فصلنامه فرهنگ زیارت
پیاپی 28 (پاییز 1395)

Pilgrimage to the shrine of the Prophet, the Imams (AS), religious scholars and even relatives and friends, is of the things that is seen only in Shia religion; hence many Sunnis, especially the Wahhabis consider it as heresy. While there are many Hadiths mentioned in the books of Sunni and Shiite recommending to visit such sites. Pilgrimage is a classroom indeed and pilgrimage letters from Imams and children of Imams (AS) are laden with spiritual knowledge and pure teachings that these honorable individuals were not able to propagate them in their lifetime, due to restrictions imposed on them by the suppressive governments. Visiting the graves of relatives and friends too is beneficial for both pilgrims and for those who are buried in these tombs and it has spiritual benefit for them. One way to keep the school of Ahlul-Bayt (AS) alive is to go to visit the shrines of the Imams and paying attention to the pilgrimage letters of these personages, that in practical life of eminent Shia scholars in the world of Shiism, many instances of their dedication to pilgrimage of the Holy Imams (AS) can be seen. This article along with explaining the status of pilgrimage in Shiite culture and enumerating the types of pilgrimage and their effects and benefits as well as providing traditions ascribed to Imams (AS) and practical life of religious leaders on pilgrimage, regards it to be one of the ways of keeping the school of Ahlul Bayt (as) alive.

Infallible Imams (as) have always been great educational role-models in Islam and visiting their shrines is a spiritual connection with such educational role-models which can have a great impact on the visitor. In fact, during pilgrimage, pilgrims attends the shrine of those who he regards as the best examples of faith and piety and are the servants of God and in their stature, the face of a perfect human is manifested and beside comparing themselves with these holy individuals, they attempt to resolve their shortcomings and fill the gap with them in order to take steps on the way to perfection. The purposeful lifestyle and dignified death of the Infallible Imams (AS) is the best model for those who go to visit their shrines and their pilgrimage letters are full of educational tips and moral virtues of Imams (AS). The spiritual atmosphere of the shrines is such visitors’ tawassol to the Imams (AS) and request of intercession from them will result in the forgiveness of sins. In fact, with pilgrim’s repentance and spiritual revolution, the educational aspect of pilgrimage is completed. This article examines the educational models existent in pilgrimages to the Infallible Imams (AS) and along with enumerating its various dimensions, gives some excerpts from a few pilgrimage letters as proof.

Arbaeen pilgrimage is the largest gathering of people around the world and the biggest religious festival of Shiites which has an important role in demonstrating the power of Shiites and expanding the objectives of Shiite Islam among the nations; Therefore, enemies of Shiites from all groups and religious and political schools attempt, by creating confusion and doubt and calling this political-worshiping festival as heresy, discourage Shiites from doing it. Providing documents and accurate, consistent and reliable scientific evidence in proving the authenticity and legitimacy of this spiritual festival can not only reveal the deception and tricks of enemies of Shiites and Ahlul-Bayt (AS), bur also pave the way for holding this fathering in a more elegant way among the great population of Imam Hussain’s fans. This article, by analytical-descriptive method, has tried to provide documents and evidence from traditions, history and lifestyle of Imams (AS) so that lovers of Imam Hussain and Ahlul-Bayt can respond to conspiracies of malevolent enemies. In this regard, this article not also provides documents and historical and Hadith evidence, but also mentions narrative documents of Arbaeen pilgrimage and part of the text, then to Jaber Ibn Abdullah Ansari’s role in the first Arbaeen pilgrimage and in the end, has provided the readers with results of present research.

One of the things that made Wahhabis to find faults with Shiites and even call them Takfiris, was cursing the enemies of Ahlul-Bayt (AS); while cursing and its derivatives are seen in the Holy Quran and the narrations related from the Prophet (pbuh) and Infallible Imams (AS). The most important Quranic verse that refers to a cursed tree, is verse 60 of Asra Surah which based on the great traditions of Shia and Sunni, the meaning of “cursed tree” refers to Bani Umayyads and their oppressive followers. In prophet Muhammad’s sirah (pbuh) too there are abundant instances of cursing the enemies of Islam and hypocrites. If this cursing is by God, it means punishment in the hereafter and being deprived of mercy and grace in this world and if it is by a human being, it means prayer and cursing requests the detriment or harm to another person. This article in the beginning, has explained the literal meaning of the term “curse” and following that, has pointed out cursing philosophy and has enumerated the philosophy of it. It then attempts to explain the term “Allah curse the Umayyads” during Ashura pilgrimage and based on general and particular traditions, has justified group cursing of Umayyads.

