Introduction
Some Ahadith are presented below regarding walking barefoot whilst performing Ziyarah of Holy Sites.
Walking without shoes as a sign of respect:
وَ حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ وَ جَمَاعَةٌ رَحِمَهُمُ اللَّهُ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ الْمَكْفُوفِ عَنْ أَبِي الصَّامِتِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ مَنْ أَتَى قَبْرَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع مَاشِياً كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِكُلِّ خُطْوَةٍ أَلْفَ حَسَنَةٍ وَ مَحَا عَنْهُ أَلْفَ سَيِّئَةٍ وَ رَفَعَ لَهُ أَلْفَ دَرَجَةٍ فَإِذَا أَتَيْتَ الْفُرَاتَ فَاغْتَسِلْ وَ عَلِّقْ نَعْلَيْكَ وَ امْشِ حَافِياً وَ امْشِ مَشْيَ الْعَبْدِ الذَّلِيلِ فَإِذَا أَتَيْتَ بَابَ الْحَائِرِ فَكَبِّرْ أَرْبَعاً ثُمَّ امْشِ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ كَبِّرْ أَرْبَعاً ثُمَّ ائْتِ رَأْسَهُ فَقِفْ عَلَيْهِ فَكَبِّرْ أَرْبَعاً [فَكَبِّرْ وَ صَلِّ عِنْدَهُ وَ اسْأَلْ] وَ صَلِّ أَرْبَعاً وَ اسْأَلِ اللَّهَ حَاجَتَكَ.
Ali Ibn Al-Husayn Ibn Musa ibn Babawiyyah and the group of Allah have mercy on them told me about Sa’ad ibn Abdullah about Al-Hasan Ibn Ali Ibn Abdullah Ibn Al-Mughairah about Al-Abbas Ibn Amer about Jaber Al-Makhuf about Abu Al-Samat and he said I heard:
Abu Abdullah-asws (Imam Al- Sadiq-asws) said: The Almighty Allah-azwj Records a thousand good deeds and erases a thousand sins for every step taken by one who performs the Ziyarat of Imam Hussain-asws on foot. He will also increase their status a thousand times for every step.
Then Imam-asws said: When you arrive at Euphrates, perform Ghusl,
‘وَ عَلِّقْ نَعْلَيْكَ وَ امْشِ حَافِياً وَ امْشِ مَشْيَ الْعَبْدِ الذَّلِيلِ’ and remove your shoes and walk barefoot like the ‘Mashi’ (walk) of a humble servant. Once you arrive at the door of the holy shrine, recite Takbir four times. Then walk a little and repeat this four more times. Then come near his head, stand there and repeat it four more times. Pray near his grave and ask Allah-azwj, the Exalted for your needs.[1]
عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ ثُوَيْرِ بْنِ أَبِي فَاخِتَةَ قَالَ: ……أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَاغْتَسِلْ عَلَى شَاطِئِ الْفُرَاتِ ثُمَّ الْبَسْ ثِيَابَكَ الطَّاهِرَةَ ثُمَّ امْشِ حَافِياً فَإِنَّكَ فِي حَرَمٍ مِنْ حَرَمِ اللَّهِ وَ حَرَمِ رَسُولِهِ وَ عَلَيْكَ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ وَ التَّهْلِيلِ وَ التَّمْجِيدِ وَ التَّعْظِيمِ لِلَّهِ كَثِيراً وَ الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ حَتَّى تَصِيرَ إِلَى بَابِ الْحَائِرِ [الْحُسَيْنِ ع] ثُمَّ قُلِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حُجَّةَ اللَّهِ …….
From Al-Qasim ibn Yahya about Al-Hasan Ibn Rashid about Al-Husayn Ibn Thuwair Ibn Abi Fakhta he said:
Abu Abdullah-asws (Imam Al- Sadiq-asws) said: “When you go to the Ziyarat of Imam Hussain-asws, perform a Ghusl on the banks of Euphrates and wear your most purified clothes. Then walk barefoot (towards the grave) because you are walking in one of the sanctuaries of Allah-azwj and His Messenger-saww. You should recite Takbir and Tahlil exceedingly and glorify and sanctify Allah-azwj more. Invoke blessings on Muhammad-saww and his family-asws until you arrive at the door of the holy shrine. (An extract).[2]
Rewards for walking barefoot in the Harram:
عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) مُزَامَلَةً فِيمَا بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى الْحَرَمِ نَزَلَ وَ اغْتَسَلَ وَ أَخَذَ نَعْلَيْهِ بِيَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْحَرَمَ حَافِياً فَصَنَعْتُ مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَانُ مَنْ صَنَعَ مِثْلَ مَا رَأَيْتَنِي صَنَعْتُ تَوَاضُعاً لِلَّهِ مَحَا اللَّهُ عَنْهُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ سَيِّئَةٍ وَ كَتَبَ لَهُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ حَسَنَةٍ وَ بَنَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ دَرَجَةٍ وَ قَضَى لَهُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ حَاجَةٍ .
