شرح انتصاب ملا محمدعلی جولای دزفولی به مقام سربازی امام زمان
دزفول افرادی چون ستارگان تابان داشته ، مردانی عارف و مقدس و زاهد متقّی مانند سید کاشف و مولا علیخان قاری و حاج شیخ سلیمان و سید محمد علی نجفی و محمد علی جولا و مانند اینان هم تربیت کرده است .
شما اگر در این مطلبی که از نظرتان میگذرد دقت و تأملی فرمائید به بلندی و علّو درجه ی ملا محمد علی جولای دزفولی پیخواهید برد . او داستانی دارد که در بیست و چهار سال قبل ، در دزفول از ثقاب یدانشمندان آن شهر شنیدهام و بعد در کتاب « الشمس الطالعه » و کتاب شرح زندگی« شیخ انصاری » دیده ام ، آنها نقل میکرده اند : آقای حاج « محمد حسین تبریزی » که از تجّار محترم تبریز بوده و فرزندی نداشته و آنچه از وسایل مادّی از قبیل دارو و دوا برایش ممکن بوده استفاده کرده و بازهم دارای فرزندی نشده می‌گوید : من به نجف اشرف مشرّف شدم و برای قضاء حاجتم به مسجد سهله رفتم و متوسل به « امام زمان » علیه السلام گردیدم ، شب در عالم مکاشفه دیدم، که آقای بزرگواری به من فرمودند :
برو دزفول نزد « محمدعلی جولاگر » ( بافنده) تا حاجتت برآورده شود . من به دزفول رفتم و از آدرس آن شخص تحقیق کردم ، به من او را نشان دادند وقتی او را دیدم ، از او خوشم آمد زیرا او مرد فقیر روشن ضمیری بود ، مغازهی کوچکی داشت و مشغول کرباس بافی بود. به او سلام کردم ، او گفت : علیک السّلام آقای حاج محمدحسین حاجتت برآورده شد ، من از آنکه هم اسم مرا میدانست و هم گفت : حاجتت برآورده شده تعجب کردم و از او تقاضا نمودم ، که شب را خدمتش بمانم.
گفت : مانعی ندارد .
من وارد دکان کوچک او شدم ، موقع مغرب ، اذان گفت و نماز مغرب و عشا را با هم خواندیم ، مختصری که از شب گذشت ، سفرهای را پهن کرد، مقداری نان جو در آن سفره بود و مقداری هم ماست آورد ، با هم شام خوردیم .
من و او همانجا خوابیدیم ، صبح برخاست و نماز صبح را خواندیم و مختصری تعقیب خواند و دوباره مشغول کرباس بافی خود شد .
به او گفتم : من که خدمت شما رسیدهام دو مقصد داشتم یکی را فرمودید که برآورده شد ، دومی این است که شما چه عملی انجام دادهاید ، که به این مقام رسیدهاید؟
« امام (علیه السلام) » مرا به شما حواله می‌دهد !!
از اسم و لقب من اطّلاع دارید !!
گفت : ای آقا ، این چه سؤالی است که میکنی؟! حاجتت برآورده شده ، راهت را بگیر و برو.
گفتم : من میهمان شمایم و باید میهمان را اکرام کنی ، من تقاضایم این است که شرح حال خودت را برایم بگویی و بدان تا آن را نگویی نخواهم رفت.
گفت : من در همین محل مشغول همین کسب بودم ، در مقابل این دکان یک نفر از اعضای دولت بود ، او بسیار مرد ستمگری بود .
سربازی از او و خانه اش نگهداری می‌کرد ، یک روز آن سرباز نزد من آمد و گفت : شما برای خودتان از کجا غذا تهیه می‌کنید؟
من به او گفتم : سالی صد من جو و گندم می‌‌خرم ، آرد می‌کنم ، و نان می‌پزم و می‌خورم ، زن و فرزندی هم ندارم .
گفت : من در اینجا مستحفظم و دوست ندارم ، از غذای این ظالم که حرام است بخورم ، اگر برای تو مانعی ندارد صد من جو هم برای من تهیه کن و روزی دو قرص نان برای من درست کن ، متشکر خواهم بود.
