NIGHTS IN MINA AND COMMUNION WITH GOD
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NIGHTS IN MINA AND COMMUNION WITH GOD
Another recommended act in Mina is communion with God in the heart of nights and under the sky of Mina, a chance that might rarely occur in one's lifetime. Here is the warning of Imam Ali (a.s): عÙباد٠اللهÙØŒ الآن٠Ùاعْمَلوا والألْسÙÙ†Ù Ù…Ùطلَقَةٌ والأبدان٠صَØÙŠØÙŽØ©ÙŒ والأَعضاء٠لَدÙنةٌ والمÙنقَلَب٠ÙَسيØÙŒ والمجَال٠عَريضٌ قَبلَ إرْهاق٠الÙَوت٠وØÙلول٠المَوت٠ÙÙŽØَقّÙقوا عَليكÙÙ… Ù†Ùزولَه٠ولا تَنتَظÙروا Ù‚ÙدومَهÙ.
?O creatures of Allah, you should know now that you have to perform (good) acts, because (at present) your tongues are free, your bodies are healthy, your limbs have movement, the area of your coming is wide; before the loss of opportunity or the approach of death. Take death's approach as an accomplished fact and do not think it will come hereafter.?1
Imam Sadiq (a.s) used to go to the cemetery at night saying: يا أَهْلَ القÙبÙورÙØŒ ما لي إذا دَعَوتÙÙƒÙÙ… لا تÙجÙيبونَ؟
?O you who are in graves, how is it that I call you but you do not answer??
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1 See Nahjul Balagha; sermon 187
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Then the Imam (a.s) would say: ØÙيلَ والله٠بينَهÙÙ… وبَينَ الجَوابÙØŒ وكَأَنّي أكÙون٠مÙثلَهÙÙ…
?By Allah, there is a wall between them and answer making then unable to answer, I will be like them, too.?
Then, the Imam (a.s) would stand facing Kiblah and had communion with God until dawn.1
Here is another sermon of Imam Ali (a.s): تَجَهَّزوا رَØÙÙ…ÙŽÙƒÙم٠اللهÙØŒ Ùَقدْ Ù†ÙودÙÙŠÙŽ ÙيكÙÙ… بالرَّØيلÙ. وأَقÙلّوا العÙرجَةَ عَلى الدّنيا وانْقَلÙبوا بÙصالÙØ٠ما بÙØَضْرَتÙÙƒÙÙ… Ù…ÙÙ† الزّادÙØŒ Ùإنَّ أمامَكÙÙ… عَقَبَةً كَؤوداً ومَنَازÙÙ„ÙŽ مَخوÙَةً مَهولَةً لا بÙدَّ Ù…ÙÙ† الورود٠عَليها والوÙقوÙ٠عÙندَها. واعلَموا أنَّ مَلاØÙظَ المَنÙيَّة٠نØÙˆÙŽÙƒÙÙ… دائÙبَةٌ وكَأَنَّكÙÙ… بمَخالÙبÙها وقَدْ نَشَبَتْ Ùيكم وقَدْ دَهَمَتْكÙÙ… Ùيها Ù…ÙقَطّÙعات٠الأÙمور٠ومÙعضÙلات٠المØَذور ÙَقَطّÙعوا عَلائÙÙ‚ÙŽ الدّنيا واستَظْهÙروا بÙزاد٠التَّقوى.
?May Allah have mercy on you, provide yourselves for the journey because the call for departure has been announced. Regard your stay in the world as very short, and return (to Allah) with the best provision that is with you, because surely in front of you lies a valley, difficult to climb, and places of stay full of fear and dangers. You have to reach there and stay in them. And know that the eyes of death are approaching towards you. It is as though you are (already) in its talons and it has struck itself against you. Difficult affairs and distressing dangers have crushed you into it. You should therefore cut away all the attachments of this world and assist yourselves with the provision of Allah's fear.?2
The Holy Quran, too, recommends night communion with God: كَانÙوا Ù‚ÙŽÙ„Ùيلاً Ù…ÙÙ†ÙŽ اللَّيْل٠مَا يَهْجَعÙونَ. وَبÙالأَسْØَار٠هÙمْ يَسْتَغْÙÙرÙونَ.