A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Abu Abdullah, from his father, from Al Qasim Bin Ibrahim, from Aban Bin Taghlub who said,
‘I was with Abu Abdullah-asws accompanying him-asws in what is between Makkah and Al-Medina. So when he-asws ended up to the Harram, he-asws encamped and washed, and grabbed his-asws slippers by his-asws hands, then entered the Harram bare-footed. So I did similar to what he-asws did’. So he-asws said: ‘O Aban! The one who does like what you saw me-asws do, in reverence to Allah-azwj, Allah-azwj would Delete from him one hundred thousand sins, and Write for him one hundred thousand good deeds, and Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic would Build for him one hundred thousand Levels, and would Fulfil for him one hundred thousand needs’.[3]
APPENDIX: Additional Ahadith on walking barefoot out of respect/whilst bereaving
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ قَالَ زَامَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) فِيمَا بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى الْحَرَمِ اغْتَسَلَ وَ أَخَذَ نَعْلَيْهِ بِيَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ مَشَى فِي الْحَرَمِ سَاعَةً .
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Salih Bin Al Sandy, from Hammad Bin Isa, from Husayn Bin Al Mukhtar, from Abu Ubeyda who said,
‘I accompanied Abu Ja’far-asws in what is between Makkah and Al-Medina. So when he-asws ended up to the Harram, he-asws washed and grabbed his-asws slippers by his-asws hands, then walked into the Harram for a while’.
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ مِثْلَهُ .
Muhammad Bin yahya, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Al husayn Bin Al Mukhtar – similar to it’.[4]
الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَجْلَانَ أَبِي صَالِحٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) إِذَا انْتَهَيْتَ إِلَى بِئْرِ مَيْمُونٍ أَوْ بِئْرِ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ فَاغْتَسِلْ وَ اخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ وَ امْشِ حَافِياً وَ عَلَيْكَ السَّكِينَةَ وَ الْوَقَارَ .
Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, altogether from Al Hassan Bin Ali, from Aban Bin Usman, from Ajlan Abu Salih who said,
‘Abu Abdullah-asws said: ‘Whenever you end up to the well of Maymoun, or the well of Abdul Samad, so wash, and take off your slippers, and walk bare-footed, and upon you should be the tranquillity and dignity’.[5]
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى وَ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِذَا دَخَلْتَ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ فَادْخُلْهُ حَافِياً عَلَى السَّكِينَةِ وَ الْوَقَارِ وَ الْخُشُوعِ وَ قَالَ وَ مَنْ دَخَلَهُ بِخُشُوعٍ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ قُلْتُ مَا الْخُشُوعُ قَالَ السَّكِينَةُ لَا تَدْخُلْهُ بِتَكَبُّرٍ
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, and Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Al Fazl Bin Shazaan, altogether from Safwan Bin Yahya, and Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Muawiya Bin Ammar,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘Whenever you enter the Sacred Masjid, so enter it bare-footed upon the tranquillity, and the dignity, and the reverence’. And he-asws said: ‘And the one who enters it with reverence, Allah-azwj would Forgive him, Allah-azwj Willing’. I said, ‘What is the reverence?’ He-asws said: ‘The tranquillity, not entering it with arrogance.
فَإِذَا انْتَهَيْتَ إِلَى بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَقُمْ وَ قُلِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَ بِاللَّهِ وَ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَ السَّلَامُ عَلَى أَنْبِيَاءِ اللَّهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ وَ السَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ السَّلَامُ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
So when you end up to the door of the Masjid, then stand and say, ‘Greetings be upon you‑saww, O Prophet-saww, and Mercy of Allah-azwj, and His-azwj Blessings. In the Name of Allah‑azwj, and by Allah-azwj, and from Allah-azwj, and whatever Allah-azwj so Desires. And greetings be upon the Prophets-saww of Allah-azwj and His-azwj Rasools-as. And the greetings be upon Rasool-Allah-saww, and the greetings be upon Ibrahim-as. And the Praise is for Allah-azwj Lord-azwj of the worlds’.
