Name: Ali bin Musa.her Imam Ja"fer As-Sadiq (a.s.) He was born during the reign of the Harun Al-Rashid who poiso

Titles: Ar-Ridha, Zamin-e-Thamin, Gharibul Ghuraba, Alim e Ale Muhammad.

Kuniyya: Abul Hasan.

Birth: 11th Zilkaad.

Mother: Bibi Suttana (or Najma or Ummulbanin).

Father: Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (a.s.)

Death: 29th Safar 203 a.h. (Poisoned by Mamun Rashid).

Buried: Mashhad,Iran.

His Parents & Birth

Mother

She was a slave of Umme Hamida (6th Imam"s wife). When the 7th Imam had gone to buy her from the slave trader he was told that when he was coming to Medina from Marrakesh a pious Christian lady had told him that Bibi Suttana was a very special slave who would bear a son who would spread the true word from the East to the West.

Umme Hamida saw the Prophet (S.A.W.) in her dream telling her to give Bibi Suttana to Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (a.s.) which she did. The 6th Imam used to tell his companions to await the birth of his grandson who he addressed as Alim e Ale Muhammad. He was one of the three Imams who did Jihad with their knowledge. (The other two were the 5th and 6th Imams). Imam Ali Ar-Ridha (a.s.) was born one month after the martyrdom of his grandfat

ned his father.

Father

Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (a.s.)

His Titles

Ar-Ridha - Angels, Prophets, Aimma, believers and even the enemies of Ahlul-Bayt accepted him. So much so that Mamun Rashid had to offer him to be the heir apparent (to be the leader after him). Imam Zamin-e-Thamin means eight. Zamin means safety and security. One of the incidents attributed to this title is that one day Imam was going through the market place with a few followers when he saw a hunter about to kill a (struggling) female deer. Imam told the hunter to let the deer go as she wanted to feed her two young ones who were in the forest and that she would return to the hunter who could then kill her. The hunter thought that Imam was making a fool out of him. Imam stood in surety and the hunter allowed the deer to go. A little while later the deer returned with her young ones and asked Imam to look after them. We believe that if anyone who is going on a journey goes under the security of Imam he/she will return safely.

Gharibul-Ghurabaa (One who is a stranger i.e. he is away from his hometown). Imam was far away from his home and family and he is the only Imam who is buried out of Iraq and Hejaz (Saudi Arabia). Alim e Aali Mohammed (The learned one from Aale Muhammad). This name was given to him by his grandfather (Imam Ja"fer As-Sadiq (a.s.).

Life and Works

Imam played a significant role in the educating of Muslims. Setting examples of education through one"s own conduct.

He saw a short period of the rule of Harun Rashid who had murdered his father. Harun Rashid also attempted to kill Imam Ali Ridha (a.s.) but was unsuccessful. After Harun"s death his sons, Amin and Mamun fought for power. Mamun won with Amin being killed.

Immediately after becoming the Khalifa Mamun, according to the tradition started by Muawiya, had to name a successor (heir apparent). Mamun summoned Imam to come to his capital Marw sending a messenger to Medina to bring the Imam to him and specifying a certain route and sending a security force. The route he chose was not the normal route where, a lot of Shia"s lived. On the way they entered a town called Nishapur. There the scholars and people requested Imam to tell them a hadith. Imam related the following hadith which is known as the hadith of the golden chain.

"My father Musa Al-Kadhim narrated to me from his father Ja"fer As-Sadiq from his father Mohammed Al-Baqir from his father Ali Zaynul Abedeen from his father , the martyr of Kerbala from his father Ali ibn Abu Talib saying :"My loved one, and the pleasure of my eyes, the Messenger of God (S.A.W.) told me once, that Jibrail told him from the Lord "The kalima of LA ILAHA ILLALLAH is my fort; whoever said it would enter my fort; and whoever entered my fort was safe from my punishment".

Those who wrote down the hadith numbered twenty thousand. People started reciting the Kalima when Imam put his hand up and continued: "Yes, the kalima is Allah"s fort. It will provide you with excellent safety but on one condition only and that is that you obey and follow us - the holy Imams in the progeny of the holy Prophet (S.A.W.). On reaching Marw Mamun forced Imam to accept the heir apparency (To be the leader after him). Imam accepted unwillingly.

Why did Mamun want Imam to be the heir apparent?

1. To please the Shia public opinion in Khurasan and the surrounding areas that would make it easier for Mamun to be accepted by the people there and a victory over his brother Amin. 2. To avoid clashes with those like the Alawids who had always threatened the Abbasids with various uprisings.

