Ziarat the shrine of Abbas
Ziarat the shrine of Abbas includes special prayers and rituals to be performed as the Zaeer approaches the Shrine of Hazrat Abbas.
Shrine of Hazrat Abbas
Abbas’s shrine is located in the town of Karbala on the northeast side of Imam Hussain’s mausoleum. Both shrines are built on a mound overlooking the town.
Main themes of the Ziarat
The Zaeer as he approaches the Shrine of Hazrat Abbas is recommended to recite a ziarat which can be considered to cover four major themes: Firstly, it describes the high status of Hazrat Abbas, the fact that he was loyal, and devoted his whole life for his brother and for the sake of Islam. Secondly, the numerous services that he rendered on the plains of Karbala are mentioned. Following which the Zaeer then curses and sends La’ana on the killers and those oppressed Hazrat Abbas. And finally the Zaeer declares his love and allegiance to Hazrat Abbas and his willingness to fight for the same cause for which Hazrat Abbas was martyred.
The Text of Ziarat
The Shaykh Ja`far ibn Qawlawayh al-Qummi has reported through a chain of authority that Abu-Hamzah al-Thumali reported Imam al-Sadiq as saying: If you intend to visit the shrine of al-Abbas ibn Ali that lies on the bank of the River Euphrates opposite to al-Ha'ir, you should stop at the gate of the shed (precinct) and say these words:
سَلاَمُ ٱللَّهِ وَسَلاَمُ مَلاَئِکَتِهِ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِینَ
Peace of Allah and peace of His favorite angels,
وَأَنْبِیَائِهِ ٱلْمُرْسَلِینَ
His commissioned prophets,
وَعِبَادِهِ ٱلصَالِحینَ
His righteous servants,
وَجَمِیعِ ٱلشُّهَدَاءِ وَٱلصِّدِّیقینَ
all the martyrs, and all the veracious (ones),
وَٱلزَّاکِیَاتُ ٱلطَّیِّبَاتُ فِیمَا تَغْتَدِی وَتَرُوحُ
and also pure, true blessings that come and go,
عَلَیْکَ یَا بْنَ أَمِیرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِینَ
be upon you, O son of the Commander of the Faithful.
أَشْهَدُ لَکَ بِٱلتَّسْلِیمِ وَٱلتَّصْدِیقِ
I testify to you of submission (to the will of God), honest acceptance as true,
وَٱلْوَفَاءِ وَٱلنَّصِیحَةِ
loyalty, and sincerity
لِخَلَفِ ٱلنَّبِیِّ صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ ٱلْمُرْسَلِ
to the descendant of the commissioned Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Household,
وَٱلسِّبْطِ ٱلْمُنْتَجَبِ
the chosen grandson (of the Prophet),
وَٱلدَّلِیلِ ٱلْعَالِمِ
the well knowledgeable guide (to the true religion),
وَٱلْوَصِیِّ ٱلْمُبَلِّغِ
the conveying successor,
وَٱلْمَظْلُومِ ٱلْمُهْتَضَمِ
and the wrongfully oppressed one.
فَجَزَاکَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْ رَسُولِهِ
So, Allah may reward you on behalf of His Messenger,
وَعَنْ أَمِیرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِینَ
the Commander of the Faithful,
وَعَنِ ٱلْحَسَنِ وَٱلْحُسَیْنِ
al-Hasan, and al-Husayn,
صَلَوَاتُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَیْهِمْ
peace of Allah be upon them,
أَفْضَلَ ٱلْجَزَاءِ
with the best reward
بِمَا صَبَرْتَ وَٱحْتَسَبْتَ وَأَعَنْتَ
for your steadfastness, dedication (to the sake of God), and support (for the right party).
فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَىٰ ٱلدَّارِ
Very excellent be the reward of the eternal life.
لَعَنَ ٱللَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَکَ
Allah’s curse be on him who killed you.
وَلَعَنَ ٱللَّهُ مَنْ جَهِلَ حَقَّکَ
Allah’s curse be on him who ignored your position
وَٱسْتَخَفَّ بِحُرْمَتِکَ
and belittled your sanctity.
وَلَعَنَ ٱللَّهُ مَنْ حَالَ بَیْنَکَ وَبَیْنَ مَاءِ ٱلْفُرَاتِ
Allah’s curse be on him who precluded you from having from the water of the Euphrates.
