1. Sheikh Ali's Unique Wish
Ayatollah Sheikh Muhammad Hassan Maulvi Kandahari narrated this incident in a Friday night gathering:
There lived a student in Najaf Ashraf whose name was Sheikh Ali. He was not yet married, and when marriage was mentioned to him, he would say: "When I marry, I will marry only Hur al-Ain!"
2. Intercession to Hazrat Ali (a.s.) and supplication for Hur
Under this desire, he continuously sought refuge in the shrine of Hazrat Ali (a.s.). He used to implore Hazrat for Hur al-Ain. Due to this strange supplication, people in Najaf started considering him crazy.
3. Attendance at Karbala and request from Hazrat Abbas (a.s.)
Later, he went to Karbala and there he kept supplicating to Hazrat Imam Hussain (a.s.) and Hazrat Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas (a.s.) for Hur al-Ain.
4. Return and apparent abandonment of desire
After some time, he returned to Najaf, and resumed teaching at the "Madrasa Nawab". People thought that he had now abandoned this desire and was acquiring knowledge with full attention.
5. A surprising incident of a night
One night, when he was returning from a pilgrimage, he saw a woman sitting alone in the courtyard of the Haram. When he passed by, the woman stood up and said:
"I am a stranger here, I have no one, you take me with you."
6. Sheikh Ali's refusal and the woman's insistence
Sheikh Ali replied in surprise:
"This is not possible, I am single, I live in the madrasa, and you are a young woman!"
But the woman kept insisting: "Take me to your room tonight."
7. Hidden existence – no one could see or understand
Sheikh Ali brought her to the madrasa. There were some students at the door, but no one saw the woman.
Sheikh Ali asked her to rest in her room and went out to find a place for herself.
8. The first glimpse of the luminous scene and the secret
As soon as he left the room, a strange light appeared from the room.
It seemed that the woman had removed her veil.
He went back in fear and asked: "Who are you? Are you a jinn? Or what?"
The woman smiled and replied:
"You asked the Imams for the Hour al-Ain, and I am that one. Now you have to marry me."
9. Marriage, life, and protecting the secret
After that, Sheikh Ali married her.
A house was reserved for them in a neighborhood of Karbala.
Sheikh Ali lived with this Houriya for seventeen years, but did not tell anyone.
Only a close friend, Sheikh Muhammad, used to visit his house, and he did not know anything either.
10. Sickness, Farewell, and Revealing the Secret
Seventeen years later, Sheikh Ali fell ill.
The woman called Sheikh Muhammad and said:
"Your friend is sick, and on such and such a day he will die. You should be present with him on that day."
Sheikh Muhammad said:
"What kind of woman are you who also tells the date of her husband's death?"
To this the woman said:
"Today I will tell you a secret...
I am the Hour al-'Ayn."
11. Selection by Hazrat Abbas (a.s.)
She said:
"I was in my place in Paradise when I received a message: Hazrat Abbas (a.s.) has called me.
Then I was told that you have to go to earth for a few years, and become the wife of the man who had asked the Infallibles (a.s.) for the Hour al-'Ayn.
I was made fit for this worldly life, and then brought here."
12. Time of Return and End
Now that the time of Sheikh Ali's departure from this world is approaching, I must return to my place.
By saying this, he revealed his secret, and a few days later Sheikh Ali departed from this world.
Conclusion: -
The strange effectiveness of prayer, supplication, and sincerity
This incident teaches us that if a person prays with truth, sincerity, and firm intention, and believes in it, he can reach his desired place even beyond worldly principles.
This story is not only a beautiful example of love for the virgin, but also of sincerity, supplication, and submission and consent.
