Turbah: Difference between revisions

There are many sources on turbah in Hadith and jurisprudential texts, according to which it can heal diseases, provided that one believes in Imam Hussain or in turbah.<ref>See Kulayni, Vol. 4, p, 588; Alavi Shajari, p. 91; Toosi, 1990, pp. 732,734; Ibn Mashhadi, pp. 361, 363; Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi, Vol. 98, pp. 118 onward.</ref>Some hadiths declare that it is crucial how turbah is picked or eaten.<ref>See Barqi, p. 500; Kulayni, Vol. 4, p. 243, Ibn Babawayh, 1966, p. 410; Toosi, 1993, p. 317; Ibid, 1990, p. 826.</ref> The [[Imami]] jurists<ref>Shahid Awal, 1993, Vol. 2, p. 25.</ref> have unanimously confirmed its healing capability and have some works in this regard. There are many reports by authentic narrators regarding the effect of turbah.<ref>See Toosi, 1993, pp. 319-320; Maysami Iraqi, p. 542, Qomi, Vol. 2, p. 695; Araji Faham, Vol. 2, pp. 204- 206; Sadri, pp. 109- 110, 115- 116.</ref> Muslims have long sought healing from the turbah of Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet Muhammad's uncle, and other martyrs and the righteous.<ref>Samhoodi, Vol. 1, pp. 69- 116,  Vol. 2, p. 544; Araji Faham, Vol. 2, p. 179- 182.</ref> The tradition of Al-Istishfa' by Imam Hussain's turbah has become so widespread in a Shi'ite culture that turbah has been used as an entry in Persian dictionaries.<ref>For instance see Dehkhoda, Da'i al-Islam; Shaad, the entry; for further information regarding healing see Sobhani, p. 184, Alavi, p. 331- 332.</ref>

Another function of turbah is its ability to free one from fear, and some hadiths suggest carrying it.<ref>See Ibn Qulawayh, pp. 278- 280; Toosi, 1980, Vol. 6, p. 75; Ibid, 1993, p. 318.</ref> Imam Reza placed some turbah in every packaging, like cloth<ref>Ibn Qulawayh, p. 278.</ref> for its safety.<ref>Kalbasi, p. 130.</ref> In addition, carrying turbah is a blessing.<ref>See Ibn Qulawayh, p. 278; Najafi, Vol. 18, p. 162.</ref> Some hadiths suggest feeding turbah to infants, and jurists consider it mustahabb<ref>See Kulayni, Vol. 6, p. 24; Mufid, 1989, p. 521; Sallār al-Daylamī, p. 156; Ibn Braj, Vol. 2, p. 259; Ibn Ḥamzah, 1978, p. 372; Yusuf al-Bahrani, Vol. 7, p. 131.</ref> (recommended), recommending it as a gift<ref>Shahid Awal, 1993, Vol. 2, p. 26.</ref>

The Imami jurists unanimously agree that it is mustahabb to place some turbah in the grave to avoid the dead's punishment of the grave,<ref>See Toosi, 1986- 1996, Vol. 1, p. 706, Muhaqqiq al-Hilli, 1985, Vol. 1, pp. 299- 300.</ref> yet there are disagreements about the manner of so doing.<ref>See Al-fiqh al-Mansub lil'-Imam al-Reza (AS), p. 184; Toosi, 1990, p. 20; Ibid, 1979, p. 250; Ibn Idris Helli, Vol. 1, p. 165; Muhaqqiq al-Hilli, 1985, Vol. 1, p. 301; Allamah al-Hill, 1993, Vol. 2, pp. 94- 95; Shahid Awal, 1998, Vol. 23, p. 21.</ref> Some jurists believe that the reason for this mustahabb action is merely the sacredness of turbah,<ref>See Shahid Awal, Ibid; Mousavi Ameli, Vol. 2, p. 139.</ref> which has been stated in Hadith.<ref>See Toosi, 1980, Vol. 6, p. 76; Ibid, 1990, p. 735; Ahmad Tabarsi, Vol. 2, p. 582; Yusuf al-Bahrani, Vol. 4, p. 112; Al-Hurr al-Amili, Vol. 3, p. 30; Allamah al-Hilli, 1993, Vol. 2, p. 95; Shahid Awal, 1998, Vol. 2, p. 21.</ref> The Imami jurists also unanimously agree that it is mustahabb to write shahada (testimony) sentences and also Imams' names on the shroud, but there are some disagreements among the jurists about how to write that.<ref>See Mufid, 1989, p. 78; Toosi, 1980, Vol. 1, p. 309; Ibid, 1990, p. 18; Ibn Idris Helli, Vol. 1, p. 162; Fazil Hindi, Vol. 2, p. 298; Najafi, , Vol. 4, p. 231.</ref>

