The elements discussed in the previous point of supplications and invocations, are equally applicable for Ziyarah. In other words, whatever was said concerning supplications is relevant for Ziyarah as well, the only difference being as follows: Supplication is our conversation with our Creator Who there is none like Him. Whatever He desires, comes into existence without any hindrance or question, as He Himself declares,

إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ

“His affair is such that when He intends something, (He) simply says to it, ‘Be’, and lo! it is.” (Holy Qur’an, 36:82).

But Ziyarah are our conversation with Allah’s sincere creatures and His infallible proofs, who cannot be paralleled by anyone from this nation. They are those whom Allah has purified from all uncleanness and has created them pure, purified. Thus, whosoever desires to enter the gate of Allah, then they (‘a) are the gates through whom Allah is approached. They are the medium towards Him and hence, their recognition, their love and treading on their path is obligatory. All these are summarised in one thing and that is ziyarat. Literally, ziyarat means to meet. It is our creed that their souls ascend towards the highest heavens and that they are alive, getting their sustenance (from their Lord). They look at us, hear our speech and reply to our salutations. As Amir ul-Mu’minin (‘a) narrates from the Holy Prophet (S),

“Those who die among us, are not (actually) dead.”

The belief of us Shias is against the Wahhabis who think that as the Holy Prophet (S) is dead, our relationship with him is like that with any other stone that can neither advance nor postpone. And also opposed to the Ghulat who attribute divinity to Amir ul-Mu’minin (‘a). Allah is Higher than what the unjust believe, a big lie. We subscribe to the belief that Holy Prophet (S) is the last Prophet but the most superior of them all. He is followed by his successors, the Holy Imams (‘a). In our time today, Hazrat Mahdi (AJ), the Promised One, is his successor.

So from among the etiquette of ziyarat is that the one whose ziyarat we are about to read, his recognition is a must. It is not possible for us to acquire the recognition of the Holy Prophet (S) or the infallible Imams (‘a) through the faulty or inadequate faculties available to us humans. Just as an ant, in front of a huge mountain or a drop of water when compared to an ocean, are not worth a mention, we too when compared to these great personalities, are even smaller than the ant or the drop of water. Then how is it possible that we describe or recognise them? It is only Allah the Almighty Who knows them. Consequently, the only method to know them is through revelation. If we acquire any other mode of recognition, then indeed we will be among the doomed sects.

Therefore, we should acquire the beliefs from these infallible and holy Imams (‘a) only so that we refrain from either of extremes nor we become among those who exaggerate (ghulat). Hence, on divine command, we commence our ziyarat with greetings and salutations in his presence, as a method of offering our respect and believing that, ‘by his blessing are the creatures sustained and through his existence, the earth and the heavens are being firmly established.’ Hence, we being among his flock and his guests, must necessarily greet him every morning with our salutations. We must offer our greetings as the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) taught us and renew our allegiance with them. We should seek from Allah the Almighty with a blazing heart that He hastens his (AJ) noble reappearance. This is what he (AJ) has ordered us to do when he says,

‘And pray most for the hastening of the reappearance, for certainly, it is your salvation.’