Traditions about Ar-Ridha (a.s.)

On Ar-Ridha’s Words on the Reasons for Various Things

On What Ar-Ridha (a.s.) Wrote Regarding the Reasons (Behind the Decrees) in Response to Questions by Muhammad ibn Sinan

The Reasons Cited by Al-Fadhl ibn Shadhan

On What Ar-Ridha (a.s.) Wrote for Al-Ma’mun Regarding Pure Islam and the Religious Decrees

On Ar-Ridha’s Entry to Neishaboor and Where He Resided

On What Ar-Ridha (a.s.) said Upon Leaving Marba’at Neishaboor to See Al-Ma’mun

A Rare Tradition From Ar-Ridha (a.s.)

On the Departure of Ar-Ridha (a.s.) from Neishaboor Towards Toos and Marv

On The Reasons why Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha (a.s.) accepted the succession to the throne from Al-Ma’mun, what Went On, those who were displeased and those who were pleased

On Ar-Ridha (a.s.) Praying for Rain On the Request of Al-Ma’mun, Display of the Honorable the Exalted God’s Power by Fulfilling His Request and the Destruction of Those who Denied This

On the Plans of Al-Ma’mun for Fending off the People From the Meetings of Ar-Ridha (a.s.), Belittling him, and on the Cursing of Al-Ma’mun

On Poems About Patience and Silence in Front of the Ignorant, and Not Treating Friends With Reproach, and Attracting the Enemy So That He Becomes Friends and on Hiding Secrets

On Ar-Ridha’s Noble Characteristics and His Worshipping

His Debates With the Opponents Regarding Divine Leadership and Ali’s Nobility

On What has been Narrated by Ar-Ridha (a.s.) Regarding the Proofs for the Divine Leaders (a.s.), and the Rejection of the Exaggerators (Ghulat) and Those who Believe in God Turning Over the Affairs (Mufawidha) - May God Curse Them

On Indications of the Divine Leadership of Ar-Ridha (a.s.)

On the Proof of Ar-Ridha’s Rightfulness Due to the Acceptance of His Prayers by God the Honorable the Exalted Against Bakkar ibn Abdullah ibn Mos’ab ibn az-Zobayr ibn Bakkar Who Had Oppressed Him

On Proof of Ar-Ridha’s Rightfulness Due to Predicting that He (a.s.) Would not See Baghdad, And Neither Would Baghdad See Him (a.s.)

On Proof of Ar-Ridha’s Rightfulness Due to the Acceptance by God the Honorable the Exalted of his prayers for the Barmakites

On the Proof of His Rightfulness Due to Ar-Ridha’s (a.s.) Prediction that He Will be Buried Next to Harun

On Traditions Related to Ar-Ridha’s (a.s.) Being Martyred With Poison and Being Buried Next to Harun Al-Rashid

On Ar-Ridha’s Insight and His Recognition of the Faithful Believers and the Hypocrites

On Ar-Ridha’s Knowledge of All the Languages

On the Proof of Ar-Ridha’s Rightfulness Due to His Replying to Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Vosha’s Questions Before he could ask them

On Ar-Ridha’s Answer to Abi Qorrah - a friend of the Catholic Archbishop

On What Ar-Ridha (a.s.) said on the Subject of Divine Leadership to Yahya ibn ad-Dhahhak al-Samarqandi in the Presence of Al-Ma’mun

On What Ar-Ridha (a.s.) told his Brother Zayd ibn Musa When Zayd was Being Haughty in Al-Ma’mun’s Presence and What Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said About Mistreating the Shiites

On Reasons for Which Al-Ma’mun Martyred Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha (a.s.) with Poison

On Ar-Ridha’s Appointment of his son Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) as the Imam and his Successor

On The Martyrdom of Ar-Ridha (a.s.) Due to Being Murdered by Al-Ma’mun With Poison

Another Tradition From the Shiites on the Death of Ar-Ridha (a.s.)

On What Abu Salt Al-Harawi Has Narrated About Ar-Ridha Being Martyred With Poisoned Grapes

On What (Abu Habib) Harthama ibn A’yan Narrated About the Martyrdom of Ar-Ridha by Being Poisoned With Pomegranates and Grapes

On An Elegy Recited About Ar-Ridha (a.s.)

On the Reward of Visiting the Shrine of Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha (a.s.)

