ziyarat – Page 2

August 3, 2013December 24, 2014 Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau Articles, Book Info

A Scholars Advice to a Convert

I can recall what an amazing feeling I had on my first day in the Holy city of Najaf, Iraq walking through the streets and seeing the bright golden dome of Imam Ali (pbuh). The city of Najaf is ancient and everything seems to be a dusty sand color, but the shrine of Amir Al-Mumineen is so bright and vivid that it brings life to the whole city. It seems to be the very center of existence for the lives of Najaf’s inhabitants.

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The second day I was there, we were walking with Sheikh Mustafa Akhound and a few friends when I noticed we were walking in a different way than usual. So, I asked where we were going as we were navigating through the back alleys of streets that were filled with low hanging electrical wires and air conditioning units protruding out of the walls. He said he wanted us to meet someone and that it was a surprise. Turns out it was his teacher and mentor Ayatollah Sayed Murtadha Shirazi. When we arrived at his door he welcomed us all into his home and had nice fruits and drinks for us. He allotted time out of his day to give us a small talk and to answer any questions we might have.

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It was such a great honor to meet someone with such a high rank in Islamic knowledge. He was very nice and was genuinely interested to know about where I came from and how I chose to become a Shia Muslim. I spoke to him as much as I could with my broken Arabic and also Sheikh Mustafa would help with translating for me. He gave us a small lecture and then afterwards Sheikh Mustafa asked us if we had any questions that we would like to ask Ayatollah Shirazi.

I had come all of the way from the United States and found myself sitting in the house of an Ayatollah asking me if I had any questions. I decided to take this opportunity to ask for some very important advice that would help me throughout my journeys in life. I chose to ask him how could we get closer to our beloved Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his reappearance).

He answered me with several things that I will list here. I have been thinking about my visit and it prompted me to write about it so that others can read this and benefit as well.

The first thing he replied was that this is an easy thing to say, but in reality it is not an easy task to accomplish. He continued to say that we needed to pray to Allah and ask Him to open our container and expand our capacity, so that we can receive the knowledge pertaining to Imam Mahdi (pbuh). Being among those who are close to the Imam means having a very high level of knowledge and piety, so we must be prepared mentally and spiritually to understand, comprehend and accept this knowledge.

He proceeded to say that one of the ways that we can gain proximity to the Imam is to fulfill all of our obligations (wajibat) that Allah has asked from us. Next is to stay away from all of the things Allah has forbidden us from doing (muharramat). This reminds me of the first thing he told me when he said that it sounded easy but in reality, was not an easy task at all. Last of all he told me that to become close to the Imam we should be careful of how we treat others. We should always treat others well, with respect and give them their due rights. We should never be oppressors and mistreat people.

That was the advice I received from the respected scholar. I hope that all of us can apply these principles he taught that day and become servants of the Imam of our time.

After that, I left that great city of Najaf and started my walk towards Karbala to pay my respects to Imam Hussain (pbuh) and the Martyrs (Shuhada). I saw how so many people were lined up with stands giving away all they had to the pilgrims. They were giving away food, tea and sweets. They had tents and blankets for sleeping and were even massaging the weak and fatigued pilgrims. They were ready and willing to give away anything they had for the guests of Imam Hussain (pbuh). I started to think deeply about what I had to offer in the way of Ahl ul Bayt (The household of Prophet Muhammad), peace be upon them.

For those who have not seen my documentary Journey of the Spirit on how I converted to Islam, I chose to become a Shia Muslim after studying both Christianity and Islam while serving my first year in a maximum-security prison. This was when I was 17 years old, in 1999. In total I served 9 years before my release. Throughout this time I did not work and I chose to dedicate my time to reforming myself and to learning the religion of Islam. I would read one book from cover to cover then start the next one repeating this cycle for 9 years, al-hamdu lillah. I also learned Arabic when I was 18 years old. Since my release from prison I have been active within the Washington, DC community.

Getting back to the story at hand, I thought that the best way for me to help people and to serve the cause of Muhammad and his family (peace be upon them) was for me to use the knowledge I had gained while in prison to compile and write books on Shia Islam. I learned that the father of Ayatollah Sayed Murtadha Shirazi had authored around 1,400 books. His name was Ayatollah Sayed Muhammad Shirazi and he was one of the great Maraja of his time. I decided to take this path and to help spread what I had learned to my fellow English speaking people.

Since I have returned from the blessed city of Karbala I have published three books on Shia Islam; The Suffering of the Ahl ul Bayt and their Followers (shia) throughout History, Christians who Defended and Died for Prophet Muhammad and his Family, and The Mystery of the Shia. Also, on the same day that my son Ali was born (in March of 2013), I started attending Islamic Seminary (Howza) taught by Sheikh Mustafa Akhound at the Imam Ali Center of Springfield, Virginia. I plan to keep writing more books and inshallah (God-willing) one day translate some of the great Shia books from Arabic to English.

