This religion under whose shade we have taken shelter and in the light of which we have come to know God, the Holy Quran, and the Ahl ul-Bayt have not reached us easily. Only does God know how many devoted persons sacrificed their lives, suffered hardships, and went through calamities in order to safeguard this religion and hand it over to us as it is. We, who hear the life-giving call of ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Mohammad is His Messenger,’ from mosques’ minarets, hold glorious congregational prayer in mosques, and hold mourning ceremonies for Imam Hussein (a.s), are rarely aware of the tragic events that happened to Islam and Muslims in the early days of our religion. Hence, it is necessary for our younger generation to study the history of the early days of Islam to see what sacrifices were made in defense of Islam and the Holy Quran. We should both follow their ways and visit their graves to pay homage to them.
Some of those pioneers who sacrificed their lives in the way of God are the martyrs of the battle of Uhud, may Allah be pleased with them, who bravely fought for Islam when it, as well as the Messenger of God were isolated, lost their lives, found eternal life, and made us indebted to them forever. Therefore, we stand by their graves and say:
السّلامُ عَليكُم يا أنْصارَ دِينِ اللهِ وأَنصارَ رَسولِهِ عَلَيهِ وآلهِ السَّلامُ. سَلامٌ عَلَيكُم بمِا صَبَرْتُم فَنِعْمَ عُقبى الدّارِ. أَشْهَدُ أنَّ اللهَ اختارَكُم لِدينهِ واصطَفاكُم لرَسولهِ وأَشهَدُ أنَّكم قَد جاهَدتم في اللهِ حقَّ جِهادِهِ وذَبَبتُم عن دينِ اللهِ.
“Peace be upon you, O helpers of the religion of Allah and helpers of His Messenger (peace be upon him and his progeny). Peace be upon you for your forbearance. What an excellent habitation the Hereafter is. I bear witness that Allah has chosen you for His religion and for Him Messenger. I bear witness that you fought for the sake of Allah a true fighting and defended the religion of Allah and His Prophet.”[225]
The honorable uncle of the Holy Prophet, Hamza, had an important role in helping the religion of God and His Messenger. Hence, among the martyrs of Uhud, he has such great rank about whom the Holy Prophet (saw) has said:
مَن زارَني وَلم يَزُر قَبرَ عمِّي حَمزَةَ فَقد جَفاني.
Whoever visits my grave but does not visit the grave of my uncle Hamza, has indeed been unkind to me.
So, we should pay homage to him by saying:
السّلامُ عَلَيكَ يا عَمَّ رَسولِ الله صَلّى اللهُ عَليهِ وآلهِ، السّلامُ عَلَيكَ يا خَيرَ الشُّهَداءِ، السّلامُ عَلَيكَ يا أَسَدَ اللهِ وَأَسَدَ رَسولهِ... وَأَنتَ ِممَّن أَمَرَنِيَ اللهُ بِصِلَتِهِ وَحَثَّني عَلى بِرِّهِ ودّلَّني عَلى فَضلهِ وهَداني لحُبِّهِ ورَغَّبَني في الوِفادَةِ إليهِ وألهَمَني طَلَبَ الحوائِجِ عِندَه.
“Peace be upon you, O uncle of the Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you, O the best of martyrs. Peace be upon you, O the lion of Allah and the lion of the Messenger of Allah… and you are one of those with whom Allah has commanded me to have relation, to whom Allah has enjoined me to do good, to whose virtue and friendship He has guided me, and with whose visitation and asking my needs from him, Allah has inspired me.”[226]
Here our spiritual journey comes to an end. God willing, we will return to our countries with our hearts purified from wrongdoings and our souls illuminated with the light of knowledge of God and His friends. We ask God through His Sacred House, the affinity of His Messenger and the pure and immaculate Household, and His grace to accept our Hajj, and make the rest of our lives safe from the temptations of Satan under the shelter of Imam Mahdi (a.s). Also, safeguard our children from moral deviations.
اَللّهمَّ صَلِّ عَلى محَمَّدٍ وآلِ محَمَّدٍ وارْزُقْنا حَجَّ بَيتِكَ الحَرامِ وزِيارَةَ قَبرِ نَبِيِّكَ والأئِمَّةِ عَلَيهِمُ السّلامُ في كُلِّ عامٍ ولا تخَلّينا يا رَبَّنا مِن تلكَ المشَاهِدِ الشّريفَةِ والمَواقِفِ الكَريمَةِ ما أبقَيْتَنا.
وَالحَمدُ للهِ ربِّ العالمَينَ وَصَلّى اللهُ عَلى محَمَّدٍ وآلهِ الطاهِرينَ.
O God, send peace and blessings upon Mohammad and the progeny of Mohammad (saw) and grant us pilgrimage to Your Sacred House and visitation of the graves of Your Prophet and the Imams (a.s) in every year. Do not deprive us, O Lord, of visiting such dignified and sacred places.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and greetings of Allah be upon Mohammad and his pure and immaculate progeny.
