ALLAMA MUQDIS ARDBELI

Name: Mohammed ibne Ahmed     Title   :  Muqdis 

Born  : On : Not known             At: Ardbel, Azerbaijan Province, Iran

Died   : Safar 993 H           At: Najaf e Ashraf

Grave /Buried Inside Imam Ali shrine on left side of main entrance Pictures

The family to which Muqdis Ardbeli belonged was not very well known. Therefore his date of birth and other particulars are not available. Therefore the historians are unable to record his exact age. But the date when he died has been recorded in history as he was an eminent scholar, Mujtahid and Marja.. 

Muqdis Ardbeli was recognized as the Marja after the martyrdom of Shaheed e Saani. The prominent mentors of Muqdis Ardbeli were the disciples of Shaheed e Saani. Among the disciples of Muqdis Ardbeli were so many Mujtahids that beside sheik Toosi none had this number of eminent disciples. Among the most erudite disciples of Muqdis Ardbeli was the author of “Mu- Aalim”, the son of Shaheed e Saani. This is a book on the principles of Fiqh and is on the curricula of all the Shia Seminaries in the world. The Mujtahids who pass edict (Fatwas) refer to this book as a basis for their decisions. Not only Muqdis Ardbeli left behind his brilliant disciples to perpetuate his good work but also his own monumental writings. He wrote the book “Zabdat al Bayan” that deals with all the verses of the Holy Quran that have relation with the matters of Fiqh. He also wrote “Hadiqat al Nadiya” on the lives of the Fourteen Infallibles (a.s). Incidentally, this book has been recently translated into Urdu. People have been benefiting from the works of Muqdis Ardbeli for the past 450 years. 

As we have already mentioned that Muqdis Ardbeli was born in Ardbel and died in Najaf e Ashraf and was interred in a corner of the mausoleum of Hazrat Amir al momineen (a.s), near the left minaret of the building. As the person enters the mausoleum from the left, there is a room, which was the treasury of the Imam (a.s)is also interred this treasure of the Shias, Muqdis Ardbeli!  

THE GREATNESS OF MUQADIS ARDBELI 

Let us now consider the greatness of Muqdis Ardbeli. Muqdis Ardbeli was ackmowledged as the Marja of his times when his contemporaries were men of caliber like Mir Baqir Damad who is recognized as the greatest philosopher in the history of Islam and also Sheik Bahai. The biggest achievement of Muqdis Ardbeli.is that he put a new life into the seminary at Najaf e Ashraf. This seminary established by Sheik Toosi is working for more than thousand years and has produced umpteen numbers of Mujtahids. After about a hundred years of its foundation, the center of Shia learning moved to Hilla and shifted to Najaf e Ashraf again when Muqdis Ardbeli became the Marja after the martyrdom of Shaheed e Saani. Muqdis Ardbeli was a man of such piety that it is believed that he was met by the Imam e Zamana (a.s) several times. Our eminent Ulema have been having one or two meetings with the Imam (a.s). But the greatness of Muqdis Ardbeli is that he had this privilege time and again. It is said that whenever he met with difficulty in finding answers to intricate problems, he would get the solutions by making access to the Rouza of Hazrat Amir al Momineen (a.s). This was the result of his piety that throughout his life he didn’t do even one Mubah (permissible) act and he did only Wajib (mandatory) or Mustaheb (the Optional) acts. It is believed that for full forty years he didn’t relax his limbs for sleeping or for sitting. The eminent Mujtahids like Allama Majlisi (the author of Bahar al Anwaar), Mirza Hussain al Noori (author of Mustadrak al Wasael), Sayed Nemat Allah Jazaeri (author of Anwaar Nomania) and the authors of Lulu Bahrain and Rauzaat al Janaat have all one sentence praising the piety of Muqdis Ardbeli. It is said that his piety was like the manners of the Prophet (s.a), the valor of Hazrat Amir al Momineen (a.s), and the magnanimity of Hatim Tai. 

