Preface
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Some Convincing Things About The Hereafter
Many things have been written and said about death. But I
could not find anything more effective and convincing than what the martyr of
the alter, the God loving hero, Ayatullah Syed Abdul Hussein Dastghaib (q.s.)
had once said 25 years ago (this preface was written 04/02/1981) though he had
full knowledge of ayats, hadiths and religious books. Once during the month of
Ramadhan, he had delivered a speech in which he had said that death was the door
of life and the first step in attainment of God's Mercy. He described Barzakh
and its comforts in such a way that the audience became captivated by it.
Thereafter he also described the tortures of Barzakh in such a manner that
people began to tremble due to fear. Consequently after hearing the quotations
from Quran and Hadith many people gave up sins and turned towards good deeds and
righteousness.
His Blood Proved More Effective Than His Speech
May your soul remain ever-happy o teacher of morality and
o leader and teacher of the faithful! You guided people toward the truth during
your lifetime. You became the means of taking people away from falsehood. But
much more than that, you fulfilled your duty of propagating the truth through
your martyrdom. As this dear friend has written, the blood of Ayatullah
Dastghaib has proved more effective than his sermons.
He constantly said in his speeches and also wrote and
published that “Death is not Extinction; rather it is the beginning of
everlasting life.” He was repeatedly giving good tidings to the family members
of martyrs that the Holy Quran has adjudged that your (martyred) relatives are
alive. (Wa La…Amwat, S. Baqarah, V: 154 meaning: Do not call that the martyrs in
the path of Truth are dead. Rather they are alive). Certainly we are the dead in
comparison with them because (this our life is perishable and) they have
attained the everlasting life after which there is no death.
The Precious Pearl Which Could Not Be Appreciated
O Martyr of the Alter! May your soul remain ever happy.
You have made this matter clear through your martyrdom. Even two months have not
yet passed since you have left us. But so many of your karaamaat (miracles) have
been seen and heard that many people are feeling sorry restlessly because they
could not know you as you should have been known. They so strongly feel and they
ask themselves as to why they did not take proper benefit of your graceful life
among them?
Here, regarding the discussion about this book and about
'Ma'aad' as well as with reference to your oft-repeated statement that “The
martyrs are forever immortal” we like to mention an event which took place on
the seventh day of your martyrdom which has become known to most of the
residents of Shiraz to such an extent that it has also been reported in the
press.
Wonderful Offer About A Fact
On the second day of the Arbian Husseini of the year 1402
H. in the morning when I went, according of the routine, to my father's house,
the office secretary came to me and, after Salaam and inquiries about health
etc, began his talk with the dream of a Syed lady like this:
“A respectable Syed lady who I know very well and who
lives I our neighborhood, says: Last nigh I saw the late martyr of the alter
(q.s.) in my dream. He told me: Some pieces of my flesh have been stuck up
between bricks in the wall in this street (where the late Ayatullah was shot).
Please recollect those pieces and join them with my body.”
At first I did not give importance to this news. I heard
the talks of all people in the office and this continued for about two hours.
Thereafter I stepped out along with some of them with the intention of
participation in a Majalis sitting of Fatihakhaani. Per chance, we had to pass
through the aforesaid street where my father was martyred. So when we reached
that faithful spot, I suddenly remembered the aforesaid dream and I told about
it to my companions as it was related to me that morning and said that there was
nothing wrong if we walked looking around. Then suddenly our eyes fell for the
first time on that wall and all of us saw that some pieces of flesh had filled
the gaps between bricks at a spot on that wall.
Double Burial Of A Body
Two of our companions went forward to collect those
pieces of the body of the martyr of the alter (so they collected them and placed
in a plastic bag safely). The news of this event spread in the city like wild
fire especially due to fact that it was the seventh day of Arbaeene Husseini and
the Shuhadae Karbala and so a total holiday in Shiraz.