On the Reward of Visiting the shrine of Fatima - the Daughter of Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) in Qum

On Visiting Ar-Ridha (a.s.) in Toos

On What Has Become Apparent For The People Of Our Time From The Blessings And Signs Of This Place Of Martyrdom, And The Fulfillment Of Prayers There

1 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الحَسَن بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِالوَلِيد - رحمهما اللَّه - قالا حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبِيْد قالَ حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ ِلحكم عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الفُضَيْلِ قالَ لَمَّا كَانَ فِي السَّنَةِ الَّتِي بَطَشَ هَارُونُ بِ‏آلِ بَرْمَكَ بَدَأَ بِجَعْفَرِ بْنِ يَحْيَى وَحَبَسَ يَحْيَى بْنَ خَالِدٍ وَنَزَلَ بِالْبَرَامِكَةِ مَا نَزَلَ كَانَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَاقِفاً بِعَرَفَةَ يَدْعُو ثُمَّ طَأْطَأَ رَأْسَهُ فَسُئِلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَدْعُو اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَى الْبَرَامِكَةِ بِمَا فَعَلُوا بِأَبِي‏فَاسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ لِيَ الْيَوْمَ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ لَمْ يَلْبَثْ إِلا يَسِيراً حَتَّى بُطِشَ بِجَعْفَرٍ وَيَحْيَى وَتَغَيَّرَتْ أَحْوَالُهُمْ.

50-1 My father and Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Waleed - may God have Mercy upon them both - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Obayd, on the authority of Ali ibn al-Hakam, on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Fudhayl, “In the year in which Harun got mad with the Barmakites and first ordered that Ja’far ibn Yahya be killed and Yahya ibn Khalid be imprisoned, and whatever else that happened to the Barmakites. Abul Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) was standing up on the Day of Arafat and he (a.s.) was praying and bowing his head. He (a.s.) was asked for the reason. The Imam (a.s.) said, “I was cursing the Barmakites before God the Highest for what they had done to my father (a.s.). God fulfilled my prayers today.” Then the Imam (a.s.) returned home. A short time later, Ja’far and (his father) Yahya (of the Barmakites) were faced with problems and the tables turned on them.

2 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى المُتَوَكِّل قالَ حَدَّثَنا عَبْدِاللَّه بْنِ جَعْفَر الحِمْيَريُّ عَنْ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ الحَسَن بْنِ عَلِى الوَشَّاء عَنْ مسافر قالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِمِنًى فَمَرَّ يَحْيَى بْنُ خَالِدٍ مَعَ قَوْمٍ مِنْ آلِ بَرْمَكَ فَقَالَ مَسَاكِينُ هَؤُلاءِ لا يَدْرُونَ مَا يَحُلُّ بِهِمْ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ ثُمَّ قَالَ هَاهْ وَأَعْجَبُ مِنْ هَذَا هَارُونُ وَأَنَا كَهَاتَيْنِ وَضَمَّ بِإِصْبَعَيْهِ قَالَ مُسَافِرٌ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَرَفْتُ مَعْنَى حَدِيثِهِ حَتَّى دَفَنَّاهُ مَعَهُ.

50-2 Muhammad ibn Musa - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Abdullah ibn Ja’far al-Hemyari quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’, on the authority of Mosafir (Abu Muslim - one of the companions of Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (a.s.)), “I was with Abil Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) in Mina. Yahya ibn Khalid and a group of the Barmakites passed by. Then Imam Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said, ‘These poor fellows do not know what will happen to them this year.’ The Imam (a.s.) then added, ‘O! It is amazing that Harun and I are like these two (fingers)’ while he was putting two of his fingers side by side.” Mosafir added, “By God, I did not understand what this meant until he was buried at the side of Harun.”

3 - حَدَّثَنا عَبْد الواحِدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدُوسٍالنِيْسابُوري العَطَّار بِنِيْسابُورَ سِنَةَ اثنتين‏خَمْسِينَ وَثَلاثِمائَةٍ قالَ حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ عَنْ الفَضْلِ بْنِ شاذان عَنْ صَفْوان بن يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يعفور البلخي عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ مِهْرانِ قالَ سَمِعْتُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ يَحْيَىُ سَمِعْتُ عِيسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ يَقُولُ لِهَارُونَ حَيْثُ تَوَجَّهَ مِنَ الرَّقَّةِ إِلَى مَكَّةَ اذْكُرْ يَمِينَكَ الَّتِي حَلَفْتَ بِهَا فِي آلِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَإِنَّكَ حَلَفْتَ إِنِ ادَّعَى أَحَدٌ بَعْدَ مُوسَى الإِمَامَةَ ضَرَبْتَ عُنُقَهُ صَبْراً وَهَذَا عَلِيٌّ ابْنُهُ يَدَّعِي هَذَا الأَمْرَ وَيُقَالُ فِيهِ مَا يُقَالُ فِي أَبِيهِ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ مُغْضَباً فَقَالَ وَمَا تَرَى تُرِيدُ أَنْ أَقْتُلَهُمْ كُلَّهُمْ قَالَ مُوسَى فَلَمَّا سَمِعْتُ ذَلِكَ صِرْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَقَالَ‏مَا لِي وَلَهُمْ وَاللَّهِ لا يَقْدِرُونَ إِلَيَّ عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ.