 THE SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF MUQDIS ARDBELI 

We can gauge the scholastic capabilities of Muqdis Arbeli from the very fact that he succeeded Shaheed e Saani as the Marja of the Shias despite of such scholars as Sheik Bahai and Mir Baqir Damad as his contemporaries. His scholastic prowess can also be gauged from the roster of his eminent disciples who benefited from his erudition. The erudition of Muqdis Ardbeli has been confirmed by the Prophet (s.a) who came into his dream, sitting along with Moosa Kaleem Allah (a.s). As recounted by Muqdis Ardbeli himself that when, in his dream, he sat in the company of the two infallibles, Hazrat Moosa (a.s) looked at him and asked the Prophet (s.a), “Who this person is?” The Prophet (s.a) replied, “This is one of the scholars from my Ummat!” One should note that the Prophet (s.a) himself is mentioning of him as a scholar. Then Hazrat Moosa (a.s) said, “O’ Habib! If you agree, I shall ask him some questions!” The Prophet (s.a) agreed. Hazrat Moosa (a.s) came close to Muqdis Ardbeli and asked, “O’ person! Tell me what is your name?” Generally long discussions are started in this manner. Miqdis Ardbeli said, “ My name is Mohammed ibne Ahmed and I am from a place called Ardbel. These days I am residing at Najaf e Ashraf and my house is situated in one of the lanes there.” Thus he made a short introductory remark for five to seven minutes. Surprised, Hazrat Moosa asked, “I have just asked your name! Why did you give such a lengthy introduction?” Muqdis Ardbeli said, “O Kaleem Allah (a.s)! I am asking you a question! I draw your attention to the verses of Surat al Taha, in the beginning of which, there is mention of your passing through a wilderness with your spouse. It was a dark night and you needed light. All of a sudden you saw a fire buring on the hill. You asked your spouse to wait and also told her that you would go up the hill and fetch some fire. Once you reached the top you saw that the fire was burning behind some bushes. Suddenly there came a voice from the bushes, ‘O’ Moosa! I am your God!’ Then there are the verses (of Surat al Taha) mentioned by me. Allah asked you, ‘O’Moosa! What is in your right hand?’ You replied, ‘In my right hand there is my staff. I take its support while I sit on the ground! With it I herd my sheep and there are several other uses of this staff of mine!’ Now Muqdis Ardbeli asked Hazrat Moosa (a.s), in his dream, ‘O Prophet Moosa! Allah had asked you only one question (What is in your right hand?). You could have only said,”My staff!” What was the need to say that you sit with its support and herd the animals with it and that there were many uses of the staff for you? Hazrat Moosa (a.s) replied, “O person! It was my first opportunity of conversing with Allah. My heart was telling me to prolong the conversation as long as possible! Therefore I prolonged my reply!’ Now Muqdis said, ‘O Allah’s Prophet (a.s)! I am conversing with you for the first time! Therefore my heart told me to prolong the talk as much as I could!” Now Hazrat Moosa (a.s) went away saying, ‘Now I have no ned of asking you any further questions. He wnet near the Prophet (s.a) and said, ‘You had very rightly said that the Ulema in your Ummat are like the prophets of Bani Israel!’ 