Turbah has other functions, including enhancement of rizq (provision), beneficial knowledge, dignity, alleviation of poverty, and the appearance of any virtue and honor.<ref>See Ibn Qulawayh, pp. 277, 282- 285; Ibn Bastam, p. 52; Nouri, 1986- 1987, Vol. 8, p. 237; Kalbasi, p. 109; Farhad Mirza Qajar, p. 6.</ref> It is argued that that the functions of turbah result from eating or carrying it.

According to hadiths and jurisprudence books, turbah is the best thing to put one's forehead on in prostration to Allah.<ref>Ibn Babawayh, 1993, Vol. 1 p. 268; Shahid Awal, 1993, Vol. 2, p. 26; Yusuf al-Bahrani, Vol. 7, p. 260; Naraghi, Vol. 5, p. 266.</ref> [[Jaʿfar al-Sadiq|Imam al-Sadiq]] kept some of Imam Hussain's turbah in a yellow silk cloth, and while praying, he would put some of it on his sajjada (prayer mat) for prostration.<ref>See Toosi, 1990, p. 733; Daylamī, Vol. 1 p. 115; Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi, Vol. 82, p. 153; Āl Kāshif al-Ghitā, p. 39.</ref> According to hadiths and jurisprudence books, performing prostration on turbah and reciting tasbih with a misbaha made of the turbah causes one to have a lenient heart (riqqat al-qalb).<ref>Mohammad Taqi Majlesi, Vol. 2, p. 177.</ref> The turbah made from the soil of Karbala -as it is used today for prostration- appeared in historical texts for the first time in a letter from [[Imam al-Mahdi]] in 921 A.D. in response to the questions of Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja'far al-Himyari. It was referred to as “Lawh Min Tin al-qabr” (a tablet from the soil of the grave) in this letter. Such questions about the virtues of turba at that time indicate that using turba mohr was not common. This Hadith and other hadiths emphasize that it is mustahabb to pray with tasbih made of the turbah.<ref>See Mufid, 1992 (b), pp. 150- 151; Hasan Tabresi, p. 281; Ibn Mashhadi, pp. 366- 368; Al-Hurr al-Amili, Vol. 6, p. 455- 456; Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi, Vol. 82, pp. 333, 340.</ref> Shahid Awwal considers these hadiths as frequently cited.<ref>1993, Vol. 2, p. 26.</ref> According to a narration from Imam al-Sadiq, [[Fatima]]'s tasbih was first made of a woolen thread on which knots were tied to aid in counting. When Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib was martyred in the [http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e2412 battle of Uhud], she made a tasbih using beads made from the soil of his grave. After the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the use of soil from his grave was initiated. According to a report from Imam al-Sadiq, the tasbihs made from the soil of Imam Hussain’s grave are preferred over those made from the soil of Hamza’s grave. This narration indicates that, at least until Imam al-Sadiq's era, misbaha made from the soil of Hamza was common.<ref>See Samhoodi, Vol. 1, p. 116.</ref> Some narrations emphasize carrying the misbaha made from the soil of Imam Hussain's grave, even without praying<ref>See Toosi, 1990, p. 735; Ibid, 1980, Vol. 6, pp. 75- 76; Ahmad Tabresi, Vol. 2, p. 583, see Mufid, 1992 (b), p. 152.</ref>, but apparently, like mohr, the use of turbah misbaha was not widespread until 920 A.D. (al-Himyari's letter).

