In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
“That those who perished [through disbelief] would perish upon evidence, and those who lived [in faith] would live upon evidence.” Surah Al-Anfal (8:42)
The shirt of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) is a heavenly gift and a bestowal from the highest realm of ‘Illiyyin[1]. It is a legacy of the great prophets[2], imbued with an essence of sorrow and created with wisdom and a divinely ordained plan.
This esteemed shirt, through divine providence, was first bestowed upon Hazrat Adam, Safiullah (peace be upon him)[3]. It subsequently undertook meaningful journeys, becoming the savior of 124,000 divine prophets[4]. Eventually, it reached the hands of the Fourteen Infallibles (peace be upon them) and was sent by Hazrat Siddiqah Tahirah (peace be upon her) to Karbala, where it was adorned by the pure body of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) on the Day of Ashura[5]. Ultimately, destined for the era of reappearance, it will be presented by Hazrat Baqiyyatullah al-A’zam (may Allah hasten his reappearance) as a symbol for worldly justice and vengeance[6]. Finally, in the Grand Judgment, Hazrat Siddiqah Tahirah (peace be upon her) will hold this shirt in her hands before Allah and speak out for divine retribution[7]. Thus, this shirt stands as an undeniable proof and a consummate evidence.
Indeed, Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) rose in an era when transgressions against the Book of Allah and deviations in the tradition of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) had reached their peak. The Prophetic mission, drowned in innovations, required a rescue ship and a beacon of guidance. He undertook his uprising, granting eternal life to the Prophetic law, and through the sacrifice of his blood, guided the Islamic Ummah from the darkness of ignorance to the light of guidance. In the final moments of Ashura, that radiant sun revealed the Prophetic shirt and the special gift sent by Hazrat Siddiqah Tahirah (peace be upon her) — a shirt that, firstly, had taught perseverance to the divine prophets; secondly, had reinforced their collective covenant with Ashura; and thirdly, through its stamping by the hooves of the Umayyad oppressors’ horses[^8] and its subsequent looting[^9], signified the tyrants’ intent to obliterate the Prophetic mission and the Alawi truth. The insistence of the household of Allah (peace be upon them) in Sham to retrieve this shirt demonstrated that it stands as an everlasting symbol of enlightenment for future generations — much like the blood of Ali Asghar. (Peace be upon him) This great evidence[10] can also serve as the beginning of uncovering the power embedded in the martyrdom of the Master of Martyrs. (Peace be upon him) and the uprising of the Qa’im from the family of Muhammad can be considered as part of this great evidence (may Allah hasten his reappearance) along with its revelation, it stands as a symbol of healing and mercy for the followers of truth, and a symbol of vengeance for the adversaries of reality. Furthermore, as per the instruction of Sadiq from the family of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) Before the reappearance, the Shiite community must draw its vitality from Karbala. Perhaps Karbala, this life-giving geography, can be introduced to the world—similar to the Arba’een of Imam Husayn and the global movement of Husayni infants—with its unique symbol, proclaiming the cry against oppression and the call for justice of Hazrat Aba Abdillah al-Husayn (Peace be upon him) and pave the way for the reappearance and the establishment of the global Mahdavi society, using that symbol as its foundation
Questions concerning this esteemed shirt:
_ What are the name(s) of this shirt and the reason(s) for its naming?
_ Was the aforementioned shirt worn-out and worthless, or ancient and invaluable?
_ Why was this shirt sent to Karbala?
_ Why did Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) wear the shirt in the final moments of Ashura?
_ Why did the Imam (peace be upon him) tear the shirt before his martyrdom?
– Why was the shirt looted, and what was the reason behind the insistence of the household of Allah (peace be upon them) on its retrieval?
Why was the shirt placed on the noble resting place of Hazrat Siddiqah Tahirah (peace be upon her) upon returning from Sham?
Final Words
In this critical juncture of history, where Satan, represented by Zionism and other symbols, incites the world against the greatest Shiite revolution throughout history and its grand ideals that pave the way for reappearance, the Shiite community must also equip[12] itself and present authentic strategies. The symbolic raising of the shirt of the Master of Martyrs (peace be upon him) outlines a map based on historical evidence, which scholars and thinkers of the Shiite community can utilize to enrich Shiite thought and introduce Ashura, with its heavenly identity and symbol, to the world. “Indeed, the help of Allah is near”[13].
Servant of the International Assembly of Hazrat Ali Asghar (peace be upon him)
Davood Manafi Pour
[1]. Muhammad narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, from Muhammad ibn Isma’il, from Abi Isma’il al-Sarraj, from Bishr ibn Ja’far, from Mufaddal ibn Umar, from Abi Abdullah (peace be upon him), who said: I heard him say, “Do you know what the shirt of Yusuf (Joseph) was?” I replied, “No.” He said: “When Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) was thrown into the fire, Jibreel (Gabriel, peace be upon him) brought him a garment from the garments of Paradise and clothed him with it. With it, neither heat nor cold could harm him. When Ibrahim approached the time of his death, he placed it in a talisman[^1] and tied it to Ishaq (Isaac), who tied it to Ya’qub (Jacob). When Yusuf (Joseph, peace be upon him) was born, he tied it to him, and it remained on his arm until the events concerning him transpired. When Yusuf took it out in Egypt from the talisman, Ya’qub smelled its scent, as indicated in the verse, ‘Indeed, I find the smell of Yusuf, if you would not think me weakened in mind’ (Surah Yusuf, 12:94). This is the very shirt that Allah sent down from Paradise.” I said, “May I be your ransom! To whom did this shirt ultimately belong?” He replied, “To its rightful owners.” Then he added, “Every prophet who inherits knowledge or other things, it eventually reaches the family of Muhammad (peace be upon them).” 249
[2]. “Then he said, ‘Every prophet who inherited knowledge or something else, it has ended up with Muhammad (peace be upon him), and Ya’qub was in Palestine when the caravan departed from Egypt, and he found the scent of Yusuf – it is from that shirt which was brought out of Paradise, and we have inherited it.’” Tafsir al-Qummi, Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, Qom, 3rd edition, 1404 AH
[3]. “Allah accepted the repentance of Adam (peace be upon him) with that shirt, restored the ring of Solomon with it, returned Yusuf to Ya’qub with it, and saved Yunus from the belly of the whale with it. Likewise, He saved other prophets from trials with it. That shirt was none other than the shirt of Muhammad (peace be upon him).” Al-Khisal, Shaykh al-Saduq, vol. 2, p. 483 / Ma’ani al-Akhbar, Shaykh al-Saduq, p. 308
[4]. Ibid. (as previously cited).
