Understanding Ziyarat — Visiting the Sacred Sites

What is Ziyarat?

Ziyarat (زِيَارَة — visitation) is the devotional practice of visiting the mazar (مَزَار — sacred tomb or shrine) of the Prophet (SAW), the Imams, the Dais, the righteous Walis, or other significant sacred sites.

The word shares its root with زَار (zara, “to visit”) — the same root as mazaraat (مَزَارَات, plural of mazar: the sites themselves).

In Bohra devotional life, ziyarat is not a minor or optional practice — it is among the most important acts of ibadah that a mumin can perform. Performing ziyarat of Raudat Tahera in Surat, the mazaraat of Iraq (Karbala, Najaf, Kazimayn, Samarra), the mazaraat of Medina and Mecca, and the sacred sites of India are acts that strengthen the mumin’s connection to the chain of guidance that reaches from the Prophet (SAW) to the present Dai al-Mutlaq.

The Quran and Ziyarat

The Quranic basis for ziyarat rests on several principles:

1. The sanctity of those beloved to Allah

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet.” (33:56)

If Allah and the angels honor the Prophet (SAW), how should the believer approach his resting place with anything but the deepest reverence and love?

2. Tawassul — Seeking intercession The Quran commands believers to seek means (wasila) of nearness to Allah:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ “O you who believe, fear Allah and seek the means (wasila) of nearness to Him.” (5:35)

Ziyarat is a form of tawassul — visiting those who were near to Allah and asking them to intercede on one’s behalf.

3. The example of Ibrahim (AS) The Prophet Ibrahim (AS) is described in the Quran as the Khalilullah — the intimate friend of Allah (4:125). Visiting his mazar (in Hebron/al-Khalil) is visiting one whom Allah Himself honored with intimate friendship.

The Prophetic Tradition on Ziyarat

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) practiced and encouraged the visitation of graves:

“I had previously prohibited you from visiting graves, but now visit them — for they remind you of the Hereafter.” (Muslim)

The Prophet (SAW) himself visited the graves of his mother Aminah and of the martyrs of Uhud, and encouraged visitation of Jannat al-Baqi (the cemetery of Medina).

Specific hadith on visiting the Prophet’s (SAW) own resting place:

“Whoever visits me after my death, it is as if he visited me during my life.” (al-Daraqutni, al-Bayhaqi)

Ziyarat in Ismaili Tayyibi Theology

In the Ismaili Tayyibi understanding, ziyarat is not merely a sentimental visit to a historical site. It carries deep theological meaning:

1. Renewal of walayah The Imam — even in ghaybat (concealment) — is the living Hujja of Allah on earth. Visiting the mazar of an Imam is an act of renewing one’s walayah (devotion and loyalty) to the Imamate. The physical visit enacts in the body what the heart should hold: recognition of the Imam’s authority and love for the Imam.

2. The Imam remains present In Ismaili theology, the death of the physical body does not extinguish the spiritual reality of the Imam or the Wali. They continue to be present at their mazaraat in a spiritual sense — which is why du’a made at the mazar is considered more likely to be heard and answered.

3. Connection to the chain of guidance The chain of guidance runs from Allah → the Prophet (SAW) → Imam Ali (AS) → the Imams → the Dais. Performing ziyarat at the mazaraat of any link in this chain is placing oneself physically in the presence of that chain — an act of irtibat (connection) to the chain of guidance.

The Etiquette of Ziyarat

The tradition prescribes specific etiquette for performing ziyarat:

Preparation:

• Ghusl (full purification bath) before visiting, especially for major mazaraat
• Clean, modest, respectful clothing
• Approaching the mazar with adab (spiritual courtesy) — not rushing or being distracted

At the mazar:

• Recite the salutation (salam) upon entering: السَّلَامُ عَلَيكُم يَا أَهلَ الدِّيَار (Peace be upon you, O dwellers of this place)
• Recite the specific du’a for visiting that particular mazar (where transmitted)
• Recite Surah al-Fatiha and send its reward to the one buried
• Make personal du’a — the mazar is a place where du’a is accepted
• Read salawat (blessings on the Prophet SAW) abundantly
• Maintain silence and contemplation — the mazar is not a place for worldly conversation

After visiting:

• Give sadaqah (charity) on behalf of the one buried and for yourself
• Reflect on the lives of those you visited and resolve to improve your own

Types of Mazaraat in Bohra Practice

Bohras perform ziyarat at various categories of sacred sites:

Each type of ziyarat has its own significance and specific traditions of du’a.

The Urus — Anniversary Commemoration

The urus (عُرس — literally “wedding,” used metaphorically as the anniversary of the return of the soul to Allah) is an annual commemoration of the wafat (death) of a Dai or Wali. It is among the most important occasions for community ziyarat.

Major urus occasions in the Bohra community:

• 14 Rajab — Urus of Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA), the 51st Dai, at Raudat Tahera (Surat)
• 17 Shawwal — Urus of Syedna Muhammad Burhanuddin (RA), the 52nd Dai, at Raudat Tahera

On the urus, thousands of mumineen gather at the mazar, perform ziyarat, and attend majalis in remembrance of the Dai.

Ziyarat and the Second Satr

In the current period — the Second Satr, in which Imam al-Tayyib (AS) is in concealment — the practice of ziyarat takes on additional significance. The mumin cannot perform ziyarat of the living Imam directly. The chain of connection to the Imam passes through the Dai al-Mutlaq.

Performing ziyarat of the Dai’s mazar (after his wafat) is thus understood as a form of ziyarat of the Imam himself — because the Dai is the Imam’s representative and hujja.

The du’a after ziyarat is often a prayer for the Imam’s return from Satr — that Allah hasten the emergence of Imam al-Tayyib (AS) so that the full light of the Imamate may be manifest again.

See also: Understanding Walayah, Imam Al Tayyib, Nass Divine Appointment, Dai Al Mutlaq Institution