?They used to sleep but little in the night and in the morning they asked forgiveness. (51:17-8)?
Therefore, pilgrims should rise up and have communion with God during these nights, which are replete with God's mercy. Mohammad ibn Sinan quotes Imam Reza (a.s) as saying:
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1 See Collection of Waraam; vol. 1 p.284
2 See Nahjul Balagha; sermon 195
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... العÙلَّة٠التي Ù…ÙÙ† أجْلÙها سÙمّÙيَتْ Ù…ÙÙ†ÙŽÙ‰ Ù…Ùنَىً أنَّ جÙبرائÙيلَ عَليه٠السلام٠قالَ هَناكَ: يا Ø¥ÙبراهÙيمÙØŒ تَمَنَّ عَلى رَبّÙÙƒÙŽ ما Ø´Ùئْتَ.
?The reason Mina1 is called so is that in this place Angel Gabriel told Prophet Ibrahim: Desire what you wish from your Lord.?2
Pilgrims should prepare themselves here to be given the permission to move towards God's House.
It is narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s), when was asked about the philosophy of the pilgrims' staying in al-Mash'ar and Mina before visiting God's house, said: لأنَّ الكَعبةَ بَيت٠الله٠والØَرَمَ ØÙجابÙه٠والمَشعَرَ بابÙÙ‡ÙØŒ Ùَلمّا أنْ قَصَدَه٠الزّائÙرونَ ÙˆÙŽÙ‚ÙŽÙÙŽÙ‡ÙÙ… بÙالباب٠Øتّى Ø£ÙŽØ°ÙÙ†ÙŽ لهÙÙ… بالدّÙخولÙ. ثمَّ ÙˆÙŽÙ‚ÙŽÙÙŽÙ‡ÙÙ… بÙالØÙجاب٠الثّاني وَهوَ Ù…ÙزْدَلÙÙÙŽØ©ÙØŒ Ùَلمَّا نَظَرَ إلى Ø·Ùول٠تَضَرّÙعÙÙ‡ÙÙ… أَمَرَهÙمْ بÙتقْريب٠قÙربانÙÙ‡ÙÙ…. Ùَلمَّا قَرَّبوا Ù‚Ùربانَهم وقَضَوا تَÙÙŽØ«ÙŽÙ‡ÙÙ… وتَطَهَّروا Ù…ÙÙ† الذّنوب٠الّتي كَانتْ لهÙÙ… ØÙجاباً دونَه٠أَمَرَهÙÙ… بÙالزّÙيارَة٠عَلى طَهارَةÙ.
?This is because the Kaaba is Allah's House, the Sacred Mosque His veil, and al-Mash'ar His gate. When pilgrims intend to visit Allah's House, they are ordered to stop outside in order to be given permission to enter. There is the second veil, which is Muzdalifah, and pilgrims have to stop there. Since Allah has witnessed their supplication, He orders them to offer sacrifice. When they offer their sacrifices and are purified from filth and sins, which are veils between them and Allah, they are ordered to visit His sacred House.?
The Imam (a.s) also answered the one who asked why it is blameworthy to fast on days of Tashriq: لأَنَّ القَومَ زÙوّار٠الله٠وهÙÙ… أضْياÙÙÙ‡Ù ÙˆÙÙŠ ضÙياÙَتÙÙ‡ÙØŒ ولا يَنبَغي Ù„ÙلضَّيÙ٠أنْ يَصومَ عÙندَ Ù…ÙŽÙ† زارَه٠وأَضاÙÙŽÙ‡Ù.
?Since all pilgrims are Allah's guests and attend His feast, the guest should not fast in the House of the Host Who has invited him to His banquet.?3
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1 The Arabic 'mina' is very close to the Arabic 'muna' which means 'wish'.
2 See Ilal ush-Sharai'e; vol. 2 p. 120
3 See Ilal ush-Shara'ie; vol. 2 p.128
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