Book 2, Chapter #7


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

Ḥadīth #14

:93

14 - حَدَّثَنا أَبُو بَكْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِىِّ بْنِ حاتَمٍ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَبْدِاللَّه بْنُ بَحْرٍ الشَّيْباني قالَ: حَدَّثَني الخَزْرِيُّ أَبُو العَبَّاسِ بِالْكُوفَةِ، قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الثَّوبانِيُّ قالَ: كانَتْ لأَبِي الحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ بِضْعَ عَشَرَةَ سِنَةً كُلِّ يَوْمٍ سِجْدَةٌ بَعْد ابْيِضاضِ الشَّمْسِ إِلى وَقْت الزَّوال، فَكانَ هارُونُ رُبَما صَعِدَ سَطْحاً يُشْرِفُ مِنْهُ عَلَى الحَبْسِ الَّذِي حُبِسَ فِيهِ أَبُو الحَسَنِ‏ a.sُ، فَكانَ يَرى‏ أَبَا الحَسَنِ‏ a.sُ ساجِداً؟، فَقالَ لِلرَّبِيعِ: يا رَبِيعُ ما ذاكَ الثَّوْبُ الَّذِي أَراهُ يَوْمٍ في ذلِكَ المَوضِعِ؟ فَقالَ: يا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنين ما ذاكَ بِثَوْبٍ وَإِنَّما هُوَمُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ لَهُ يَوْمٍ سِجْدَةٌ بَعْدَ طُلُوع الشَّمْسِ إِلى وَقْتِ الزَّوال، قالَ الرَّبِيعُ: فَقالَ لي‏ هارُونُ: أَما إِنَّ هذَا مِنْ رُهْبانِ بَنِي هاشِمٍ، قُلْتُ: فَما لَكَ قَدْ ضَيِّقْتَ عَلَيْهِ فِي الحَبْسِ؟! قالَ: هَيْهاتَ لا بُدَّ مِنْ ذلِكَ!.

7-14 Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Hatam narrated that Abdullah ibn Bahr ash-Shaybani quoted on the authority of al-Khazri Abul Abbas in Kufa, on the authority of al-Thowbani, “The common practice of Abil Hassan Musa ibn Ja’far for ten years (during his period of imprisonment) was to fall into prostration from after sunrise until noon. Sometimes Harun went to the roof of the building which overlooked the prison and saw Abul Hassan (s) while he was prostrating. He asked al-Rabee’, “O Rabee’! What is this attire which I see here everyday in this place?” I said, “O Commander of the Faithful! This is not just some attire. It is Musa ibn Ja’far (s) who prostrates every day from sunrise until noon.” Al-Rabee’ said, “Harun told me, ‘He is one of the monastic members of the Hashemites.’ I said, ‘Then why do you treat him with such harshness in prison?’ Harun said, ‘I wish it wasn’t so! I have no other choice.’”