It has been about a year and half since I was in Iraq, but Ayatollah Sayed Murtadha Shirazi frequently asks Sheikh Mustafa about me and sends me his greetings. I feel very honored to have met him. It amazes me sometimes because I never would have thought while I was in that prison cell reading and studying about Islam that I would end up visiting the shrines of the ones I grew to love; Ahl ul Bayt (pbut). I also never would have thought that an Ayatollah would be sending me his greetings and taking an interest in me. It is very humbling and I hope to continue down this path of serving the Family of Muhammad (pbut).

Recently I heard that Sheikh Mustafa’s father, Sheikh Makki Akhound, was coming from Karbala to visit. I thought to myself that morning before my Howza class how great it would be if he could bring my books back to Iraq and present them to Ayatollah Sayed Murtadha. So, with this thought in mind I went to my class. Upon arriving at the masjid I saw Sheikh Makki and he asked me how my son and I have been doing. Before I could even say anything about him taking my books to the respected scholar he said “Mateen, Ayatollah Sayed Muratdha Shirazi sends his greetings to you and says he is very proud of the work you have been doing for Ahl ul Bayt (pbut). He wants me to bring your books to him.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! It was a great honor and achievement for me as a convert to Islam that an Ayatollah asked for my books.

I sent all three books back to Najaf with Sheikh Makki who presented them to him. He got a picture of the Ayatollah reading them for me and sent it to my email just this past week. I wanted to share this story with everyone and I hope that we all can take a look at what talents we possess and formulate a plan on how we can use these great blessings to serve the cause of Ahl ul Bayt (pbut) and grow closer to the beloved Imam of our time, Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his reappearance).

Books by Mateen J. Charbonneau available at: http://www.mateenjc.wordpress.com

and also at Amazon

May 21, 2013November 2, 2013 Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau Stories of Ahl ul Bayt (as) and their Shia

