The shrine of Lady Fatima al-Sughrā Hakima (peace be upon her)—the sister of Imam Ali al-Ridha (peace be upon him)—at the Bibi-Heybat sanctuary is a tremendous blessing for us. Visiting this sacred place carries countless spiritual rewards. However, to better understand the essence of this pilgrimage and benefit from it more deeply, the following practices are recommended:
1.Perform this pilgrimage on behalf of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance). In other words, make the intention that you are visiting the shrine as his representative.
2.Dedicate the reward of your pilgrimage to Imam al-Mahdi. The Imam is extremely generous and never returns a gift empty-handed.
3.Begin your pilgrimage by sending greetings to Imam al-Mahdi. Likewise, on other days as well, when you wake up in the morning, let the first person you address be the Imam. Place your hand on your chest, bow your head toward the qibla, and say:
“As-salāmu ʿalayka yā Ṣāḥib az-Zamān.”
4.Conclude the pilgrimage by sending greetings to the Imam. Also make it a habit every night before sleeping to greet him. Let the last person you address be the Imam of the Time.
5.Along with performing the two-rak‘ah prayer of visitation for the mosque and the gift prayer dedicated to Lady Hakima, also perform two rak‘ahs as a gift prayer for Imam al-Mahdi.
Before these prayers, seek tawassul (spiritual intercession) through Imam al-Mahdi. Greet him by saying:
“As-salāmu ʿalayka yā BābAllāh.”
Make it a habit to say this before and after your daily obligatory prayers as well.
6.Whenever you remember him, send salawat (blessings upon the Prophet and his family) with the intention of the safety of Imam al-Mahdi and the hastening of his reappearance.
7.Inform the pilgrims who visit the shrine about Imam al-Mahdi and encourage them to pray for his reappearance. Help cultivate love for the Imam of the Time in their hearts.
8.Introduce pilgrims to books and websites that provide correct knowledge about Imam al-Mahdi. If possible, answer their questions and clear their doubts. If you do not know the answer, strive to learn.
9.Conduct yourself in such a way that people remember Imam al-Mahdi when they see you. Maintain good character and be kind to the people serving the pilgrims. Even when declining something, do so with a smile.
It is not necessary that you must touch the shrine’s lattice (zarih); instead, strive to be attentive to the pilgrims and help make their visitation easier and more comfortable.
10.Remember the tragedies and hardships faced by the family of Lady Hakima, and know that Imam al-Mahdi continues to experience these sorrows moment by moment. Share in his grief.
11.
Give charity (sadaqah) on behalf of Imam al-Mahdi, or with the intention of his safety and the hastening of his reappearance, even if it is a very small amount.
12.
Serve the pilgrims and offer them acts of generosity, even if modest, and dedicate the reward of these acts to Imam al-Mahdi.
13.
Avoid sins and repent. Abandoning even a single sin brings joy to Imam al-Mahdi. Recite the remembrance:
“Astaghfirullāha rabbī wa atūbu ilayh.”
“I seek forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, and I repent to Him.”
Then dedicate the reward to Imam al-Mahdi.
14.
The Qur’an and Imam al-Mahdi will never be separated until the Day of Judgment. During your visit, recite even a small portion of the Qur’an and dedicate its reward—on behalf of Lady Hakima—to the Imam of the Time.
Make this a daily practice as well. Great scholars have emphasized reciting at least 50 verses daily and gifting the reward to Imam al-Mahdi.
15.
Pay attention to the practices personally recommended by Imam al-Mahdi, and encourage others to perform them as well. These include:
Ziyarat Ashura
Ziyarat Jami‘ah Kabirah
Ziyarat Al-Yasin
Du‘a al-‘Ahd
Performing the Night Prayer (Salat al-Layl), even if only one rak‘ah of the Witr prayer
Then dedicate the reward of these acts to the Imam.
16.
Most importantly, sincerely pray for the reappearance of our oppressed Imam in every situation. Pray with insistence and with tears. Ask as a thirsty person longs for water. Ask as if your prayer will be answered that very moment and Imam al-Mahdi will appear immediately.
Everything is in Allah’s hands. If He wills to hasten the reappearance, no one can question His decree. Even if we are not worthy, He may grant us this blessing through His mercy.
The solution to all our problems lies in the reappearance of the Imam.
Forget your personal troubles; compared to the hardships endured by the Imam, what are our problems?
Implore Allah for the sake of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) and Lady Zaynab (peace be upon her) and ask for the reappearance—persistently, constantly—until it becomes the central concern of your heart.
And if, in your prayers, you forget to ask for your personal needs—do not worry. If you pray for that Imam of Mercy, could it ever be possible that this compassionate Father would not pray for you in return? The prayer of the Imam is certainly answered.
If you wish to ask for anything else, ask for the honor of becoming a servant in the service of Imam al-Mahdi.
May the entire world be sacrificed for Imam al-Mahdi. It is our duty to strive in every action to draw closer to him, and to remember him in everything we see.
Let us dedicate our lives, our wealth, our knowledge, and our families to serving him. Even if we are not worthy, he is a noble and generous Master who accepts even our small and humble deeds.
Whether one seeks success in this world or the next, both are found in the service of Imam al-Mahdi.