In making mohr and misbaha, it is essential to bake turbah for better durability, and this in itself has led to a discussion regarding prostration on baked turbah; some jurists consider it allowed, while others regard it as makruh (abominable).<ref>See Sallār al-Daylamī, Ibid; Ibn Ḥamzah, 1978, p. 89; Shahid Awal, 1993, Vol. 2, p. 26; Al-Shahid al-Thani, 1999, p. 211; Yusuf al-Bahrani, Vol. 7, pp. 260- 261; Najafi, Vol. 8, p. 414.</ref> In the 16th century A.D., after a scientist banned prostration on baked turbah<ref>See Al-Muhaqqiq al-Karaki, Vol. 2, p. 91.</ref>, it became a controversial debate, so that Al-Muhaqqiq al-Karaki wrote a thesis proving the authorization of prostration on baked turbah in 1526 AD. Some consider this thesis as a refutation of Fazel Qatifi, whose arguments with Al-Muhaqqiq al-Karaki are well-known.<ref>See Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi, Vol. 105, p. 79, Amin, Vol. 8, p. 210; Agha Bozorg Tehrani, Vol. 12, pp. 148- 149.</ref>

Due to its sanctity, there are specific jurisprudential rulings regarding turbah. For instance, it is forbidden to make the soil najis, and once done, the removal of Al-Najasa is obligatory, even making the soil najis may be a sign of disbelief.<ref>Allamah al-Hilli, 1992, Vol. 1, p. 267; Ibid, 1993, Vol. 1, p. 127; Najafi, Vol. 8, p. 335; Āl Kāshif al-Ghitā, p. 175; Sabzavari, p. 18.</ref> Moreover, the soil buried with the body of a deceased person should be placed in such a way that it is not disrespected.<ref>See Tabatabei Yazdi, Vol. 1, p. 315; Mas'alat 9; Hakim, Vol. 4, p. 199.</ref> Dishonoring turbah brings about bitter earthly consequences.<ref>See Toosi, 1993, p. 320; Nouri, 1958, Vol. 2, p. 283.</ref> Eating the soil for the sake of healing is permissible <ref>Kulayni, Vol. 6, pp. 265- 266, 378; Ibn Braj, Vol. 2, p. 433; Ibn Ḥamzah, p. 433; Muhaqqiq al-Hilli, 1987, Vol. 3, p. 176; Naraghi, Vol. 15, p. 162; Kalbasi, pp. 28- 30.</ref> while consuming normal soil is forbidden. In some hadiths and jurists' fatawa, breaking fast with turbah is permissible, though some jurists do not consider this true.<ref>Al-Fiqh al-Mansub lil'Imam al-Reza, p. 210; Ibn Shu’bah, p. 488; Ibn Babawayh, 1993, Vol. 2, p. 174; Mufid, 1992 (c), p. 31; Ibn Tawus, Iqbal, p.281; Shahid Awal, 1991, p. 203; Ibid, 1998, Vol. 4, pp. 175- 176; Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi, Vol. 57, pp. 158- 161.</ref> The amount of soil permissible to eat for the purpose of healing is limited to a maximum size of a chickpea<ref>Kulayni, Vol. 6, p. 378; Ibn Braj, Vol. 2, pp. 429- 430; Ibn Idris Helli, Vol. 1, p. 318, Muhaqqiq al-Hilli, 1987, Ibid; Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi, Vol. 57, pp. 161- 162; Kalbasi, pp. 45- 47.</ref>

In some narrations and jurists' fatawa, the use of Armenian bole for healing is permissible, yet turbah is superior. Shi'ist jurists have delineated the differences between these two rules.<ref>See Toosi, 1990, p. 732; Muhaqqiq al-Hilli, 1987, Ibid; Ibn Fahd al-Hilli ,Vol. 4, p. 221; Al-Shahid al-Thani, 1992- 1998, Vol. 12, p. 69.</ref> According to some narrations, it is permissible to consume the soil of the graves of other Imams, yet this is not accepted by some jurists and is consistent with some other hadiths<ref>See Ibn Qulawayh, pp. 280- 218; Ibn Babawayh, 1984, Vol. 1, p. 104; Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi, Vol. 57, p. 156.</ref> In Fuqaha's view, trading turbah is permitted<ref>Shahid Awal, 1993, Vol. 2, p. 26; Ibn Fahd al-Hilli, Ibid; Āl Kāshif al-Ghitā, p. 376.</ref> but it is forbidden in some narrations.<ref>See Ibn Qulawayh, p. 286.</ref>

When the Shias use Karbala’s soil to prostrate upon, they do not claim that doing so is absolutely obligatory, nor do they claim that it is an obligation derived from the Sharia or the creed, nor is it one of the sect's obligation, nor does anyone among them, from the very first day, distinguish between it and others collected from the earth's soil, when they regard prostrating upon it as permissible. To Shias, such a turba is mandated by reason and is highly commendable, that's all. It is opting for the best of what one should prostrate upon when one consults his reason and logic and common sense alone, as you have already been told above. When travelling to sacred sites, many Shias take with them any such thing other than Karbala's turba upon which the prostration is valid such as a pure and clean rug woven of palm leaves they are confident to be clean, or anything like that upon which they prostrate when they perform their prayers.

