Ziyarat — Rawzat

The Quranic and Prophetic Basis

“And do not say of those who are killed in the way of Allah, ‘They are dead.’ Rather, they are alive, but you perceive it not.” (2:154)

This verse establishes a theological foundation for ziyarat: the righteous who have passed are not simply gone. They have an ongoing existence — “they are alive” — that makes communication with them (through du’a and the salawat of ziyarat) coherent rather than delusional.

“And the Messenger is a witness over you.” (2:143) — The Prophet continues as a witness; the Imam continues in a similar role of spiritual presence even after physical death.

The Prophetic practice of ziyarat: The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) regularly visited the graves of the martyrs of Uhud, performing the specific ziarat supplications for them. He visited the graves of al-Baqi’ in Medina. He established the practice:

“I had forbidden you from visiting graves, but now I tell you: visit them, for they remind you of the Hereafter.” (Muslim, Tirmidhi, and others)

The Prophet’s reversal — from a temporary prohibition (to prevent relapse into pre-Islamic grave worship) to an active recommendation — established ziyarat as Sunnah.

The Significance of Ziyarat in Shi’i-Ismaili Theology

In the Shi’i-Ismaili tradition, ziyarat has a specific theological dimension that goes beyond the general Islamic recommendation:

The Imam’s spiritual presence at their shrine: The classical Shi’i theology teaches that the Imam’s ruh (spirit) has an ongoing connection to their maqam (shrine) — that visiting the shrine is a form of genuine encounter with the Imam, not merely visiting a historical monument. This is why the ziyarat prayers are addressed directly to the Imam in the second person (“Peace be upon you, O Imam al-Husayn…”) rather than in the third person.

The blessings of proximity (barakah al-qurb): Physical proximity to the site associated with the Imam’s life or resting place is believed to convey specific blessings — not because the place itself is divine, but because the divine’s grace (fadl) has been associated with the Imam, and proximity to the Imam’s site brings the visitor into the circle of that grace.

Renewal of walayah: The pilgrim who visits an Imam’s shrine expresses tawalli — love and allegiance — in the most direct physical form: traveling, sometimes at great effort and expense, to be near the Imam. This physical act of walayah is itself a spiritual practice.

The Salutation of Ziyarat

The formal ziyarat has a specific textual form — the salam al-ziyarat (the salutation of visitation):

The ziyarat texts are composed in flowing Arabic, addressing the Imam (or righteous person being visited) directly:

“Al-salamu ‘alayka, ya wali Allah wa ibna wali Allah…” (“Peace be upon you, O guardian of Allah and son of the guardian of Allah…”)

“Ashhadu annaka qad aqamta al-salata wa atayta al-zakat wa amarta bil-ma’rufi wa nahayta ‘an al-munkar…” (“I testify that you established the prayer and gave the zakat and commanded the good and forbade the evil…”)

These salutations are in the present tense, addressed directly to the Imam — expressing the theological conviction that the Imam is alive in a real sense and can receive the salutation.

The ziyarat of Imam al-Husayn (Ziyarat ‘Ashura) is the most important ziyarat text — ideally recited at his shrine in Karbala (Iraq) on ‘Ashura (10th Muharram), but legitimately recited wherever the mu’min is. It includes both tawalli (salutations to Imam Husayn and all the righteous) and tabarra (disavowal from those who wronged him).

The Major Bohra Maqams and Ziyarat Sites

The Dawoodi Bohra community maintains an extensive network of maqams (mausoleums) — evidence of the da’wa’s historical presence across the world:

Yemen and the Fatimid Da’is

Yemen was the center of the Tayyibi da’wa after the ghayba of Imam al-Tayyib (circa 1130 CE). The first Da’is al-Mutlaqin were based in Yemen:

Maqam of Syedna Zoeb ibn Musa (1st Da’i al-Mutlaq): In Wadi Uhd, Yemen. The first Da’i after the ghayba began, whose appointment by Hurrat al-Malika marked the formal beginning of the Tayyibi da’wa.

Maqam of multiple Da’is: Several of the early Da’is al-Mutlaqin (1st through 22nd) are buried in Yemen — many of their maqams in the mountains of Yemen’s Haraz region, particularly around Shibam and the surrounding villages.

