The Arbaeen March (2)

Welcome to the 2nd episode of the Arbaeen March as pilgrims make their progress, many of them on foot and from long distances, to holy shrine of the Chief of Martyrs, Imam Husain (AS), the younger grandson and 3rd Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny).

We start from where we had left you yesterday regarding the account of the spiritual journey of one of the pilgrims who after crossing the Mehran border into Iraq from the Islamic Republic of Iran, first decided to proceed towards Kazemain near Baghdad for paying homage at the sprawling gold-plated twin-domed mausoleum where rest in eternal peace the Prophet’s 7^th Infallible Heir, Imam Musa Kazem and his grandson the 9^th Infallible Heir, Imam Mohammad Taqi al-Jawad (peace upon them).

Kazemain is located in northwest of Baghdad and north of the River Tigris. Indeed, the river separates it from Baghdad. The name of the city is actually a reference to the two blessed tombs of the Seventh and Ninth Infallible Heirs of the Prophet of Islam, namely, Imam Musa Kazem and Imam Mohammad Taqi (peace upon them). The holy shrine is in the centre of Kazemain and the gates of the vast complex open to the streets and main neighborhoods of the city.

Kazemain has characteristics that can hardly be found in other shrines. First, the Two Imams reposes side-by-side in a large single enclosed silver lattice structure. Second, the main part of the shrine is topped by two golden domes flanked by four minarets. Third, the shrine has three beautiful and large porches with high ceilings surrounded by sturdy pillars decorated with tile and mirror work, among the finest specimens of Persian Islamic art.

The pilgrim's impatience to reach the shrine of the two Imams was very attractive. The shrine was full of pilgrims. At four o'clock, tears rolled down my cheeks as I spotted the double-domed mausoleum of Kazemain. Upon entering the holy courtyard, I whispered automatically the supplication of Imam Musa Kazem (AS) while he was in the dungeon of Harun Rashid, the tyrant ruler of anti-Islamic Abbasid regime:

“O God! Indeed, I ask You comfort at deathbed and forgiveness at the time of reckoning [on Judgment Day].”

As I stepped into the courtyard, it reminded me of the hardships and tortures that the two Imams reposing in peace in the mausoleum had suffered during their life, but didn't capitulate to the oppressive and cruel Abbasid rulers.

Pilgrims were expressing their devotions to the Imams, saying, "Ya Baab al-Hawaij, Ya Musa ibn Ja'far, wa Ya Jawad al-A'imah Adrekni". It means: "O Gateway of Boons! O Musa son of Ja'far, and, O Generous of the Imams! Help me and rescue me."

I stood at Bab-ul Qibla (the gate facing Holy Ka'ba in Mecca). After reciting the words for permission to enter the precincts of the holy shrine, I entered and in front of the luminous lattice tomb I began praying and supplicating for myself and everybody who had told me to pray for them. All pilgrims were engrossed in supplications by focusing with full attention to the exalted position of the Two Infallible Imams.

The holy graves of Imam Musa Kazem and Imam Jawad (peace upon them) are enclosed by a silver lattice structure (called Zareeh). On the southern side Imam Musa Kazem reposes in peace and on the northern side his grandson Imam Taqi al-Jawad reposes in peace.

The Ziyarah or standard form of salutation for Imam Musa Kazem (AS) is replete with phrases that remind us of his innocence and the oppression and cruelty of the Abassid tyrant Harun against him.

The Abbasid rulers, due to their sinister desires, excessive worldly pleasures, and greed for power that did not belong to them, just like the tyrannical Omayyad rulers, had usurped political leadership of the Islamic Ummah and deprived the Muslim masses from benefiting from the Infallible Imams' treasure trove of divinely-granted knowledge.

Part of the Ziyarah of Imam Musa Kazem reads, "Greetings to Musa son of Ja'far (AS), the Successor of all righteous. He is the Leader of the Select, Treasury of luminous sciences, Legatee of calm and divine awe. He was the keeper of night vigils who was engaged in seeking forgiveness from early night till dawn. His long nightly prostrations with tearful eyes, ample supplication and continuous moaning, wouldn't separate him for a moment from his Creator. He was the Imam which was the embodiment of wisdom, thought, goodness, superiority, generosity and solidarity among individuals. He was in communion with hardship, patience, suffering and grief. He suffered a lot of oppression. He was in dungeons for long years and braved the most torture and torments in the prisons of oppressive Umayyad and Abbasid rulers."

Having recited the Ziyarah of the Seventh Imam, I moved towards the north part of the Zareeh or silver lattice enclosure to salute the tomb of the Ninth Imam. On this side of the shrines, there is a nearly 25 square meter area. Along with a group of pilgrims I recited the special Ziyarah of Imam Jawad (AS). Part of the ziyarah reads:

Peace on you, O Aba Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali the pious, God fearing and faithful guide! Peace on you, O the Representative of Allah! Peace on you, O the splendour of Allah! Peace on you O the Decisive Argument of Allah! “

At the time of Maghreb and Isha' prayers, the congregational prayer was held in the precincts of the holy shrine.

Then, the graves of some of the great Muslim scholars caught our attention in the precincts of the holy shrine. These included the graves of Sheikh Mufid, Khwajah Naseer-od-Din Tusi, and Sheikh Abu Yusuf Qazi. While outside the mausoleum are located the tombs of the celebrated Seyyed Murtaza and his brother Seyyed Razi, the compiler of the famous book Nahj al-Balagha (or Highway of Eloquence) that contains some of the sermons, letters and aphorisms of the Commander of the Faithful, the Prophet’s First Infallible Heir, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (peace upon him). How comfortable I was and how much solace I felt. Then, I left Kazemain for the city of Samarra to visit the shrines of the Prophet’s Tenth and Eleventh Infallible Heirs, Imam Ali Naqi al-Hadi and Imam Hasan Askari (peace upon them).

AS/ME