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّکَ قُتِلْتَ مَظْلُوماً
I testify that you were killed wrongfully
وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُنْجِزٌ لَکُمْ مَا وَعَدَکُمْ
and that Allah will verily fulfill His promise that He made with you.
جِئْتُکَ یَا بْنَ أَمِیرِ ٱلُمْؤْمِنینَ وَافِداً إِلَیْکُمْ
O son of the Commander of the Faithful, I have come to you to present myself before you.
وَقَلْبِی مُسَلِّمٌ لَکُمْ وَتَابِعٌ
My heart is submissive to you and is following you.
وَأَنَا لَکُمْ تَابِعٌ
And I am your follower.
وَنُصْرَتِی لَکُمْ مُعَدَّةٌ
I am ready to support you
حَتَّىٰ یَحْکُمَ ٱللَّهُ
until Allah decides.
وَهُوَ خَیْرُ ٱلْحَاکِمِینَ
He is surely the best of all those who decide.
فَمَعَکُمْ مَعَکُمْ
I am verily with you,
لاَ مَعَ عَدُوِّکُمْ
not with your enemy.
إِنِّی بِکُمْ وَبِإِیَابِکُمْ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِینَ
I am one of those who believe in you and believe in your Return.
وَبِمَنْ خَالَفَکُمْ وَقَتَلَکُمْ مِنَ ٱلْکَافَرینَ
I also one of those who deny your opposites and killers.
قَتَلَ ٱللَّهُ أُمَّةً قَتَلَتْکُمْ بِٱلأَیْدِی وَٱلأَلْسُنِ
Allah may kill the group who killed you with hands and tongues (by giving orders of killing you.)
You should then enter, throw yourself on the tomb, and say the following words:
السَّلاَمُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا ٱلعَبْدُ ٱلصَّالِحُ
Peace be upon you, O righteous servant (of Allah)
ٱلمُطِیعُ لِلَّهِ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلأَمِیرِ ٱلمُؤْمِنِینَ
and obedient to Allah, to His Messenger, to the Commander of the Faithful,
وَٱلحَسَنِ وَٱلحُسَیْنِ صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَیْهِمْ وَسَلَّمَ
to al-Hasan, and to al-Husayn, peace and greetings of Allah be upon them.
السَّلاَمُ عَلَیْکَ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَکَاتُهُ
Peace, Allah’s mercy, blessings,
وَمَغْفِرَتُهُ وَرِضْوَانُهُ وَعَلَىٰ رُوحِکَ وَبَدَنِکَ
forgiveness, and gratifications be upon you, your soul, and your body.
أَشْهَدُ وَأُشْهِدُ ٱللَّهَ أَنَّکَ مَضَیْتَ عَلَىٰ مَا مَضَىٰ بِهِ ٱلبَدْرِیُّونَ
I testify, and call Allah to witness, that you abided by the same course that was taken by the warriors of (the battle of) Badr
وَٱلمُجَاهِدُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ
and the strivers for Allah’s sake
ٱلمُنَاصِحُونَ لَهُ فِی جِهَادِ أَعْدَائِهِ
who sincerely served Him in the battlefields against His enemies,
ٱلمُبَالِغُونَ فِی نُصْرَةِ أَوْلِیَائِهِ
did their bests for supporting His disciples,
ٱلذَّابُّونَ عَنْ أَحِبَّائِهِ
and defended His intimate ones.
فَجَزَاکَ ٱللَّهُ أَفْضَلَ ٱلجَزَاءِ
So, Allah may reward you the best,
وَأَکْثَرَ ٱلجَزَاءِ
the maximum,
وَأَوْفَرَ ٱلجَزَاءِ
the most abundant,
وَأَوْفَىٰ جَزَاءِ أَحَدٍ مِمَّنْ وَفَىٰ بِبَیْعَتِهِ
and the most conclusive reward that He may give to any one who fulfills his homage,
وَٱسْتَجَابَ لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ
answers the call (of the religion),
وَأَطَاعَ وُلاةَ أَمْرِهِ
and obeys his (divinely elected) leaders.
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّکَ قَدْ بَالَغْتَ فِی ٱلنَّصِیحَةِ
I testify that you acted extremely sincerely
وَأَعْطَیْتَ غَایَةَ ٱلمَجْهُودِ
and exerted all your efforts (in this regard).