India — Gujarat and Beyond

After the da’wa’s transfer from Yemen to Gujarat (circa 16th century), India became the center of Bohra life. Most of the later Da’is are buried in Indian maqams:

Maqam of Syedna Feer Khan Shujauddin — 33rd Da’i, in Surat Maqam of Syedna Ibrahim Wajihuddin — 28th Da’i, in Surat Maqam of Syedna Abdulqadir Najmuddin — 52nd Da’i (Syedna Burhanuddin’s predecessor) Maqam of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb — 52nd Da’i (1915-2014), in Mumbai (Raudat Tahera)

Raudat Tahera (Mumbai): The mausoleum of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb (52nd Da’i al-Mutlaq) in Bhendi Bazaar, Mumbai. Built entirely from Makrana marble, its design based on the mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi’i in Cairo. One of the most important Bohra ziyarat destinations.

Egypt — The Fatimid Imams

Cairo contains some of the most significant Ismaili-Fatimid maqams:

Maqam of Imam al-Husayn (Cairo): A shrine in Khan al-Khalili that is believed to contain a relic of Imam al-Husayn (his head, according to Fatimid tradition, was brought from Damascus). A major ziyarat destination for Bohras visiting Egypt.

Maqams of the Fatimid Imams in Qarafa: The Fatimid Imams and members of the Ahl al-Bayt who lived and died in Cairo are buried in the great necropolis of Qarafa (the City of the Dead). The maqam of Sayyida Nafisa (great-granddaughter of Imam al-Hasan) and other Ahl al-Bayt members are here.

Tanzania — East Africa

The Bohra community has a significant presence in East Africa:

Maqam of Syedna Abdulqadir Hakimuddin (Surat but visits in Tanzania) — several Da’is are associated with early Indian Ocean trade and da’wa expansion

The ‘Urs — Death Anniversary Celebrations

‘Urs (from Arabic ‘arasa — to marry, to celebrate a wedding) is the Sufi and Shi’i term for the death anniversary of a saint — called ‘urs because the saint’s death is understood as the moment of “meeting” (wisal) with the divine, the spiritual “wedding” of the soul with the divine.

In the Bohra tradition:

The ‘urs of the Da’i al-Mutlaq is observed annually at their maqam and throughout the community. This includes:

Special prayers at the maqam
Recitation of the Da’i’s manqabah (praise poetry)
Distribution of niyaz (charitable food distributed in the name of the Da’i)
Ziarat visits to the maqam by community members

The character of Bohra ‘urs: The Bohra ‘urs is characterized by dignified spiritual gathering — recitation, du’a, and expressions of walayah — rather than the more elaborate musical traditions (qawwali, sama’) associated with some Sufi ‘urs. The Bohra tradition emphasizes the da’wa’s ‘ilm-based character.

The Theology of Intercession through Ziyarat

The practice of seeking the intercession (shafa’a) of the righteous at their shrines has been the subject of theological debate in Islamic history:

The mainstream Sunni and Shi’i position (which underlies the practice of ziyarat): It is permitted to seek the intercession of the Prophet and the righteous (after their death) because:

The righteous are “alive” in a real sense (2:154)
The divine granted the Prophet the right to intercede (shafa’a) — this ability did not end with his death
Visiting the graves of the righteous and asking for their du’a is a form of connecting to the divine’s mercy through the divine’s chosen ones

The Wahhabi/Salafi objection: Visiting shrines and seeking intercession from the dead is shirk (associating partners with the divine) — the divine alone can help.

The response: The person performing ziyarat does not believe the Imam or saint independently has divine power; they believe the divine has given the righteous the capacity to intercede, and they are asking the divine, through the righteous, for help. The distinction between asking the divine directly and asking the divine through a favored intermediary is the same distinction the Quran makes when it says: “And seek the means of approach to Him.” (5:35) — the righteous are the wasila (means of approach) that the divine commended.

Ta’wil of Ziyarat

The zahir of ziyarat is the physical visit to the shrine — the journey, the salutations, the du’a, the presence at the site.

The batin of ziyarat is the soul’s ongoing journey toward the divine through the medium of the Imam’s reality. Every act of genuine ziyarat — even recited from a distance — is the soul traveling toward the Imam’s spiritual presence. The Imam’s spiritual presence is not limited to their physical shrine; the shrine is the focus point for the soul’s inner pilgrimage.

The mu’min who recites the ziyarat of Imam al-Husayn from their own city is performing an inner journey to Karbala — the soul stands with the Imam in the spirit even if the body cannot be at Karbala. The classical Shi’i teachers affirmed this: the sincere ziyarat performed from a distance has a spiritual reality analogous to the ziyarat performed at the physical shrine.

“The earth does not contain me, and the heart of the believer contains me.” — Attributed to the divine in Islamic mystical tradition. The Imam’s haqiqah (inner reality) is accessible wherever a heart is genuinely oriented toward the Imam in love and walayah.

Ziyarat — Visiting the Shrines of the Righteous