فَإِذَا دَخَلْتَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَارْفَعْ يَدَيْكَ وَ اسْتَقْبِلِ الْبَيْتَ وَ قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ فِي مَقَامِي هَذَا فِي أَوَّلِ مَنَاسِكِي أَنْ تَقْبَلَ تَوْبَتِي وَ أَنْ تَجَاوَزَ عَنْ خَطِيئَتِي وَ تَضَعَ عَنِّي وِزْرِي الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي بَلَّغَنِي بَيْتَهُ الْحَرَامَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ هَذَا بَيْتُكَ الْحَرَامُ الَّذِي جَعَلْتَهُ مَثَابَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَ أَمْناً مُبَارَكاً وَ هُدًى لِلْعَالَمِينَ
So when you enter the Masjid, then raise your hands and face the House (Kabah), and say, ‘O Allah-azwj! I ask You-azwj in this place of mine during the first of my rituals that You-azwj should Accept my repentance, and that You-azwj should Overlook my errors, and Place my burden away from me. The Praise is for Allah-azwj Who Made me reach His-azwj Sacred House (Kabah). O Allah-azwj! I hereby testify that this is Your-azwj Sacred House which You-azwj Made it as a resort for the people, and a security, Blessed, and a Guidance for the worlds.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ وَ الْبَلَدُ بَلَدُكَ وَ الْبَيْتُ بَيْتُكَ جِئْتُ أَطْلُبُ رَحْمَتَكَ وَ أَؤُمُّ طَاعَتَكَ مُطِيعاً لِأَمْرِكَ رَاضِياً بِقَدَرِكَ أَسْأَلُكَ مَسْأَلَةَ الْمُضْطَرِّ إِلَيْكَ الْخَائِفِ لِعُقُوبَتِكَ اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ وَ اسْتَعْمِلْنِي بِطَاعَتِكَ وَ مَرْضَاتِكَ .
O Allah-azwj! I am Your-azwj servant, and the city is Your-azwj city, and the House is Your-azwj House. I have come seeking Your-azwj Mercy, and intending to obey You-azwj, obedient to Your-azwj Command, being pleased with Your-azwj Ordainment. I ask You-azwj with the asking of the one desperate to You-azwj, the one fearful of Your-azwj Punishment. O Allah-azwj! Open for me the doors of Your-azwj Mercy, and Utilise me with Your-azwj obedience and Your-azwj Pleasure’.[6]
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ قَالَ لَمَّا مَاتَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) خَرَجَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فَتَقَدَّمَ السَّرِيرَ بِلَا حِذَاءٍ وَ لَا رِدَاءٍ .
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Al Qasim Bin Muhammad, from Al Husayn Bin Usman who said,
‘When Ismail, son of Abu Abdullah-asws died, Abu Abdullah-asws went out and walked in front of the coffin without shoes as well as (without) a cloak’.[7]
الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ سَعْدَانَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ يَنْبَغِي لِصَاحِبِ الْمُصِيبَةِ أَنْ لَا يَلْبَسَ رِدَاءً وَ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي قَمِيصٍ حَتَّى يُعْرَفَ .
Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Is’haq, from Sa’dan Bin Muslim, from Abu Baseer,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘It is befitting for the ‘صَاحِبُ الْمُصِيبَةِ’ bereaved that he should not wear a cloak, and does not happen to be in a shirt, until he is recognised (as a bereaved)’.[8]
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ يَنْبَغِي لِصَاحِبِ الْمُصِيبَةِ أَنْ يَضَعَ رِدَاءَهُ حَتَّى يَعْلَمَ النَّاسُ أَنَّهُ صَاحِبُ الْمُصِيبَةِ .
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from one of his companions,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘It is befitting for ‘صَاحِبُ الْمُصِيبَةِ’ the bereaved that he should place down his cloak until the people know that he is ‘صَاحِبُ الْمُصِيبَةِ’ the bereaved’.[9]
[1] كامل الزيارات ؛ النص ؛ ص132 Kamil uz Ziyarah, Chapter 49, H. 4
[2] كامل الزيارات، النص، ص: 198, Chapter 79, H. 2.
[3] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 116 H 1
[4] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 116 H 2
[5] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 118 H 6
[6] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 119 H 1
[7] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Funerals CH 69 H 5
[8] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Funerals CH 69 H 8
[9] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Funerals CH 69 H 6