47-22 Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Sinani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abi Abdillah al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Khalaf, on the authority of Harthama ibn A’yan, “I went to see my Master and Friend - that is Ar-Ridha’ - in the Al-Ma’mun’s house. It was announced in Al-Ma’mun’s house that Ar-Ridha’ has died. However, this was not right. I entered and sought permission to visit Ar-Ridha’ .” Harthama added, “There was a young man called Sabeeh od-Daylami among the trusted servants of Al-Ma’mun who really liked my Master (Ar-Ridha’ ). That man came out and saw me. He said, ‘O Harthama! Don’t you know that I am a trusted servant of Al-Ma’mun in public and in private?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘O Harthama! Al-Ma’mun called me and thirty other trusted servants early in the night. I went to him. There were so many lights there which made the night seem like the day. There were many poisoned swords in front of him. He called us over one by one and made us pledge. No one else was there. He said, ‘This pledge is binding upon you. You must be loyal and do whatever I order you to do without any hesitation.’ We swore to carry out his orders. Then Al-Ma’mun said, ‘Each of you should pick up one of these swords and go to Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’’s room. Do not talk to him whether you find him standing up, sitting or asleep. Just strike him (referring to Ar-Ridha’ ) with these swords; and destroy his body, bones, blood, hair and brains. Then cover him up with the rugs and wipe your swords by rubbing them on the rugs. Then come to me. If you do this and keep it a secret, I have promised myself to give each one of you ten bags of Dirhams, ten select pieces of farmland, and not take these things away from you for as long as I live.’ We picked up the swords and went to Ar-Ridha’’s room. We found him sleeping on his side, moving his fingers and saying something which we could not understand. The other servants went ahead and started to strike him with their swords, but I dropped my sword and just kept looking at him. It was as if he knew that we would attack him. He had not held up anything which could block the swords. Then the servants dropped the rugs over him and returned to Al-Ma’mun. Al-Ma’mun asked us, ‘What did you do?’ They said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! We did what we were ordered to do.’ Al-Ma’mun said, ‘Do not say anything about this anywhere.’ When dawn came, Al-Ma’mun came out. He sat in his meeting bare-headed. He unbuttoned his shirt, declared that the Imam has died and prepared to mourn for him. He then stood up and started towalk away. I was with him. He went towards the Imam’s room and opened the door. Al-Ma’mun got shocked when he heard Ar-Ridha’’s voice. Then Al-Ma’mun asked me, ‘Who is there with him (referring to Ar-Ridha’ )?’ I replied, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! I do not know.’ Al-Ma’mun said, ‘Hurry up. Look and see who is with him.’ We rushed towards Ar-Ridha’ and saw him kneeling down in his prayer niche praying and expressing God’s glorifications. I said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! I see someone praying and expressing God’s glorifications in the prayer niche.’ He got shocked and surprised and said, ‘Then you have lied to me and fooled me. God damn you! He looked at me amongst the people and said, ‘O Sabeeh! You know Ar-Ridha’ . Look and see who is praying.’ I entered the room and Al-Ma’mun returned. When I reached the threshold of the door, the Imam raised his voice and said, ‘O Sabeeh!’ I fell down on my face and said, ‘Yes my Master!’ He said, ‘Stand up. May God have Mercy upon you. They wished to put out God’s Light, but God wanted to perfect His Light, even though some unbelievers may dislike that.’ I returned to Al-Ma’mun. His face had turned black like a dark night. Al-Ma’mun asked, ‘What did you find after I left?’ I said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! I swear by God that the Imam was sitting in his room, called out to me and said these things.’ Al-Ma’mun buttoned up his shirt, ordered that his robes be brought, put them on and said, ‘Announce that the Imam had fainted but is fine now.’”Harthama added, “I expressed a lot of thanks and praise to the Honorable the Exalted God. Then I went in to see my Master Ar-Ridha’ . When the Imam saw me, he said, ‘O Harthama! Do not express what you heard Sabeeh tell you about me, except for those whose hearts have been tested by God for loving us and our Mastery.’ I said, ‘Yes. My Master!’ Then the Imam said, ‘O Harthama! I swear by God that their trickery will not harm me at all until the recorded time (i.e. of the murder of Ar-Ridha’ ) arrives.’