In the Name of the Most High
Today is actually our fourth day in Mashhad, and as I write this, people are spilling over me to grab Qur'ans and copies of Mafaatih al-Jinaan. In the small corner of the shrine I've nestled myself into, people are praying and reading du'a all around me, and the haram of Imam Ridha (as) is bustling with energy. The atmosphere is absolutely electric. It's Thursday night at the haram, after maghrib prayers but an hour before Du'a Kumayl, and it seems most of the zaairs of Imam are staying in the haram until Du'a Kumayl begins.
It's taken me a while to write an entry since I arrived here, mostly because Mashhad has been somewhat of an adjustment from Damascus. First, a tiny fraction of the people here speak English, so language has been more of a barrier. Also, unlike Syria, where we saw caravans of pilgrims from different countries, here there are very few non-Iranian pilgrims. Both my wife and I have also had to adjust to the Iranian diet, which consists of regular servings of kabob and rice. We've also been having our fill of delicious Iranian tea at almost every meal, although having too much of it has left us dehydrated and too tired for meaningful ebaadah at the haram.
Having gotten over the initial adjustment period, though, I'm slowly starting to love Mashhad, Imam Ridha (as), the haram itself, and the people here. The zaaireen here are truly people in love with and devoted to the holy personality here, Imam Ridha (as). The haram itself is open 24 hours a day, and the room in which the zarih over Imam Ridha's (as) grave is located is packed with people at every hour, day and night. It's so crowded that in four days here, I've only managed to touch the zarih twice, and that too with only the tips of my fingers. The haram is vast and expansive, with many courtyards, rooms, and offices, and at every hour of the day one can see hundreds of pilgrims passing in and out of the various courtyards of the haram. During prayer time, a large jamaat forms in each of the courtyards.
It's been somewhat of a challenge coping with the massive crowd here and still benefiting spiritually from being in the presence of the Imam. Knowing that I won't have much of an opportunity to make du'a while clutching the zarih, I've tried to find space in the room in which his zarih is located and to focus instead on connecting with Imam Ridha (as) with my heart and mind. It is in this room, while tucked away in the corner, with other pilgrims sitting to my sides, in front of, and behind me, and occasionally stepping over me, that I've felt my spiritual connection with the Imam to be strongest. There is no feeling quite like sitting on the ground, facing the zarih, and reciting the ziyarat of Imam Ridha (as). Reading the English translation of this ziyarat makes one humbly reflect on and recognize the superb qualities of Imam Ridha (as) and all of the Imams. As it says in his ziyarat, Imam Ridha (as) was someone who established prayer, paid the poor rate, and enjoined the good and forbid the evil. His immaculate character itself was a decisive proof for the existence of God, for an individual with such sublime morality could only be the product of a perfect Creator. In ahadith, it is written that Imam Ridha (as) never stretched his legs out in front of anyone, nor interrupted anyone who was speaking to him, nor neglected to help anyone he was in position to help.
Many of the locals in Mashhad passionately devote themselves to serving and meeting the needs of the zaairs Imam Ridha (as). They do this with the goal of pleasing Imam Ridha (as) and hopefully earning his intercession on the Day of Judgment. Although he lives in the U.S., one brother has helped arrange much of our Iran itinerary and coordinated our train tickets and accommodations here. In the same vein, yesterday we met an older gentleman, Bani Hashimi, whose children and grandchildren also live in Mashhad. Bani Hashimi is retired now, and in his free time serves as a kaadhim, or volunteer, in Imam Ridha's shrine, where he helps safeguard the shoes of pilgrims while they're inside the shrine. Before dhuhr prayers yesterday, he gave us a tour of the haram and took us to a basement deep underneath the ground floor of the shrine. Here, on the ground, we see hundreds upon hundreds of beautiful stone tiles with names engraved on them; Bani Hashimi points out that these are kaadhims who have had the honor of being buried in Imam Ridha's (as) shrine, and that when he dies, he, too, will be buried next to the Imam.
Later in the day, Bani Hashimi picks us up from our hotel and takes our laundry from us; we don't know it at the time, but instead of taking it to a laundromat, his wife will take it upon herself to do our laundry. Him and his wife then take my wife and I out to show us different parts of Mashhad, since, up until this point, our visit has revolved exclusively around visiting the shrine. Later, despite our objections, he takes us out to dinner - American food, because we're probably missing it, he reasons - and insists that we come to his house on Friday for lunch so that we can meet his family. We are not the first zaairs of Imam Ridha (as) that Bani Hashimi has so eagerly and selflessly served, and undoubtedly, we won't be the last either. Doing the laundry of strangers is an effortless task, it seems, when one is motivated by love for Imam Ridha (as) and desires only proximity to God.
