Late Aga Sayyid Muhammad Taqi Gulistan (Editor: Gulistan Daily), has narrated that in the beginning of his youth he belonged to a group of young men having similar interests and temperament. (He had also mentioned their names. but I have forgotten).

Everyday we gathered at the place of one of our friends. Father of a young man was a follower of Imam Husayn (‘a). That is, he was deeply devoted to the chief of martyrs and his mourning ceremonies. He was so much attached to him that when he wept for the oppressed Imam, he lost his self-control. One night, when it was the turn of his son to host us, he said: I am not pleased that you gather in my place, except that an elegy reciter should also come and talk about Imam Husayn ('a).

Thus, at the turn of this friend, our gatherings concluded with Majlis and elegy reciting. After some days that gentleman passed away and his death shocked us all. One night, I saw him in dream and I recalled that he was already dead and one who holds the toe of a deceased and asks him for something, he replies to him. So I held his toe and said: I will not leave you till you don't describe to me your circumstances from the time of your death till now.

He became very much terrified and said: Don't ask me! I cannot describe it. When I despaired of it, I said: At least tell me what you have understood in this world, so that I may also gain insight. He replied: We did not truly recognize Imam Husayn ('a), whose remembrance we commemorated in the world. When I came here, I learnt of his true position and status; and he is having such a status that I cannot explain it to you, except that you come here in person and see it for yourself.

Not Possible To Understand The Higher World

On this juncture, it is necessary to understand two points: One is that why souls refrain from explaining the circumstances of Purgatory in detail to living persons who come in contact with them in dreams. and why they become terrified at that question. Secondly: Explanation of the rank of Imam Husayn ('a) in Purgatory and on Judgment Day.

Thus. with regard to the first issue, we would say that every person having understanding and perception is restricted in his rank and it is impossible for him to understand the rank, which is higher to his level and to understand the world, which is at a higher level and of a different dimension.

An intellectual has explained the unseen with the help of an example. He says: Just as when an ant crawls to a telephone line; it will be able to perceive it only as a body, that it is wood and not stone or iron. But how can it understand that this metal connects two towns and through its thousands of people perform various important jobs?

In the same way, as long as man is in the captivity of material life, it is impossible for him to interfere in the spiritual and the higher world, and to understand the souls, world of recompense and circumstances of reward and punishment.

Dream Is A Brief Spiritual Act

If it is said: In dream, the soul separates from the body to some extent, so there should be no obstacle to it in understanding matters of Purgatory. Then why do the deceased refrain from mentioning it?

We would reply that firstly, in dream, the soul does not get completely detached from the physical body and secondly whatever it learns in dream its soul understands it according to the level of worldly perceptions, which is his present rank, and when he awakes, that same connotation remains in its memory and that is why some dreams are needful of interpretation.

Explanation Of Marital Affairs To A Child

An example is cited here in order to explain this point further. If a mother describes to her three or four your old child the concept of marriage and conjugal matters, beauty of bride and different foods, fruits etc, that child will only imagine that doll, which his mother has bought for him and he would also imagine a brief sweetness whose taste he has tasted. At the most there would be some increase in his understanding.

Is it possible for a child to fully understand the circumstances of the wedding night? He only knows about the pleasure of holding a doll in his arms. Same is the case of fairies of Paradise (Hour ul-Ein) and other pleasures of Purgatory for one who is restricted in the world of nature; and same is the case with hardships and tortures for one who is present in this world. He cannot understand any of those things. They are completely different and, in comparison to this world, are a thousand times higher and more intense. That is why it is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an that:

فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ

"So no soul knows what is hidden for them of that, which wi11 refresh the eyes." (Surah as-Sajda 32:17).

Understanding The Rank Of Imam Hussain ('A) Is Related To Knowledge

Another point concerns the rank of Imam Husayn ('a) in Purgatory. As mentioned before, as long as man remains in the world and is a captive of physical body, except for worldly circumstances, he cannot understand anything else. So much so that if he is obsessed with worldly love, he even denies the supernatural and spheres of Purgatory and Judgment Day.

On the contrary, he even ridicules them. As opposed to this, a person who is emancipated from the lure of materialism and has obtained divine recognition and love of God considers worldly life to be a vain pastime. And since he finds the perfection of his success in witnessing those worlds, he is eager for death and is desirous of escaping from this world.

One of these points is realizing the rank of the chief of the martyrs. Till a person does not enter that world, he cannot understand the supremacy, position and power in the divine kingdom and for the time being there is no option, except that he should confess in brief and admit his helplessness in understanding its reality.

On this subject, a saying of Imam Ja 'far as-Sadiq ('a) is quoted about the rank of lmam Husayn ('a) in Purgatory:

In Nafas ul-Mahmoom it is narrated through correct authorities from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq ('a) that he said: Imam Husayn ('a) is in position of the Messenger of Allah (S) with his parents and brother and he receives sustenance in accordance with that world and divine blessings descend on him.

The fact is Imam Husayn ('a) is present to the right side of Throne (Arsh) and he says: My Lord, bestow me that, which You promised me (intercession) and he glances at those who perform the Ziyarat of his tomb. Thus, he is aware of their names, along with the names of their fathers; and more cognizant of them than they are of their children.

He also glances at one, who has wept on him and prays for his salvation and requests his father to invocate for his forgiveness. He says: O one who wept on me, if you had known about the reward, which the Almighty Allah has reserved for you. your exhilaration would have exceeded your grief and sorrow. Then he asks for the forgiveness of all his sins.