Etiquettes of Ziyarah

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مروي عن الأئمة المعصومين عليهم السلام في كتب الأدعية والزيارات المعتبرة.
Virtues, description, and recitation method of ETIQUETTES OF ZIYARAH as recorded in Shia traditions.
قَالُوْا غَدًا نَأْتِيْ دِيَارَ الْحِمْى
Eighteenth: If there is no particular form of salat al-ziyarah, it is recommended to recite Surah Yasin in the first unit and Surah al-Rahman in the second. It is also recommended to beseech Almighty Allah after these prayers for the worldly welfare as well as success on the Resurrection Day. It is also recommended to pray for all people generally in order that his prayers will be more acceptable. Nineteenth: Shaykh al-Shahid says, "If one enters a shrine and finds that a congregational prayer is held, the prayer must be offered before doing the ziyarah rites. The same thing must be done it one enters a shrine at the time of an obligatory prayer. Because the ziyarah is the purpose, one may do the ziyarah rites on other conditions. When a congregational prayer is held while one is doing the ziyarah congregational prayer. It is thus discommended to ignore the congregational prayers. Moreover, the supervisors in the shrine must order the za'ir (i.e. performer of ziyarah) to join the congregational prayer. Twentieth: In the word of Shaykh al-Shahid, to recite a portion of the Holy Qur'an in the shrines and to dedicate the recitation to the soul of the holy person buried in that shrine is one of the etiquettes of ziyarah. Of course, this act brings about rewards to the za'ir and shows honoring of the holy person buried in the shrine. Twenty-First: It is advisable to refrain from nonsensical and meaningless speech in the holy shrines and to avoid discussing this-worldly affairs. Of course, nonsense and offensive speech are discommended everywhere and at all times. Such language stops sustenance and results in hardheartedness, especially in such pure places and under such superior domes about whose superiority and highness, Almighty Allah has said, "In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them, there glorify Him therein in the
وَ يَنْزِلُ الرَّكْبُ بِمَغْنَاهُمُ
mornings and the evenings. 24/36' Twenty-Second: As I have confirmed in my book of hadiyyat al-za'ir, it is recommended not to raise one's voice with the recitals of the ziyarah formulas. Twenty-Third: At leaving, it is recommended to bid farewell to the Imam ('a) through reciting the formulas dedicated to so (wada') or any similar formulas. Twenty-Fourth: It is advisable to declare repentance, implore Almighty Allah for forgiveness, and pray Him to make the deeds and words after the Ziyarah better than one's deeds and words before it. Twenty-Fifth: It is recommended to give some money to the custodians of the holy shrines. As a matter of fact, the custodians of the holy shrines must be virtuous, righteous, religious, and honorable. They are required to respect the zuwwar (pl. za'ir) and to stand their behaviors. They must not wreak their wrath upon those zuwwar or shout at them. Instead, they must settle all the needs of the zuwwar and guide the strangers if they are lost. In general, the custodians are required to act as servants, to arrange and guard the holy shrine, to watch over the zuwwar, and to do whatever necessary. Twenty-Sixth: It is also recommended to give some money to the neighbors of the holy shrines - the poor, the needy, and the modest, especially the Sayyids (i.e. descendants of the Holy Prophet) and the students of religious sciences who accepted to live in poverty, alienation, and neediness for the sake of glorifying the rites of Almighty Allah. Hence, those are the worthiest of receiving charity and custody. Twenty-Seventh: Shaykh al-Shahid says, "Among the etiquettes of ziyarah is to hurry in leaving the holy shrine when the ziyarah is accomplished, so that the sanctity of the shrine will be preserved and eagerness to repeat ziyarah will be aroused." He further says, "When they perform ziyarah, women must isolate themselves from men. Preferably, women may perform ziyarah at night. They may also disguise themselves by putting ordinary clothes rather than precious, so that they will not be recognized. They may also try to hide and veil themselves. However, it is legal, yet discommended, for
فَكُلُّ مَنْ كَانَ مُطِيْعًا لَهُمْ
women to perform ziyarah amongst men. Said they, "Tomorrow, we shall enter their homeland, And our caravan will settle near their houses Hence, only he who has
اَضبَحَ مَسْرُوْرًا بِلَقْيَاهُمُ
been obedient to them Will be pleased to meet them." Said l,
قُلْتُ فَلِي ذَتْبٌ فَمَا جِيْلَتِيْ
"Ihave committed sins! What will I do? And how will I beha ve
بِآَيِّ وَجْهِ آَتَلَقَاهُمُ
in the face of them?" Said they,
قَالُوْا اَ لَيْسَ الْعَفْوُ مِنْ شَأَنِهِمْ
, "Is it not that pardon is the
لَا سِيَّمَا عَمَّنْ تَرَجَاهُمُ
habit of them? Especially for those who have put faith in
فَجِثْتُهُمْ اَسْعَى إِلَى بَابِهِمْ
them!" I thus hurried to their house door Hoping and fearing
آَرْجُوْهُمُ طَوْرًا وَ اَخْشَاهُمُ
them!