Today is actually our fourth day in Mashhad, and as I write this, people are spilling over me to grab Qur'ans and copies of Mafaatih al-Jinaan. In the small corner of the shrine I've nestled myself into, people are praying and reading du'a all around me, and the haram of Imam Ridha (as) is bustling with energy. The atmosphere is absolutely electric. It's Thursday night at the haram, after maghrib prayers but an hour before Du'a Kumayl, and it seems most of the zaairs of Imam are staying in the haram until Du'a Kumayl begins.
It's taken me a while to write an entry since I arrived here, mostly because Mashhad has been somewhat of an adjustment from Damascus. First, a tiny fraction of the people here speak English, so language has been more of a barrier. Also, unlike Syria, where we saw caravans of pilgrims from different countries, here there are very few non-Iranian pilgrims. Both my wife and I have also had to adjust to the Iranian diet, which consists of regular servings of kabob and rice. We've also been having our fill of delicious Iranian tea at almost every meal, although having too much of it has left us dehydrated and too tired for meaningful ebaadah at the haram.
Having gotten over the initial adjustment period, though, I'm slowly starting to love Mashhad, Imam Ridha (as), the haram itself, and the people here. The zaaireen here are truly people in love with and devoted to the holy personality here, Imam Ridha (as). The haram itself is open 24 hours a day, and the room in which the zarih over Imam Ridha's (as) grave is located is packed with people at every hour, day and night. It's so crowded that in four days here, I've only managed to touch the zarih twice, and that too with only the tips of my fingers. The haram is vast and expansive, with many courtyards, rooms, and offices, and at every hour of the day one can see hundreds of pilgrims passing in and out of the various courtyards of the haram. During prayer time, a large jamaat forms in each of the courtyards.
It's been somewhat of a challenge coping with the massive crowd here and still benefiting spiritually from being in the presence of the Imam. Knowing that I won't have much of an opportunity to make du'a while clutching the zarih, I've tried to find space in the room in which his zarih is located and to focus instead on connecting with Imam Ridha (as) with my heart and mind. It is in this room, while tucked away in the corner, with other pilgrims sitting to my sides, in front of, and behind me, and occasionally stepping over me, that I've felt my spiritual connection with the Imam to be strongest. There is no feeling quite like sitting on the ground, facing the zarih, and reciting the ziyarat of Imam Ridha (as). Reading the English translation of this ziyarat makes one humbly reflect on and recognize the superb qualities of Imam Ridha (as) and all of the Imams. As it says in his ziyarat, Imam Ridha (as) was someone who established prayer, paid the poor rate, and enjoined the good and forbid the evil. His immaculate character itself was a decisive proof for the existence of God, for an individual with such sublime morality could only be the product of a perfect Creator. In ahadith, it is written that Imam Ridha (as) never stretched his legs out in front of anyone, nor interrupted anyone who was speaking to him, nor neglected to help anyone he was in position to help.
Many of the locals in Mashhad passionately devote themselves to serving and meeting the needs of the zaairs Imam Ridha (as). They do this with the goal of pleasing Imam Ridha (as) and hopefully earning his intercession on the Day of Judgment. Although he lives in the U.S., one brother has helped arrange much of our Iran itinerary and coordinated our train tickets and accommodations here. In the same vein, yesterday we met an older gentleman, Bani Hashimi, whose children and grandchildren also live in Mashhad. Bani Hashimi is retired now, and in his free time serves as a kaadhim, or volunteer, in Imam Ridha's shrine, where he helps safeguard the shoes of pilgrims while they're inside the shrine. Before dhuhr prayers yesterday, he gave us a tour of the haram and took us to a basement deep underneath the ground floor of the shrine. Here, on the ground, we see hundreds upon hundreds of beautiful stone tiles with names engraved on them; Bani Hashimi points out that these are kaadhims who have had the honor of being buried in Imam Ridha's (as) shrine, and that when he dies, he, too, will be buried next to the Imam.
Later in the day, Bani Hashimi picks us up from our hotel and takes our laundry from us; we don't know it at the time, but instead of taking it to a laundromat, his wife will take it upon herself to do our laundry. Him and his wife then take my wife and I out to show us different parts of Mashhad, since, up until this point, our visit has revolved exclusively around visiting the shrine. Later, despite our objections, he takes us out to dinner - American food, because we're probably missing it, he reasons - and insists that we come to his house on Friday for lunch so that we can meet his family. We are not the first zaairs of Imam Ridha (as) that Bani Hashimi has so eagerly and selflessly served, and undoubtedly, we won't be the last either. Doing the laundry of strangers is an effortless task, it seems, when one is motivated by love for Imam Ridha (as) and desires only proximity to God.
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| Enjoying Iranian tea |
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| Outside haram at night |
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| Courtyard inside shrine |
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| Large courtyard at entrance of shrine |
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| Courtyard inside shrine, carpets spread for prayer |
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| Hall inside shrine where Du'a Kumayl program held |
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| With Bani Hashimi at Mashhad train station |
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