English
NEWS OF SAFI THE SERVANT OF IMAM AL HADI (A) AND HIS JOURNEY TO MASHHAD
In his book entitled Aman al-Akhtar, Sayyid Ibn Tawus mentions that Abu-Muhammad Qasim ibn ‘Ala’ has reported al-Safi, Imam ‘Ali al-Hadi’s servant, as having told the following:
When I asked him to permit me to go on a journey to Tus (currently Mashhad), Imam al-Hadi (‘a) advised me, saying, “You may take with you a ring whose stone is made of yellow agate with the following inscription on one side, ‘ma sha’Aliahu la quwwata illa billah’ and on the other side, the following is inscribed, ‘muhamadun wa ‘aliy.’ This (ring) secures from robbery, procures safety, and safeguards one’s religion.” When I left the Imam (‘a), I made a ring with the very specifications advised by the Imam (‘a) and carried it with me. I then returned to him, bid him farewell, and left. A few steps forward, the Imam (‘a) ordered me to return to him. When I did, he said to me, “Safi, you may take with you another ring whose stone is made of turquoise. On your way, and specifically between Nayshabur and Tus, a lion will prevent your caravan from proceeding. You may then face the lion, show it the ring, and say, ‘My master orders you to step aside.’” The Imam (‘a) then added, “The turquoise ring must carry the following inscription on one side,
اَلْمُلْكُ لِلّٰهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ
And on the other side of the ring, the following should be inscribed:
Kingdom is Allah’s the One and All-omnipotent.
These are the specifications of the ring that Imam ‘Ali (‘a) used to put. Before caliphate, Imam ‘Ali (‘a) inscribed the following on his ring, ‘almulku-lillah’, and when he became the caliph, he inscribed the following on it, ‘almulku lillahil-wahidil-qahhar’. This ring secures against beasts and achieves victory in wars.”
Al-Safi reported: I swear by Allah, I met the same thing that the Imam (‘a) had told me. I thus did the very thing that he had advised me to do. When I returned home, I told the Imam (‘a) about what had happened during my journey.
“There is only one thing that you have not told me about it,” said the Imam (‘a), “If you wish, I can tell you about it.”
I answered, “Yes, my master! Please, tell me about it perchance I had forgotten it.”
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْ مَسِيْرِيْ عِبَرًا
The Imam (‘a) said, “One night, while you were sleeping in Tus, a group of jinn attended there for visiting the tomb of Imam al-Rida (‘a). When they saw the stone of your ring in your hand, they pulled it out of your hand, took it to one of them who was ailing, washed the ring with water, and gave that water to the ailing jinni so as to drink from it. He therefore was healed. They then returned the ring to your hand, but instead of putting it in your right hand, they put it in your left. When you woke up, you were astonished because you could not find a reason. Further, you found near the place of your head a piece of corundum and you carried it with you. It is now with you, is it not? You may take it to the market because you will sell it witheighty dinars. It is a present from those jinn to you” I, al-Safi, took that piece of corundum to the market and sold it witheighty dinars, exactly as my master had predicted.
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِاللّٰهِ
وَ مِنَ اللّٰهِ وَ اِلَى اللّٰهِ
Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported as saying: If one recites Ayah al-Kursi every night during journey, he, as well as whatever is with him, will be in safety. One may add the following supplicatory prayer:
وَ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ
O Allah, (please do) make me learn lessons while I am walking (in this journey), ponder (over the creation of things) wliile I am silent, and mention You while I am talking.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِلَيْكَ اَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ
Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) is reported to have said: When I say the following words, I do not care even if both men and jinn help each other against me:
وَ اِلَيْكَ وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيْ
In the Name of Allah (I begin), in Allah (I trust), from Allah (I derive power), to Allah (I refer all my affairs), and on the way of Allah (I proceed). O Allah, to You have I submitted myself, towards You have I turned to face, and to You do I refer all my affairs; so, (please do) safeguard me with the guard of faith from my front, from my back from my right side, from my left side, from above, and from beneath me; and (please do) defend me with Your Might and Power, for there is no might and no power save with Allah the All-high and All-great.
وَ اِلَيْكَ فَوَّضْتُ اَمْرِيْ
فَاحْفَظْنِيْ بِحِفْظِ الْاِيْمَانِ
مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِيْ
وَ عَنْ يَمِيْنِيْ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِيْ
وَ مِنْ فَوْقِيْ وَ مِنْ تَحْتِيْ
وَ ادْفَعْ عَنِّيْ بِحَوْلِكَ وَ قُوَّتِكَ
فَاِنَّهُ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْمِ۔