During Friday eve, in the Jame Masjid of Shiraz, as
usual, and as per the tradition of the Shahide Mihraab (martyr of the alter) for
the last several years, a Majalis of Dua-e-Kumail prayer was held and a huge
gathering of mourners heard the event. Then and there it was announced that:
This night at ten o'clock, another burial of the remaining parts of the martyred
Ayatullah will be buried. So it was done and several groups of mourners
continued their mourning rituals till late night in the courtyard of the shrine
of Hazrat Ahmed bin Musa Kazim. Finally, on the day of Arbaeen, the remaining
part of the Holy body of Hazrat Ali Abdullah Al Hussein (a.s.) were brought with
the intention of burying there and the aforesaid two plastic bags were placed in
the foot side hole dug in the grave of the great martyr.
Two Other Persons Also Had That Dream
In fact, this event was very wonderful and strange. I
forgot to mention that on that very day when the scattered pieces of the Holy
body were retrieved from the bricks of the said wall, a gentleman, who is one of
the sincere persons belonging to the clergy and commanding respect and
reliability, told me that last night two other persons including a relative of
the martyr had also seen the same dream. After hearing this narration, this
event assumed much importance in my opinion. So finally I sent a messenger to
the aforesaid Syed lady and requested her to write back to us her full
description of the said dream and also to mention her full name and address
along with the names of her husband and other family members. So the lady
conceded to my request and sent me the accurate and detailed account which is
presently before me. I seek the consent of the honorable readers to quote a few
parts of the said report so that it may be preserved as a part of history and be
a means of admonition and guidance for future generations.
The lady writes thus: “Tak ka e goshtam laaye diwar ast.”
Meaning: Some particles of my flesh have been left stuck up in the wall.”
The vision (dream): ” I was in a big garden. Suddenly I
was Ayatullah Dastghaib walking ahead of me. I was walking behind him. This was
the middle part of the garden and the Hazrat had put on a coffee color cloak. He
asked me: Please go and tell the people that some particles of my flesh have
been left in that wall. He repeated these words several times. So I was
extremely astonished when I woke up from my sleep.”
A Story More Revealing Than A Book
You yourself may decide what a Truth this true dream
tells. Talking testimony of a truth which is more convincing than a whole book
of admonition. The Martyr of the Alter had mentioned: “Death is not destruction;
rather it is the door for attainment of Divine Mercy.” 'The martyrs in the path
of God are alive and they are getting provision from their Lord.' (Wa
Laa…Yurazqoon) This learned Scholar has, in this book, given detailed
description if events in the world of Barzakh (between Death and Resurrection).
Then he has turned towards the coming back of the soul to body. All these things
are true. The martyr has personally proved this and announced so.
Ocean in a Nutshell
Despite the limitations of this book, looking towards the
contents, we conclude how nicely the author has encompassed all the conditions
of death and state of affairs after death. The martyr (r.a.) has, in a very
attractive style, in very appealing and effective words, described the journey
to the Hereafter which begins from the moment of death. Then he tells about the
kind of death for the righteous and the offender. He has described the last
moments on deathbed in such a way that the reader also feels that he is on
deathbed.
Thereafter he describes the conditions in Barzakh and
quotes at length verses picturing the pleasing comforts of paradise in grave and
thereafter a number of verses and hadiths throwing ample light on what happens
during the torturous punishments in the grave (Barzakh period). He also narrates
many true events and visions in support of this and shows what the reader has to
pass through.
Thereafter he has presented arguments, verses and
traditions concerning the events preceding Resurrection and the Day of Judgement
and has discussed all this in a very simple style. He has also talked at length
about Sirat and Mizan and Behisht and Dozakh and Sawaab and Azaab through
several sources. In short, it can very well be claimed that hundreds of though
provoking and eye-catching events have been covered like an ocean in a nutshell
in this brief book.
May your soul remain ever happy and pleased, O Ayatullah
Martyr of Mihraab! So also the souls of your eighteen years old grandson Syed
Muhammad Taki Dastgaib and all of your faithful companions may remain in peace
and comfort forever.
Syed Muhammad Hashim Dastghaib
Shiraz
4th
February 1981
