He then said that he had been eating from the wealth of Imam Reda for fifteen consecutive days in his guest house, and that the Nakir and Monkar would not come to him in his grave, for his flesh and blood had increased from the food served in Imam Reda's guest house. I asked the Sayyed if this was true, and would Imam Reda (PBUH) save him from Nakir and Monkar? He replied: "By Allah, yes, my forefather will guarantee." Then I asked if my Ziyaarat to Imam Reda (PBUH) was accepted? He said: "Yes Enshaa'allah [Allah-Willing]". I asked then about Haji Mohammad Hosain Bazaazbaashi son of the deceased Haji Ahmad Bazaazbaashi, "Is his Ziyaarat accepted? He is my friend and was a partner in the expenditures on the way to Mashhad Reda (PBUH)." He said: "A righteous servant, yes his Ziyaarat is accepted." Then I asked about another person who was from Baghdad, whether or not his Ziyaarat was accepted, but this time he did not answer! I repeated the question and asked him if he had heard me, but he again, answered not.

Haji Ali later explained that there were a group of the Baghdad mob and criminals in that journey, who were busy playing around and enjoying themselves all through the trip, and that particular person had also killed his own mother.5

Then on the way, we approached a wide portion of the road facing the city of Kaazemain, which had gardens on both sides; part of the road coming from Baghdad that was connected to the garden on the right side was actually the property of some Saadaat orphans which the government had unjustly and forcefully taken and added it to the road; the two cities' pious ones had always avoided walking in that piece of the land; but I noticed that the Sayyed stepped in that section. Thus I told him that the place was owned by some Saadaat orphans and that, passing through it was not permitted. He said: "The property belongs to my forefather, the Amir-Ol-Mo'meneen, and his descendants and our children, and passing through it, is allowed and Halaal for our Mowaaliyaan."

Close to that place, on the right side was a garden owned by a person called Haji Mirza Haadi, and he was a wealthy and well known 'Ajam [non-Arab] who resided in Baghdad. I asked him if it was true that the land of Haji Mirza's garden belonged to Imam Moosa son of Ja'far (PBUT)? He asked me for what purpose I wondered, and refused to answer.

Then we approached a stream of water passing through the road, which they had branched off the Tigris River for the farms and gardens of that region; at that point, the road toward the city divided in two different roadways, one was the sultanic [governmental] path, and the other was the Saadaat path. He proceeded on the Saadaat path; so I told him to come on the sultanic path, but he replied: "No, we go on our own path." So we did so, and we had not walked but a few steps that we found ourselves in the Holy courtyard, close to the shoe-keeping! We passed through no alleys and bazaars!!!

So we entered the veranda through the Baab-Ol-Moraad doorway on the east side which was at the foot of the Imam (PBUH). At the sanctified portico, he neither stopped nor recited the 'Permission for Entrance', so he entered the Haram [the Holy area close to the Grave] and then stopped; he told me to read the Ziyaarat supplication, but I said that I knew not how to recite. He asked me if I wanted him to recite for me, and I said yes. So he said: "Do I enter, O' Allah? Salaam be upon you, O' Rasool of Allah; Salaam be upon you, O' Amir-Ol-Mo'meneen; …" And in this manner, I repeated the Salaam to every one of the Imams (PBUT), until I got to the Salaam to Imam Hasan Askari (PBUH), so he said: "Salaam be upon you, O' Abaa Mohammad Al-Hasan Askari" Then he asked: "Do you know the Imam of your time?" And I replied: "Why should I not?" So he told me to say Salaam to the Imam of my time; and I said: "Salaam be upon you, O' Hojjat [Proof] of Allah, O' Saaheb-A-Zzamaan, O' son of Hasan!" Then he smiled and said: "Salaam, and the Rahmat and Barakaat [the Mercy and Blessings] of Allah be upon you."

