ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Truth As It Is Supplement 2 (30) For the same reason which we have just stated, the Ja`fariyyah Shi`ah—like the other cognizant Muslims who recognize the magnificent positions of the Holy Prophet (S) and his immaculate Household (a.s)— show great interest in visiting the holy shrines of the (a.s).

They visit them with the intention of honoring them, learning from them, renewing their pledge with them, and expressing their commitment to values for which these great people strove for the preservation of which they sacrificed their lives.

In their visits of these shrines, they recall the virtues of the people buried in these places, their striving for the cause of the faith, their devotion to offering prayers constantly, giving alms, and acting steadfastly against all the harm and torment that they had to suffer. In addition, through these visits, people express their sympathy for the wronged descendants of the Holy Prophet (S).

Didn’t the Holy Prophet (S) exclaim after the event of the martyrdom of his uncle Hamzah, saying: “How is it that nobody weeps over Hamzah?”[^36] Didn’t he weep over the death of his dear son, Ibrahim? Didn’t he regularly visit the graves at al-Baqi` Cemetery?

Didn’t he urge people to regularly visit the graves and say that they remind you of the Hereafter?[^37] Attending the shrines of the Imams (a.s), who are among the Household of the Holy Prophet, and recalling their life styles and heroic combative stances remind the subsequent generations of the gross sacrifices that these great personalities made for Islam and Muslims, and implant in them the spirits of courage, bravery, altruism, and the martyrdom in the cause of Almighty Allah.

Indeed, visiting the graves of the Holy Imams is one of man’s civilized and sensible acts. Nations usually commemorate their great personalities and founders of civilizations in various ways, because this kind of commemoration fills them with pride before others and makes other nations embrace their values and establish close relations with them. For this very reason, the Holy Qur'an praises the stances of the prophets (a.s) and pure people and relates what happened to them.