In the land of Iraq, the presence of streams and small and large rivers has been of great importance since past times; because most great civilizations have formed alongside these streams and rivers and most important historical events after Islam, have occurred in these areas as well. Historians of Islamic periods also, on occasions of the events that occurred along these rivers and governments that have worked on the development of land surrounding the rivers or these rivers’ roles in the prosperity of agriculture and trading in the surrounding cities, they have pointed out in their historical works. One of the most important rivers of the city of Karbala, is “Nahrain” which a part of its water goes around Imam Hussein’s shrine. The other one is, “Nineveh” which is derived from the Euphrates. The third river, is the river Alqameh which after being restored by the Mongols, it was named the “Ghazani” river. The fourth river named after Sultan Suleiman Qanuni is called “Solomon’s River” and since “Hassan Pasha,” the governor of Baghdad, has rebuilt it, it is called „Hosseini River” too. This article, along with enumerating the four rivers that flow around Karbala, touches upon the history, the name and the events that occurred on their sidelines.

One of the top Shiite scholars and prominent personalities of the contemporary Muslim world who has an important role in the Proximity of Islamic Schools, is Ayatollah Sayyid Sharaf al-Din Hussein. This distinguished cleric went to Najaf and understood the scholars there and received Ijtihad degree. He founded several mosques, Hussainiyah, and schools and the center “Nadi al-Imam al- Sadiq (AS)” to train youths. Shafaruddin’s most important scientificwork, Al-Almuraji’at wal-Fosoul Almuhimmah was written with the aim of creating unity between Sunnis and Shiites in Najaf. He, in his works, in addition to explaining the do’s and don’ts for Proximity ofIslamic Schools, has introduced this solidarity as essential to the ruleof the oppressed on Earth and educating the ignorant; an alliancethat forms through healthy dialogue and thanks to a focus on Ahlul- Bayt (AS). Allamah Sharafuddin, in his interviews and debates, by initiatives his own special elegance, forces the other party to be influenced and have obeisance. This article introduces Allamah Sharaffuddin and after touching upon his role in Proximity of Islamic Schools, speaks of his proximity travels, attending in Al-Azhar classes, narrative permission from Sunni Ulama and some of his proximity beliefs.

Art, is the expressive language and reflects culture and civilization of human society and artist’s speech and behavior, will have great influence on the thought and lifestyle of people. Muslim artists too have known God, man and the world through the Quran and sayings of the Prophet and the Imams (AS) and under the influence of these sources, have created their thoughts in the form of artwork. Since literature is derived from the language of the people, it has a special place among other arts and can have the greatest impact on its audience. With the advent of Islam, literature and poetry, more than ever and more than other arts served the goals of Islam. In Persian literature too, Sanaii Ghaznavi was the pioneer in ethical and religious literature. Visiting the shrines of Imams (AS) is a kind of Tawassol and expressing compassion to these personages, which is both a path to God and places man in the path of knowledge; Therefore, mosques and shrines have always been manifestation of Islamic art, especially poetry and literature. In present paper, position of pilgrimage in Persian poetry and literature are examined and concepts such as Islamic etiquette in Islamic buildings, going to pilgrimage, lovely pilgrimage and encouraging pilgrims to perform pilgrimage have been touched upon.

One of the most important events in the history of Islam and somehow the turning point in the history of Shi’ism that has had a great effect on all the uprisings and liberation movements in Islam and even around the world is the bloody uprising of Imam Hussein (AS) in Ashura in the year 61 AH, just fifty years after the death of his grandfather, the Prophet of Islam (pbuh). So far, numerous books and articles have been written about Ashura event and from various perspectives, this important event has been discussed. One of these works, “after fifty years”, is the precious book of the knowledgable scholar, Mr. Dr. Seyyed Jafar Shahidi, in which he investigates the causes behind the formation of this historic event, and regards it to stem from factors such as primitive temperament of Arabs, discord among Muslims, changing of social values and prevalence of nobility in the Muslim community at that time. Present paper, along with explaining the values of this valuable work and providing a summary of it, deals with critiquing this book in four areas of ignoring Saqifah, ignoring big mistakes of the Three Caliphates, ignoring the falsification of Omar council and neglecting to meta-historical aspects of Karbala event.