Ayatollah Shaikh Mujtaba Qazvini narrates – Maulana Sayyed Baqir Damaghani was staying in Mashhad. He was a student of Marhoom Ayatollah Mirza Mahdi Gharawi. For many years he was afflicted with tuberculosis (TB) due to which he had become very weak and frail. He tried very hard to treat this illness, albeit without success. He eventually lost all hope of a cure.One day, I saw him hale and hearty walking towards me which surprised everyone since we all knew that he was still suffering from the disease. We asked him the cause for the cure to which he replied, one day, I vomited a lot of blood. The doctors had also given up and considered my disease to be incurable. I too had lost all hope for any cure from the doctors and thought that perhaps it was beyond them as well. I was thinking what I should do when it came into my mind that I should go and meet with Ayatollah Gharawi and seek some kind of advice from him. Thus, I went and narrated my entire condition to him.
When I narrated my condition, he said, are you not a Sayyed? Why don’t you seek help from your blessed forefathers? Why don’t you seek the solution of your problems from Hazrat Imam Mahdi (as)? Don’t you know that in this age, he is the manifestation of the beautiful names of the merciful Lord? Have you not read Dua Kumayl where Imam Ali (as) says, O the One whose name is a remedy and who remembrance is a cure. He said, if you are a Shiah, and a Sayyed as well, then starting today, seek the help of Imam Mahdi (as) for your difficulty.
Finally, through such words and exhortations, he awoke my dormant conscience. While listening to his words, my eyes became moist. I stood up from my place and in order to present myself before the Imam began reciting – Ya Hujjat Ibnil Hasan, Adrikni (O Proof, the son of Imam Hasan Askari (as), help me). Reciting these words, I started walking towards the shrine of Imam Ali Reza (as).
When I entered the old courtyard of the shrine, it felt different than usual. The courtyard was empty and I saw only a few people who were walking together. They were walking behind a Sayyed. When I saw him, my mind instantly said that this Sayyed is Imam Mahdi (as). Since there was some distance between us, I thought that it should not happen that he leaves from here and I miss the opportunity to meet him. Therefore I thought it better to I call out to him and request his intercession to cure me of this illness. Barely had this thought crossed my mind that I saw the Imam (as) change his direction and look towards me.
All of a sudden, I saw that the courtyard had changed to its original form and there was no sign of those people. The public were coming and going as usual. This change in scene cast a strange feeling over me. At that moment I felt that my illness had been cured completely. Thereafter I searched for the Imam (as) everywhere, but I could not find him.
Ref: Mulaqaate’ Imam Mahdi (as), volume 1, page 43
There are several lessons which can be derived from this incident. Some of these lessons are as follows.
Allah (swt) has clearly ordered the believers in the last verse of Surah Ale Imran that they should be in close contact with the Imam of the Time (as). Therefore it is imperative for every Shiah that he does tawassul with Imam Mahdi (as) everyday and he turns towards the Imam (as) just a child turns to his parents.If a person does like that, he will be the recipient of the special attention of Imam Mahdi (as) and will receive the solution of not just worldly problem, but answers to spiritual issues as well.
In the above incident, there is a mention about the Sadaat. However Hazrat Imam Mahdi (as) pay attention to all Shiahs.
Dua Kumayl by itself is a very effective dua. Hazrat Ameerul Momeneen (as) emphasised it recitation to his companion Kumayl Ibne Ziyad by saying that a person should recite it every Thursday night, or at least once every month or one a year or at least once in his lifetime. The recitation of this dua is a cause for forgiveness of sins, increase in sustenance, increase in lifespan and protection from enemies. We should be regular in reciting this dua.
Let us begin from today itself to increase our communication with Imam Mahdi (as). It is possible that in the initial days, we may be unsure of our words, but we should take solace that our message is for the son of Imam Husain (as). He will ignore our mistakes and turn to us with his special attention. We must turn to him with full confidence and knowledge that the Imams (as) have complete control over every aspect of this world and the hereafter and at this time no person is more powerful than Hazrat Imam Mahdi (as) in fulfilling our needs.
