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 أَبُو الحَسَنِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الحُسَيْنِ البَزَّازِ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو طاهِرٍ السَّامانِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو القاسِمِ بِشرُ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ قالَ: حَدَّثَني أَبُو الحُسَيْنِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ ماهانَ قالَ: حَدَّثَني عُبِيْدُ اللَّهِ البَزَّازُ النِيْسابُوريُّ وَكانَ مُسِنّاً قالَ: كانَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ حُمَيدِ بْنِ قَحْطَبَةَ الطَّائيِّ الطُّوسيِّ مُعامِلَةٌ، فَرَحَلتُ إِلَيْهِ فِي بَعْضِ الأَيَّامِ فَبَلَغَهُ خَبَرُ قَدْومي، فَاستَحضَرَنِي لِلوَقتِ وَعَلِيَّ ثِيابُ السَفَرِ لَم اُغَيِّرها وَذلِكَ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضانَ وَقْتَ صَلاةِ الظُّهرِ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلتُ عَلَيْهِ رَأَيْتُهُ فِي بَيْتٍ يَجْرِي فِيهِ الماءُ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَجَلَسَتُ، فَأَتي بِطَستٍ وَإِبرِيقٍ، فَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَنِي فَغَسَلتُ يَدِيَ وَأُحْضِرَتِ المائِدَةُ وَذَهَبَ عَنِّي إِنِّي صائِمٌ وَأَنِّي فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضانَ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرْتُ فَأَمسَكتُ يَدِيَ، فَقالَ حَمِيدٌ: ما لَكَ لا تَأكُلُ؟ فَقُلْتُ: أَيُّهَا الأَمِيرُ هذا شَهْرُ رَمَضانَ وَلَسْتُ بِمَرِيضٍ وَلا بي عِلَّةٌ تُوجِبُ الإِفْطارَ وَلَعَلَّ الأَمِيرَ لَهُ عُذرٌ فِي ذلِكَ أَوْ عِلَّةِ تُوجِبُ الإِفْطارِ، فَقالَ: ما بي عِلَّةٌ تُوجِبُ الإِفْطارَ وَإِنّي لَصَحِيحُ البَدَنِ، ثُمَّ دَمَعَت عَيْناهُ وَبَكى‏، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ بَعْدَ ما فَرَغَ مِن طَعامِهِ: ما يُبكِيكَ أَيُّهَا الأَمِيرُ؟ فَقالَ: أنفَذَ إِلى‏ هارُونُ الرَّشِيدُ وَقْتَ كُونِهِ بِطُوسٍ فِي بَعْضِ اللَّيْلِ أَن أَجِبَ أَمِيرَ المُؤمِنينَ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلتُ عَلَيهِ رَأَيْتُ بِيْنِ يَدَيْهِ شَمعَةً تَتَّقِدُ وَسَيفاً أَخْضَرَ مَسلُولاً وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ خادِمٌ واقِفٌ، فَلَمَّا قُمتُ بَينَ يَدَيْهِ رَفَعَ رَأسَهُ إِلَىَّ، فَقالَ: كَيْفَ طاعَتُكَ لأَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: بِالنَّفسِ وَالمالِ فَأَطرَقَ، ثُمَّ أَذِنَ لي فِي الاِنْصِرافِ، فَلَم أَلبَث فِى مَنْزِلي حَتّى‏ عادَ الرَّسُولُ إِلَىَّ وَقالَ: أَجِب أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي: إِنّا لِلَّهِ وَأَنَا أَخافُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ عَزَمَ عَلَى قَتلِي وَأَنَّهُ لَمّا رَآنِي استَحيى‏ مِنِّي، فَعُدتُ إِلى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَرَفَعَ رَأسَهُ إِلَىَّ فَقالَ:كَيْفَ طاعَتُكَ لأَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ فَقُلتُ بِالنَّفسِ وَالمالِ وَالأَهْلِ وَالوَلَدِ، فَتَبَسَّمَ ضاحِكاً، ثُمَّ أَذِنَ لي فِي الاِنْصِرافِ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلتُ مَنْزِلي لَمْ أَلبَث أَن عادَ إِلىَّ الرَّسُولُ، فَقالَ: أَجِب أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَحَضَرتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُوَعَلَى حالِهِ، فَرَفَعَ رَأسَهُ إِلَىَّ و قالَ لي‏: كَيْفَ طاعَتُكَ لأَمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ؟ فَقُلْتُ بِالنَّفسِ وَالمالِ وَالأَهْلِ وَالوَلَدِ وَالدِّينِ فَضَحِكَ، ثُمَّ قالَ لي‏: خُذْ هذا السَّيْفَ وَامتَثِل ما يَأْمُركَ بِهِ الخادِمُ. قالَ: فَتَناوَلَ الخادِمُ السَّيْفَ وَناوَلَنِيهِ وَجاءَ بي إِلى‏ بَيْتٍ بابُهُ مُغلَقٌ فَفَتَحَهُ فَإِذا فِيهِ بِئرٌ فِي وَسطِهِ وَثَلاثَةٌ بُيُوتٍ أَبُوابُها مُغلَقَةٌ فَفَتَحَ بابَ بَيتٍ مِنْها، فَإِذا فِيهِ عِشْرُونَ نَفْساً عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّعُورُ وَالذَّوائِبُ شُيُوخٌ وَكُهُولٌ وَشُبَّانٌ مُقَيَّدُونَ، فَقالَ لي‏: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ يَأْمُرُكَ بِقَتلِ هؤُلاءِ وَكانُوا كُلَّهُم عَلَوِيَّةً مِن وُلْدِ عَلِيٍّ فاطِمَةَعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ فَجَعَلَ يُخْرِجُ إِلى‏ واحِداً بَعْد واحِدٍ فَأَضرِبُ عُنُقَهُ حَتّى‏ أَتَيْتُ عَلَى آخِرِهِم، ثُمَّ رَمى‏ بِأَجسادِهِم وَرُؤُوسِهِم فِي‏البِئرِ، ثُمَّ فَتَحَ بابَ بَيْتٍ آخَرَ فَإِذا فِيهِ عِشْرُونَ نَفْساً مِنَ العَلَوِيَّةِ مِن وُلْدِ عَلِيٍّ وَفاطِمَةعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ مُقَيَّدُونَ فَقالَ لي‏: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ يَأْمُرُكَ بِقَتلِ هؤُلاءِ، فَجَعَلَ يُخْرِجُ إِلَىَّ واحِداً بَعْدَ واحِدٍ فَأَضرِبُ عُنُقَهُ وَيَرمي بِهِ في تِلْكَ البِئرِ حَتّى‏ أَتَيْتُ عَلى‏ آخِرِهِم، ثُمَّ فَتَحَ بابَ البِيْتِ الثالِثِ فَإِذا فِيهِ مِثلُهُمْ عِشْرُونَ نَفْساً مِن وُلْدِ عَلِيٍّ وَفاطِمَةَعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ مُقَيَّدُونَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّعُورُ وَالذَّوائِبُ، فَقالَ لي‏: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ يَأْمُرُكَ بِقَتلِ هؤُلاءِ أَيْضاً، فَجَعَلَ يُخْرِجُ إِلى‏ واحِداً بَعدَ واحِدٍ فَأَضرِبُ عُنُقَهُ وَيَرمي بِهِ فِي تِلْكَ البِئرِ حَتّى‏ أَتَيْتُ عَلَى تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ نَفْساً مِنْهُمْ، وَبَقِيَ شَيْخٌ مِنْهُمْ، عَلَيْهِ شَعٌر، فَقالَ لي‏: تَبّاً لَكَ يا مَيشُومُ ! أَيُّ عُذرٍ لَكَ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ إِذا قَدِمتُ عَلَى جَدِّنا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَقَدْ قَتَلتَ مِن أَوْلادِهِ سِتِّينَ نَفساً قَد وُلَّدَهُم عَلِيٌّ وَفاطِمَةَعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ فَارتَعَشَت يَدِيَ وَارتَعَدَت فَرائِصي، فَنَظَرَ إِلى الخادِمُ مُغضِباً وَزَبَرَنِي فَأَتَيْتُ عَلى‏ ذلِكَ الشَّيخ أَيْضاً فَقَتَلتُهُ وَرَمى‏ بِهِ فِي تِلْكَ البِئرَ، فَإِذا كانَ فَعلي هذا وَقَدْ قَتَلتُ سِتِّينَ نَفْساً مِن وُلْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَما يَنفَعَني صَومِي وَصَلاتِي؟! وَأَنَا لا أَشُكُّ إِنِّي مُخَلَدٌ فِي النَّارِ.قالَ مُصَنِّفُ هذا الْكِتابِ: لِلمَنصُورِ مِثلُ هذِهِ الفِعلَةِ فِي ذُرِّيَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ.