Then inside the sanctified Haram, we clung to the Holy Zarih [the screen around the Holy Grave forming the burial chamber] and kissed it; so he told me to perform the Ziyaarat; I said that I knew not how to recite, and he offered to recite for me. So he asked me which Ziyaarat I wished, and I said: "The Ziyaarat supplication which is the more superior, lead me to perform the Ziyaarat with that." And he replied: "The Ziyaarat of 'Amin-O-Llah (Aminullah)' is the more superior." Then he started reciting:

"Salaam be upon you, O' Ameen [Trusty] of Allah on His earth, and His Hojjat [Proof] upon His servants, …"

At this time, the Haram lights were being kindled, and I saw the candles burning; but the Haram was bright and lightful from another light, like the sunlight!!! The candles appeared like lights which were being kindled in the day light!

… Neglectfulness had seized me so much that I was not comprehending any of those signs!

After we finished the Ziyaarat, we moved from the side below the foot of the Imam (PBUH), to the side behind his Holy head, and stood on the east side; he asked: "Do you Ziyaarat my forefather Hosain (PBUH)?" And I replied: "Yes I do , it is Thursday evening." So we recited the "Waareth Ziyaarat".

At this point, the Mo'adhens [callers to pray] finished the Adhaan [call to pray] for Maghreb [after sunset] Salaat, and he told me to join the Jamaa'at [congregation] and perform the prayer. So we went to the mosque located behind the Holy Head, and the Jamaa'at prayer was being held there. He stood Foraadaa [individually, not following the lead of the prayer leader] to the right side of the leader, and in the same line with him. I entered the first row [behind the leader] and found a place there. When I finished praying, I did not see him! So I left the mosque, looking for him in the Haram, but did not find him; I wanted to meet him, and pay him some money, and ask him to be my guest over night.

Suddenly it occurred to me, "Who was that Sayyed?!" And I began to grasp the past miracles and signs: Submitting to him, while I had that important business to attend in Baghdad [i.e. his ability to overpower Haji's decision-making]; Calling me by name, while I had never seen him before [i.e. his Knowledge of the Ghaib (unseen)]; His stating: "OUR Mowaaliyaan" [i.e. including himself in the AhlulBayt (PBUT)]; Saying that he would bear witness; The appearing of the stream and the out of season fruitful trees. And, all those things that had happened made me certain that he was Hadrat Mahdi (PBUH). Specially in the case of the "Permission for Entrance" [which he had not recited, i.e. he obviously had "Permission" from the Prophet and the AhlulBayt and the angels (PBUT) to enter and needed not to seek it]; And that, after the Salaam to Imam Hasan Askari (PBUH), he had asked me if I knew the Imam of my time, and when I said that I did, he told me to say Salaam to him, and when I did so, he smiled and answered me back.

So I went to the shoe-keeping, and asked about him; he told me that he had left, and asked me if that Sayyed was a friend of mine, and I said that he was.

Then I returned to my host's house and spent the night. In the morning, I went to Shaikh Mohammad Hasan and narrated all that I had seen. He placed his hand on his mouth, and forbade me to tell the story and to divulge the secret, and said, "May Allah bless you to achieve success."

So I was keeping it secret and telling it to no one, until one month had passed from that incident. One day I was in the Holy Haram, a respectful gentleman came to me and asked me what I had seen, and he pointed to that day's incident. I said that I had seen nothing. But he repeated the question, and I firmly denied again. Then he vanished from my sight and I saw him no more … .

Notes:

5- The Infallible Imams (PBUT) are, by Allah's Permission, aware of people's intentions and actions; he who sincerely, with WELAAYAT, had done the Ziyaarat of Imam Reda (PBUH) and with a heart filled with hope and love had eaten in the Imam's guesthouse, the Imam (PBUH), Allah-Willing, was going to help him; while he who had done the Ziyaarat but was a sinner … .

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Let us open the doors of our hearts and feel the flow of the Sun's warmth in all days and nights of this Ramadan, specially in the Nights of Qadr as the angels come down and embrace the Sun; let us, in the night and day of the 'Eed (Eid) of Fetr, and in each and every moment of our lives, with tearful eyes and repenting broken hearts, anticipate and pray for the SunRise … .