50-3 Abdul Wahid ibn Muhammad ibn Abdoos al-Neishaboori al-Attar narrated in Neishaboor in the year 352 A.H. (962 A.D.) that Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Qutayba quoted on the authority of Al-Fadhl ibn Shathan, on the authority of Safwan ibn Yahya, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ya’fur al-Balkhi, on the authority of Musa ibn Mehran, “I heard Isa ibn Ja’far tell Harun (Ar-Rashid) when he was going from Raqqah to Mecca, ‘Do not forget what you have sworn to about the household of Abi Talib.You have sworn to chop off the head of anyone who claims to be a Divine Leader after Musa ibn Ja’far. Now this is his son Ali (Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.)) who is claiming to possess the Divine Leadership, and people are saying about him the same thing that they said about his father.’ Harun looked at him angrily and said, ‘So what? Do you think that I should kill them all?’ Musa ibn Mihran added, “Once I heard this I went and informed Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) about this. Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said, ‘What do I have to do with them? By God, they do not have the power to do anything to me.’”

4 - حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ زِيادِ بْنِ جَعْفَر الهَمْدانِيَّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِم عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبِيْد عَنْ صَفْوان بْنِ يَحْيَى قالَ لَمَّا مَضَى أَبُو الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَتَكَلَّمَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ خِفْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّكَ قَدْ أَظْهَرْتَ أَمْراً عَظِيماً وَإِنَّمَا نَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ هَذَا الطَّاغِيَ فَقَالَ لِيَجْهَدْ جَهْدَهُ فَلا سَبِيلَ لَهُ عَلَيَّ قَالَ صَفْوَانُ فَأَخْبَرَنَا الثِّقَةُ أَنَّ يَحْيَى بْنَ خَالِدٍ قَالَ لِلطَّاغِي هَذَا عَلِيٌّ ابْنُهُ قَدْ قَعَدَ وَادَّعَى الأَمْرَ لِنَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ مَا يَكْفِينَا مَا صَنَعْنَا بِأَبِيهِ تُرِيدُ أَنْ نَقْتُلَنَّهُمْ جَمِيعاً وَلَقَدْ كَانَتِ الْبَرَامِكَةُ مُبْغِضِينَ لاهْلِ بَيْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مُظْهِرِينَ الْعَدَاوَةَ لَهُمْ.

50-4 Ahmad ibn Ziyad al-Hamadani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Obayd, on the authority of Safwan ibn Yahya, “When Abul Hassan Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) passed away and Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) started to talk (about Divine Leadership), then we feared for his life and I told him, ‘You are expressing a great issue. We are afraid of this oppressor (Harun).’ Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said, ‘He can struggle to do whatever he likes, but he cannot affect me at all.’” Safwan added, “A trustworthy person informed me that Yahya ibn Khalid (Al-Barmaki) told the oppressor (Harun), ‘This is his son Ali (Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.)) who has taken his position and is declaring that he himself is the (Divine) Leader.’ Harun replied, ‘What was the use of what we did to his father? Do you think that we should kill them all?’”The author added, “Indeed all the Barmakites were all enemies of the Members of the Household of God’s Prophet (S) and displayed their animosity.”Barmak who was in charge of an Idol-House called Nobahar in the city of Balkh. Barmak’s son was called Khalid. He started to work in the court of Abdul Malik ibn Marvan, and was able to attain a high position there. He accepted Islam during the era of Hisham ibn Abdul Malik. Later he became one of the heads of the army of Abu Muslim Khorasani. After the downfall of the Umayads, he went to Abul Abbas Saf’fah and became a minister. His son Yahya who was very intelligent was Harun Ar-Rashid’s teacher. It has been said that the majesty of the Abbasids was due to the wisdom of Yahya and his son Ja’far who was a minister in the court of Harun Ar-Rashid.

ʿUyūn akhbār al-Riḍā - Volume 2

Book 1, Chapter 20