By the indwelling of the Light in the Olive; by the Light of the Light from Shim'un 1 ; by the closest Offering (Qurban) to Your obedience; and the most ascetic of ascetics in Your worship. By the most upright of the upholders; by the most fasting of the fasters. By the religion of Christianity (Masihiyya); by the laws (Shari'as) of Noah. [By] past nations, monks and bishops. By the offering of Hizqil 2 ;
Footnotes
1Shim'un As-Safa: The Meaning of Meanings (Ma'na al-Ma'ani), the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin).
2It is stated in the book Kamil al-Ziyarat that when the Imam was asked about the interpretation of "And mention in the Book, Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet," [asking] "Was it Ishmael son of Abraham, peace be upon him? For people claim it is Ishmael son of Abraham." He (the Imam), may His Might be exalted, said: "Ishmael died before Abraham, and Abraham was the Proof (Hujjah) of Allah in his entirety, a generic possessor of a Shari'a. So to whom was Ishmael sent then?" I said: "May I be made your ransom, then who was he?" He, peace be upon him, said: "That was Ishmael son of Hizqil (Ezekiel) the Prophet, peace be upon him. Allah sent him to his people, but they denied him, killed him, and flayed his face. So Allah became angry for his sake against them, and He sent to him Istatail, the Angel of Torment. He said to him: 'O Ishmael, I am Istatail, the Angel of Torment. The Lord of Glory has sent me to you to torment your people with various types of torment if you wish.' Ishmael said to him: 'I have no need for that.' So Allah revealed to him: 'Then what is your need, O Ishmael?' He said: 'O Lord, You took the Covenant (Mithaq) for Yourself regarding Lordship (Rububiyya), for Muhammad regarding Prophethood, and for his Trustees (Awsiya') regarding Walaya. And You informed the best of Your creation of what his nation would do to Al-Husayn ibn Ali, peace be upon them, after his Prophet. And You promised Al-Husayn, peace be upon him, that You would return him to the world so that he may take revenge himself on those who did that to him.So my need to You, O Lord, is that You return me to the world so that I may take revenge on those who did that to me, just as Al-Husayn, peace be upon him, mentioned.' So Allah promised Ishmael son of Hizqil that; thus, he returns (yakur) with Al-Husayn, peace be upon him."So my need to You, O Lord, is that You return me to the world so that I may take revenge on those who did that to me, just as Al-Husayn, peace be upon him, mentioned.' So Allah promised Ishmael son of Hizqil that; thus, he returns (yakur) with Al-Husayn, peace be upon him." This is because the Imams and Prophets are infallible/protected from actual killing or death befalling them; rather, "denial" (Takdhib) is the killing.