A believer always strives to achieve proximity to Allah the Almighty through the medium of sincere and heartily inclination to each of the holy infallibles (peace be upon them) and provide the means through the visitations of the holy infallibles (peace be upon them) to achieve quick fulfilment of his supplications and desires. The best way to please Allah, the Almighty, and gain true proximity to Him, is to visit the holy shrines of Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them). From among these is the grand mausoleum of 8th divine proof, the Imam who guarantees, Abul Hasan al-Thaani and the third Ali from the 12 Imams (peace be upon him), His Eminence Imam Ali Ibn Moosa al-Reza (peace be upon him). Due to his blessed footsteps and sanctified shrine, the city of Mashhad is known as Mashhad al-Muqaddas (Sacred).
The visitation (Ziyaarah) of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) is not just a pilgrimage but it is a promise of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) himself that he has made to each of his visitors. The Imam (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever visits me in the land which is far away from my homeland, I will myself come to visit him on the Day of Resurrection at three places, such that I will grant him salvation from the fear of those places. First, when people will be given their scroll of deeds in their right and left hands. Second, the bridge (Seraat), and third, when the deeds will be weighed on the Scale (Mizaan).”
[Uyoon-o-Akhbaar al-Reza (a.s.), vol. 2, p. 255, H. 2]
Note:
- All these three places are where every person will be extremely fearful and if he fails at any of these stations, then his abode will be hell
- If a person’s deeds are given in his left hand instead of his right hand, he is destined for Hell
- If his feet slip on the bridge (Seraat), he will straightaway go into the Hell-fire
- If, on the Scale (Mizaan), his bad deeds outweigh his good deeds, then too, his abode will be hell
This means that the pilgrimage (Ziyaarah) of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) will benefit the people where they need it the most. But this honor is only for the one who believes in the leadership (Imamate) of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) and visits him considering him as the true Imam. Imam Reza (peace be upon him) himself has pointed out this fact. He (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever, from among my lovers, visits me cognizant of my right, then on the Day of Judgment, I and my forefathers will intercede for him.”
[Uyoon-o-Akhbaar al-Reza (a.s.), vol. 2, p. 257, H. 11]
We pray to Allah the Almighty that He hastens the reappearance of the heir of Imam Reza (peace be upon him), and the Imam of our time, His Eminence Imam al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s.), so that along with him, we can reconstruct Jannat al-Baqi, as beautiful as the shrine of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) and grant those who accept the Mastership of Imam Reza (peace be upon him), the opportunity to visit Imam Reza (peace be upon him) while being fully cognizant of his rights.
Aameen, O Lord of the worlds!