Hayat Al-Qulub Vol. 2

Incidents that occurred at the tomb of the Prophet

Shaykh Tusi has narrated that when people wanted to construct the building containing the tomb of the Prophet, at the head side of the holy grave of the Prophet and at the feet side the fragrance of Musk emanated from there such that had never been perceived before.

Kulaini has narrated through authentic chains from Muthanna Khatib that he says: I was in Medina when the ceiling near the grave of the Prophet in the Prophet’s mosque needed repairs. Masons used to go up and come down. I asked Ismail bin Ammar that we should ask Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) if it is possible to go up to that place below which, is the holy grave of the Prophet.

The next day Ismail reported that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) says that he did not like anyone to climb the ceiling above the holy grave of the Prophet, because I am not satisfied that he may see something that may cause him to lose his vision or he may see the Prophet standing up for prayer, or sitting with some of his pure wives.

Moreover according to correct chains of narrators, it is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that in 41 A.H. Muawiyah decided to perform the Hajj and sent a carpenter with wood and tools and wrote a letter to the governor of Medina to break up the pulpit of the Prophet and make a pulpit as big as the pulpit of Syria. When he decided to break the pulpit of the Prophet, there occurred a solar eclipse and a terrible earthquake began which compelled them to drop the idea and they reported this matter to Muawiyah.

He replied: “You must do as I have ordered you to.” On reading this letter, they dismantled the Prophet’s pulpit and made a new pulpit. Saffar etc. have narrated through authentic and correct chains of narrators from the Infallibles (a.s.) that one day the Messenger of Allah (S) sat with his companions and said: “My life is good for you as well as my death.” Companions said, “We know that your holy life is good for us, because through you we have been guided to the right path and achieved salvation from the fire of Hell. But how can your death be good for us?”

The Messenger of Allah (S) said, “After my death, your deeds will be presented before me; and when I see your good deeds, I would pray for you that may Allah increase your Taufeeq. And seeing your bad deeds, I will ask Allah to forgive you.” A hypocrite said, “How would you pray for us, when your bones (Allah’s refuge) would have decayed into dust.” The Holy Prophet (S) said, “It is not so, the Almighty Allah has made my and my Ahlul Bayt’s flesh prohibited for the earth and our bodies do not decay in the earth.”

Through authentic chains of narrators it is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that no prophet or successor of Prophet remains in the grave for more than three days; after that his flesh, bones and soul are lifted up; and people come to visit that place where they are buried and salutations that are recited on them from near and far are received by them.

It is narrated through many authentic chains of narrators from the same Imam that when Abu Bakr usurped the Caliphate of Ali (a.s.), he (Ali) asked him, “Did the Holy Prophet (S) not order you to obey me?” “No,” he replied, “If he had ordered me, I would have obeyed you.” Imam (a.s.) said, “Will you obey if right now you were to see the Holy Prophet (S) and he were to order you?” “Yes” he replied. Imam Ali (a.s.) said, “Come with me to Masjid Quba.” When they reached Masjid Quba, Abu Bakr saw that the Messenger of Allah (S) was standing up in prayers.

When the Holy Prophet (S) concluded his prayer, Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said, “Abu Bakr denies that you ordered my obedience.” The Holy Prophet (S) told Abu Bakr, “I ordered you time and again. Go now and do not deviate from his obedience.” Abu Bakr was highly terrified at this scene and when he was returning from there, he met Umar, who asked him what the matter was. Abu Bakr said that the Holy Prophet (S) said this and this.

Umar said, “That Ummah was destroyed that appointed a fool like you as their ruler. Perhaps you don’t know all this is the sorcery of Bani Hashim.”
It is quoted in Ikhtisas and Basairud Darajat, rather in all books, through authentic chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that when people dragged Amirul Momineen (a.s.) by his collar to the mosque to pay allegiance to Abu Bakr, Imam Ali (a.s.) stood by the Prophet’s grave and repeated what Prophet Harun (a.s.) had told Prophet Musa (a.s.):

ابْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُونِي وَكَادُوا يَقْتُلُونَنِي

“Son of my mother! surely the people reckoned me weak and had well-nigh slain me…”[^1]

At that moment, a hand emerged from the grave of the Prophet and moved to Abu Bakr and everyone recognized that it was the hand of the Prophet and a voice, which everyone recognized to be the voice of the Holy Prophet (S) said:

أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا

“Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust, then from a small seed, then He made you a perfect man?”[^2]

According to another report, a plate came out from the grave on which was inscribed:

أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا

“Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust, then from a small seed, then He made you a perfect man?”[^3]

Moreover, Saffar etc. have narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that he asked: Why do you torture the Messenger of Allah (S)? People asked how we torture the Holy Prophet (S)? Imam (a.s.) said: “Perhaps you don’t know that your deeds are shown to the Prophet. When he sees any of your sins, he is aggrieved.”

Kulaini, Saffar and others have narrated through authentic chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that on Friday eve, the soul of the Prophet and the souls of the previous prophets and souls of successors and the soul of Imam Zamana (a.s.) are taken up to the sky and they do Tawaf of the sky seven times. And perform 2 rakats prayers at every side.

When it is morning, their knowledge increases to a great degree and it has come down in another report that when the Almighty Allah wants to increase the fresh knowledge of Imam Zamana (a.s.), except for the knowledge of the prohibited and lawful in Islam, He sends that piece of knowledge to the Holy Prophet (S) through an angel.

Then the Holy Prophet (S) sends him to Amirul Momineen (a.s.) who in turn sends him to Imam Hasan (a.s.) and so on till he reaches Imam Zamana (a.s.). Himyari and Saffar have narrated through authentic chains of narrators that Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) said: “Yesterday, I saw the Holy Prophet (S) at this place and I hugged His Eminence.”
The author says: The meanings and interpretations of these traditional reports have already been mentioned in Biharul Anwar and if the Almighty Allah wills, secrets and finer points will be narrated in the book of Imamate.

And it is enough for the Shia to believe in these traditions, to follow them and believe in them in brief and leave the knowledge upon the Imams and not allow doubts to haunt them, because doubts are satanic and instigations of the self can lead to infidelity and apostasy; especially for those who are incapable of solving them. And I conclude this book at this point and request the brothers in faith that they forgive me for mistakes in this book and may the Almighty Allah not deprive from rewards the servant who is already drowned in sins, and I beg you to pray for my forgiveness.

Because too many involvements and adverse circumstances and too many critics and shortage of those who recognize the truth; in spite of all this, the sayings of Ahlul Bayt of prophethood that were since a long time, abandoned and concealed due to the disinterest of the people, I gathered for Shia and arranged them and for those who were ignorant of Arabic language, I translated into local language so that they may come to know about the sayings and practices of the leaders of faith and proximates of the court of the Lord of the worlds.

And I ask Allah for its recompense and don’t care for those who do not recognize the truth and only Allah is sufficient for me and He is the best of the guardians and this book was completed on 25th Zilhajj, 1087 A.H. And praise be to the first and the last and may Allah bless Muhammad (S), chief of the messengers and his infallible and purified Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

[^1]: Surah Araaf 7:150

[^2]: Surah Kahf 18:37

[^3]: Surah Kahf 18:37