[5]. “In the events of the tenth day of Jumada al-Awwal, it is narrated that on this day, Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) gave the shirt of Ibrahim al-Khalil to Zainab (peace be upon her) and said: ‘If your brother Hussein asks you for it, know that he is a guest with you for a moment; then he will be killed in the worst conditions at the hands of the illegitimate children.’” Waqqai’ al-Shuhur wal-Ayyam al-Birjandi: Bahrani Esfahani, Abdullah ibn Noorullah, Awalim al-Ulum wal-Ma’arif wal-Ahwal min al-Ayat wal-Akhbar wal-Aqwal (Mustadrak Sayyidah al-Nisa ila al-Imam al-Jawad – Iran; Qom, 1st edition, 1413 AH: vol. 11-section 2-Fatima (peace be upon her); p. 905
[6]. “Then the Mahdi, bearing the same name as my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, will rise and upon him will be the shirt of the Messenger of Allah…” Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir ibn Muhammad Taqi, Bihar al-Anwar (Beirut edition) – Beirut, 2nd edition, 1403 AH, vol. 53, p. 32
[6]. “Narrated by Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Abdullah from his father, from Ya’qub al-Jarimi, from Abu Hubaysh al-Harawi, from Abu Abdullah ibn Abdul Razzaq, from his father, from his grandfather, from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, from Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari, from Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him), who mentioned a very long sermon containing the signs of the end of times, and many prophecies including the state of the Umayyads and the Abbasids, and the conditions of the Dajjal and the Sufyani, until he said: ‘The Mahdi, from my progeny, will appear between the Rukn and the Maqam, and upon him will be the shirt of Ibrahim…’” Shaykh Hurr Amili, Muhammad ibn Hasan, Ithbat al-Hudat bi al-Nusus wa al-Mu’jizat – Beirut, 1st edition, 1425 AH, vol. 5, p. 217
[7]. “Narrated by Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Musa, who said: My father narrated to me, who said: Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim narrated to me from his father, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Aban ibn Uthman, from Abu Abdullah Ja’far ibn Muhammad (peace be upon him), who said: ‘On the Day of Judgment, Allah will gather the first and the last in a single plain. Then a caller will command: Lower your gazes and bow your heads until Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad (peace be upon him), crosses the Sirat.’ The creation will then lower their gazes. Fatimah (peace be upon her) will come riding on one of the noble mounts of Paradise, accompanied by seventy thousand angels. She will stop at an honored position among the positions of the Day of Judgment. Then she will descend from her mount, take the shirt of Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon them), stained with his blood, in her hand and say: ‘O Lord, this is the shirt of my son, and You know what was done to him.’ A voice will call out to her from Allah, the Almighty: ‘O Fatimah, you have My pleasure…’” Al-Amali (for Al-Mufid) – Qom, 1st edition, 1413 AH, p. 130
[8]. “Then Umar ibn Sa’d called out to his companions: ‘Who will volunteer to trample Hussein [peace be upon him] with his horse?’ Ten men volunteered, including Ishaq ibn Haywah al-Hadhrami and Ahbash ibn Marthad al-Hadhrami. They came and trampled Hussein [peace be upon him] with their horses until they crushed his back and chest.” Abu Mikhnaf al-Kufi, Loot ibn Yahya, Waqqat al-Taff – Iran; Qom, 3rd edition, 1417 AH, p. 258
[9]. “Then they approached to loot Hussein (peace be upon him), and Ishaq ibn Haywah al-Hadhrami took his shirt.” Al-Irshad fi Ma’rifat Hujaj Allah ‘ala al-Ibad, Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Mufid – Qom, 1st edition, 1413 AH, vol. 2, p. 112
[10] The blood flowed from the neck of Ali Asghar (peace be upon him), and from this very point, Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him) began the expansion of his movement. It was here that Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him) signed the scroll of his legitimacy. — Supreme Leader, Aftab Dar Masaf
[11] And for our Shi’a in it (Karbala), there will be life in preparation for the reappearance of our Qa’im. — Al-Hilli, Hasan ibn Sulayman ibn Muhammad, Mukhtasar al-Basair, Iran, Qom, First Edition, 1421 AH, page 447. — Al-Khasibi, Husayn ibn Hamdan, Al-Hidayah al-Kubra, Beirut, 1419 AH, page 400.
[12] And prepare against them whatever you are able of power. — Surah Al-Anfal, Ayah 60
[13] Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 214
