This incident is very much similar to the previous one and it is that informed us the prominent and pious scholar, Mirza Muhammad Husain Naini Isfahani, the illustrious son of the practical scholar and cultured gentleman, Mirza Abdur Rahim Naini, entitled Shaykhul Islam, who is my full brother, whose name is Mirza Muhammad Saeed and who is presently studying in religious universities.
Around the year 1285 he developed pain in his leg and swelling appeared at the back of the foot, where a blood clot rendered him unable to walk.
They brought Mirza Ahmad the physician, son of Mirza Haji Abdul Wahhab Naini for his treatment and he treated him and his leg and foot were restored to health. Within a few days another abscess appeared between his knees and calf and after another few days another abscess appeared in his thigh and a third abscess between the shoulders; each of which became infected and were very painful. They festered and became full of puss.
More than a year passed in that condition and all kinds of treatments were taken, but none proved effective. On the contrary, the wounds continued to increase by the day and during this long time, he was unable to put his foot on the ground and they used to carry him from one place to another on shoulders.
Because of the prolonged illness, his mood became weak and due to excess bleeding and puss he was reduced to a bundle of skin and bones and it became very difficult for the father as any treatment they adopted only worsened his wounds and weakened his condition further. The condition of his wounds worsened to such an extent that from the two abscesses one of them between thigh and the calf and the other one between the shoulders were such that if hand was passed over one of them, blood and puss seeped out from the other.
During those days a severe epidemic appeared in Nain, and we took refuge from it in one of the villages. Thus, we were informed that an expert surgeon called Agha Yusuf was staying at a nearby village.
So the father sent someone to him and called him for the cure and when my indisposed brother was brought before him for treatment, he was shocked for a moment till the father went out and I remained with him along with one of my uncles, Mirza Abdul Wahhab. He spoke to him in private for some time and we concluded from what we overheard that he was conveying the message of despair to him and he was concealing it from me lest I should inform the mother. Then he became distressed and very much worried.
Then the father returned. That surgeon said: I will take this much as advance and then I will begin the treatment and his aim was that the denial of the father would become an excuse for him to leave before starting the treatment.
So, the father refused to pay any advance before the treatment and he got an opportunity and returned to his village. The father and mother knew that this was because the doctor was not having hope to treat the patient; and despite having such expertise, he has despaired.
I had another uncle, Mirza Abu Talib who was very religious and was well known in the area, because he wrote letters addressed to Imam Zamana (a.s.) on behalf of people, which were very effective and people often contacted him during hardships and calamities.
My mother requested him to write a letter seeking the help of the Imam to cure her son. He wrote it on Friday. The mother took it and taking my brother, went to a well near our village. My brother dropped that letter into the well and it remained suspended at the top of the well in the hands of the mother and this moved both of them and they wept intensely; and it was the last hour of Friday.
After a few days, when I dreamt that three mounted men have arrived in the form they had arrived in the incident of Ismail Harqali, from the desert and reached our place. In that condition I recalled the incident of Ismail and at that time I was aware of it and its details were in my knowledge.
So, I noticed that the rider preceding them was Hazrat Hujjat (a.s.) and that the Imam had come to cure my brother. My brother was lying on his back or leaning on his bed as was his practice most of the time.
Hazrat Hujjat (a.t.f.s.) approached with a spear which he passed over his body and said: Get up, as your uncle has returned from the journey.
In this way, I realized that Imam (a.s.) implied another uncle of ours, Haji Mirza Ali Akbar, who had gone on a business trip since a long time and we were worried about him because of the delay due to the changing times and severe famine.
When the Imam passed the spear on his shoulder and uttered that statement, my brother woke up and hastened to the door to welcome that uncle.
After I awoke, I saw that it was morning and the atmosphere was lit up and no one had risen up for the Morning Prayers. I rose up in haste and went to my brother before putting on my clothes. I woke him up and said: Hazrat Hujjat (a.s.) has cured you; you may get up.
I took his hand and made him stand up. My mother woke up and cried: Why are you waking him? He was awake most of the night due to pain and a little more sleep will be good for him. I said: Hazrat Hujjat (a.s.) has cured him.
When I made him stand up, he started walking around the room and though he was unable to stand up since a year or more and was carried from one place to another by others.
This incident was publicized in that village and all relatives and acquaintances came to see him as they could not believe it. I narrated the dream to them and I was pleased that I made haste to narrate about the cure while he was asleep and the blood and puss stopped that day and his wounds were cured within a week.
After some days our uncle arrived safe and sound and on this date, which is year 1303 and all the persons mentioned in this story are alive, except my mother and the surgeon, who passed away. And praise be to Allah.
Letter of entreaty to the Imam of the Time (a.s.)
The author says: Letter of entreaty to the Imam of the Time (a.s.) is narrated in a number of ways and is present in many books of general supplications; but I came across a version, which is not mentioned there. On the contrary, it is not even quoted in Mazaar Behaarul Anwaar and the book of supplications of Behaarul Anwaar. Since its copy is rare we found it necessary to mention it here.
Prominent scholar, Muhammad bin Muhammad Tayyib, a scholar of Safavid rule, in his book of Aneesul Aabedeen,[1] which Allamah Majlisi in Behaarul Anwaar and the learned scholar, Mirza Abdullah Isfahani has narrated in Saheefah Saalesa, from the book of Saadaat the text of Dua Tawassul for every important matter and need.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I make as a medium, O Abal Qasim Muhammad bin Hasan bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Moosa bin Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Ali Ibnul Husain bin Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) for the great news and the straight path and the infallibility of refuge-giver, by your mother, chief of the ladies of the world and through your purified forefathers and by your purified mothers; by Yasin and the wise Quran and the great power and the reality of faith and the light of the lights and the hidden book that you be the envoys to the Almighty Allah in the need of so and so or destroy so and so.
And this letter is placed in pure clay and dropped in flowing water or a well saying: O Saeed bin Usmaan or O Usmaan bin Saeed convey my request to the master of the age (a.s.).
The version was like this, but in view of some traditional reports and method mentioned in some letters, it should be as follows:
O Usmaan bin Saeed and O Muhammad bin Usmaan…and so on and Allah knows best.
[1] Aneesul Aabedeen was translated by some scholars for Khan Agha Begum, daughter of Shah Abbas and Ibne Taaoos (r.a.) in his book sometimes from the book of Saadaat. May Allah increase the illumination of his heart. [Author]
[2] Maniul Akhbar, p. 87
[3] An-Nihaya fee Ghareebul Hadees, vol. 2, p. 444
[4] Al-Irshaad fee Marifati Hujjajullahil Ibad, vol. 1, p. 247
[5] Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ne’ma, pp. 407 & 437