THE SANCTITY OF MUQDIS ARDBELI & HIS ABSTINENCE 

Once Muqdis Ardbeli wanted to travel from Najaf e Ashraf to Kazimain for Ziarat. He went to the person in Najaf who used to hire the animals for traveling. Those days there were no buses or trains for transport. This event took place in his younger day when Muqdis Ardbeli didn’t have his own animal of transport. He went to the animal hirer and asked for an animal for his travel. The man asked him how much material he would carry along on his journey. Muqdis said that he would just go himself and he wouldn’t have any luggage with him. The man offered to give an animal for the journey at a certain hiring charge. Muqdis Ardbeli traveled to Kazimain and was getting ready to return after the ziarat. One man met him there and requested him to carry an envelop containing some urgnt documents for his brother in Najaf. He said that he wasn’t able to find any dependable courier to take his papers and requested Muqdis to help him. Muqdis thought that it was a Momin’s request and agreed to carry the papers with him. When he entered the ramparts of Najaf, people were already worrying that he was expected to arrive back much earlier. They were worrying if he had met with some accident on the way. They took a sigh of relief when they noticed him arriving. But they expressed concern on seeing him that he looked very tired as if he walked all the way from Kazimain. In fact, he entered the town walking and the animal was trailing behind him. They asked him, “Did you walk all the way from Kazimain?” He said, “I did walk all the way!” Surprised, the persons asked, “Why did you have to walk when you had a transport animal with you? You have already paid the hiring charges and it was your right to use the animal for the journey!” Muqdis Ardbeli replied, “yes,I did walk! The reason is that there was a clash of two rights and I didn’t want to contravene any of the two rights!” The men asked, “What were the two rights that you tried not to contravene?” He said, “A Momin from Kazimain gave me an envelope to be carried to his brother in Najaf. If I refused, I would have denied the right of a Momin. If I mounted the animal with that letter, I would have countervened the right of the animal hirer because he had determined the hire charges for my riding it without any material with me! Before fixing the charges he had ascertained from me that I would travel without any material with me!” Today’s modern people would be surprised at this precaution exercised by Muqdis Ardbeli, but it was his piety that he wasn’t willing to contravene the agreement with the hirer of the animal that no material would be carried on the animal during the journey without his permission! 

ONE MORE INCIDENT FROM MUQDIS ARDBELI’S LIFE 

Another incident in the life of Muqdis Ardbeli is very well known. During his time the rule if the Safavi Dynasty had already established in Iran. When Tahmasp Shah was the ruler, he had invited Muhaqqaq Saani to go over to Iran and run the administration of the country according to the Shariah. He had refused to accept the assignment. In Iraq too Shia rule was started and it had consolidated by the time Muqdis Ardbeli arrived on the scene. At that time Shah Abbas Safavi was the ruler of Iran. His realm was very big and he was a strong monarch. His dedication to the mausoleum of Imam Reza (a.s) was so strong that he visited the shrine regularly and he used to walk all the way up and down! He himself used to sweep the shrine and the mosques with a broom. Shah Abbas invited Sheik Bahai to his realm and handed over the affairs of the state to him. Shah Abbas had great admiration for Muqdis Ardbeli. Once Shah Abbas was furiously angry on one of his ministers.The minister was very much worried and he flew to Najaf e Ashraf and met Muqdis Ardbeli and requested him to try reconsile the ruler with him. Muqdis Ardbeli wrote a letter to Shah Abbas. He addressed him in the following words, “To Shah Abbas, the founder of a temporary realm: This person was an oppressor but is now the oppressed! You must now pardon and forgive him and Allah might forgive you! Shah Abbas was a very big king. He was the contemporary of King Akbar of India. When he learned that a letter had arrived from Muqdis Ardbeli, he stood up, took the letter in his hands with great respect, touched it to his eyes, opened it, read it and immediately dictated a reply that action had been instituted according to the instruction of Muqdis Ardbeli and requested him to remember him during his prayers! The way Shah Abbas replied to the letter shows the greatness of Muqdis Ardbeli that the prominent king was submitting himself to his advice.  