The Martyrdom of the Sons of Muslim ibn Aqil

Muslim ibn ‘Aqil had taken two of his sons to Kufah with him. The older son was called
Muhammad and the younger Ibrahim. Both of them were under the age of ten years. When
Muslim ibn ‘Aqil realized how dangerous a threat Ibn Ziyad was, he called for Qadi Shurayh and
handed over his two sons to him. Qadi Shurayh kept the two boys in his house until the
martyrdom of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil.
After the death of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil, Ibn Ziyad issued a warning saying that anyone who was
aware of the whereabouts of the sons of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil and did not inform him would be put 171
to death. On hearing this, Qadi Shurayh went to the sons of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil. He showed them
affection and kindness as he shed tears. The boys asked him, “Why are you weeping?”
Shurayh replied, “Your father has been mercilessly killed.” The children cried in grief, “O father!
O exile!” After Shurayh had consoled them, he informed them of Ibn Ziyad’s threats against
them. Hearing this, the children stopped crying out of terror. Seeing this Shurayh said, “Do not
be frightened. You are the apples of my eye. I will not allow any harm to come to you. I have
arranged for you to be in the care of a trustworthy person who will see to it that you are taken
back to Medina.”
Shurayh called for his son Asad and gave him the following instructions, “News has come to me
that a caravan is preparing to depart for Medina. Take these children and hand them over to the
trustworthy person who will see to it that they reach Medina safely.” Shurayh kissed the two
boys and gave them each 50 dinars. Then he bade them farewell and handed them over to his son
Asad.
In the darkness of the night, Asad carried the two boys in his arms until he was a few kilometers
outside Kufah in order to meet with the caravan. However, the caravan had set off before they
arrived. The dark shapes of the rear of the caravan were barely visible in the distance. Asad bid
the two orphans of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil farewell and told to run after the caravan until they caught
up with it. Under no circumstances were they to stop before they had reached it.
In the darkness of the night the two orphans started running through the desert towards the
caravan. However, tiredness overcame them and they paused for a while. It was at this moment
that an inhabitant from Kufah happened to be passing. He saw the two boys and recognized them
as being the orphans of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil. He seized them and brought them to Ibn Ziyad.
Ibn Ziyad summoned the jailor and handed the two orphans over to him. The jailor was a person
by the name of Mashkur and he was among the lovers of the Household of the Prophet. When
Mashkur learned of the identity of the two boys, he treated them with great kindness and
affection and brought them food and water. Finally in the middle of the night, Mashkur decided
to free the two boys. He gave them his ring and instructed them to go to Qadisiyyah where they
would find his brother. He told them to give the ring to his brother who would then assist them to
get to Medina. When news of Mashkur’s freeing of the boys was given to Ibn Ziyad, he ordered
him to be given fifty lashes. Mashkur died as the sentence was being carried out.
On the same night Ibrahim and Muhammad, the sons of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil, left Kufah and started
their journey towards Qadisiyyah. They walked all night. However, due to the darkness and the
fact that they did not know the way, they found themselves still on the outskirts of Kufah in the
morning. The frightened boys saw a palm-grove and went to it. There they hid themselves on top
of a date palm.
An Ethiopian maid came to the palm-grove to drink some water from a pond underneath the tree
in which the children were hiding. As she knelt down by the pond, she saw the reflection of the
two children in the water. The maid quickly looked up at the tree and saw the young boys
concealed in it. She treated them with kindness and gentleness and took them to her mistress, 172
who was the wife of Harith ibn ‘Urwah. As soon as this woman saw them, she put her arms
around them and asked them who they were. They replied, “We are from the family of the
Prophet and are the sons of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil.” When she learned of their true identities, she
showed them greater affection and embraced her maid in joy. However, she warned her to not to
inform her husband Harith about the boys because she knew of his evil disposition.
After the boys had eaten and gone to bed, Harith returned home in a state of rage. When Harith’s
wife asked him of the reason for his anger, he replied that that he had been in search of the two
sons of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil who had been freed by Mashkur the jailor. He said that it had been
announced in the palace of Ibn Ziyad that the one who captured the boys would be rewarded
handsomely. However, despite a lengthy search during which his horse had died of exhaustion
and in which he himself had become tired, he had been unable to find them. At this Harith’s wife
said, “May sorrow be your lot! Fear God and the day on which Muhammad the Messenger of
Allah will be your opponent. Do not harm those children.” Harith replied, “Silence! O woman! If
I were to find them, I should be rewarded by vast amounts of gold and silver from Ibn Ziyad. Get
up and prepare my supper.”
After eating his supper Harith went to his bed. Muhammad and Ibrahim were asleep in one of the
rooms. Suddenly Muhammad the elder brother of the two woke up from his sleep. He had had a
dream that had disturbed him. He said to Ibrahim, “Wake up! O brother! I have just had a dream
and I am afraid that that we will soon be killed. I saw the Prophet with Imam Ali, al-Hasan, al-
Husayn and Lady Fatimah sitting in Paradise with our father. The Prophet looked at us and wept.
Then he turned to our father and said, ‘O Muslim! How could you leave your sons among the
enemies?’ At this our father said that they would be united with us tomorrow.” Ibrahim replied, “I
have had the same dream.” The children embraced each other in the darkness of the night,
frightened and not knowing what was to become of them.
Harith was woken from his sleep by the sound of the children’s voices. Holding a candle he came
inside the room and saw the two frightened children sitting in a corner of the room clinging to
each other. He asked, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are your guests, the family of the
Prophet. We are the sons of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil.” Harith shouted angrily, “I have destroyed myself
and my horse in searching for you while you were sitting inside my own house?”
Harith began to slap the children viciously. Then he tied their hands and feet and pushed them
into a corner of the room. Harith’s wife came to him and kissed his hands and feet begging him
to not to harm the children as they were orphans and from the family of the Prophet and their
guests. However, the hard-hearted man was without any compassion and paid no heed to her
pleas. Thus the boys were left in that state until the morning.
In the morning Harith, with his sword in his hand and accompanied by his son and his servant,
took the two sons of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil to the banks of the Euphrates. Harith’s wife was crying
and pleading with him as she followed them. However, whenever she got near to them, Harith
would push her away with his sword. At the Euphrates Harith gave his sword to his servant and
ordered him to behead the two boys. The servant refused to carry out his orders and Harith killed
him. After this Harith handed the sword to his son and told him to behead the two children. At
this his son replied, “I seek refuge with Allah! Never will I commit such a crime and I will not 173
allow you to kill them.” Harith’s wife cried out, “What crime have these children committed?
Take them alive to the governor.” Harith answered, “I have no option but to kill them, I have no
guarantee that members of the Shi’ah will not rescue them from me while I make my way to the
governor.”
At this Harith took hold of his sword with an intention of killing his own son. His wife screamed
and begged for mercy but to no avail. Harith took his son’s life. Then he turned to the children
who were crying and shaking with fear at what they had witnessed. The children begged for
some time for them to offer their final prayers but Harith did not grant them their wish. Harith
grabbed hold of Muhammad but Ibrahim threw himself on Muhammad in an attempt to save
him. Muhammad did the same in order to save the life of his younger brother. Impatiently Harith
struck his sword at Muhammad beheading him. Ibrahim grabbed the head of his brother in his
lap. As he wept over his brother, Harith struck at Ibrahim neck beheading the orphan.
Harith threw the headless bodies of the orphans of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil in the river and placed their
heads on a stake and set off to the palace of Ibn Ziyad.
The heads of the orphans of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil were brought and placed in front of Ibn Ziyad. The
latter asked, “Whose heads are these?” Harith replied, “These are the heads of your enemies
whom I caught and beheaded in return for the reward that you promised.” Ibn Ziyad asked,
“Which of my enemies?” Harith answered, “The sons of Muslim ibn ‘Aqil.” Ibn Ziyad asked for
the heads to be washed and brought on a tray. Then he gazed at them and said to Harith, “May
sorrow be your reward! What wrong did these children do to you?”
Ibn Ziyad called for his personal jester Muqatil who was a devoted lover of the Holy Family and
to deny the murderer death at the hands of soldiers said, “This accursed man has killed these
children without my permission. Take him to the banks of the Euphrates where he murdered the
children and execute him as you will.” Muqatil grabbed Harith by the shoulders and marched
him through the streets of Kufah bare-footed and bare-headed as he showed the heads of the
orphans to the onlookers shouting, “O people! This is the murderer of the two orphans of Muslim
ibn ‘Aqil.” The people wept at the sight of the orphan’s heads and cursed Harith. As Muqatil
proceeded to the river, the people gathered with him to witness Harith’s execution. When they
arrived at the place where the children were killed, they found the dead bodies of Harith’s son
and his slave and his bruised wife crying over her son. The people were extremely disturbed at
the scene.
Harith asked Muqatil to release him for the sum of ten thousand dinars.
To this Muqatil replied, “By Allah! If all the wealth of the entire world were yours and you
offered it to me, I would not accept. I desire to attain the Paradise of Allah by executing you.
His head was brought to Ibn Ziyad, it was placed on a lance and children threw stones and
arrows at it and said, “This is the murderer of the progeny of the Prophet”

