Abi Hamza said...

Abi Hamza said, “We have a hadith from your forefathers that the Imam’s affairs (funeral and burial practices and saying funeral prayer over the body) is undertaken only by an Imam (meaning: if you were an Imam, you should have done these things for your father Imam Musa b. Ja‘far, although you were in Medina and he was in Baghdad).” The holy Imam said, “Was Husayn b. ‘Ali an Imam or not?” He said, “Yes.” The Imam asked: “Who was to undertake his affairs.” He said, “‘Ali b.

al-Husayn.” The Imam asked: “Where was ‘Ali b. al-Husayn? Was he not in ‘Ubayd Allah b. al-Ziad’s captivity?” He said, “Yes, but he secretly came and undertook his father’s funeral practices and returned. The Imam said, “If ‘Ali b. al-Husayn (who was captive in prison) was able to come to Karbala and carry out his father’s funeral, the possessor of this authority – i.e., Imam al-Ridha – is also able to come (from…