Foreword

Why Is Ali Ibn Musa (s) Called al-Ridha

Traditions About Imam al-Ridha’s Mother and Her Name

On the Birthdate of Imam al-Ridha(s)

On Imam Al-kazim’s (s) Clear Appointment of Imam al-Ridha (s)

On Musa Ibn Ja’far’s Will

On Proofs of Divine Leadership of al-Ridha (s) Among the Twelve Imams (s)

On Traditions About Musa Ibn Ja’far (s), Harun Ar-rashid and Musa Ibn Al-mahdi

Traditions On the Death of Abi Ibrahim Musa Ibn Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Al-hussein (s)

The Descendants of God’s Prophet (s) Said To Have Been Killed By Ar-rashid in One Night After Poisoning Musa Ibn Ja’far (s) - Besides Those Killed By Others

On Reasons For the Formation of the Waqifites

On Traditions From al-Ridha About Unity

A Session of al-Ridha (s)’s Debate With the Prominent Theologians From Among the Rhetoricians and the Various Religions

A Session in the Presence of Al-ma’mun of al-Ridha’s Debate On Unity With Soleiman Al-marwazi - the Theologian From Khorasan

Another Session of al-Ridha (s) and Al-ma’mun Along With People From Different Nations, and the Rhetoricians, As Well As Imam Al- Ridha’s Answers To Muhammad Ibn Al-jahm Regarding the Immaculateness of the Prophets

Another Session With al-Ridha (s) and Al-ma’mun On the Infallibility of the Prophets

Al-Ridha’s Words On the People of the Ditch

Imam al-Ridha’s Words On the Interpretation of the Almighty God’s Words, ‘and We Ransomed Him With a Momentous Sacrifice.’[327]

On Imam al-Ridha’s Views On the Prophet’s Statement, “I Am the Son of the Two Offerings”

On al-Ridha’s Words On the Sign of the Imam

On What al-Ridha (s) Has Said Regarding Divine Leadership, Its Nobilities and the Rank of the Divine Leader

Al-Ridha’s Words On the Marriage of the Blessed Lady Fatima (s)

On What al-Ridha (s) Said About Faith That Is Recognition of Paradise, Verbal Confession and Physical Action

On al-Ridha’s Debates With Al-ma’mun Regarding the Difference Between Family (itra) and Nation

On al-Ridha’s Words About the Man From Syria and His Questions From the Commander of the Faithful (s) in the Kufa Mosque

On What Is Narrated By al-Ridha (s) About Zayd Ibn Ali

On Rare Traditions From al-Ridha About Various Issues

On What al-Ridha (s) Said About Harut and Marut

On Various Traditions From Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Ridha (s)

What Has Been Narrated From al-Ridha (s) On the Characteristics of the Prophet (s)

Various Traditions From al-Ridha (s)

