"On the occassion of the wiladat of Imam Hussain (as) 3rd Shabaan 1432 AH (2011)"
Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) relates,
"Janabe Fatema binte Mohammad (s.a.) calls upon the one who visits Imam Husain’s (a.s.) shrine. She seeks forgiveness for his sins and his sins are forgiven.’"(Kaamil al-Ziaaraat pg. 118)
Jaabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari is one of the reliable companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.), and Shias as well as Sunnis accept his traditions. Incidentally, he lived till the time of Imam Baqer (a.s.) and Imam Sadeq (a.s.). When Imam Baqer (a.s.) questioned him regarding the incident of Lauh, Jaabir explained him thus:
“I hold Allah as Witness that during the life of the Holy Prophet (s.a.), I went to your mother, Hazrat Fatemah (s.a.), to congratulate her on the birth of her son, Imam Husain (a.s.). I saw a green tablet in her hand….I asked, “May my parents be sacrificed for you, O daughter of Allah’s Messenger (s.a.), what is this tablet?” She replied, “Allah the Almighty has gifted His Prophet (s.a.) with this tablet. It bears the names of my father, my husband, my two sons and the names of the Imams (a.s.) from my sons. The Holy Prophet (s.a.) gave me this tablet to give me glad tidings through it.”
“I hold Allah as Witness that during the life of the Holy Prophet (s.a.), I went to your mother, Hazrat Fatemah (s.a.), to congratulate her on the birth of her son, Imam Husain (a.s.). I saw a green tablet in her hand….I asked, “May my parents be sacrificed for you, O daughter of Allah’s Messenger (s.a.), what is this tablet?” She replied, “Allah the Almighty has gifted His Prophet (s.a.) with this tablet. It bears the names of my father, my husband, my two sons and the names of the Imams (a.s.) from my sons. The Holy Prophet (s.a.) gave me this tablet to give me glad tidings through it.”
Jaabir says, “Your mother gave me this tablet, I read it and copied it down.” Imam Sadeq (a.s.) who was along with his father in this meeting and is the narrator of this tradition, says, “Can you show me your copy?” Jaabir replied in the affirmative. Thereafter, they both went to the house of Jaabir who removed the copy from a leather bag. My father said, ‘O Jaabir, you look in your copy and I will read from mine (in order to tally the two versions).’ Jaabir was checking his copy while my father was reading it and they matched word to word.”
The incident of Jaabir acquiring the Hadith-e-Lauh from Janab-e-Fatemah (s.a.) belongs to 3 A.H. In 10 A.H., the Holy Prophet (s.a.) expired. Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) expired in 40 A.H. Imam Hasan (a.s.) departed from this world in 50 A.H. Imam Husain (a.s.) was martyred in 60/61 A.H. But Jaabir is still alive and on the fortieth day (arbaeen) of his martyrdom, he goes for ziyarat-earbaeen. Thereafter, in 85 A.H. (approx.), Imam Sajjad (a.s.) expired and Jaabir who was still alive witnesses the period of Imam Baqer’s (a.s.) Imamate. The aforementioned meeting takes place between them and the authenticity of Jaabir’s copy of Hadith-e-Lauh is established. This tablet has become famous as “Lauh-e-Hazrat-e-Fatemah (s.a.)” because it was gifted to her or as “Lauh-e- Jaabir” because he is the main narrator of this tradition.
From the Shia viewpoint, the oldest book in which this tradition has been narrated is ‘Usul al-Kafi”. And as everyone is aware, this book was written more than eleven hundred years ago.
A person from abroad wrote to one of the scholars from Mashhad, “The present manuscript of al-Kafi that we are having is belonging to the Safavide era. Do you have any idea whether any manuscript of this book that has been written prior to the Safavide era is available? For, if such a manuscript is indeed available then it will dispel the doubt that it was compiled by the scholars of the Safavide reign.” The respected scholar says, “I went and searched in the library of Madrasa-e-Nawwaab of Mashhad and found a copy that was eight hundred years old. Probably, this copy was the oldest available one of al-Kafi in Iran.
Perhaps, an older version is available outside Iran.” Anyhow, this tradition has been narrated in Usul al-Kafi as well as in other books.
Now let us see as to what are the contents of this tradition. This tablet was from Allah’s side for His Prophet (s.a.). Initially, some reminders regarding divine recognition are given and thereafter Allah the Almighty says,
.« ... إني لَم أَبع.ث نبياً ... إلّا ج.ع.لت. لَه. و.صيا »
“Surely I did not raise a Prophet but that I appointed for him a successor.. I have selected your cousin, Ali Ibn Abi Talib as your heir apparent. After him, I will honour you with your two grandsons, Hasan and Husain. The latter will be followed by his son, Ali, the adornment of the worshippers. Then, Muhammad Baqir al-Uloom, the splitter of My knowledge and the treasure chest of My wisdom will follow him. After him, his son Jafar and after him, in a period of utter darkness and deviation, his son, Musa will attain the position of Imamat.
He will be followed by his son Ali, who will be martyred by an arrogant demon. He will be buried in a city built by My righteous servant, next to the worst of My creatures (implying Haroon al-Rashid, the Abbaside Caliph because Imam Reza (a.s.) is buried next to his grave).”
Then the Imams (a.s.) after him are mentioned till Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) and then Allah the Almighty says,
.« و أكملُ ذلك بِابنِهِ م ح م د » “And I will complete this (chain of Imamate) with his son, Meem-Ha-Meem- Daal.”
The alphabets (huruf-e-muqatteaat) are used because in that period it was prohibited to take the name of Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.). Now, the tablet continues,
عليه كَمالُ موسي و ب.ها عيسي و ص.برْ إيوب فَي.ذَلُّ أوليائي في زمانِهِ فَي.قتلون و ي.حرقون و ي.كونون » خائِفين م.رعوبينُ وجِلينُ, تُصب.غُ الأرض. بِدمائِهم و ي.فشو الو.يلُ و الرنه في نِسائهِم, اولئك. أَوليائي حقّا. بِهم أدفَع. كلَّ فِتنُه ع.مياء حِندسٍ و بهِم أكشِف. الزّلازِلَ و أدفع. الآصار. و الأغلال, اُولئك. ع.ليهم .« ص.لوات مِن ربهم و ر.حمه و اولئك هم. الم.هتدون
“He possesses the perfection of Musa, the brightness of Eesa and the patience of Ayyub. My friends will be degraded in his time (of occultation). They will be killed and burnt and will be in a constant state of fear, apprehension and dread.
The earth will be coloured with their blood. Wailing and crying will be aloud among their women. They are My true friends. Through them, I will dispel every dark mischief, remove all tremors because of them, and do away with all doubts, skepticism and chains on account of their blessings. They are those on whom are the blessings and mercy of their Lord and they are the guided ones.”
(Al-Kafi by Shaikh Kulayni, vol. 1, p. 527, 528; Kamaaluddin by Shaikh Saduq, p. 308-311).
