The Last Luminary and Ways to Delve Into the Light
Responsibility 95: The Ziyarat of the Imam for Friday
Another responsibility upon the servants of Allah is to perform the ziyarat of the forefathers and pure ancestors of Imam al-Zaman (ajtf) on the days when their Ziyarat has been recommended to be recited.
According to a tradition from Imam ‘Ali b. Muhammad al-Hadi (as), each day of the week has been reserved for one or more of the Infallibles (as) and on those days, we should perform their Ziyarat.[^1]
Saturday: The Messenger of Allah (S)
Sunday: Amirul Mo`minin ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (as) and Fatimah az-Zahra (sa)
Monday: Imam Hasan (as) and Hussain (as)
Tuesday: Imam ‘Ali b. Husain as-Sajjad (as), Imam Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Baqir (as) and Imam Ja’far b. Muhammad as-Sadiq (as)
Wednesday: Imam Musa b. Ja’far al-Kadhim (as), Imam ‘Ali b. Musa al-Riďa (as), Imam Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Taqi (as) and Imam ‘Ali b. Muhammad an-Naqi (as)
Thursday: Imam Hasan b. ‘Ali al-’Askari (as)
Friday: Sahib al-’Asr wal Zaman, Imam al-Mahdi (ajtf), may Allah hasten his return.
The specific Ziyarat which we have been recommended to recite is as follows:[^2]
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حُجَّةَ اللهِ في أَرْضِهِ، أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا عَيْنَ اللهِ في خَلْقِهِ، أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا نُورَ اللهِ الَّذِي يَهْـتَدِي بِهِ الْـمُهْـتَدُونَ، وَيُفَرَّجُ بِهِ عَنِ الْـمُؤْمِنِينَ
“Peace be upon you O’ Proof of Allah on His Earth, peace be upon you O’ Representative of Allah with His Creations peace be upon you O’ Divine Light of Allah by whom those who seek guidance are guided and through which he grants salvation to the true believers.
أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا الْـمُهَذَّبُ الْـخَائِفُ، أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا الْوَلِيُّ النَّاصِحُ، أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا سَفِينَةَ النَّجَاةِ، أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا عَيْنَ الْحَيَاةِ
Peace be upon you O’ refined and awe-inspiring; peace be upon you O’ the intimate advisor; peace be upon you O’ ship of salvation peace be upon you O’ essence of life!
أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلى آلِ بَيْتِكَ الطَّيِّبِينَ الطَّاهِرِينَ، أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ عَجَّلَ اللهُ لَكَ مَا وَعَدَكَ مِنَ النَّصْرِ وَظُهُورِ الأَمْرِ
Peace be upon you – prayers of Allah be upon you, and upon your family (the Ahlul Bayt) the pure and pious ones. Peace be upon you may Allah hasten for you that what He has promised you of (His) help and appearance of the (universal world) order.
أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مَوْلاَيَ، أَنَا مَوْلاَكَ عَارِفٌ بِأُولاَكَ وَأُخْرَاكَ. أَتَقَرَّبُ اِلـىٰ اللهِ تَعَالـىٰ بِكَ وَبِآلِ بَيْتِكَ وَأَنْـتَظِرُ ظُهُورَكَ وَظُهُورَ الْـحَقِّ عَلىٰ يَدَيْكَ
Peace be upon you O’ master, I am your friend and follower, and I am well aware of your aim and ultimate purpose. I seek nearness to Allah, the Most High, through you and your family (the Ahlul Bayt). And I await your advent and the advent of the truth at your hands.
وَأَسْأَلُ اللهَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ عَلىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَأَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنَ الْـمُنْتَظِرِينَ لَكَ وَالتَّابِعِينَ وَالنَّاصِرِينَ لَكَ عَلىٰ أَعْدَائِكَ وَالْـمُسْتَشْهَدِينَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ فِي جُمْلَةِ أَوْلِيَائِكَ
I ask Allah that He send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and that He places me among those who are awaiting you and those who follow (you) and those who will help (you) against your enemies; and those who will achieve martyrdom (when fighting) with you, in the ranks of all of your intimate and close friends.
يَا مَوْلاَيَ يَا صَاحِبَ الزَّمَانِ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلىٰ آلِ بَيْتِكَ هٰذَا يَوْمُ الْـجُمُعَةِ، وَهُوَ يَوْمُكَ الْـمُتَوَقَّعُ فِيهِ ظُهُورُكَ، وَالْـفَرَجُ فِيهِ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلىٰ يَدَيْكَ، وَقَتْلُ الْــكَافِرِينَ بِسَيْفِكَ، وَأَنَا يَا مَوْلاَيَ فِيهِ ضَيْفُكَ وَجَارُكَ، وَأَنْتَ يَا مَوْلاَيَ كَرِيـمٌ مِنْ أَوْلاَدِ الْكِرَامِ، وَمَأْمُورٌ بِالضِّيَافَةِ وَالإِجَارَةِ فَأَضِفْنِي وَأَجِرْنِي، صَلَوَاتُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلىٰ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ الطَّاهِرِينَ.
O’ my master, O’ the Present Imam of our time! Blessings of Allah be upon you and your family (Ahlul Bayt). This is the day of Jumu’ah (Friday) and it is the day in which your advent is expected and the coming of relief for the believers (from their difficulties) by your hands, and (in which will be the) execution of the disbelievers with your sword.
And I am, O’ my master, in it (this day), your guest and neighbor, and you O’ my master are generous, from the sons of the generous ones. And you have been commanded to receive guests and welcome neighbors. So then receive me and welcome me, blessings of Allah be upon you and upon your family (the Ahlul Bayt), the purified ones.
[^1]: The Ziyarat for each day of the week are not mentioned in this work, however readers who wish to benefit from them can refer to “Daily Duas” published by Tayyiba Publishers (tayyiba@telus.net) which features the Ziyarat in ‘Arabic with full English translation. (Tr.)
[^2]: Biharul Anwar, vol. 102, pg. 210, sec. 9, no. 1; Jamal al-Usbu’, pg. 25