn’t aware, whether he drank the whole or not. Anyhow, my affection for him increased instantly. So I told him, ‘O’ brother! God has sent you to me to be my companion tonight! Would you come with me to sit by the tomb of the Grand Muslim b. ʿAqīl?’

He stated, ‘[Yes,] I will come with you. Now, tell me what is the matter?’ I said, ‘O’ brother! I am telling you the truth. Since the day I know myself, I have been extremely poor and needy. In addition, I’ve had blood coming from my chest for several years, and I do not know how to cure it. Besides, I have no wife, and I’ve been enamored for a girl from my neighborhood in Najaf Ashraf. Well, since I had nothing, it was not possible for me to marry her.

The Excellency stated, ‘No, I am not one of them.’ There, he made me angry. But he smiled at me ironically and stated, ‘You are not faulty, don’t care where I am from! What motivated you to come here? ‘I replied, ‘It does not benefit you to ask these questions.’ He asked, ‘What’s wrong with telling me?

I got surprised by his good manners and sweet words, my heart was inclined towards him; in such a way that the more he spoke, the more my love for him grew. So, I made a hookah and gave it to him. Then, he reacted, ‘I will not smoke, you can do it!’ Then, I poured some coffee for him and gave the cup to him. He took and drank a little of it. And he gave it to me and stated, ‘You drink it!’…

…Well I didn’t exactly understand what he stated! However, I asked, ‘Are not we going to Sir Muslim? He stated, ‘Stand up!’ I stood up and he walked ahead of me. As we entered the court yard of the mosque, he asked me, ‘It’s better to perform two Rak’ahs of Taḥīyyat prayer [Mosque Prayer]1, isn’t it?’ I replied, ‘Yes!’ Then, he stood beside the stone landmark/ structure, which was in the middle of the mosque, and I stood behind him at a short distance.

Yes, I said Takbirah al- Ihram2 and started reciting Surah Hamd. All of a sudden, I heard him reciting Fatiha [Hamd] in a way that, I hadn’t ever heard from anyone before. So because of his nice reciting, I said to myself, ‘He can be Sāhib al Zamān (mGehr). In addition, I heard him saying some words which confirmed my guess.

When that thought occurred to me, I looked toward him. I saw His Excellency saying the prayer, while a huge light surrounded His Majesty, so that I couldn’t identify his blessed existence.

And while he was praying, I could hear His Majesty’s recitation. My body was trembling, and I could not stop the prayer because of His Majesty’s solemnity. I finally finished the prayer, and the light was going from the ground up! Then I started crying and apologizing for the bad manners, I had done to him in the mosque.

I said, ‘O, my sir! You will keep your promise! You promised me to visit Muslim’s grave!’ As I was speaking, I saw the light [of the Imām (mGehr)] turned towards Muslim’s grave; so, I followed it. The light entered the dome of Muslim’s graveyard, and it shone there for a while. Meanwhile, I was crying and lamenting till the daybreak, when the light ascended.

In the morning, I realized what the Excellency stated:

Now about your chest, it is healed.

And I felt there is nothing with my chest and I didn’t cough anymore! And after just one week, i managed to propose to that girl.

[And based on the Surah Talāq, Verse 3:]

مَنْ حَیْثُ لا اَحْتَسِبُ…

from whence he thinks not; …

Yet, the poverty continues, as His Excellency predicted! Thank God!

 

 

 

1-it is a recommended practice not an imposed one. On entering the mosque one needs to perform two Rak’ahs.

2- It is: ʾAllāhu ʾAkbar {Allah is greater} The first utterance which is obligatory for the pilgrims {Ḥujjāj} to the House of God is the recital of Labbayk the recital of which signals the commencement of their Hajj rituals and this state also makes a series of things forbidden for them.