be patient and excel in patience and remain steadfast...

be patient and excel in patience and remain steadfast, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, that you may be successful.” (Qur’an, Surah Aale Imran 3:200) His Eminence, Ali bin al-Husain (as) became angry and said: “I wish that one who sent you with this had approached me directly.” Then he said: “This verse was revealed for my father and us, and the perseverance that we have been ordered for has not yet occurred, it would be for some of our descendants…” It is mentioned in Burhan from Ayyashi in a Mursal tradition (having incomplete chain of narrators) from His Eminence, Abu Ja’far Baqir (as) regarding this verse that he said: “It was revealed for us and until now the time of steadfastness that is commanded, has not arrived, and it would be in our descendants.”[^2] I say: It is obvious that in the above mentioned traditions the implied Marabit is none but our master, His Eminence, the Master of the Age, the Imam of the time (as), on the basis of his statement in the Tawqee and as also explained in the chapter of Letter ‘L’.

And here it is clear that this matter is a special act of worship of His Eminence just as performing the Hajj of the House of Allah is a special quality of His Eminence as mentioned in the chapter of Letter ‘H’a’. In addition to this, the length of his patience and his constant lamenting for his great ancestor, the Chief of the Martyrs (as) are among his distinguishing qualities which were not present in his predecessors.

In the Ziarat , famous as Ziarat Nahiya His Eminence says: “Since I have been pushed behind by the passage of time and being prevented from helping you by fate and I could not fight those who had fought you. And (since) I had not been able to face your enemies I will continue to weep morning and evening…”[^3] This Ziarat is mentioned in the part of Mazaar Kabeer in Biharul Anwar of Allamah Majlisi.

Miracles Of His Eminence The special concern and effort of His Eminence in religious propagation and guiding the people is the basis for his showing of miracles. To pray for one who is concerned with spreading divine customs and struggling to reform the people, is a praiseworthy act according to logic and religious texts. That is why angels pray for the seekers of knowledge in addition to the fact that guidance of the people is the most beneficial matter for them and it is a favor upon them.

Thus it is necessary that prayers should be recited for one who guides the people to the right path.