فَبَعَثَکَ ٱللَّهُ فِی ٱلشُّهَدَاءِ
Allah may attach you to the martyrs,
وَجَعَلَ رُوحَکَ مَعَ أَرْوَاحِ ٱلسُّعَدَاءِ
add your soul to the souls of the happy ones,
وَأَعْطَاکَ مِنْ جِنَانِهِ أَفْسَحَهَا مَنْزِلاً
give you the largest abode in His Paradise
وَأَفْضَلَهَا غُرَفاً
and the most handsome room,
وَرَفَعَ ذِکْرَکَ فِی عِلِّیِّینَ
exalt your mention in `Illiyyin (the most elevated position),
وَحَشَرَکَ مَعَ ٱلنَّبِیِّینَ وَٱلصِّدِّیقِینَ
and join you to the Prophets, the veracious ones,
وَٱلشُّهَدَاءِ وَٱلصَّالِحِینَ
the martyrs, and the righteous ones.
وَحَسُنَ أُوْلٰئِکَ رَفِیقاً
Very excellent is the companionship of such ones.
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّکَ لَمْ تَهِنْ وَلَمْ تَنْکُلْ
I testify that you did not lag behind and did not turn away the face,
وَأَنَّکَ مَضَیْتَ عَلَىٰ بَصِیرَةٍ مِنْ أَمْرِکَ
and that you left this life with full awareness of the truth,
مُقْتَدِیاً بِٱلصَّالِحِینَ
following the examples of the righteous ones
وَمُتَّبِعاً لِلنَّبِیِّینَ
and sticking to the Prophets.
فَجَمَعَ ٱللَّهُ بَیْنَنَا وَبَیْنَکَ
So, Allah may gather us with you,
وَبَیْنَ رَسُولِهِ وَأَوْلِیَائِهِ
with His Messenger, and with His disciples
فِی مَنَازِلِ ٱلمُخْبِتِینَ
in the abodes of those who practiced humbly (with their Lord).
فَإِنَّهُ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّاحِمِینَ
He is certainly the most merciful of all the merciful ones.
According to the previously mentioned narration, the ziyarah of al-`Abbas ends here.
But Sayyid Ibn Tawus and Shaykh al-Mufid, as well as other scholars, have added the following: You may then turn to the side of the head and offer a two-unit prayer. Afterwards, you may offer prayers as many as you wish. You may also supplicate Almighty Allah earnestly.
After these prayers, you may say the following supplicatory prayer:
اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
O Allah, (please) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad
وَلا تَدَعْ لِی فِی هٰذَا ٱلمَکَانِ ٱلمُکَرَّمِ وَٱلمَشْهَدِ ٱلمُعَظَّمِ ذَنْباً إِلاَّ غَفَرْتَهُ
and do not leave for me, in this honored place and glorified shrine, any sin that I did but that You forgive it,
وَلا هَمّاً إِلاَّ فَرَّجْتَهُ
any care but that You relieve it,
وَلا مَرَضاً إِلاَّ شَفَیْتَهُ
any illness but that You cure it,
وَلا عَیْباً إِلاَّ سَتَرْتَهُ
any defect buth that You cover up,
وَلا رِزْقاً إِلاَّ بَسَطْتَهُ
any source of sustenance but that You expand it,
وَلا خَوْفاً إِلاَّ آمَنْتَهُ
any item of terror but that You pacify it,
وَلا شَمْلاً إِلاَّ جَمَعْتَهُ
any disunity but that You reunify it,
وَلا غَائِباً إِلاَّ حَفِظْتَهُ وَأَدْنَیْتَهُ
any absent one but that You guard it and approach (him to me),
وَلا حَاجَةً مِنْ حَوَائِجِ ٱلدُّنْیَا وَٱلآخِرَةِ
and any single need, among the many needs for this life as well as the life to come
لَکَ فِیهَا رِضَىٰ وَلِیَ فِیهَا صَلاحٌ
whose settlement achieves your gratification and my good,
إِلاَّ قَضَیْتَهَا یَا أَرْحَمَ ٱلرَّاحِمِینَ
but that You grant it. O He Who is the most merciful of all the merciful ones!
You may then return to the tomb, stop at the side of the legs, and say the following words:
السَّلاَمُ عَلَیْکَ یَا أَبَاَ ٱلفَضْلِ ٱلعَبَّاسَ بْنَ أَمِیرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِینَ
alssalamu `alayka ya aba alfadli al`abbasa ibna amiri almu'minina
Peace be upon you, O Abu’l-Fadl al-`Abbas the son of the Commander of the Faithful.