Muqdis Ardbeli was always willing and ready to help Momins for resolution of their problems. He had particular concern about the rights of the Momins. We shall mention here an incident about Muqdis Ardbeli that was included in a book about the Eighth Imam (a.s). One day Muqdis Ardbeli was walking on the banks of the canal in Najaf e Ashraf. Although he was tha pontiff of the Shias those days, he used to dress in very simple attire. A visitor to the shrine thought that he was a very ordinary person. He gave a  much used dress to Muqdis Ardbeli asking him to wash it properly, dry it and give back to him. The man told him that he had come to Najaf for Ziarat and was tired of the travel. Muqdis Ardbeli sat near the bank of the canal and started washing the dress without mentioning anything to the person..He was washing the garments and the person stood nearby watching him. But he noticed that people were gathering around them curiously. He was surprised why the people were crowding there. He asked someone, why so many persons stopped there. The man said that the person who was washing the clothes was their Mujtahid and the Aalam! The people were thinking that Muqdis Ardbeli was perhaps washing his own clothes. Hearing this, the man felt penitent that in error he had asked the great cleric to wash his dress. He begged Muqdis Ardbeli to give back the garment to him. Muqdis told him that the dress was almost clean and he wanted the man to let him complete the washing. The man folded his hands and wanted to seek pardon. Muqdis Ardbeli told him firmly not to use any such words. He said that what he was doing was a Momin’s right over him. He said that by washing the clothes he was fulfilling a very small right of the person! He also said that he had the burden of plenty of rights of the Momins on his shoulders that have to be fulfilled by him! Another Momin came near him and requested him to recommend his case to Shah Abbas. Muqdis Ardbeli picked up pen and paper and wrote a letter of recommendation to the king. When the king was informed that a letter had arrived from Muqdis Ardbeli, he stood up from his throne and walked till the threshold of the palace and received the letter with due respect! He went back to the throne, sat down and read the letter.Muqdis Ardbeli had addressed him as “Brother Abbas” and requested him to help accomplish the work of the Momin. The King  asked his functionaries to accomplish the task of the person who was recommended by Muqdis Ardbeli. He gave the letter to his son to keep it carefully and asked him to put it in his grave at the time of his interment after his death. He said that if Munkir-Nakeer thought of retributing him, he would present the letter to them to seek pardon telling them that the great Aalam and Mujtahid had addressed him as a brother!! Shah Abbas desired very much that Muqdis Ardbeli moved to Isfahan, the capital of Iran those days. Sheik Bahai was already there and was running the affairs of the State as the Naib e Imam (a.s). Shah Abbas had constructed a grand mosque in Isfahan in which, it is said, there are seven things, each of which was valued at hundreds of thousands of Dinars those days. It was Shah Abbas’ wish that Muqdis Ardbeli came to Isfahan to lead the congregations at this mosque. He wrote a letter requesting Muqdis Ardbeli to come; but he refused to accept the invitation. Shah Abbas sent his ministers as personal emmiseries, but Muqdis Ardbeli refused to come. He even sent his sons to persuade him, but to no avail! His argument was that his running the semianary at Najaf e Ashraf was certainly more important than leading the congregation at the grand mosque of Shah Abbas in Isfahan. In the end the king went to Sheik Bahai and told him that he is himself was a Mujtahed and that he would be able to convince Muqdis Ardbeli to come along with him to Isfahan. Even Sheik Bahai had a desire that a visit by the Marja of the time would go a long way in propagating the word of the Ahl al Bayt (a.s) in the country. Sheik Bahai easily agreed to undertake the trip to Najaf e Ashraf for the purpose. He reached Najaf with a small contingent of men. He met Muqdis Ardbeli that he, a Mujtahid himself,, had come to him to take him to Isfahan and requested him not to turn down the invitation. Now Muqdis Ardbeli agreed to accompany him. But when he saw the royal steeds and the contingent of men, he refused to travel in that luxury.He said that he had his own mule for the journey and that he preferred to use it for his travel. Muqdis Ardbeli was so careful in his attitude that he took full care of the rights of his mule. Whenever he traveled, he mounted the mule for half the distance and walked along with it the other half! When people asked him why he did like that, he would reply that the mule too had life in it and it needed some rest. He thought that if he put all his weight on the animal, all the way, it would be denying its right to have some rest! While not riding on the mule, he would allow it to go at a pace it preferred! He didn’t like to use a whip on the animal. While passing through green pastures, the mule would leave the track and start nibbling at the grass. In such circumstances he would wait patiently till the mule had its fill of the grass. One can imagine the care he took of the Momins when he was so concerned about an animal. Sheik Bahai didn’t insist on his using the royal horse and agreed that Muqdis Ardbeli could use his own mule for the journey. During the journey it was difficult for the royal steeds to keep company with the slow moving mule. On the way Sheik Bahai requested Muqdis Ardbeli to ride on a horse to speed up the journey. But Muqdis Ardbeli didn’t agree. The journey was very slow and Sheik Bahai was getting irritated. To speed the mule he whipped it with his leash. Muqdis Ardbeli was very unhappy at this and turned his mule to travel back to Najaf e Ashraf. He said that he was a Mujtahid and had whipped an animal, then how cruel would be the rulers of the country where he lived. He therefore decided to return back to Najaf e Ashraf. He had great regard and respect for Sheik Bahai, but when he saw him whipping the mule, he changed his mind! 

