Son of Late Aga Sayyid Murtaza Kashmiri, and respected scholar, Hajj Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi, has narrated from Sayyid Kashmiri that in Kashmir, there is a Husayniyah in the lap of mountains, whose sides such that the inside scene can be seen from outside and part of its roof is open for light and air.

Every year, during Ashura days, mourning rituals of His Eminence. chief of the martyrs are arranged there and a group of Shias gather and take part in those rituals. From the first night of Muharram, a lion comes from a nearby forest and climbs the terrace and putting its head into the ventilator, watches the mourners; and continuous tears drop from his eyes. This continues till the night of Ashura, and then it goes away after the Majlis program.

He also said that there is never controversy in this locality regarding the first of Muharram, because the arrival of the lion shows that it is the first night of mourning season. During Ashura days, in some animals, many a times, signs of grief and sorrow have been observed and it is testified by reliable and trustworthy persons.

To increase the insight of our readers, we quote an astonishing incident from Kalimah Tayyiba of Noori: Prominent scholar and owner of perfections, Akhund Mulla Zayn ul-Abidin Salamsi says:

When we were returning from the Ziyarat of Imam Ali Al-Ridha ('a), we passed through Kohe Alwand area, situated near Hamadan. We halted over there. It was the spring season. My fellow travelers started pitching the tents and I began to view the mountain. Suddenly I noticed a white object. When I looked carefully, I realized that it was a white haired man wearing a small white turban and seated on a four yards high boulder, and around him many large rocks were paved, due to which only his head was visible.

I went to him, saluted and expressed love and sincerity. He also became friendly with me and came down from his dwelling. After that he narrated his story as follows:

I don 't have any connection with this deviated group, which has named itself with different names in order to avoid special responsibilities, and they come out in strange forms. On the contrary, I had family and children as well, but after fulfilling my duties to them, I chose worship and seclusion in leisure. He also had codes of Islamic laws of various scholars and was staying there since the last eighteen years.

He said: I have witnessed many extraordinary phenomena over here. I came during the month of Rajab. After more than five months, one night I was praying the Evening (Maghrib) Prayer when there arose a great noise and peculiar types of sounds were heard.

I was terrified, and shortening my prayers, when I looked around, I saw that the whole forest was full of animals and all were heading towards me. My fear and apprehension increased, but I was surprised to see that the different kinds of animal were present in that herd, like lions, deer, mountain cows, cheetahs and wolves. And all were together. They were making strange sounds. They came and stood around me and raising their heads, started wailing. I said to myself: It is rather strange that these wild animals, who are enemies of each other, have come together to attack me, whereas they are not attacking each other. Indeed there must be a great reason and some bizarre event behind it.

When I thought about it, I remembered that it was the night of Ashura and this wailing and weeping was for His Eminence, the chief of the martyrs, Imam Husayn ('a). When I was satisfied, I took off my turban and started thrashing my head. I threw myself down saying: Husayn, Husayn, martyred Husayn. I continued to repeat such words, till those animals vacated a place in their midst and made a circle around me.

Some of them were hitting their heads on the ground and some were throwing themselves on the dust. All of us continued that till morning dawned. First the more ferocious animals went away. Others followed in the same sequence, till all of them dispersed.

From that date till now this is the practice of those animals. Thus, if I am unsure about the date of Ashura, I become sure by their gathering.

Then the pious man arose and for his fast-ending meal (Iftar) and the dawn meal (Sehri), kneaded some flour and lighted the stove. I requested him to have dinner with me the following day. I said: I will have some food prepared and bring it to you. He said: I have food for tomorrow. If I have nothing for the day after, I will be your guest.

At night, I told my fellow travelers to prepare something nice for such honorable guest, who has not eaten proper food since many years, to which they agreed. In the morning, they prepared rice. I was seated on the prayer mat and reciting post-prayer recitations, at the time of dawn, I saw a person climbing the mountain very fast. Since I felt danger, I said to my servant, Ja 'far, to bring him to me. When he was called, he replied: I am thirsty. Get some water for me. I am going to the worshipper and I will come to you on my return.

He reached the worshipper, gave him something and returned to us. He greeted us and took a seat. I asked him the reason of his haste, purpose of his visit and what it was that he gave to that worshipper. Who he was and from where he had come? He said: I am actually from Khovi in Azerbaijan. I was kidnapped and sold in my childhood. So and so Haji Dabbagh had purchased me and had me taught reading, writing and religious laws. After that he got me married and arranged permanent source of income for me making me self-sufficient.

Last night, I saw Amir ul-Mu’minin ('a) in dream. The Imam told me: Before sunrise, you must deliver one Mann (6 kilos) of pure flour, to the worshipper who lives in Kohe Alwand. I asked: May I be your ransom; how can I know whether this flour is lawful and pure or not?

He replied: Go to so and so tanner. I woke. but could not conclude what time of the night it was. I came out fearing that I might be unable to reach the worshipper before sunrise. I did not even know the complete address of the tanner. When I walked some distance, the soldiers who made rounds at night, apprehended me and took me to the inspector. He asked: Why are you roaming out at this time of the night? I said: I have some work with the tanner. I made a vow that I would meet him in the last part of the night. When I woke up, I could not find what time it was. So I left my place fearing the non-fulfillment of the vow and the soldiers apprehended and brought me here.

That tanner was a well-known personality. The inspector said: I can see that this fellow is speaking the truth. Take him to the house of the tanner. If he recognizes him and admits him into his place, release him. Otherwise bring him back. They brought me to the door of the tanner and stepped aside saying: This is his place. I knocked the door. The tanner opened the door. I greeted him. He replied to my greetings and embraced me. He kissed my forehead and took me inside. On seeing this, the soldiers went away.

I said: I want a Mann of pure flour. He said: O course. He went in and brought out a scaled bag and said: It is of that same quantity. I asked: What is the price? He replied: One who ordered you about it, also commanded me not to accept payment for it. So I placed that bag on my shoulders and performed the Morning Prayer before climbing the mountain, fearing that the time should not lapse. All this is the grace of the Almighty Allah; He bestows it to whomsoever He likes.

Janab Akhund (r.a.) said: A community of desert dwellers was settled there near the lap of the mountain, where we had halted. They reared sheep. We sent a man to buy some curd and paneer, but they refused to sell it and drove him away. He returned from here in anxiety.

But not long after that, some people came and said: We refused to sell curd and paneer, and drove away the person you had sent, as a result of which a disease appeared in our sheep; they start shivering all of a sudden and then drop dead. We think that it is a punishment for our bad behavior. Thus, we request you to save us from this calamity.

l wrote down a supplication and told them to attach it to a stick and fix amidst the herd. After taking the supplication, their men brought a large quantity of paneer for us, which we could not even lift.

After that when we went to the worshipper, he remarked: A strange incident happened between you and that community. A man who lives in this area informed me how you sent a man for their curd etc. and how they drove him away. He also told me that the jinns who reside there are in your favor and they became so angry at them that they started killing their sheep. Those people sought your help and took a supplication scolding the jinns. When the jinns saw that writing, they remarked to each other: When they have become satisfied with them and are threatening us, we should also leave their sheep alone.

Then the worshipper put his hand below the carpet and took out the supplication. The name of that worshipper was Husayn Zahid.