The Suffering of the Ahl ul Bayt and their Shia throughout History by Mateen J. Charbonneau pages 170-173

The Tragedy of the Two Young Sons of Muslim Ibn Aqil, Nafasul Mahmoom, Shaikh Sadooq has related this in his Amali

May 18, 2013April 23, 2016 Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau Ahadith

Ziyarat in the eyes of Imam al-Ridha (as)

Rayyan Ibn Shabib narrated:

Imam al-Ridha (as) said, “O Son of Shabib! Muharram is a month in which even the people of the former age of ignorance forbade oppression and bloodshed due to its sanctity. However, this nation did not honor the sanctity of this month nor did they honor the sanctity of their Prophet. In this month, they killed the Prophet’s progeny, enslaved his women, and plundered his belongings. May Allah never forgive them for these crimes.
O Son of Shabib! If you wish to cry for anything or anyone, cry for al-Husain Ibn Ali for he was slaughtered like a sheep. Eighteen members from his family who were unparalleled on earth were also killed along with him. Certainly, the seven heavens and earths cried because of the murder of al-Husain. Four thousand Angels descended on earth to aid him, but (when they were allowed to reach there) they found him martyred. So they remained at his grave, disheveled and dusty, and will remain there until the rising of al-Qa’im (Imam al-Mahdi), whereupon they will aid him. Their slogan will be, ‘Vengeance for the blood of al-Husain.’
O Son of Shabib! My father related to me from his father, who related from his grandfather that when my grandfather Imam al-Husain was martyred, the sky rained blood and red sands.
O Son of Shabib! When you weep over the afflictions of al-Husain so that tears flow from your eyes onto your cheeks Allah will forgive all your sins, big or small, few or numerous.
O Son of Shabib! If you wish to meet Allah, the mighty and the majestic, free of sin, then perform the Ziyarat of al-Husain.
O Son of Shabib! If it pleases you to abide in the palaces of Paradise in company of the Prophet and his family, then invoke Allah’s curse upon the murderers of Imam al-Husain.
O Son of Shabib! If you wish to earn the reward of those who were martyred with al-Husain, then whenever you remember him, say, ‘If only I had been with them so that I would have attained the great felicity.’
O Son of Shabib! If you desire to be with us in the highest degree of Paradise, then grieve in our sorrows and rejoice in our happiness. Remain attached to our love, for even if a person loves a stone, Allah shall resurrect him with it on the Day of Judgment.”

The Suffering of the Ahl ul Bayt (as) and their followers throughout history by Mateen J Charbonneau page 221-222