MUQDIS ARDBELI IN THE MAUSOLIA OF THE INFALLIBLES (A.S) 

Amir Aalaam narrates an incident about Muqdis Ardbeli. This incident is also quoted by the historians through Sheik Fadl Allah Taqweeti. Both these persons were the disciples of Muqdis Ardbeli. When Muqdis Ardbeli was asked in his advanced age as to who was to be contacted if any question cropped up in peoples’ minds about philosophy, mathematics and logic,he mentioned the name of Fadl Allah Taqweeti. About questions concerning Fiqh, Shariah, Hadit etc. he directed them to contact Amir Aalaam who was nominated as his deputy by Muqdis Ardbeli. Most of the books are referring to the incident through Amir Aalaam. He said that he used to reside in a room at Najaf e Ashraf and study with his mentor during the days. He used to return to his room in the night and continue with his studies till he slept. Everyone cannot be as brilliant as Muqdis Ardbeli. It is said about his brilliance that during his early days of education he had a friend, Mirza Aju Jani. Both of them took lessons from the same teacher. Mirza Aju Jani used the revise the day’s lessons after the Maghrib prayer and continue studying it till the morning to be able to retain the matter contained in the lesson. But Muqdis Ardbeli used to sleep after the prayer and used to rise late in the night to offer the Namaz e Shab. After that whatever time he got, he would look at his previous day’s lesson and by the time of the morning prayer, he would be thorough in the contents of the lesson! Now coming back to the incident narrated by Amir Aalam. One night he was studying in his room. By mid night he felt tired and went out in to the courtyard of Amir al Momineen (a.s). He saw some person slowly walking. After crossing the courtyard he sprinted towards the Haram. Amir Aalam thought that the person might have some wrong intention. Those days there wasn’t any proper security arrangement for the mausoleum. In in later times Shah Abbas had deputed some men to guard the place. Expensive gold and silver chandeliers were kept in the mausoleum and sometimes they were stolen. He quietly went behind the person. When he reached near the door of the mausoleum, it opened by itself. All the doors opened by themselves in the similar manner. The person reached near the sarcophagus and offered his greetings. Amir heard the reply of the greeting emanating from the sarcophagus. Then a conversation started. Now Amir Aalam understood. One of the voices was that of his mentor Muqdis Ardbeli and the other voice he didn’t identify nor he did he see any other person with his teacher.After sometime his mentor emerged from the mausoleum and started walking towards Koofa. He was surprised why he was going towards Koofa in the middle of the night. He quietly walked behind his mentor. They went on and on when he noticed that the neighborhood of Koofa was visible in the twinkling of the stars. Thus they reached the Masjid e Koofa where Hazrat Amir al Momineen (a.s) was inflicted the fatal wound by Ibn e Muljim on 21 st of Ramadan. Entering the mosque, Muqdis Ardbeli greeted loudly. He heard someone greeting him back. But no individual was visible there. A conversation started again between his mentor and the invisible person. Muqdis Ardbeli emerged out of the Koofa Mosque and started walking towards Najaf e Ashraf. About half way from there is the Masjid e Sahla. When they reached there Amir Aalam got a loud hiccup. His mentor stopped. He turned back and said, “Amir Aalaam! How you are here?” he knew that he couldn’t hide himself from his mentor any more. He went forward, politely greeted him and told his mentor that in that night he had witnessed very strange events. He requested the mentor to explain the matter to him. The mentor said, “As long as I am alive, you mustn’t mention about this incident to anyone!” Amir Aalaam mentioned about the event when he had himself risen to the position of Marja. The mentor then continued, “I was thinking about some problem that I was unable to resolve.It is the principle of all the seminaries that the teacher studies the subjects that he has to teach the next day. It is considered very unethical to go unprepared for teaching the disciples! By midnight I started worrying that I wasn’t able to understand the topic thoroughly Therefore I went near the sarcophagus of Hazrat Ali (a.s) and requested for his guidance. He said that it is the period of My Son the Imam e Zamana(a.s) and you must get the guidance from him.I asked where could I meet the Imam e Zamana(a.s)?” He said, “Presently he is in the Masjid e Koofa.” “I immediately proceeded towards the Masjid e Koofa. The Imam e Zamana (a.s) was there. I greeted him and presented my problem to him. He guided me and I am now ready with the matter for my day’s lessons!” This was the state of the piety of Muqdis Ardbeli!

