Babul Hawaiij

Written to Brother Arsalan as a reply to a question by his friend, sister Masooma, that "Do you know the reason or historical background as to why Imam Musa Kazim (as) is known as Babul Hawaiij?"

Assalamoalaikum brother Asalan. A brief account of my experience might be of relevance here, as sister Masooma had asked about a special question whose answer is also etched in my own past. It was the year 1999, during Saddam's reign, when I went on my first and hitherto the last trip to Iran-Iraq-Shaam and we had safely and graciously completed our journey to the religious sanctuaries in Iran. However, upon our arrival in Baghdad through a long road trip, a tragedy befell me.

On the eve of our arrival at the hotel, I tripped over a staircase falling down a number of steps while causing a severe ankle injury that rendered me stabile. I was heartbroken as I could not move even a single step without assistance; I had literally been handicapped. To my misery, my holy journey had only begun as we still had to travel to Kazimiyah, Karbala, Najaf, Kufa, Damishk, and finally back home. I could not afford disturbing others to carry me all around while they struggle to find peace themselves at the shrines. And hence I did what a despondent would do, I cried, and cried with tears pouring out of my heart.

The very evening, our Qafela traveled to Kazimiyah from Baghadad and I presented my case at the Bargah of Imam Mosa Al-Kazim (AS). I could not walk up to his grave due to the severity of my immobility and hence sat outside while encouraged others to visit while they could. Sitting alone, I desperately called upon God through the name of his special servant, I begged for my health only to be able to touch all the sacred graves and be able to travel to all the holy places.

While the doctors in the Qafela had told me that this injury could take as much as a month to heal completely, I remember that when we left for Karbala a few days from then, I actually walked up to the shrine of Imam Hussain (AS) carrying tremendous gratitude in my heart and completed the entire rest of the journey as if no tragedy had happened to this 12 years old lad.

I still tell myself and those I know that the God is Great and indeed his chosen ones are the bearers of the true light. I got my request answered through the reference of these pure name, no wonder they have answer prayers of millions others like me over the last thirteen centuries, and came to be known as Babul-Hawaiij.

May God keep you all in His Protection.