9-1 Abul Hassan Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Al-Hussein al-Bazzaz quoted on the authority of Abu Tahir As-Samani on the authority of Abul Qasim Bishr ibn Muhammad, on the authority of Abul Hussein Ahmad ibn Mahan, on the authority of Ubaydillah al-Bazzaz al-Neishaboori who was an old man, “Homayd ibn Qahtaba Al-Ta’ee At-Toosi and I made a deal. I went on a journey to see him. He was informed of my arrival and called me in. I went to see him wearing the clothes with which I had been traveling in at noon. This happened in the (Arabic) month of Ramadhan. Once I entered, I saw him sitting in a house from the middle of which a stream of water was flowing. I greeted him and sat down. They brought a pan and a jar. He washed his hands and then he ordered me to wash mine. They spread out the tablecloth and I forgot that I was fasting and it was the (Arabic) month of Ramadhan. I started to eat, then I remembered and stopped eating. Homayd said, “Why aren’t you eating?” I said, “O Amir! It is the (Arabic) month of Ramadhan and I am neither ill, nor do I have an excuse not to fast. It may be that the Amir has an illness, or an excuse due to which you are breaking your fast.” He said, “No, I am not ill, nor do I have an excuse allowing me to break my fast. I am perfectly healthy. Then his eyes filled with tears and he cried. Then after he finished eating, I said, “O Amir! What made you cry?” He said, “One night when Harun Ar-Rashid was in Toos, he sent someone to call me in. When I entered, I saw a lit candle and a green sword drawn out of its sheath in front of him. A servant was standing in front of him. When I stood in front of him, he raised his head and asked me, “How much will you obey the Commander of the Faithful (meaning himself)?” I said, “I am at your service with my wealth and my life.” He looked down and dismissed me. I went home. A short time later, the same man came and said, “The Commander of the Faithful has called you in again.” I told myself, “To God is our return.” I found out that he wanted to kill me, butwas too shy to do it the last time I went there. I went to see him again. He asked, “How much will you obey the Commander of the Faithful (the caliph)?” I said, “With my life, my wealth, my wife and my children.” He laughed and dismissed me again. As soon as I reached home again, the same messenger came to me and said, “The Commander of the Faithful has called you in.” Then I went to see him again. He raised his head as he had done before and asked, “How much do you obey the Commander of the Faithful?” I said, “With my life, my wealth, my wife, my children and my religion.” Then he laughed and said, “Take this sword, and do whatever this servant orders you to do.” The servant picked up the sword, handed it to me and took me to a house. The door was locked. He unlocked it. There was a well in the middle, and there were three locked rooms. He opened one of the doors. There were twenty people imprisoned there. Their hair had grown long. The servant said, “The Commander of the Faithful has ordered you to kill them.” They were all descendants of the Prophet (s). The servant brought them out one by one. I beheaded them. The servant dropped their heads and their corpses into the well. Then he unlocked the other door. There were another twenty descendants of the Prophet (s) imprisoned there. He said, “The Commander of the Faithful has ordered you to kill them.” Then he opened the door and brought them out one at a time. I beheaded them. He dropped the corpses in the well. All twenty were killed. Then he opened the door of the third room. There were twenty other descendants of the Prophet (s) with long hair in chains there. The servant said, “The Commander of the Faithful has ordered you to kill them.” He brought them out of the room one by one. I beheaded them, and the servant dropped them in the well. Nineteen of them were killed in this way. Then an old man with long white hair was left. He faced me and said, “O wicked one! May you be destroyed! What excuse will you have when you are brought on the Resurrection Day to face our grandfather, God’s Prophet (s), for killing sixty of his descendants?” Then my hands started to shake and my body was shivering. The servant looked at me angrily and yelled at me. I walked ahead and killed that old man. The servant dropped his corpse in the well. What is the benefit of praying and fasting for me now that I have killed sixty descendants of God’s Prophet (s)? I have no doubt that I will reside in Hell forever.”The author of this book (Sheikh Sadooq) said, “Such behaviour with the descendants of the Prophet of God (s) were also carried out by Mansour (Dawaniqi). “

