In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
One`s Passion to Reach
Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari1, one of the highly respected companions of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and a true devotee of Imam Hussain (PBUH) was not able to participate in the tragedy of Karbala due to his old age and blindness, but was honored to be the first pilgrim to visit the tomb of Imam Hussain (PBUH) after the first 40 days of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (PBUH) .
Atiyeh Owfi2, Jabir’s servant narrates the story of uniting with one’s beloved:
I accompanied Jabir ibn Abdullah on our pilgrimage from Medina to the tomb of Imam Hussain (PBUH). When we reached Karbala, Jabir went to perform Qusl by the Euphrates River, changed his clothes, put on some fragrance, and took slow steps towards the tomb all the while mentioning the name of Allah (SWT).
Once we were beside the tomb, he turned to me and said, “Place my hand on the tomb.” I did so, and only moments after he lost consciousness and fell on the tomb. I splashed his face with water to regain consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he cried, “Ya Hussein, Ya Hussein, Ya Hussein.”
He then addressed the tomb of the Master of Martyrs (PBUH) , saying, “How can it be for a friend to not respond back to his friend…?!
And as if to respond to himself, “How can you respond back when blood from the severed veins of your neck has covered you and separated your head from your body?”
He then began to supplicate the following to the Master of Martyrs:
“I bear witness that you are the son of the Prophets, the son of the leader of the pious, the son of those in allegiance to piety; you are from the progeny of guidance, you are the fifth person from the Companions of the Cloak, the son of the Master of the Leaders, and the son of Fatimah, the greatest of all ladies. How can you not be so when in fact the greatest of the Prophets has fed you, and you have been raised in the house of the most pious, been fed by the bosom of piety, and weaned off as a Muslim; you lived piously, and you died with utmost piety. The hearts of the pious mourn in your absence, and have no doubt that martyrdom had been chosen for you. So may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon you….”3
Indeed that day Jabir visited the tomb of his master, and after that members of the Prophet’s family, one after the other clarified and recommended the tradition to visit the shrine of Imam Hussein (PBUH). Along these lines the eleventh Imam of the Shiites, Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) has identified the recitation of the supplication of Arba’een as a sign of a person’s depth of faith.4
Quran and Etrat Online University offers its condolences
to all Muslims, especially you dear friend
upon the arrival of the 40th day after the Martyrdom – the Arba'een-
of Imam Hussain (PBUH) and his faithful companions.
Footnotes:
1. Jabir ibn Abdallah was a companion of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) , who had given his oath to defend Islam in all ways possible, and had participated in battles during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) . But he was not only a great warrior, he also contributed greatly to Islamic sciences. He had benefited greatly from the teachings of the Prophet and his family, and had stored many of the learnings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) in his heart, and it was for this reason that even Imam Baqir (PBUH) narrates narrations from Jabir ibn Ansari.
2. Attie Ibn Sa’d Jonadah was among the tab’een (second generation companions). She was among the followers of Imam Ali (PBUH) who has narrated many traditions and is also considered amongst the interpreters of the Holy Quran. She lived during the life of five Shiite Imams.
3. Bisharatul Mustafa Le Shi’at alMurtaza, vol. 2, pg. 74
4. Imam Hassan al-Askari (PBUH) : “The signs of faithful is five: first: fifty one rak’at of prayer (obligatory and recommended total); second: pilgrimage of Arba’een of Imam Hossein (PBUH) ; third: wearing ring on the right hand; fourth: placing the forehead on the soil (during salat); five: reciting “Bismillahir-Rah’maanir-Rah’eem” in clear and loud voice while performing the salat.” (Tahzib al-Ahkam, vol. 6, pg. 52.
Source: Roshd.org