 Incidentally, three places have been mentioned in connection with this event---the Haram of Hazrat Amir al Momineen (a.s) in Najaf e Ashraf, Masjid e Koofa and Masjid e Sahla. These three places have a very strong relationship with the Imam e Zamana (a.s). When the Imam e Zamana(a.s) will come back from hiding, Masjid e Koofa will be his office or he will function from there, Masjid Sahla will serve as his Bayt al Maal (the Treasury) and the Haram of Amir al Momioneen (a.s) will be the Imam (a.s)’s place of prayer and supplication! Besides the mandatory prayers, all other prayers the Imam (a.s) would offer there!

GREAT STATUS OF MUQDIS ARDBELI IN VIEW OF ALLAH 

Those days there was no proper arrangement for supply of water. People had to draw water from the wells for the purpose of Wadu and other needs. It was late night and Muqdis Ardbeli was drawing water from the well to offer his night prayer (Namaz e Shab) at the Mausoleum of Hazrat Amir al Momineen (a.s). He put the bucket tied to a rope in the well. When hedrew it out, it came full of precious stones.and not water. He turned back the precious stones into the well, put the rope and bucket into the well, drew them back and again he found that only precious stones came out. His eyes watered. He said, “O’ Allah! I want water for my ablution and not any riches!” He put the bucket in a third time and he got pure water from the well!”  