1 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْراهيم إِسْحاق الطَّالِقانِيُّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِيدُ بْنِ عقدة الكُوفِي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ الحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ فضال، عَن أَبيهِ، عَن أَبي الحَسَن‏مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ لِلإِمَامِ عَلامَاتٌ يَكُونُ أَعْلَمَ النَّاسِ وَأَحْكَمَ النَّاسِ وَأَتْقَى النَّاسِ وَأَحْلَمَ النَّاسِ وَأَشْجَعَ النَّاسِ وَأَسْخَى النَّاسِ وَأَعْبَدَ النَّاسِ وَيَلِدُ [يُولَدُ] مَخْتُوناً وَيَكُونُ مُطَهَّراً وَيَرَى مِنْ خَلْفِهِ كَمَا يَرَى مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلا يَكُونُ لَهُ ظِلٌّ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ مِنْ بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ وَقَعَ عَلَى رَاحَتَيْهِ رَافِعاً صَوْتَهُ بِالشَّهَادَتَيْنِ وَلا يَحْتَلِمُ وَتَنَامُ عَيْنُهُ وَلا يَنَامُ قَلْبُهُ وَيَكُونُ مُحَدَّثاً وَيَسْتَوِي عَلَيْهِ دِرْعُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَلا يُرَى لَهُ بَوْلٌ وَلا غَائِطٌ لانَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدْ وَكَّلَ الأَرْضَ بِابْتِلاعِ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ وَتَكُونُ رَائِحَتُهُ أَطْيَبَ مِنْ رَائِحَةِ الْمِسْكِ وَيَكُونُ أَوْلَى بِالنَّاسِ مِنْهُمْ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَأَشْفَقَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأُمَّهَاتِهِمْ وَيَكُونُ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ تَوَاضُعاً لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَيَكُونُ آخَذَ النَّاسِ بِمَا يَأْمُرُ بِهِ وَأَكَفَّ النَّاسِ عَمَّا يَنْهَى عَنْهُ وَيَكُونُ دُعَاؤُهُ مُسْتَجَاباً حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَوْ دَعَا عَلَى صَخْرَةٍ لانْشَقَّتْ بِنِصْفَيْنِ وَيَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ سِلاحُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَيْفُهُ ذُو الْفَقَارِ وَتَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ صَحِيفَةٌ فِيهَا أَسْمَاءُ شِيعَتِهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَصَحِيفَةٌ فِيهَا أَسْمَاءُ أَعْدَائِهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَتَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ الْجَامِعَةُ وَهِيَ صَحِيفَةٌ طُولُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعاً فِيهَا جَمِيعُ مَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ وُلْدُ آدَمَ وَيَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ الْجَفْرُ الأَكْبَرُ وَالأَصْفَرُ إِهَابُ مَاعِزٍ وَإِهَابُ كَبْشٍ فِيهِمَا جَمِيعُ الْعُلُومِ حَتَّى أَرْشُ الْخَدْشِ وَحَتَّى الْجَلْدَةُ وَنِصْفُ الْجَلْدَةِ وَثُلُثُ الْجَلْدَةِ وَيَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ مُصْحَفُ فَاطِمَةَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ.

19-1 Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taliqani - May God be pleased with him - narrated that Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’eed ibn Uqda al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hassan ibn Fadhdhal, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ali ibn Musa Al-Ridha (as): “There are certain signs designating the Imam. He is the most knowledgeable, the wisest, the most pious, the most patient, the bravest, the most generous, and the person who worships the most among the people. He was born circumcised. He is pure and clean. He sees the back as well he sees the front. He has no shadow. When he falls out of his mother’s uterus onto the ground, he falls onto the palms of his hands and loudly declares the two testimonial declarations (that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is God’s Messenger). He has no nocturnal pollution. His eyes go to sleep, but his heart will not go to sleep. He is inspired. The armour of God’s Prophet (sw) fits him. His urine and feces cannot be seen since the Almighty God has appointed the earth to swallow whatever he excretes. He smells better than they themselves do. He is kinder to the people than their parents are. He is the humblest of all people to the Almighty God. He acts upon what he advises the people to do more than anyone else. He abstains from what he admonishes the people against. His prayers are accepted such that if he wishes a rock to be divided into two parts, it will. He has the weapon of the Prophet of God (sw). He has his sword - the ’Thul-Faqar . He has a list of the names of his followers upon the Resurrection Day. He has a list of the names of his enemies until the Resurrection Day. He possesses Al-Jame’a - that is a nearly thirty-five meter long text which encompasses all of the needs of the human beings. He also possesses the al-Jafr al-Akbar and al-Jafr al-Asqar that are a goat-skin (book) and a ram-skin (book) which include all knowledge - even the punishments of a scratch, or one or a half or a third of a crack of a whip are recorded in it. He also possesses the Blessed Lady Fatima’s (as) Mushaf.

