The term Nahiya linguistically means "direction," "side," or "region." In this context, "Ziyarat al-Nahiya" refers to a visitation performed from a distant direction—a remote pilgrimage. Some historical sources note that the Imam wrote this Ziyarat for a specific companion named Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Zayd al-Nahiya, but the dominant interpretation ties it to the concept of performing Ziyarat when one cannot physically reach Karbala.
Due to length, we present the opening and most poignant segments. A complete text is available in Mafatih al-Jinan.
Arabic (Opening):
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّـهِ
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاءِ
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ثَارَ اللَّـهِ وَابْنَ ثَارِهِ وَالْوِتْرَ الْمَوْتُورَ ziyarat e nahiya hot
English Translation:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Peace be upon you, O son of the Messenger of Allah.
Peace be upon you, O son of the Commander of the Faithful.
Peace be upon you, O son of Fatima az-Zahra.
Peace be upon you, O representative of Allah’s vengeance, and the son of His representative, and the solitary one who was wronged.
The Heart of the Lament (Where the Imam describes Hussain’s thirst):
فَلَيْتَ أَنِّي بِكُمْ فَائِزٌ، فَأَفُوزَ بِفَوْزِكُمْ وَقَدْ نِلْتُ مَا نِلْتُمْ مِنَ الْكَرَامَةِ وَالْخَيْرِ
Would that I were with you, so that I might achieve the same success as you, attaining the honor and goodness you attained. The term Nahiya linguistically means "direction," "side," or
ثُمَّ يَصِفُ الْعَطَشَ:
يَا حُسَيْنُ مَا أَظْمَأَكَ لِلَّـهِ! وَكَمْ تَعَطَّشْتَ لَهُ وَرُزِئْتَ بِوَلَدِكَ وَأَهْلِكَ
O Hussain, how thirsty you were for the sake of Allah! How much you endured thirst, losing your children and family.
The Closing (Peace upon the slain of Karbala):
السَّلَامُ عَلَى الْأَجْسَادِ الْعَارِيَةِ فِي الصَّحَارِيِ
Peace be upon the bodies left unclothed in the deserts.
السَّلَامُ عَلَى الشُّفَاهِ الذَّابِلَةِ عَلَى الطَّفِّ
Peace be upon the parched lips on the plains of Taff (Karbala). A complete text is available in Mafatih al-Jinan
Ziyarat e Nahiya is structured as a direct conversation with Imam Husayn. It is not a dry theological lecture but a visceral, poetic lament. Its core themes include:
It is recorded that the Ziyarat is "Masdood" (guaranteed of acceptance) because it originates from the infallible Imam. When you recite it with a truthful heart, the angels raise the recitation to the Imam of the Time, who weeps for you and intercedes for you.