Imam Reza’s Happiness | Ali Reza Panahian

Did you know the Imam misses you?!
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My friends, pilgrims to the Imam’s (as) shrine, this is not in our hands! Imam Reza (as) likes us to visit him and be around him. Imam Reza (as) misses us. Imam Reza’s (as) fondness for his Shi’a is much more than their fondness for him. Why do we make a pilgrimage? When you make a pilgrimage do not say that you have come because of this or that. Stand and say, “Imam, what did you want to tell me that you called me? Are you pleased? Are you happy that I’ve come?”
I once had an accident on the road. It was the time of Eid al-Ghadir. They were taking me to a city in a car and it flipped over. It wasn’t that dangerous but the car turned over a couple of times. My hand and nose broke and I was hospitalized in Tehran for a while. I could tell you the name of the hospital, but the head of that hospital may not be satisfied. He treated me. It was the New Year when he sent me home. He said, “If you come back, I won’t be here. It’s the New Year and I have to go to Mashhad.”
It was interesting for me that a doctor wants to always be in Mashhad for the New Year. I asked, “What do you do with your other patients? I’m gradually getting better, [but the others?].” He said, “I will talk to them. I have to go to Mashhad for the New Year.” While he was changing the bandage on my hand he said, “There’s a story behind this. I’ll tell you. When you’re finished, come to my office and I’ll tell you.”
He said, “When I was young I had a problem when I was abroad. From far I told Imam Reza (as), “Imam Reza (as) help me and solve my problem. Then I will come to Mashhad every year on New Years. I set the number of years too.” I don’t remember the years now. When I narrated this story before, I remembered the number of years too.
For example, he said, “’I will come to your shrine for 15 years.’ Imam Reza (as) helped me with what I wanted. Each New Year I went to Mashhad. I told the Imam that I would travel by land in order to tolerate some hardship on the way. I would come from abroad to Tehran in order to go to Imam Reza’s shrine. Since I had made a vow and the Imam had helped me, I had to go. These 15 years finished. I was busy treating patients and had become a surgeon. I was very busy.
One New Year I told myself, ‘I finished those 15 years last year and I am busy now too. So I might not go to Mashhad this year. I’ll go another time.’ A few nights later after I had decided to not go that New Year, I saw Imam Reza (as) in a dream. I was surprised that the Imam was standing next to the dome of his shrine and looking at me from far. I was happy in my dream that I was seeing Imam Reza (as) from far. Imam Reza (as) told me, ‘You don’t want to come this year? Come!’ I woke up. I felt so ashamed. I said, ‘O Imam Reza, you have gotten used to me coming! I should come to Mashhad each year for you to tolerate seeing me. You are interested in me coming each year.’ So I told my family, ‘Get up! Whoever wants to come with me, I’m going to Mashhad in a few days.’ They said, ‘Why? You said you are very busy this year.’ I didn’t say anything.”
This is how it is. Imam Reza (as) likes us to come. Some people have a newborn. They say, “Let’s take our baby to Imam Reza’s (as) shrine.” They think they themselves like this. However it is the Imam who likes them to come, [as if he says,] “Bring your child for me to see him/her.” He becomes happy. I’m telling you adults. You are always like a mother’s children to the Imam. When these children grow up, it’s their mother who calls them and says, “Won’t you come so I can see you? I miss you.”
The child is busy now and has grown up. He is busy with his own world. His father calls him. He says, “Won’t you come so I can see you? I miss you.” When you go to the shrine, you should know that you are making the Imam happy! Imam Reza (as) is alive [according to the traditions]. We shouldn’t say he is dead and gone. The Imam becomes happy. Why does he become happy? Why should he like me? It is because no matter how bad we are, we are still like his children. No matter how bad we are, the Imam is like our father.