من قبول کردم و هر روز دو عدد نان خود را از من می‌گرفت و می‌رفت ، یک روز که نان را تهیه کرده بودم و منتظرش بودم از موعد مقرر گذشت ولی او نیامد . رفتم و از احوالش جویا شدم . گفتند : مریض است ! به عیادتش رفتم، از او خواستم اجازه دهد ، برایش طبیب ببرم . گفت : لازم نیست من باید امشب بمیرم نصفه های شب وقتی من مُردم کسی می‌آید و به تو خبر مرگم را می‌دهد ، تو بیا اینجا و هر چه به تو دستور دادند عمل کن و بقیه آرد هم مال تو باشد ، من خواستم شب در کنارش بمانم ، به من اجازه نداد ، من به دکان آمدم .
نصفه های شب متوجه شدم ، که کسی در دکانم را می‌زند و می‌گوید : محمد علی بیا بیرون ، من بیرون آمدم ، مردی را دیدم که او را نمی‌شناختم ، با هم به مسجد رفتیم دیدم ، آن سرباز از دنیا رفته و جنازه اش آنجا است دو نفر کنار جنازه‌اش ایستاده‌اند.
به من گفتند : بیا کمک کن ، تا جنازه او را به طرف رودخانه ببریم و غسل دهیم . بالاخره او را به کنار رودخانه بردیم و غسل دادیم و کفن کردیم و نماز بر او گذاردیم و آوردیم کنار مسجد دفن کردیم .
سپس من به دکان برگشتم . چند شب بعد ، باز در دکان را زدند ، من از دکان بیرون آمدم دیدم ، یک نفر آمده و می‌گوید : آقا تو را می‌خواهند با من بیا تا به خدمتش برسیم ! من اطاعت کردم و با او رفتم ، به بیابانی رسیدیم که فوق العاده روشن بود مثل شبهای چهاردهم ماه با اینکه آخر ماه بود و من از این جهت تعجب می‌کردم . پس از چند لحظه ، به صحرای لور (که شمال دزفول واقع شده) رسیدیم ، از دور چند نفر را دیدم که دور هم نشسته‌اند و یک نفر هم خدمت آنها ایستاده است ، در میان آنهایی که نشسته بودند یک نفر خیلی با عظمت بود ، من دانستم که او حضرت « صاحب الزمان(عج) » است ترس و هول عجیبی مرا گرفته بود و بدنم می‌لرزید . مردی که به دنبال من آمده بود ، گفت : قدری جلوتر برو ، من جلوتر رفتم و بعد ایستادم . آن کس که خدمت آقایان ایستاده بود ، به من گفت جلوتر بیا نترس من باز مقداری جلوتر رفتم .
حضرت « بقیه الله (عجل الله تعالی فرجه الشریف) » به یکی از آن افراد فرمودند : منصب سرباز را به خاطر خدمتی که به شیعهی ما کرده به او بده .
عرض کردم : من کاسب و بافندهام چگونه میتوانم سرباز باشم (خیال می‌کردم مرا به جای سرباز مرحوم می‌خواهند نگهبان منزل آن مرد کنند )
آقا با تبسّمی فرمودند : ما میخواهیم منصب او را به تو بدهیم ، من هم باز حرف خودم را تکرار کردم .
باز فرمودند : ما میخواهیم مقام سرباز مرحوم را به تو بدهیم نه آنکه سرباز باشی برو و تو به جای او خواهی بود.
من تنها برگشتم ، ولی در مراجعت هوا خیلی تاریک بود و بحمدالله از آن شب تا به حال دستورات مولایم حضرت « صاحب الزمان(عج) » به من میرسد و با آن حضرت ارتباط دارم که منجمله همین جریان تو بود که به من گفته بودند1 .