Mamun celebrated the occasion of Imam"s acceptance of heir apparency. Imam only gave a short sermon saying after he had praised Allah "We have over you a right appointed by the Prophet, and you have a right over us as well; so if you fulfill your duty towards us, we will be bound to perform our duty towards you".

Mamun ordered a new coin to be minted with Imam Ar-Ridha"s name on it. Imam however knew that this would not last long.

Soon Mamun put Imam under constant watch. Imam used the position to spread the true word of Islam. Mamun"s court was visited by thousands and Imam made an impact on their minds. His ahadith were widely recorded. Mamun who was fond of scholarly discussions would arrange for intellectuals from Greece, Italy, India etc. to come to his court and hold discussions with the Imam.

One day a Jewish scholar was brought by Mamun to debate with Imam. The scholar asked: "How can you accept Muhammad to be the prophet of God when he showed no miracles?" Imam replied: "The greatest of miracles of Allah is the human mind. It allows ideas to be thought through and reasoned out. Islam appeals to human reason. Man must accept God through reason and not through miracles ".

The scholar did not have much to say after that answer.

Imam also encouraged greatly the remembrance of Imam Husayn (a.s.)

Mamun was never sincere in his behaviour towards Imam. Seeing the Imam"s popularity increase disturbed him immensely especially after the occasion when he requested Imam to lead Eid prayers as he was not well. He saw that even before Imam had reached the mosque the people had lined the streets and were reciting takbir and it seemed that even the walls of Marw were doing the same. He had to ask Imam to go back that day.

There are various accounts of how Imam Ali Ar-Ridha (a.s.) was killed by Mamun. One of them is that Imam used to like grapes and Mamun offered Imam poisoned grapes. Imam was ill and died after two days on the 29th Safar 203 a.h.

Imam Ali Ar-Ridha (a.s.) died in Toos in a village called Sanabad. He had only one son, Imam Muhammad At-Taqi (a.s.), who succeeded him as the 9th Imam.

Mamun ordered Imam"s grave to be dug near his father Harun"s and when it was being dug he said that Imam had told him that when his grave would be dug water and fish would appear underneath. Just as Imam had said when they finished digging a spring of water appeared with fish in it and then disappeared. Imam is buried there at what is today called Mashhad in IRAN.

His Knowledge

"I have never seen a person more knowledgeable than "Ali b. Musa al-Reza. When a religious scholar sees him, he bears witness for him (as being the most knowledgeable) as I do. Al-Mamun gathered for him in assemblies a number of the scholars of religions, the jurists of Islamic law, and theologians. However, he overcame them to the extent that they acknowledged his excellence (over them) and confessed their feebleness before him. I heard him say: "I used to take my place at the theological center (rouda) and the number of the learned scholars in Medina was quite large. Yet when a question over-taxed the mind of one of those scholars, he and the rest would point at me, and they would sent me their queries, and I would answer them all."

Imam Reza(A.S.) was the most learned of the people of his time and was the highest authority in Islamic world; religious scholars and jurists would send to him their questions about Islamic precepts.

Ibrahim b. al-"Abbas has said: "When al-Reza was questioned about a certain thing, he answered it. I have never seen that there is a person more knowledgeable than him. Al-Mamun examined him with questions about all things, and he answered them."

Imam Reza(A.S.) was the most eminent Muslim thinker, so he was able to develop the cultural and scientific life of the Muslims.

Al-Mamun has said: "I think that there is no person on the face of earth more learned than this man (i.e.Imam Reza(A.S.).

His (i.e. Imam Reza’s(A.S.) debates in Khurasan, Basrah, and Kufa give evidence for his being the most knowledgeable on the face of earth. During those debates he was questioned about the most difficult problems and he answered them, so all the religious scholars of his time yielded to him and acknowledged his excellence over them.

His Knowledge of all Languages

Abu` al-Salt al-Hurawi has said: "Al-Reza`, peace be on him, spoke to people in their own languages. I asked him about this (quality), and he replied: "O Abu al-Salt, I am Allah’s proof over His creatures. Allah does not appoint over a people a proof who does not speak their own language. Have you not heard the words of the Commander of the faithful: "We have been given sound judgment. Is this not his knowledge of languages?"

Ya`sir al-Kha`dim (the retainer) has narrated: "Abu al-Hasan (al-Reza`), peace be on him, had in his house Byzantines and Slavs. He was close to them. He heard them speak in Slavic and Romanian, saying: "We are visited in our homeland every year, but we are not visited here." In the following morning he (al-Rida`) sent someone to visit them."