السَّلاَمُ عَلَیْکَ یَا بْنَ سَیِّدِ ٱلْوَصِیِّینَ
alssalamu `alayka yabna sayyidi alwasiyyina
Peace be upon you, O son of the chief of the successors (of the Prophets).
السَّلاَمُ عَلَیْکَ یَا بْنَ أَوَّلِ ٱلْقَوْمِ إِسْلاَماً
alssalamu `alayka yabna awwali alqawmi islaman
Peace be upon you, O son of the foremost to Islam,
وَأَقْدَمِهِمْ إِیـمَاناً
wa aqdamihim imanan
the first to believe,
وَأَقْوَمِهِمْ بِدِینِ ٱللَّهِ
wa aqwamihim bidini allahi
the best to have served the religion of Allah,
وَأَحْوَطِهِمْ عَلَىٰ ٱلإِسْلاَمِ
wa ahwatihim `ala al-islami
and the most careful for Islam.
أَشْهَدُ لَقَدْ نَصَحْتَ لِلَّهِ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلأَخِیکَ
ashhadu laqad nasahta lillahi wa lirasulihi wa li'akhika
I bear witness that you served Allah, His Messenger, and your brother sincerely.
فَنِعْمَ ٱلأَخُ ٱلْمُوَاسِی
fani`ma al-akhu almuwasi
You were the most excellent self-sacrificing brother.
فَلَعَنَ ٱللَّهُ أُمَّةً قَتَلَتْکَ
fala`ana allahu ummatan qatalatka
So, Allah’s curse be on the group who killed you.
وَلَعَنَ ٱللَّهُ أُمَّةً ظَلَمَتْکَ
wa la`ana allahu ummatan zalamatka
Allah’s curse be on the group who wronged you.
وَلَعَنَ ٱللَّهُ أُمَّةً ٱسْتَحَلَّتْ مِنْکَ ٱلْمَحَارِمَ
wa la`ana allahu ummatan istahallat minka almaharima
Allah’s curse be on the group who violated your sanctities
وَٱنْتَهَکَتْ حُرْمَةَ ٱلإِسْلاَمِ
wantahakat hurmata al-islami
and infringed the sanctity of Islam.
فَنِعْمَ ٱلصَّابِرُ ٱلْمُجَاهِدُ
fani`ma alssabiru almujahidu
You were the most excellent steadfast fighter,
ٱلْمُحَامِی ٱلنَّاصِرُ
almuhami alnnasiru
protector, supporter,
وَٱلأَخُ ٱلدَّافِعُ عَنْ أَخِیهِ
wal-akhu alddafi`u `an akhihi
and brother who defended his brother,
ٱلْمُجِیبُ إِلَىٰ طَاعَةِ رَبِّهِ
almujibu ila ta`ati rabbihi
responded to the obedience to his Lord,
ٱلرَّاغِبُ فِیمَا زَهِدَ فِیهِ غَیْرُهُ مِنَ ٱلثَّوَابِ ٱلْجَزِیلِ
alrraghibu fima zahida fihi ghayruhu min alththwabi aljazili
and worked desirably for gaining the abundant reward, which others refused,
وَٱلثَّنَاءِ ٱلْجَمِیلِ
walththna'i aljamili
and the nice tribute.
وَأَلْحَقَکَ ٱللَّهُ بِدَرَجَةِ آبَائِکَ فِی جَنَّاتِ ٱلنَّعِیمِ
wa alhaqaka allahu bidarajati aba'ika fi jannati alnna`imi
So, Allah may attach you to the rank of your fathers in the gardens of bliss.
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّی تَعَرَّضْتُ لِزِیَارَةِ أَوْلِیَائِکَ رَغْبَةً فِی ثَوَابِکَ
allahumma inni ta`arradtu liziyarati awliya'ika raghbatan fi thawabika
O Allah, I have done the pilgrimage to Your disciples out of my desire for (winning) your reward
وَرَجَاءً لِمَغْفِرَتِکَ وَجَزِیلِ إِحْسَانِکَ
wa raja'an limaghfiratika wa jazili ihsanika
and my wish for Your forgiveness and Your abundant benevolence.
