The Doctrinal Background To The Literature Of Lamentation...

The Doctrinal Background To The Literature Of Lamentation For Al-Husayn As A Manifestation Of The Revolution Of Al-Husayn In Popular Consciousness It is reported that Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq said: 'No poet recites a line of poetry about us without the support of the Holy Spirit.'[^2] He also said: 'God has built a house ( bayt ) in Heaven for whoever recites a line ( bayt ) of poetry about us.' Abu Harun al-Makfuf reported: Abu 'Abd Allah (i.e.

Imam Jafar al-Sadiq) said to me, 'Abu Harun recite to me about al-Husayn.' ^3 I recited and he wept. Then he said, 'Recite as you were reciting.' He meant with emotion.[^4] So I recited: Pass the grave of al-Husayn and speak of his great purity. 'He wept and then asked me to give him more. I recited another ode. He wept and I heard weeping behind the curtain.

When I had finished, he said to me: 'Abu Harun, whoever recites poetry about al-Husayn and weeps making ten others weep, Heaven is decreed for him. Whoever recites poetry about al-Husayn and he weeps and he makes one other weep, Heaven is decreed for them both....'[^5] Abu 'Umara al-Munshid reported that Imam Jafar al-Sadiq asked him, 'Recite to me the verses of al-'Abdi about al-Husayn.' He recited to him and he wept. Then he recited to him and he wept. Then he recited to him and he wept.

By God, he continued to recite to him with weeping until he heard weeping from the house. He said: 'Abu 'Umara, whoever recites poetry about al-Husayn and makes fifty others weep, will have Heaven as a reward. Whoever recites poetry about al-Husayn and makes forty others weep will have Heaven as a reward.

Whoever recites poetry about al-Husayn and makes thirty others weep will have Heaven as a reward … ^6 Al-Harith al-A'war reported that 'Ali said: 'By my father and my mother, al-Husayn will be killed on the outskirts of Kufa. By God, it is as if I am looking at wild animals of all kinds stretching their necks towards his grave weeping and lamenting for him throughout the night until morning.

If that is the case, beware of being estranged from him.'[^7] Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq told Sufyan ibn Mus'ab to recite to him about al-Husayn. He told Umm Farwa and his family to come near. When they were present Sufyan recited. Umm Farwa, weep much with flowing tears . . . Umm Farwa shrieked with grief and the women shrieked. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq called for the door to be shut while people of Medina were gathering outside.