Shaykh Mohammed b. al-Hasan has composed a poem concerning this quality, saying:

And his knowledge of all languages is the clearest miracle and sign.

The Imam uses Supplication as Weapon

Supplication is the Weapon of the Prophets

The Imam urged his companions to supplicate Allah and said to them: "Adhere to the weapon of the prophets!"

"What is the weapon of the prophets?" he was asked.

"Supplication," he replied.

Concealing Supplication

Imam Reza(A.S.) advised his companions to conceal supplication, and that man should supplicate his Lord secretly, that none may know of him. He, peace be on him, has said:

"A servant’s secret supplication equals seventy open supplications."

His Kindness to Slaves

Surely, the Ima`ms of the Household (of the Prophet), peace be on them, behaved in such a manner in order to abolish color discrimination among men and to show that they were in one mosque, and that nothing discriminated one person from another except reverential fear and good deeds.

His Entertaining Guests

His Releasing Slaves

The most lovable thing to Imam Reza(A.S.) was releasing slaves and freeing them from slavery. The narrators have said: "He (Imam Reza(as.) released one thousand slaves."

The Tragic Ending

Al-Mamoon Plans for Imam"s martyrdom

It was not politically feasible for al-Mamoon to reach Baghdad accompanied by Imam al-Rida (A.S.), for that would stir the winds of dissension against him and he might not be strong enough to withstand them. From this standpoint, our belief that al-Mamoon was the one who plotted to end the life of the Imam (A.S.) by giving him poisoned grapes is strengthened, and the historical environment at the time helps us confirm this belief even when Ibn al-Athir, in his Tarikh, thinks that that was not possible. Prominent scholars and historians such as Shaikh al-Mufid and others have also doubted it, while others such as Sayyid ibn Tawoos, Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, and al-Arbili in Kashf al-Ghumma, have all dismissed it outright. The latter strongly defended his view, but it was nevertheless no more than a simplistic and superficial defense. Al-Mamoon"s letter to the Abbasides and the residents of Baghdad, which he wrote after the demise of Imam al-Rida (A.S.), gives such an impression.

"He wrote the Abbasides and their supporters and to the people of Baghdad informing them of the death of Ali ibn Mousa and that they had resented his nomination of him as his successor, asking them now to go back to their loyalty to him.

This may be understood as a clear admission that the death of the Imam (A.S.) was not natural during those circumstances, and the text Ibn Khaldun provides in expressing the contents of this letter provides even clearer clues to accusing al-Mamoon of murdering him; he says in his Tarikh:

"... And al-Mamoon sent messages to al-Hassan ibn Sahl, to the people of Baghdad, and to his supporters apologizing for naming him his regent and inviting them to go back to his loyalty."

What can be understood regarding al-Mamoon"s regret and realization of his mistake regarding the regency arrangement is that such regret is meaningless if it had happened after the Imam"s death; rather, it must have occurred prior to that, so he paved the way to correct it by assassinating the Imam (A.S.) in order to please the Abbasides, their supporters, and the people of Baghdad. If we are to stay alone with just the political circumstances through which al-Mamoon was living during that shaky period of his reign, overlooking the historical texts whose contexts lead us to such a conclusion, we would still be able to point the finger to al-Mamoon regarding the crime of assassinating Imam al-Rida (A.S.) without being biased to any group or prejudiced against the accused.

Al-Saduq narrates saying, "While al-Rida (A.S.) was breathing his last, al-Mamoon said to him, `By God! I do not know which of the two calamities is greater: losing you and parting from you, or people"s accusation that I assassinated you...""

In another narrative by Abul-Faraj al-Asbahani, al-Mamoon said to him, "It is very hard for me to live to see you die, and there was some hope hinging upon your stay, yet even harder for me than that is that people say I have made you drink poison and God knows that I am innocent of that."

This exciting situation of al-Mamoon discloses the fact that the accusation of his own murder of the Imam (A.S.) was the subject of argument, maybe even of conviction, even then, for al-Mamoon asserts people"s accusation of him and he tries to extract an admission from the Imam (A.S.) clearing him of it, as Abul-Faraj mentions.

Simplistic Justification of al-Mamoon"s Situation

It is interesting how some people find it hard to believe that al-Mamoon would assassinate the Imam (A.S.) simply because of all the grief, crying, abstention from eating and drinking, which he feigned to show his distress at the Imam"s death, as if they expected al-Mamoon to show his happiness and excitement at his death in order to give credibility to the accusation others concealed. But the excuse of these folks is their superficiality in understanding history, and their shortsightedness.