فَأَسْأَلُکَ أَنْ تُصَلِّیَ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ ٱلطَّاهِرِینَ
fa's'aluka an tusalliya `ala muhammadin wa alihi alttahirina
So, I implore You to send Your blessings upon Muhammad and his immaculate Household
وَأَنْ تَجْعَلَ رِزْقِی بِهِمْ دَارّاً
wa an taj`ala rizqi bihim darran
and to make my sustenance flow copiously in their names,
وَعَیْشِی بِهِمْ قَارّاً
wa `ayshi bihim qarran
my living delightful in their names,
وَزِیَارَتِی بِهِمْ مَقْبُولَةً
wa ziyarati bihim maqbulatan
my pilgrimage rewardable in their names,
وَحَیَاتِی بِهِمْ طَیِّبَةً
wa hayati bihim tayyibatan
and my life pleasant in their names,
وَأَدْرِجْنِی إِدْرَاجَ ٱلْمُکْرَمِینَ
wa adrijni idraja almukramina
to make me take to the conduct of the honored ones,
وَٱجْعَلْنِی مِمَّنْ یَنْقَلِبُ مِنْ زِیَارَةِ مَشَاهِدِ أَحِبَّائِکَ
waj`alni mimman yanqalibu min ziyarati mashahidi ahibba'ika
to make me one of those who, as returning from the pilgrimage to the tombs of Your beloved ones,
مُفْلِحاً مُنْجِحاً
muflihan munjihan
win success and prosperity
قَدِ ٱسْتَوْجَبَ غُفْرَانَ ٱلذُّنُوبِ
qad istawjaba ghufrana aldhdhunubi
and deserve forgiveness of sins,
وَسَتْرَ ٱلْعُیُوبِ
wa satra al`uyubi
covering up of defects,
وَکَشْفَ ٱلْکُرُوبِ
wa kashfa alkurubi
and relief of disasters.
إِنَّکَ أَهْلُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ وَأَهْلُ ٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ
innaka ahlu alttaqwa wa ahlu almaghfirati
You are surely worthy of being feared and worthy of forgiving.
If you intend to take leave, you may approach the holy tomb and say the following words, which has been reported from Abu-Hamzah al-Thumali and have been mentioned by other scholars:
أَسْتَوْدِعُکَ ٱللَّهَ وَأَسْتَرْعِیکَ
I entrust you with Allah, beseech Him to keep you under His guard,
وَأَقْرَأُ عَلَیْکَ ٱلسَّلاَمَ
and invoke peace upon you.
آمَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ وَبِکِتَابِهِ
We have believed in Allah, in His Messenger, in His Book,
وَبِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ ٱللَّهِ
and in that which he conveyed from Allah.
اَللَّهُمَّ فَٱکْتُبْنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّاهِدِینَ
O Allah, record our names with the witnesses.
اَللَّهُمَّ لا تَجْعَلْهُ آخِرَ ٱلعَهْدِ مِنْ زِیَارَتِی قَبْرَ ٱبْنِ أَخِی رَسُولِکَ
O Allah, do not decide this pilgrimage to the tomb of the son of Your Messenger’s brother to be the last one of mine.
صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ
Peace be upon him (i.e. the Messenger) and upon his Household.
وَٱرْزُقْنِی زِیَارَتَهُ أَبَداً مَا أَبْقَیْتَنِی
Grant me opportunities to visit him so long as You keep me alive,
وَٱحْشُرْنِی مَعَهُ وَمَعَ آبَائِهِ فِی ٱلْجِنَانِ
join me to him and to his fathers in the gardens of Paradise,
وَعَرِّفْ بَیْنِی وَبَیْنَهُ وَبَیْنَ رَسُولِکَ وَأَوْلِیَائِکَ
and introduce me to him, to Your Messenger, and to Your disciples.
اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
O Allah, send Your blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad
وَتَوَفَّنِی عَلَىٰ ٱلإِیـمَانِ بِکَ
and take me to You while I am abiding by the believing in You,
وَٱلتَّصْدِیقِ بِرَسُولِکَ
giving credence to Your Messenger,
وَٱلوِلاَیَةِ لِعَلِیِّ بْنِ أَبِی طَالِبٍ وَٱلأَئِمَّةِ مِنْ وُلْدِهِ
being faithful to `Ali the son of Abu-Talib and the Imams from his progeny,
وَٱلْبَرَاءَةِ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِمْ
and disavowing their enemy.
فَإِنِّی قَدْ رَضِیتُ یَا رَبِّی بِذٰلِکَ
My Lord, I have accepted such.
وَصَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
Allah may send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad.