Al-Mahdi about hurting the body out of grief

Question:

Are there any reports from the Imam of the Time (a.) about self-injury due to grief?

Response:

Muhammad Mahdi An-Najafi writes: ,,Regarding that, which was mentioned about our grandfather, Ayatullah Al-Uzma Zain-ul-Abidin An-Najafi, hallowed be his innermost being, we mention about him this miraculous incident from some knowledgeable and excellent people who reported: ,,The inhabitants of Iran and Azerbaijan and Caucasia asked the scholars of the holy city of Najaf for clarification about the drums, that are beaten in the mourning of Al-Husain (a. ) as well as about the beating with swords and blades and the like and others besides this and whether it is permitted or forbidden and this they wrote down in numerous letters. Each one wrote to the one, he imitates and they were sent to Najaf with a delegation. They decided that when they received the answers, they would put them in envelopes and seal them so that they would not be opened until the mosque was opened by the Shah, which is known in Tehran as the mosque of Imam Al-Khumaini, may he be preserved for a long time. This was presented to a gathering from these countries, so that everyone may know the judgment of the one, he imitates and this happened in the time of Mr. Ayatullah Al-Uzma, the author of Al-Urwat-ul-Wuthqa. Thereupon, the delegation returned with the answers and informed the people who were present on a particular day. So they entered the mosque of the Shah and the legal rulings were read to them, so that each one received an answer. Some of them were in favor of the prohibition of these things and some of them differentiated specifically on the beating with swords and blades and said: ,,If there is harm in it, then it is not permitted but forbidden and if there is no harm in it, then it is permitted.” Others spoke in favor of permission until then the letter was opened in which was the legal opinion of the late Ayatullah Zain-ul-Abidin, hallowed be his innermost being and in it it was written: ,,In the name of the Exalted, I stopped at this matter and kept returning in it so that I did not know whether to speak out about the permission or the prohibition. Therefore, I went to the mosque of Sahlah and came to serve my lord and master, the son of Al-Hasan, God bless him! I showed him the matter and asked him about it, whereupon he gave me the legal verdict that it is permitted and I give the legal verdict just as my Lord and Master gave it about the permission of it and give (you) the greeting of peace.” When the assembly heard this legal judgment, they said: ,,We do not need the other judgments, for this one is sufficient for us!” Through this incident and others besides these, it is known that he was among those who came to the service of the Imam, peace be upon him, and he questioned him about his important matters and if we were to turn to all his miraculous incidents, we would need a book just as his son, Mr. Ayatullah Al-Uzma Hidayatullah Al-Gharawi, compiled his miraculous incidents in a special book.” [Bayan-ul-A’immah, Volume 2 page 461 – 462]

قال الشيخ محمد مهدي النجفي: وبالنسبة لما أتى ذكر جدنا آية الله العظمى الشيخ زين العابدين النجفي قدس سره صاحب الكرامات نذكر له هذه الكرامة عن بعض أهل العلم والفضل قال إن أهل إيران وآذربيجان وأهل قفقاسيا استفتوا علماء النجف الأشرف عن الطبول التي تضرب في عزاء الحسين عليه السلام وعن ضرب السيوف والقامات والتشابيه وغيرها وإنها جائزة أو حرام؟ وكتبوا ذلك في كتب متعددة كل كتب إلى مقلده وأرسلت مع وفد إلى النجف وقرروا على أنهم إن اخذوا أجوبة الفتاوى توضع في ظروف وتختم ولا تفتح إلا في مسجد الشاه المعروف بمسجد الإمام الخميني مد ظله العالي في طهران وتقرأ على المجتمع من أهل البلاد ليعرف كل حكم مقلده وكان ذلك في زمن السيد آية الله العظمى صاحب العروة فرجع الوفد بالأجوبة وأخبروا الناس بالحضور في يوم معين فحضروا في مسجد الشاه فقرئت الفتاوى عليهم فكان كل قد أجاب بجواب فبعض قال بحرمة هذه الأشياء وبعض فصل وبالأخص إلى ضرب السيوف والقامات قال إن كان فيه ضرر فلا يجوز وهو حرام وإن لم يكن في ضرر فهو جائز وبعض قال بالجواز إلى أن فتح الكتاب الذي فيه فتوى المرحوم آية الله الشيخ زين العابدين قدس سره فكان فه: بسمه تعالى شأنه إني كنت متوقفا في هذا المسألة ومترددا فيها فلا أدري هل أفتي بالجواز أم أفتي بالحرمة؟ فذهبت إلى مسجد السهلة ووضلت بخدمة سيدي ومولاي الحجة بن الحسن صلوات الله عليه وعرضت المسألة عليه وسألته عنها فأفتاني بالجواز وأنا أفتي كما أفتى سيدي ومولاي بالجواز والسلام. فلما سمع المجتمع القفير هذه الفتوى قال لا حاجة لنا بتلك الفتاوى الأخرى وهذه تكفينا فمن هذه القصة وغيرها يعلم أنه كان ممن يصل بخدمة الإمام عليه السلام ويسأله عن مسائله المهمة ولو أردنا أن نتعرض إلى كراماته لاحتاج ذكرها إلى كتاب كما جمع ذلك ولده سماحة آية الله العظمى الشيخ هداية الله الغروي كراماته في كتاب خاص