1 . تشرف ملا محمد علی جولای دزفولی در کتاب های زیر نقل شده است :
کتاب شخصیت شیخ انصاری تألیف آیت الله حاج شیخ مرتضی انصاری نوادة شیخ اعظم از صفحة 52 الی 55
کتاب ملاقات با امام زمان (عج) تألیف حاج سیّد حسن ابطحی ، صفحه 275 تا 280
کتاب برکات حضرت ولی عصر (عج)- تألیف آقای سید جواد معلم
The Story of Mulla Mohammad Ali Jola-ye Dezfuli’s Appointment as a Soldier of Imam Mahdi
Dezful has given rise to many shining stars throughout its history. It has nurtured men of spirituality, piety, asceticism, and devotion, including Sayyid Kashef, Mulla Ali Khan Qari, Hajj Sheikh Soleiman, Sayyid Mohammad Ali Najafi, and Mulla Mohammad Ali Jola.
If you reflect carefully on the account that follows, you may gain a sense of the lofty spiritual station attributed to Mulla Mohammad Ali Jola-ye Dezfuli.
About twenty-four years before recounting this story, I heard it in Dezful from some of the city’s distinguished scholars. Later, I came across the same account in Al-Shams al-Tali‘a and in a book about the life of Sheikh Ansari. The story is narrated as follows.
A Merchant’s Journey in Search of His Wish
Hajj Mohammad Hossein Tabrizi, a respected merchant from Tabriz, had no children. He had tried every available means, including various medicines and treatments, but still had not been blessed with a child.
He eventually traveled to the holy city of Najaf and went to the Mosque of Sahla to seek the fulfillment of his wish. There, he turned to Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) in prayer and supplication.
That night, he experienced a vision in which a noble and dignified man appeared to him and said:
“Go to Dezful and visit Mohammad Ali Jola-gar, the weaver. Your wish will be fulfilled through him.”
Hajj Mohammad Hossein traveled to Dezful and began asking people for directions to the man. Eventually, someone showed him the way.
When he met Mohammad Ali, he was immediately impressed by his humble appearance. Mohammad Ali was a poor but spiritually perceptive man who owned a small shop and earned his living weaving coarse cotton cloth.
The merchant greeted him.
“Peace be upon you,” he said.
“And peace be upon you,” Mohammad Ali replied. “Hajj Mohammad Hossein, your wish has been granted.”
The merchant was astonished. Not only did this humble weaver know his full name, but he also declared that his wish had already been fulfilled.
He asked Mohammad Ali for permission to spend the night with him.
“There is no objection,” Mohammad Ali replied.
The merchant entered the small shop. At sunset, Mohammad Ali called the prayer, and the two men performed the Maghrib and Isha prayers together.
A little later in the evening, Mohammad Ali spread a simple cloth for their meal. He brought some barley bread and yogurt, and they ate together.
That night, both men slept in the same place. In the morning, they rose for the dawn prayer. After a short period of supplication, Mohammad Ali returned to his weaving.
The Secret Behind His Spiritual Station
The merchant eventually spoke.
“I came here for two reasons. You have already told me that my first wish has been granted. My second question is this: What have you done to attain such a spiritual station? Imam Mahdi himself directed me to you, and you knew my name and the fulfillment of my wish!”
Mohammad Ali responded:
“What kind of question is that, sir? Your wish has been granted. Take your leave and go on your way.”
But the merchant insisted.
“I am your guest, and a guest deserves to be honored. I ask only that you tell me your life story. I will not leave until you do.”
At last, Mohammad Ali agreed to explain.
“I was working in this very place, carrying on my weaving business. Across from my shop lived a government official who was an extremely oppressive man.
“A soldier was assigned to guard the official and his household. One day, the soldier came to me and asked how I obtained my food.
“I told him that each year I bought one hundred manns of barley and wheat, had the grain ground into flour, and baked my own bread. I had neither a wife nor children.
“He said, ‘I am stationed here as a guard, but I do not wish to eat the food of this oppressive man, for it is unlawful. If you do not mind, please obtain another hundred manns of barley for me as well and prepare two loaves of bread for me each day. I would be grateful.’
“I agreed. Every day, he would come and collect his two loaves of bread from me before returning to his post.