2 - وَفِي حَدِيث آخِرَ: إِنّ الإِمامَ مُؤَيِّد بِرُوحِ القُدُس وَبَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنِ اللَّه عَمُود مِن نُورٍ يَرى‏ فِيهِ أَعمال العِبادِ وَكُلَّما احتاجَ إِلَيْهِ، لِدِلالَةٍ اطلَعَ عَلَيْهِ وَيُبسِطَهُ فَيَعلَمُ وَيُقبَضُ عَنْهُ فَلا يَعْلَمُ. وَالإمام يُولَدُ وَيَلِدُ، وَيَصِحُّ وَيَمرَضُ، وَيَأْكُلُ وَيَشْرَبُ وَيَبُولُ وَيَتَغَوَّط، وَيَنكِحُ وَيَنامُ وَيَنسى‏ وَيَسهُو، وَيَفرَحُ وَيَحزُنُ، وَيَضحَكُ وَيَبْكي وَيَحْيَى وَيَمُوتُ وَيُقبَرُ وَيَزارُ، وَيُحشَرُ وَيُوقَفُ، وَيُعرَضُ وَيُسأَلُ، وَيُثابُ وَيُكرَمُ، وَيَشفَعُ، وَدَلالَتُه فِي خِصلَتَيْنِ فِي العِلْمُ اِسْتِجابَة الدَّعْوَة وَكُلِّ ما أَخْبَر بِهِ مِنَ الحَوادِث الَّتِي تُحدَثُ قَبْلُ كُونِها فَذلكَ بِعَهْدِ مَعهُود إِلَيْهِ مِن رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ تَوارَثَهُ وَعَنْ آبائِهِ عَنْهُ‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ وَيَكُونُ ذلِكَ مِمَّا عَهِدَ إِلَيْهِ جِبْرَئِيل‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مِن عَلاّمِ الغُيُوبِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. وَجَمِيعَ الأَئِمَّةِ الأَحَدَ عَشَر بَعْد النَّبِي‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ قُتِلُوا، مِنْهُمْ بِالسَّيْفِ وَهُوَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنين وَالحُسَيْن‏ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ وَالباقُونَ قُتِلُوا بِالسَّمِّ قَتَلَ كُلِّ واحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ طاغِيَةُ زَمانِهِ وَجَرى‏ عَلَيْهِم عَلَى الحَقِيقَةِ وَالصِّحَّة، لا كَما تَقُولُهُ الغُلاةُ وَالمُفَوِّضَةِ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّه، فَإِنَّهُم يَقُولُونَ: أَنَّهُمْ يُقتَلُوا عَلَى الحَقِيقَةِ وَأَنَّهُ شُبِّهَ لِلنَّاسِ أَمرُهُم. فَكَذَّبُوا عَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبُ اللَّه، فَإِنَّهُ ما شُبِّهِ أَمْرُ أَحَدٍ مِن أَنبياءِ اللَّه وَحُجَجِهِ لِلنَّاسِ إِلاّ أَمْرُ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ‏ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ وَحْدَهُ، لانَّهُ رَفَعَ مِنَ الأَرْض حَيّاً و قَبَضَ رُوحُهُ بَيْنِ السَّماءِ وَالأَرْض، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ إِلى السَّماءِ وَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ رُوحُهُ، وَذلِكَ قَوْلَ اللَّه تَعالى‏ (إِذْ قالَ اللَّهُ يا عِيسى إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ) وَقالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حِكايَةً لِقَولِ عِيسَى‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ: (وَكُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيداً ما دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنْتَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ شَهِيدٌ). وَيَقُولُونَ المُتَجاوَزُونَ لِلحَدِّ فِي أَمْرِ الأَئِمَّةِ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ: أَنَّهُ أَن جازَ أَن يُشَبَّهَ أَمْرُ عِيسَى‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَهُوَ مَولُودٌ مِن غَير أَبٍ لِلنَّاسِ، فَلَمْ لا يَجُوزُ أَن يُشَبَّهُ أَمْرُهُم أَيْضاً؟ وَالَّذِي يَجِبُ أَن يُقالُ لَهُم: أَنَّ عِيسَى هُوَ مَولُودٍ مِن غَيرِ أَبٍ فَلَمْ لا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مَولُودٍين مِن غَيرِ آباءِ؟ فَإِنَّهُم لا يَجسُرُونَ عَلَى إِظهارِ مَذْهَبِهم - لَعنَهُمُ اللَّه فِي ذلِكَ - وَمَتى‏ جازَ أَنْ يَكُونَ جَمِيعَ أَنبياءِ اللَّه وَرُسُلِهِ حُجَجِهِ بَعْدَ آدَمَ مَولُودينَ مِنَ الآباءِ وَالأُمَّهاتِ، وَكانَ عِيسَى مِنْ بَيْنِهِمُ‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ مَولُوداً مِن غَيرِ أَبٍ جازَ أَن يُشَبَّهُ أَمْرُهُ غَيْرِهِ مِنَ الأَنْبِياءِ وَالحُجَجِ‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ كَما جازَ أَن يُولَدَ مِن غَيرِ أَبٍ دُونَهُم و إِنَّما أَرادَ اللَّه عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَن يَجعَلَ أَمْرَهُ آيَةً وَعَلامةً لِيَعلَمَ بِذلِكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَي‏ءٍ قَديرٌ.

