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 - حَدَّثَنَا أبِي رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُعَبْدِ اللهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَزَكَ عَنْ يَاسِرٍ الخَادِمِ قَالَ كَانَ غُلْمَانٌ لأبِي الْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فِي الْبَيْتِ صَقَالِبَةً وَرُومِيَّةً وَكَانَ أبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ قَرِيباً مِنْهُمْ فَسَمِعَهُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ يَتَرَاطَنُونَ بِالصَّقْلَبِيَّةِ وَالرُّومِيَّةِ وَيَقُولُونَ إنّا كُنَّا نَفْتَصِدُ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ فِي بِلادِنَا ثُمَّ لَيْسَ نَفْتَصِدُ هَاهُنَا فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ وَجَّهَ أبُو الْحَسَنِ إلى بَعْضِ الأطِبَّاءِ فَقَالَ لَهُ افْصُدْ فُلاناً عِرْقَ كَذا وَافْصُدْ فُلاناً عِرْقَ كَذَا وَافْصُدْ فُلاناً عِرْقَ كَذا وَافْصُدْ هَذا عِرْقَ كَذَا. ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا يَاسِرُ لا تَفْتَصِدُ أنْتَ؟ قَالَ فَافْتَصَدْتُ فَوَرُمَتْ يَدِي وَاحْمَرَّتْ. فَقَالَ لِي يَا يَاسِرُ مَالَكَ؟ فَأخْبَرْتُهُ. فَقَالَ: أَلَمْ أنْهَكَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ؟ هَلُمَّ يَدَكَ. فَمَسَحَ يَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا وَتَفَلَ فِيهَا ثُمَّ أوْصَانِي أنْ لا أتَعَشَّى. فَمَكَثْتُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ لا أتَعَشَّى ثُمَّ أُغَافِلُ فَأتَعَشَّى فَيَضْرِبُ عَلَيَّ.

54-1 (The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Jazak, on the authority of Yasir - the servant, “There were servants in Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’’s (a.s.) home who were Slavic and Roman. Abul Hassan’s (a.s.) room was near theirs. One night Imam Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) heard them say in the Slavic and Roman languages, ‘We used to donate blood once a year when we were in our own towns. However, we have never donated any blood for the many years that we have been here.’ Then when the morning came, Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) called in some doctors and told them to take blood from each of those servants. He precisely instructed the doctors as to which of the veins to use for each of the servants. Then he (a.s.) told me, ‘O Yasir! You should not donate blood.’ However, I did not pay any attention to the Imam (a.s.) and donated blood. However, my hand swelled up and turned purple. Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) asked me, ‘What has happened to you?’ I answered, ‘I donated blood.” The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Did I not admonish you against donating blood? Please bring your hand forward.’ I put my hand forward. Then the Imam (a.s.) rubbed his hands on my hand and spit on it. Then the Imam (a.s.) ordered me not to eat dinner for a while. I tried not to eat dinner at night as much as I could. Whenever I failed to do so and ate something for dinner, that pain returned.”

2 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه قالَ حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ أَبي عَبْدِ اللَّه البَرْقِي‏حَدَّثَنا أَبُو هاشِم داوُدِ بْنِ القاسِم الجَعْفَرِيِّ قالَ كُنْتُ أَتَغَدَّى مَعَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَيَدْعُو بَعْضَ غِلْمَانِهِ بِالصَّقْلَبِيَّةِ وَالْفَارِسِيَّةِ وَرُبَّمَا بَعَثْتُ غُلامِي هَذَا بِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْفَارِسِيَّةِ فَيُعَلِّمُهُ وَرُبَّمَا كَانَ يَنْغَلِقُ الْكَلامُ عَلَى غُلامِهِ بِالْفَارِسِيَّةِ فَيَفْتَحُ هُوَ عَلَى غُلامِهِ.

54-2 (The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Abi Abdullah al-Barqi, on the authority of Abu Hashem Dawood ibn Al-Qasim al-Ja’fari, “I used to eat lunch with Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.). Sometimes he (a.s.) spoke to some of his servants in Slavic and Persian (Farsi) languages. Sometimes I sent my servant who spoke Persian to the Imam (a.s.) and Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) knew Persian. Sometimes it became difficult for the servants to understand Persian. Then the Imam (a.s.) used to explain things for them himself.

3 - حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ زِيادِ بْنِ جَعْفَر الهَمْدانِيَّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِم عَنْ أَبي الصَّلْتِ الهَرَوِيِّ قالَ كَانَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ بِلُغَاتِهِمْ وَكَانَ وَاللَّهِ أَفْصَحَ النَّاسِ وَأَعْلَمَهُمْ بِكُلِّ لِسَانٍ وَلُغَةٍ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَوْماً يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لاعْجَبُ مِنْ مَعْرِفَتِكَ بِهَذِهِ اللُّغَاتِ عَلَى اخْتِلافِهَا فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا الصَّلْتِ أَنَا حُجَّةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَتَّخِذَ حُجَّةً عَلَى قَوْمٍ وَهُوَ لا يَعْرِفُ لُغَاتِهِمْ أَوَمَا بَلَغَكَ قَوْلُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ أُوتِينَا فَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ فَهَلْ فَصْلُ الْخِطَابِ إِلا مَعْرِفَةُ اللُّغَاتِ.

54-3 Ahmad ibn Ziyad bin Ja'far al-Hamdani (ra) narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim quoted on the authority of Aba Salt al-Harawi who said, “Ar-Rida (a.s.) spoke with people in their own languages. By God, he was the most eloquent and the most knowledgeable person in every language and idiom. One day I told him, ‘O son of the Messenger of God! I am amazed at your mastery over all these languages, despite their differences!’ He (a.s.) responded, ‘O Aba Salt! I am the Proof of God over His creation. God would not designate a Proof for Himself to any nation who does not know their language. Have you not heard that the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said, ‘We have been granted elaborate speech.’ Is elaborate speech anything but mastery of all the languages?’”

ʿUyūn akhbār al-Riḍā - Volume 2

Book 1, Chapter 24