لَا اِلْهَ اِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ
There is no god save Allah; One and Only and having no partner. Comparing Karbala' to the Holy Ka'bah Karbala', , in Hadith, is superior Similar are the other shrines, according to
وَ مِنْ حَدِيْثِ كَزْبَلَا وَ الْكَعْبَةِ
narrations At these shrines, try to come near the tomb And to
لِكَرْبَلَا بَانَ عُلُوُ الرُّثْبَةِ
offer prayers at the side of the head Offer the prayer behind the tomb, too Authentic reports have confirmed so The difference between these tombs ls like the light on a mountain peak Offering prayers at these tombs is
وَ غَيْرُهَا مِنْ سَآئِرِ الْمَشَاهِدِ
recommended To come near them and to stick to them is required Eighteenth: If there is no particular form of salat al-ziyarah, it is recommended to recite Surah Yasin in the first unit and Surah al-Rahman in the second. It is also recommended to beseech Almighty Allah after these prayers for the worldly welfare as well as success on the Resurrection Day. It is also recommended to pray for all people generally in order that his prayers will be more acceptable.
اَمْثَالَهَا بِالنَّقْلِ ذِيْ الشَّوَاهِدِ
Nineteenth: Shaykh al-Shahid says, "If one enters a shrine
وَ رَاعِ فِيْهِنَّ اقْتِرَابَ الرَّمْسِ
and finds that a congregational prayer is held, the prayer must be offered before doing the ziyarah rites. The same thing must be done if one enters a shrine at the time of an
وَ اثِرِ الصَّلَاةَ عِنْدَ الرَّأْسِ
obligatory prayer. Because the ziyarah is the purpose, one may do the ziyarah rites on other conditions. When a congregational prayer is held while one is doing the ziyarah
وَ صَلِّ خَلْفَ الْقَبْرِ فَالصَّحِيْحُ
congregational prayer. It is thus discommended to ignore the congregational prayers. Moreover, the supervisors in the shrine must order the za'ir (i.e. performer of ziyarah) to join the congregational prayer. Twentieth: In the word of Shaykh al-Shahid, to recite a portion of the Holy Qur'an in the shrines and to dedicate the recitation to the soul of the holy person buried in that shrine is one of the etiquettes of ziyarah. Of course, this act brings about rewards to the za'ir and shows honoring of the holy
كَغَيْرِهِ فِيْ نَذْبِهَا صَرِيْحٌ
person buried in the shrine. Twenty-First: It is advisable to refrain from nonsensical and
وَ الْفَرْقُ بَيْنَ هَذِهِ الْقُبُوْرِ
meaningless speech in the holy shrines and to avoid discussing this-worldly affairs. Of course, nonsense and offensive speech are discommended everywhere and at all times. Such language stops sustenance and results in hardheartedness, especially in such pure places and under such superior domes about whose superiority and highness, Almighty Allah has said, "In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them, there glorify Him therein in the
وَ غَيْرِهَا كَالنُّوْرِ فَوْقَ الطُوْرِ
mornings and the evenings. 24/36" Twenty-Second: As I have confirmed in my book of hadiyyat
فالسَّغيُ لِلصَّلاةِ عِنْدَهَا نُدِبَ
al-za'ir, it is recommended not to raise one's voice with the recitals of the ziyarah formulas. Twenty-Third: At leaving, it is recommended to bid farewell to the Imam ('a) through reciting the formulas dedicated to so (wada') or any similar formulas. Twenty-Fourth: It is advisable to declare repentance, implore Almighty Allah for forgiveness, and pray Him to make the deeds and words after the Ziyarah better than one's deeds and words before it. Twenty-Fifth: It is recommended to give some money to the custodians of the holy shrines. As a matter of fact, the custodians of the holy shrines must be virtuous, righteous, religious, and honorable. They are required to respect the zuwwar (pl. za'ir) and to stand their behaviors. They must not wreak their wrath upon those zuwwar or shout at them. Instead, they must settle all the needs of the zuwwar and guide the strangers if they are lost. In general, the custodians are required to act as servants, to arrange and guard the holy Shrine, to watch over the Zuwwar, and to do whatever necessary. Twenty-Sixth: It is also recommended to give some money to the neighbors of the holy shrines - the poor, the needy, and the modest, especially the Sayyids (i.e. descendants of the Holy Prophet) and the students of religious sciences who accepted to live in poverty, alienation, and neediness for the sake of glorifying the rites of Almighty Allah. Hence, those
وَ قُرْبُهَا بَلِ اللَّصُوْقُ قَدْ طُلِبَ
are the worthiest of receiving charity and custody. Twenty-Seventh: Shaykh al-Shahid says, "Among the etiquettes of ziyarah is to hurry in leaving the holy shrine when the ziyarah is accomplished, so that the sanctity of the shrine will be preserved and eagerness to repeat ziyarah will be aroused.' He further says, "When they perform ziyarah, women must isolate themselves from men. Preferably, women may perform ziyarah at night. They may also disguise themselves by putting ordinary clothes rather than precious, so that they will not be recognized. They may also try to hide and veil themselves. However, it is legal, yet discommended, for women to perform ziyarah amongst men."