“One day, I prepared his bread and waited for him, but he did not arrive at the usual time. Concerned, I went to inquire about him and learned that he was ill.
“I visited him and offered to bring a physician, but he refused.
“‘There is no need,’ he told me. ‘I must die tonight. In the middle of the night, after I have passed away, someone will come and inform you of my death. Come here, and whatever you are instructed to do, carry it out. The remaining flour will belong to you.’
“I wanted to stay beside him through the night, but he would not allow it. So I returned to my shop.”
The Soldier’s Funeral
Mohammad Ali continued:
“Somewhere around midnight, I heard someone knocking on the door of my shop.
“‘Mohammad Ali, come outside!’ a voice called.
“I stepped out and saw a man I did not recognize. He led me to the mosque. There, I found that the soldier had passed away, and his body was lying inside. Two men were standing beside him.
“They told me to help carry the body to the river so that we could wash it according to the proper rites.
“We carried him to the riverbank, washed his body, wrapped him in a shroud, performed the funeral prayer, and brought him back to the mosque. There, we buried him.
“Afterward, I returned to my shop.”
The Encounter in the Plain of Lur
Mohammad Ali then recounted what happened several nights later.
“Once again, someone knocked on the door of my shop. I went outside and found a man waiting for me.
“‘Sir, you are being summoned. Come with me, and I will take you to meet him,’ he said.
“I obeyed and followed him.
“We eventually reached an open plain that was extraordinarily bright, as though it were illuminated by the light of a full moon, even though the month was nearing its end. I wondered at the unusual brightness.
“After a while, we arrived at the Plain of Lur, north of Dezful.
“In the distance, I saw several people sitting together, with another man standing before them. Among those seated, one figure possessed such majesty and dignity that I immediately understood him to be the Master of the Age, Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance).
“I was overwhelmed by awe and fear, and my entire body began to tremble.
“The man who had brought me said, ‘Go a little closer.’
“I moved forward and stopped. The man standing before the gathering then said, ‘Come closer. Do not be afraid.’
“I advanced a little farther.”
Appointment as a Soldier of Imam Mahdi
Mohammad Ali continued:
“Then Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) addressed one of those present and said:
‘Grant him the rank of the soldier who has passed away, in recognition of the service he rendered to one of our followers.’
“I was confused. I was a tradesman and a weaver. How could I become a soldier?
“I assumed that they intended to appoint me to the deceased soldier’s former duty of guarding the official’s household.
“So I said, ‘My master, I am merely a merchant and a weaver. How can I serve as a soldier?’
“The Imam smiled and said, ‘We wish to grant you his rank.’
“Still misunderstanding, I repeated my objection.
“Once again, he explained:
‘We intend to grant you the rank of the deceased soldier, not to make you a soldier in the ordinary sense. Go now. You shall take his place.’
“I then returned alone.
“Yet, on the way back, the night was exceedingly dark, unlike the extraordinary brightness I had witnessed on my journey there.
“Praise be to Allah, from that night onward, I have received guidance and instructions from my master, Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance), and have remained in contact with him. Among the matters communicated to me was the very event concerning you.”
Thus, according to the account, Mulla Mohammad Ali Jola explained how his simple act of helping a soldier avoid unlawful food became the occasion for a remarkable spiritual encounter and his appointment to the soldier’s rank in the service of Imam Mahdi.
Sources Cited for This Account
The narrator states that this story is recorded in the following works:
- Shakhṣiyyat-e Sheikh Ansari (The Personality of Sheikh Ansari), attributed to Ayatollah Hajj Sheikh Morteza Ansari, a descendant of Sheikh Ansari, pages 52–55.
- Molāqāt bā Emām Zamān (Ajal-Allāh Farajah) (Encounters with Imam Mahdi), by Hajj Sayyid Hassan Abtahi, pages 275–280.
- Barakāt-e Hazrat Vali-Asr (The Blessings of His Eminence, Vali-Asr), by Sayyid Javad Moallem.
Translator’s note: This English translation preserves the religious language and narrative of the Persian account. The events are presented as a devotional narration attributed to the cited works, rather than as independently verified historical facts.