The greatness of Muqdis Ardbeli can also be gauged from another incident. Those days he was residing at Koofa. The country was passing through acute famine. It was his habit to help people in a very subtle way without giving them any inkling that he was extending help to them. Those days there was a certain quality of cloth used for turbans which was as expensive as gold. Muqdis Ardbeli used a long length of that cloth for his turban. When he stirred out of his house, he would cut small pieces of the cloth and give to poor, needy person. By the time he returned home, the turban would become very small. People used to take the piece of the cloth as Tabarruk (Benediction) and people of means would buy those pieces from the poor persons. Thus the poor were supported by Muqdis Ardbeli. During the period of famine he would give away the materials from his home to the poor people. Once, during the famine, he was left only with materials only sufficient for giving to one poor person. The rest he had already distributed to the poor of Koofa. There is always a limit for the wife and other members of the family to extend cooperation in such magnanimity. His wife said, “You have distributed all the materials and we are left only with small quantities that may not be sufficient for us! In a few days the provisions will be exhausted; then we may have to spread our hands in front of others!” Muqdis Ardbeli kept quiet. He quietly went to the Masjid e Koofa and sat there in Ait e Kaaf (Retirement to a mosque for continuous Prayer). He was in the modque for two days. On the third day someone knocked at the door of his house. When his spouse opened the door she found an Arab standing there. Behind him were two mules laden with bags full of best quality flour. He shifted the bags inside the house and said that the flour was sent by the person who was sitting in Ait e Kaaf at the mosque. Muqdis Ardbeli’s wife cooked bread for the family and also sent for him to the mosque for breaking his fast. Muqdis returned home after three days of the prayers. His wife said, “This time you have sent such fine flour that I had never eaten in my life!” Muqdis AAdbeli said, “I didn’t send anything to you!” The wife described the person who brought the flour laden on mules and he had delivered the materials making reference to him. Muqdis Ardbeli understood who the person could have been. He immediately offered two genuflections of prayer of thanksgiving! He said, “My Imam (a.s) has so much concern about me that he felt there was a situation of scarcity in my home and he came in person to help us!”This was the status of Muqdis Ardbeli in the consideration of the Imam (a.s).  

IMMERSED IN THE LOVE OF THE AHL AL BAYT (A.S) 

Muqdis Ardbeli’s love for the Ahl al Bayt (a.s) had been proverbial. While he was residing at Karbala, he used to walk a distance of four Farsaqs (about 14 miles) away from the town to attend on his nature’s calls. Once people asked him why he was going so far for the purpose.He said that his heart wouldn’t accept putting even a drop of dirt on the holy land. This was an example of his profound love for the Ahl al Bayt (a.s). He also followed the Shariah of Islam implicitly which certainly was a mark of his intense love for Allah, the Prophet (s.a) and his Infallible Progeny (a.s). His effort was always to uphold the norms of the Shariah.for which the Ahl al Bayt (a.s) had made supreme sacrifices. A person who visits Karbala for Ziarat might follow this regime for a few days, but one can imagine the depth of Muqdis Ardbeli’s dedication and piety that he lived in Karbala for several years and he trudged the distance every day, day after day! It is said that when he lived in Najaf e Ashraf it was a practice, and it is the practice to this day, that on the week ends, Thursdays and Fridays, there would be holidays for the seminary. The Mujtahids, mentors and students travel to Karbala on Thursdays, spent the night there and get back to Najaf for the Friday congregation. For such journeys a question arose. During the journeys one has to offer curtailed prayers, Two Rakaat (Genuflections) instead of the mandated 4 Genuflections.But the requirement is that if one travels without any specific purpose, he will have to offer the full four genuflections of the prayer. Muqdis Ardbeli used to visit Karbala every week-end. Sometimes he used to offer the full 4 genuflections of the prayer and sometimes he used to curtail it to 2.  

Thus this life of utmost caution in observation of the norms of Shariah came to an end in the year 993 H. Muqdis Ardbeli is in his eternal sleep on the left hand corner of the mausoleum of Hazrat Amir al Momineen (a.s) and on the right hand corner is interred Allama Hilli. When a person enters the mausoleum for Ziarat, he will have to pass through the right side and reach the left where there is a room which is the treasury of Hazrat Amir al Momineen (a.s). In this room is interred the invaluable gem of the Faith of the Ahl al Bayt (a.s), Muqdis Ardbeli. It is said that some Mujtahids saw him in their dreams. They saw him wearing excellent apparel and a crown of gold was on his head and was coming out of the Haram of Hazrat Amir al Momineen (a.s). He told, “My actions have not benefited me so much as my love for the person interred in this mausoleum!” This was a message from Muqdis Ardbeli that with implicit practice of the norms of Shariah one should have profound love for the Al e Mohammed (a.s) in his heart !