2 - حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الحُسَيْنِ البَزَّازِ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو مَنْصُورٍ المُطَرَّزُ قالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْحاكِمَ أَبَا أحْمَدَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحاقَ الأَنْماطِيِّ النِيْسابُوريِّ، يَقُولُ - بِإِسنادٍ مُتَّصِلٍ ذَكَرَ - أَنَّهُ لَمّا بَنِى المَنصُوُر الأَبنِيَةَ بِبَغْدادَ جَعَلَ يَطلُبُ العَلَوِيَّةَ طَلَباً شَدِيداً وَيَجْعَلُ مَن ظَفَرَ بِهِ مِنْهُمْ الأُسطُواناتِ الُمجَوَّفَةِ المَبنِيَّةِ مِنَ الجَصِّ وَالآجُرِ، فَظَفَرَ ذاتَ يَوْمٍ بِغُلاْمٍ مِنهُم حَسَنِ الوَجْهِ، شَعرٌ أَسْوَدُ مِن وُلْدِ الحَسَن بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِي طالِبٍ‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ فَسَلَّمَهُ إِلى البَناءِ الَّذِي كانَ يَبنِي لَهُ، وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَجْعَلَهُ فِي جَوفِ أُسطُوانَةٍ وَيَبنِي عَلَيْهِ وَوَكَّلَ عَلَيْهِ مِن ثِقاتِهِ مَن يُراعي ذلِكَ حَتّى‏ يَجْعَلَهُ فِي أُسطُوانَةٍ بِمَشهَدِهِ فَجَعَلَهُ البَنَّاءُ فِي جَوفِ أُسطُوانَةٍ فَدَخَلَتهُ رِقَّةٌ عَلَيْهِ وَرَحْمَةٌ لَهُ فَتَرَكَ فِي الأُسطُوانَةِ فُرجَةً يَدْخُلُ مِنْها الرُّوحُ، فَقالَ لِلغُلامِ:لا بَأْسَ عَلَيْكَ فَاصبِر، فَإِنِّي سَأخرِجُكَ مِن هذِهِ الأسطُوانَةِ إِذا جَنَّ اللَّيْلُ، فَلَمَّا جَنَّ اللَّيْلُ جاءَ البَنَّاءُ فِي ظُلمَةٍ فَأَخَرَجَ ذلِكَ العَلَوِيَّ مِن تِلْكَ الأُسطُوانَةِ وَقالَ لَهُ: اتَّقِ اللَّهَ فِي دَمِي وَدَمِ الفَعَلَةِ الَّذِينَ مَعِي وَغَيِّب شَخصَكَ، فَإِنِّي إِنَّما أخرَجتُكَ فِي ظُلمَةِ هذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ مِن جَوفِ هذِهِ الأُسطُوانَةِ لأَنِّي خِفْتُ إِن تَرَكتُكَ فِي جَوفِها أَنْ يَكُونَ جَدُّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ خَصمِي بَيْنِ يَدِيِ الِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، ثُمَّ أَخَذَ شَعرَهُ بِآلاتِ الجَصَّاصِينَ كَما أَمكَنَ وَقالَ: غَيِّب شَخصَكَ وَانجُ بِنَفْسِكَ وَلا تَرْجِع إِلى اُمِّكَ، فَقالَ الغُلام: فَإِن كانَ هذا هكَذا فَعَرَّف اُمِّي إِنِّي قَدْ نَجَوتُ وَهَرَبتُ لِتَطِيبَ نَفسُها وَيَقِلِّ جَزَعُها وَبُكاؤُها وَإِن لَمْ يَكُنْ لِعَودي إِلَيْها وَجْهٌ، فَهَرَبَ الغُلامُ وَلا يُدْرى‏ أَيْنَ قَصَدَ مِن وَجْهِ أَرْضِ اللَّهِ تَعالى‏ وَلا إِلى أيِّ بَلَدٍ وَقَعَ؟ ! قالَ ذلِكَ البَنَّاءُ: وَقَدْ كانَ الغُلامُ عَرَّفَنِي مَكانَ اُمِّهِ أَعطانِي العَلامَةَ فَانتَهَيتُ إِلَيْها فِي المَوضِعِ الَّذِي دَلَّني عَلَيْهِ فَسَمِعتُ دَوِيّاً كَدَويِّ النَّحلِ مِن البُكاءِ، فَعَلِمتُ أَنَّها اُمُّهُ، فَدَنَوْتُ مِنْها وَعَرَّفتُها خَبَرَ ابنِها وأَعْطَيْتُها شَعرَهُ وَانصَرَفتُ.

9-2 Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Al-Hussein al-Bazzaz narrated that Abu Mansour Al-Motarriz quoted on the authority of al-Hakim Aba Ahmad Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Anmati an-Neishaboori with a documented chain, “When Mansour was constructing buildings in Baghdad, he diligently searched for the Alawids. Whenever Mansour caught one of them, he would place that person inside the empty pillars and cover them with bricks and plaster. Once he captured a handsome young fellow with black hair from the descendants of God’s Prophet (s). He handed him over to the builder, and ordered that he should be placed inside the pillar and covered with bricks and plaster. Mansour appointed one he trusted to oversee this. The builder put that young man inside the pillar. However, he felt sorry for him and left a hole for him to breathe from. He told him, “Do not worry. Wait and I will come to save you tonight.” When the night fell, the builder freed that young man from the pillar and said, “Be careful not to risk my life and the lives of my workers. Hide yourself. The reason that I saved you in this dark night is that I was afraid that if I leave you in that pillar, your grandfather - God’s Prophet (s) might become my enemy at the threshold of God on the Resurrection Day.” He then used one of his tools to cut some of that young man’s hair and said, “Hide yourself. Do not go back to see your mother.” The young man said, “Fine. Inform my mother about my being saved and my escape so that she gets less upset and cries less. Tell her that I cannot return to her.” The young man escaped and it never became clear where he went. The builder said, “The young man gave me the address of his mother and something as a sign of him. I went there. I heard someone cry like the sound of bees. I realized that it was his mother who was crying. I went to see her, told her what had happened and gave her the hair. Then I returned home.”

ʿUyūn akhbār al-Riḍā - Volume 1

Book 2, Chapter 9