19-2 In another tradition we read, “The Imam is aided by the Holy Spirit. There is a column of light between him and God through which he sees the deeds of the servants. He is informed about what he needs by it. Sometimes that light is shined at him and he gets to know (what he must become aware of). And sometimes it is taken away and thus he will not know (what he needs not know). Sheikh Sadooq said, “The Imam is born. He also has children. He gets ill and he gets cured. He eats and drinks. He urinates and defecates. He gets married. He sleeps. He forgets and he makes mistakes. He gets happy and sad. He laughs and cries. He lives and then dies. He is buried and the people go to visit his shrine. He is resurrected and questioned. He is rewarded and honored. He intercedes. <br>There are two important signs for him: his knowledge and the fulfillment of his prayers. He has heard the news that he gives about the events in the future from his grandfathers from the Messenger of Allah (sw). He has heard them from Gabriel (a.s.). Gabriel has heard them from the Almighty God. All the eleven Imams after the Prophet (sw) were martyred. Some were martyred by the sword - that is the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) and Al-Hussein (a.s.). The rest of them were poisoned by the disobedient rulers of their time. The martyrdom of the Imams has been a real issue - not the way the boasters and those who believe in turning over the authority believe - may God’s curse be on them. They say, ‘In fact, they were not killed. The people thought they were. However, Sheikh Sadooq says, ‘They are liars. May God’s wrath be upon them. <br>There are no cases of the prophets and His proofs in which the people just thought they were killed, but they were not; except for Jesus the son of Mary (a.s.) alone, since he was taken up alive from the Earth. His soul was taken away in between the heavens and the Earth. Then he was taken up to the heavens where his soul was returned to him. The followings words of the Almighty God refer to this, ‘Behold! God said, ’O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme.’ <br>The Almighty God also expressed what Jesus (a.s.) will say on the Resurrection Day as follows, ‘...And I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them. When Thou didst take me up, Thou was the Watcher over them, and Thou art a witness to all things.’ And the people who have transgressed beyond bounds regarding the Immaculate Imams (a.s.) say, “If it is allowed for the people to think Jesus (s) who was not killed was killed, why should a similar issue not hold true for the Imams?” Their reply is, “Jesus was created without a father. Why is it not allowed that them (the Imams) be also created without having a father?” They will not dare express their opinion on this issue. May God damn them! <br>When all the prophets, messengers and proofs (Imams) after Adam have been created from a father and a mother - with Jesus (a.s.) being the only exception having only a mother - it is allowed for the people to think he was killed while he was not. This does not hold true for other Prophets and Imams. The Almighty God wished to establish Jesus as a sign and a symbol for us to know that He is able to do anything.

ʿUyūn akhbār al-Riḍā - Volume 1

Book 2, Chapter 19