And if the virtue of a pilgrimage on foot is greater, from what location does it begin?

✅Answer:

There is no narration that compares the virtue of a pilgrimage on foot with one by riding, but from the existing narrations, the greater virtue of a pilgrimage on foot is evident. Please pay attention to a few examples:

1 عَنِ الْحُسَیْنِ بْنِ عَلِیِّ بْنِ ثُوَیْرِ بْنِ أَبِی فَاخِتَةَ قَالَ قَالَ لِی أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ یَا حُسَیْنُ مَنْ خَرَجَ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ یُرِیدُ زِیَارَةَ الْحُسَیْنِ بْنِ عَلِیِّ بْنِ أَبِی طَالِبٍ إِنْ کَانَ مَاشِیاً کَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِکُلِّ خُطْوَةٍ حَسَنَةً وَ حَطَّ بِهَا عَنْهُ سَیِّئَةً حَتَّی إِذَا صَارَ بِالْحَائِرِ کَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ المفلحین وَ إِذَا قَضَی مَنَاسِکَهُ کَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْفَائِزِینَ حَتَّی إِذَا أَرَادَ الِانْصِرَافَ أَتَاهُ مَلَکٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ رَبُّکَ یُقْرِئُکَ السَّلَامَ وَ یَقُولُ لَکَ اسْتَأْنِفْ فَقَدْ غُفِرَ لَکَ مَا مَضَی

📚Al-Tahdhib, Vol. 6, p. 43

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said to Hussein ibn Ali ibn Thuwair: 'O Hussein! The one who leaves his home with the intention of visiting the grave of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), if he is on foot, Allah writes one good deed for him with every step and erases one sin, until when he reaches the 'ha'ir' (the sacred precinct), Allah writes him down among the successful ones, until when he has performed his rites, Allah writes him down among the victorious ones, and when he wishes to return, an angel comes to him and says: 'Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) sends greetings to you and says to you: 'Begin your action anew, for your past has been forgiven and absolved.'

2 Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, a person goes out towards the grave of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), so when he leaves his family, with the first step he takes, the forgiveness of sins will be for him. Then, with every step, he is sanctified and purified until he reaches the Imam...'

📚Kamil al-Ziyarat, p. 132

3 Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever comes on foot to visit the grave of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), with every step, Allah writes a thousand good deeds for him, erases a thousand bad deeds from him, and raises him a thousand degrees...'

📚Kamil al-Ziyarat, p. 133

4 Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said in a hadith: 'Whoever comes on foot to visit Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), with every step he lifts and puts down, Allah writes for him the freeing of a slave from the descendants of Ismail...'

📚Kamil al-Ziyarat, p. 134

5 Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever visits the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) on foot, Allah the Exalted writes for him a Hajj and an Umrah with every step, and if he is also on foot on his way back, Allah the Exalted writes for him two Hajjs and two Umrahs with every step.'

📚Al-Tahdhib, Vol. 6, p. 20

6 Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever visits Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) for the sake of Allah's pleasure and to gain reward, without arrogance, showing off, or seeking fame, his sins are cleansed just as a garment is cleaned with water, and with every step, a Hajj is written for him, and with every step he lifts, an Umrah is written for him.'

📚Kamil al-Ziyarat, p. 144

7 Ibn Marid said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'What will there be for the one who visits your grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him)?' The Imam said: 'O son of Marid! The one who visits my grandfather while knowing his right, Allah writes for him a accepted Hajj and an accepted Umrah for every step. O son of Marid! By Allah, Allah will not feed the fire that foot which has been covered with dust on the path of visiting the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him)! Whether he is on foot or on a riding animal, O son of Marid! Write this hadith with gold water.'

📚Al-Tahdhib, Vol. 6, p. 21

8 In the hadith of 📚Misbah, Vol. 2, p. 719 for visiting Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Take small steps, for with every step, a Hajj and an Umrah are written for you.'

9 And in the hadith of 📚Al-Gharat, Vol. 2, p. 856, Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Take short steps and lower your chin towards the ground, for with every step, a hundred thousand good deeds are written for you, a hundred thousand bad deeds are erased from you, a hundred thousand degrees are raised for you, and a hundred thousand needs are fulfilled for you....'

✅ It is observed that indescribable virtues have been mentioned in the narrations for going on foot to visit Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) and, by extension, for all the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), and it is also observed that these mentioned rewards are from the very first step of leaving the house until returning home.