It can be deduced from several verses of the Holy Qur'an that certain lands have been blessed and have special distinctions over other lands. Allah, the Exalted, says:

"Most surely, the first house appointed for men is the one at Bekka, blessed and a guidance for the nations.”<ref>Surat Al ‘Imran 3:96.</ref>

"And say: O my Lord! Cause me to disembark a blessed alighting, and Thou art the best to cause to alight."<ref>Surat al-Mu’minun 23:29.</ref>

"Therefore, put off your shoes; surely you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa.”<ref>Surat Ta Ha 20:12.</ref>

"Glory be to Him who made His servant go on a night from the Sacred Mosque to the Remote Mosque of which We have blessed the precincts.”<ref>Surat al-Isra’ (or Bani Isra’il) 17:1.</ref>

From the viewpoint of both [[Sunnis|Sunni]] and [[Shiʿa|Shi]]<nowiki/>a [[hadith]]<nowiki/>s, it can be inferred that certain parts of the earth, and likewise the people dwelling therein, are endowed with qualities of either wickedness or prosperity and salvation:

1. On his own chain of transmission, [[Bukhari]] recounts that Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar said, “When the Holy Prophet was passing through the land of Thamud, he said, 'Do not enter lands whose owners have committed oppression against themselves so that you may not be afflicted with suffering as they were unless you pass through while crying.' Then, the Prophet of Allah covered his blessed head and passed through that valley quickly."<ref>Sahih Bukhari, vol. 6, p. 7, Kitab al-Maghazi.</ref>

3. Halabi recounts, “The consensus of the Islamic community [ummah] is that this place (Medina), which contains the body of the Holy [[Prophet]], is the best part of the land on earth. It is even higher than the Ka‘bah (Mecca). Some say it is the most excellent part of the earth and is even higher than the Throne [Arsh] of Allah.”<ref>Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, vol. 3, p. 306.</ref>

5. Likewise, it is narrated that after the death and burial of the Holy Prophet, people used to come and carry some soil from his grave to seek divine favors from it. A’ishah got worried that the soil would get finished and hence reveal the body of the Holy Prophet. Therefore, she ordered that a wall should be raised around the Prophet’s grave.<ref>Ibid., vol. 1, p. 385.</ref>

a. That the Imamate Shias try to always have a clean cake of natural earth in their possession so that they may prostrate on it.

b.; some graves are superior to others; therefore, special blessings are derived from these tombs. For this reason, the precincts of the Ka‘bah and other holy shrines have special religious laws.

One of the lands that have gained superiority over other lands and have become a source of blessings and favours is Karbala, where the body of the Doyen of Martyrs, Imam al-Hussain, lies. Karbala is that same holy piece of land from which Imam Ali, long before the martyrdom of Imam al-Hussain, had picked up a handful of clay. He smelled the soil and cried so much that the soil got wet with the tears flowing from his eyes."

"The land of Karbala is a holy place where Muslims go for pilgrimage to learn lessons from the example of Imam al-Hussain. Those who are not Muslims, they come here as tourists to see and visit the holy land.

The man praying on the soil from Karbala becomes overwhelmed by such thoughts as to how a man can sacrifice as Imam al-Hussain did for his beliefs and convictions and stand up against the oppressors!

Because prostration is the best posture where a servant of Allah finds himself in the presence of Allah, it is befitting that while in this state; he remembers holy and pure souls, souls who sacrificed their lives in the way of their Beloved, Allah. At this moment, and with such thoughts, man acquires a condition of humility and modesty. Everything that is in this world will then appear low and abject before him.

With such thoughts, man's soul acquires a solid mystical and spiritual attachment to Allah, like the station of conviction attained by Imam al-Hussain and his companions. This is the benefit of betaking a solid connection with Imam al-Hussain using prostrating on soil from Karbala.

For this reason, we read in narrations about Imam al-Hussain that his clay (the soil of Karbala) removes the seven veils [hijab]. Therefore, in reality, prostration on the soil of Karbala is a secret for ascending from the earthly domain towards the Lord of lords…"<ref>Al-Ard wa al-Turbat al-Husayniyyah, pp. 32-33.</ref>