 the importance and the significance and the amazing aspect of the Ziyara of Imam al-Husayn al-Salam to realize the greatness of this amazing Imam. When you examine the narrations of Ahl al-Bayt, for example in the book Khamil al-Ziyarat, one of the most authentic books that we have, which was authored by one of the greatest scholars of our time, in the way of the past. When you examine the narrations in this book and you examine the amazing greatness of the Ziyara of the Imam al-Salam, it is truly shocking when we come across these amazing teachings. In one hadith the Imam al-Salam describes to us, you know Allah subhanahu ta'ala has created billions and billions of angels. There are more angels than there are human beings. The Ziyara visit visiting the shrine of Imam al-Husayn, the grave of Imam al-Husayn is such an honor. It's such a privilege that there are angels which Allah subhanahu ta'ala has created. Allah gives them permission to visit the grave of Imam al-Husayn only once in their lifetime. Because that's how heavy the traffic is when it comes to the angels descending on the grave of Imam al-Husayn. There are angels who have to wait 100 years in line before Allah subhanahu ta'ala gives them permission to visit the grave of Imam al-Husayn. Now you know the value of this Ziyara. Now you know how privileged you are for Allah subhanahu ta'ala to give you the honor of going and visiting the grave of Imam al-Husayn al-Salam. And I'm not citing some, you know, wild narrations from unknown books, respected brothers and sisters. These are authentic ahadith that all of our Maraji accept their authenticity from Imam al-Abdullah, Sadiq al-Salam. All the prophets God, some of them on a daily basis, some of them on a weekly basis, they ask for Allah's permission to come and visit the grave of the Imam al-Salam. There was a name, there was a man by the name of al-Husayn, the grandson of Abu Hamza Al-Thimali. You know Abu Hamza Al-Thimali. Dua Abu Hamza, which we cite in the holy month of Ramadhan. It's narrated by this companion of Imam al-Sajjad al-Salam. His grandson Hussayn, he says once, at the end of the time, the government of Bani Marwan. I left the city of Kufa going to Karbala to visit the grave of Imam al-Husayn al-Salam. I was very scared because during those times, anyone who would be seen in the light of day going to Karbala, they would be questioned. Sometimes they'd be killed. Their hands would be amputated if the government knew that they were going to visit the Imam al-Salam. He says, I was very concerned. I would travel only at night so no one sees me. He says, I reached Karbala. I came forward to the grave of Imam al-Husayn al-Salam. As I came forward in the midst of the night to do my ziyarah, a man appeared in those darknesses. A man appeared and he stopped me. He told me, stop, oh Hussayn. You cannot do ziyarah now. He says, I freaked out. I was scared. I was afraid. I went back and I thought to myself, what's going on? And then he says, as the fajr, as the dawn came closer, he wanted to finish the ziyarah because if the sun comes out, the spies could see him. They would wake up and they would see him. He wanted to finish his ziyarah before dawn. He says, I came back to the grave of the Imam. I wanted to ziyarah. That man popped up again. He appeared and he told me, stop. I told him, what's your problem? I've come all the way from Kufa to visit the grave of Imam al-Husayn al-Salam. And you're stopping me? Now the sun's going to rise and it will be problematic for me. Please let me. That man told him, listen, I am an angel by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. God has created me to guard the grave of al-Husayn this night. Musa alayhi salam with 70,000 angels asked Allah's permission to come and visit the grave of Husayn and Allah gave him the permission. He is finishing his ziyarah now. When he leaves then you can come. This is al-Sallu ala Muhammad wa ala. Don't underestimate the ziyarah of the Imam alayhi salam. The ziyarah of the Imam al-Salam has so many benefits for us. I want everyone to listen to these narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt. On such an evening, let us get a glimpse of the greatness of the Imam alayhi salam through the ziyarah which the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, have emphasized so much. And through our history, no government, no fear, no terrorism has succeeded in stopping the lovers of Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam from visiting his shrine. Look at what's going now in Iraq, in Karbala, in other parts of this holy land. How the enemies are trying day and night to discourage these followers from coming and visiting. Yet it is from the work of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that the number of the pilgrims of Karbala increases and increases. Let us briefly go through 12 benefits that the Ahadith of Ahl al-Bayt have mentioned. Those who go for ziyarah, they achieve these amazing 12 benefits. Benefit number one, one hadith tells us from the Imam alayhi salam that for every visitor who goes and visits the shrine of Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam, 4,000 angels will greet this person. 4,000 angels will ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to do istighfar for him. These angels, when he leaves the shrine, they go back with him. They travel with him to his homeland. When he gets sick, they visit him. When he dies, they participate in his funeral and they ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to bless this person, this visitor day and night. Where can you get a benefit like that, respected brothers and sisters? This is one of the first benefits. The second benefit, the Holy Prophet peace be upon him. In one authentic hadith, he says, the one who visits my grandson al-Husayn, when he dies, I shall come visit him. And on the day of judgment, when everyone is frightened by that very difficult scene, everyone is afraid, I will come and give peace and comfort to the one who visited the grave of Imam al-Husayn. The third benefit is that the Imam al-Husayn tells us Fatima al-Zahra, salawatullahi alayha, the mother of Imam al-Husayn. She sees every single visitor who visits his shrine and she asks Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to give him the best of both worlds. This is the third benefit that we get from visiting the Imam alayhi salam. The fourth benefit, Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam tells us Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam, after he reached martyrdom, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala elevated his soul to his throne. The soul of Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam is on the right side of the throne of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam, from the throne of God, he sees every visitor who visits his grave in Karbala. And the Imam alayhi salam, he sees those who cry for him, shed tears in his shrine. The Imam alayhi salam prays for them. The Imam alayhi salam speaks to them. He tells them, oh my visitor, if you knew what kind of blessings and reward Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has given you for coming to my shrine, you would never ever feel sad or depressed in your life. This is the amazing status of the Ziyarah of Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam. The fifth benefit, there are 70,000 angels as we have said, present around the shrine of the Imam alayhi salam. They pray to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. They offer Salat, they pray to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam says that the reward of those 70,000 angels when they pray is given to the visitor of Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam. Can you imagine this reward? One Salat has so much reward. Imagine the Salat of these infallible creations of God, the angels of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Another benefit that we see, the sixth benefit that the Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam talks about, he says in one amazing hadith that those who visit the shrine of my grandfather, Husayn, and they cry on my grandfather, Husayn, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will send my grandfathers, the Holy Prophet and the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt at the moment of his death. They will smile to him, they will comfort him, and they will instruct the angel of death. They will tell him, oh angel of death, be merciful with him, and as a result the angel of death will be merciful with the visitors of Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam. 70 times more than parents are merciful to their children. This is an amazing benefit that the visitors of Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam achieve. The seventh benefit that we see is that all of Ahl al-Bayt constantly prayed and did dua for the visitors of Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam. In one hadith, Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam tells his companion, he tells him, my companion, don't ever stop yourself from going to Karbala for ziyarah because you're concerned about the security situation because you're afraid. Today, ISIS is scaring many people. I know many people from various communities who are concerned about going for ziyarah because of the security situation. And Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam tells his companion, don't ever stop yourself from going to ziyarah because you're concerned about the security situation because I swear by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala on the day of judgment you shall have so much regret for not going and visiting the Imam alayhi salam and not dying on your way to his ziyarah and being buried next to his grave. When there is a state of fear, we should be greater encouraged to go to Karbala, brothers and sisters, because that's when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tests us. That's when we show our true love for the Imam alayhi salam. The enemies want to create a state of fear, panic in our hearts. We cannot allow them to win. When you hear that there are security concerns about Karbala, have to wakul and go, what do you have to lose? You're going to a piece of paradise. What do you have to lose? When Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is giving you these amazing benefits, one of the companions of Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam by the name of Muawiyah, he was one of the best companions of Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam. Muawiyah comes to visit Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam one day. He says, as I walked into the Imam's room, I saw the Imam alayhi salam in sujood crying and doing dua. And I heard the Imam alayhi salam make a very long dua. I heard closely to hear what Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam was saying, and this is what I heard him saying. He says, oh Allah have mercy on the visitors of the grave of my father Hussain. Oh Allah forgive their sins. Oh Allah all those people who came from far away lands, who went through so much difficulty and brought themselves to Karbala. Oh Allah it is these visitors who brought the joy and the happiness to our hearts, to the heart of Rasulullah. And they brought the anger to the hearts of our enemies. Oh Allah have mercy on them, elevate their status because our enemies mock them when they go for zeal. Today in the Muslim world, what do you see? Yes, there are many who love the Ahl al-Bayt. But unfortunately in the Muslim world today, what do you see? Many people mocking the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt for going for ziyarah. This is something which Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam predicted 13th centuries ago. Then the Imam alayhi salam in his dua, what did he say? He says, Allahumma r-Rahm til ke'l wujuh Allati ghayrat ha'sham. Oh Allah have mercy on those faces which the Sun has changed because they walked to Karbala. Allahumma r-Rahm til ke'l wujuh Allati tatakallabu ala hofrat i'bi Abdullah. Oh Allah have mercy on those cheeks which fall on the grave of my grandfather Hussain. Oh Allah have mercy on those tears on those eyes which shed their tears for my grandfather Hussain. Oh Allah have mercy on those hearts which are broken, on those hearts which feel the pain of the tragedy of my grandfather Hussain. Oh Allah have mercy on those who yelled and cried the name of my grandfather Hussain. And the Imam was crying in tears. Muawiyah, the companion of the Imam alayhi salam, he says, I was amazed. I talked to Imam al-Sadiq. I told him, oh Imam all this dua just for the visitors of the grave of your grandfather. All this dua for them? Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. What is the greatness of Imam al-Hussain alayhi salam? Muawiyah says, I wish I would have gone to Karbala for ziyara this year. Had I known that you pray for them so much? Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam, talzum oh Muawiyah, I swear by God those in the sky who pray for the visitors of Hussain are far more than those who pray for them on earth. This is the greatness of the ziyara of the Imam alayhi salam. The eighth benefit that we see as visitors of the grave of Imam al-Hussain alayhi salam, Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam tells us that the time you spend in ziyara traveling to go to Karbala, staying in Karbala, coming back does not count from your life. If Allah has willed that you live 70 years, exactly 70 years, the time you spend going for ziyara does not count. It's not included in those 70 years. This is the blessing that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala gives to the ones who visit the Imam. In fact we have a narration from Imam al-Baqir alayhi salam. He says the visitation, the ziyara of Imam al-Hussain alayhi salam is wajib, is mandatory on everyone who claims to love Imam al-Hussain alayhi salam and to consider him as an Imam. This is an authentic narration, respected brothers and sisters. The one who can go to Karbala, who has the ability and does not go, Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam, what does he say in another narration? The Imam al-Sadiq alayhi salam, he says if a Muslim, he goes to hajj his entire life but he does not go to Karbala while he could, then he shall have abandoned one of the rights of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa alayhi wa alayhi. And then in the narration he says something. I'm not sure if you can handle the Imam alayhi salam. What does he say? Open your hearts to these narrations. What does the Imam alayhi salam say? He says the one who can go to Karbala and does not, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will reduce his life by one year. If this year I could go to Karbala and I didn't, if I had the opportunity and I did not take advantage of this opportunity, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala could shorten my life for each year that I don't go to Karbala. And then the Imam alayhi salam says and if I were to tell you that there are some people whom Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala shortens their lives by 30 years because they did not go to Karbala for Ziyarah. I would not be exaggerating, I would be saying the truth. These are the words of Imam al-Sadaf alayhi salam. This is an amazing benefit. The ninth benefit that we see from the Ahadith of Ahl al-Bayt is that for those who go to Ziyarah, who walk towards the shrine of Abu Abdullah al-Husayn alayhi salam, for every footstep Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala gives them a good deed, forgives them their sins, for every footstep Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala gives them the reward of performing the Hajj 100 times with Rasulullah Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa alayhi wa alayhi. And he gives them the reward of 1000 martyrs and 1000 believers who pray and 1000 believers who fast. This is not a joke, respected brothers and sisters. These are the words of our Imams, peace be upon them. We have to treat their words with seriousness. We cannot take them lightly. Imagine if we missed out on such opportunities and there's no going back after we die. Imagine the regret we will experience while Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has given you the life and the health. Take advantage of it. As much as you can, visit the grave of Imam al-Husayn alayhi salam. Truly the reward is amazing when you examine it. Another benefit that the Imam alayhi salam tells us about on the day of judgment Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala as all the people are standing side by side, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will make an announcement. All visitors of the grave of Hussain stand up. People will stand up those who visited the Imam alayhi salam. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells them you are the first to enter paradise and Allah gives them the power of Shafa'ah. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells them go find 100 people whom you know and because of you and your Ziyarah of Hussain, you can take them with you to paradise. This is the power of Shafa'ah that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala gives them and finally the last benefit that I'll discuss with you is that some prayers Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will not answer except under the dome of the Imam alayhi salam al-Karbala. You see the 10th Imam of Ahl al-Bayt, the Imam al-Hadi al-Alayhi salam once fell ill. He was sick. He summoned one of his companions. He called one of his companions. He told them, look this is some money. Use this money. Go to Karbala. Visit the shrine. Visit the grave of my grandfather Hussain and do dua for me so Allah will give me help. The Imam alayhi salam who's infallible, he sends someone to go to Karbala to pray for his health. That companion asks him. He tells him, oh Imam but you're an Imam. You can ask. The Imam alayhi salam tells him no, Allah sometimes wants us to pray under the dome of Imam al-Hussain and only then will he answer our prayer. He goes to Karbala. He prays to Allah under the shrine of the Imam alayhi salam to give health to Imam al-Hadi alayhi salam and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala cures Imam al-Hadi alayhi salam from his sickness. If you have a certain haja, respected brothers and sisters, a certain need that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is not fulfilling, he's not answering a prayer, go to Karbala. Just last night, one of the brothers from this community, he told me that his child was born with a congenital heart disease, a heart problem. He says we've tried everything. His condition was not stable and the risks were so high we were concerned about him. We took him for Ziyarah of Abiyah Abdullah al-Hussain alayhi salam. He says after we came back to Ziyarah, we took him to the doctor for a checkup. The doctors were shocked. They said what happened to this child? He's in stable condition now. There are certain haja that you can only get in Karbala.