We said, ‘We were hearing an Assyrian recitation in a grief-stricken voice!
We said, ‘We were hearing an Assyrian recitation in a grief-stricken voice!’ He -asws said: ‘I -asws recalled a whispering of the Prophet -as Eliya -as , so it made me -asws cry’’.
[63] وَ إِنَّهُ لَيَقْرَأُ فِي مِحْرَابِهِ فَيَجْتَمِعُ الطَّيْرُ وَ السِّبَاعُ تَعَجُّباً لِصَوْتِهِ وَ إِنَّ قِرَاءَتَهُ كَشِبْهِ مَزَامِيرِ دَاوُدَ وَ إِنَّهُ مِنْ أَعْلَمِ النَّاسِ وَ أَرَقِّ النَّاسِ وَ أَشَدِّ النَّاسِ اجْتِهَاداً وَ عِبَادَةً- وَ كَرِهْتُ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ التَّعَرُّضَ لَهُ فَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُغَيِّرُ ما بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا ما بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ And it is (reported by a narrator) so that whenever he -asws (Imam Ali -asws Ibn Hussain -asws ) recites (Quran) in his -asws prayer niche, the birds and the beasts gather being fascinated to his -asws voice, and his -asws recitation was like the Psalms of David -as (like recitation of Prophet David -as ) and he -asws is from the most learned of the people, and kindest of the people, and severest of the people in striving and worship, and I dislike objecting to commander of the faithful, That is because Allah does not Change a Favour He has Favoured upon a people until they change what is with themselves, and surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing [8:53] ’ (an extract).
[64] وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: لِكُلِّ سِرٍّ ثَوَابٌ إِلَّا الدَّمْعَةَ فِينَا And it is reported from Abu Abdullah -asws having said: ‘For every Reward there is a limit, except the tears (shed) regarding us -asws .
[65] Finally, drum beating during the Tatbir and Nobat playing in the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali Reza -asws , can be considered as traditional practices and these do not necessarily provide justifications for others to acquire such practices without the clear proofs from Ahadith.
Whereas, in the recitations of the poetry dedicated to Ahl Al-Bayt -asws , i.e., lamenting and praising in verses (recited in intonations) [66] , we find evidence from Ahadith, a similar tune is also found in the loud recitation of Azan and Aqama.
[1] The view that Dawood (peace be upon him) used to seek forgiveness by playing the flute is a view for which there is no basis, rather what is meant by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari, “You have been given a beautiful voice (mizmaar, lit.