the Life of Imām 'ali Bin Mūsā Al-ridā

Chapter One

ON INVOCATION OF ALLAH

Having mentioned a preface concerning the necessity of mentioning the chain of the authorities, Shaykh Abd al-Wāsi said: I have narrated this Sahifa through the authentic chain of authorities connected with Imām al-Qāsim b. Mohammed, peace be on him, on the authority of his Shaykh al-Sayyid Amir al-Din b. Abd Allah, on the authority of al-Sayyid Ahmed b. Abd Allah al-Wazir, on the authority of  Imām al-Mutahhar b. Mohammed b. Sulaymān, on the authority of Imām al-Mahdi Ahmed b. Yahyā, on the authority of Sulaymān b. Ibrāhim b. Umar al-Alawi, on the authority of his father Ibrāhim, on the authority of  Ridā al-Din Ibrāhim b. Mohammed al-Tabari, on the authority of  Imām Najm al-Din al-Tabrizi, on the authority of al-Hāfiz Ibn Asākir, on the authority of Zāhir al-Sinjāni, on the authority of al-Hāfiz al-Bayhaqi:

  1. On the authority of Abū al-Qāsim al-Mufassir, on the authority of  Ibrāhim b. Juda, on the authority of Abū al-Qāsim Abd Allah b. Ahmed b. Āmir al-Tāi (in Basrah), who said: [Ali b. Mūsā al-Ridā, peace be on him, related to me in the year 194 A. H. He said: My father Mūsā b. Jafar related to me. He said: My father Jafar b. Mohammed related to me. He said: My father Mohammed b. Ali related to me. He said: My father Ali b. al-Husayn related to me. He

said: My father al-Husayn b. Ali related to me. He said: My father Ali b. Abū Tālib, the peace of Allah be on them all, amen to the Day of Resurrection, related to me. He said: Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: Allah, the Most High, said:] There is no god but Allah is My fort, so he who enters My fort is safe from My chastisement.[1]

Surely these brilliant words are the secret of existence, lamp of the Allah-fearing, and guide of the knowledgeable. He who says them out of knowledge and belief enters the fort of Allah, which whoever enters wins the good pleasure of Allah, the Exalted, and is safe from His chastisement.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] He upon whom Allah bestows a favor should praise Allah for it; he who finds slow daily bread should ask Allahs forgiveness; and he whom a certain matter saddens should say: There is neither might nor strength save in Allah, the Exalted, the Almighty.

Surely the invocation of Allah and devotion to Him deserve more of His blessings and favors; he who says these words during these situations, Allahs mercy includes him, and he attains general good.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] Belief is profession with the tongue, knowledge through the heart, and action by the limbs.

Belief is a flame of light which lightens the heart, flows as life does in the souls of the Allah-fearing and the knowledgeable, dominates their sentiments and feelings.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: Allah says:] If a creature takes refuge in a creature other than Me, I will cut him off from the means of the heavens and the earth, so if he asks Me,

[1] In the narration of al-Tabrisi: "In its condition and its conditions, and I am among its conditions." We will talk about this holy tradition within this book.

I will not give him; and if he supplicates Me, I will not answer him; and if a creature seeks refuge in Me other than My creatures, I will guarantee the heaven and the earth in respect of his daily bread; so if he asks Me, I will give him; and if he supplicates Me, I will respond to him; and if he asks Me for forgiveness, I will forgive him.

Failing and unsuccessful is he who hopes for those other than Allah, the Exalted, at whose hand is the course of events. A poet said:

May the hand which asks those other than You become

poor; may the land which sees promising signs in other than the clouds of Your munificence become barren!

So glory is forbidden except from You; money is

forbidden except from You!

If the servant devotes himself to Allah and seeks refuge in Him, he will win good and gain bless in this world and the next.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, related to me that a Jew asked Ali b. Abū Tālib, peace be on him, saying:] Tell me about that which does not belong to Allah, that which is not with Allah, and that which Allah does not know?

Ali, peace be on him, replied: As for that which Allah does not know, it is your, people of Jews, statement that Uzayr is the son of Allah, and Allah does not know that He has a son; as for that which is not with Allah, it is that Allah has no oppression toward the servants; as for that which does not belong to Allah, it is that Allah has no partner.

The Jew said: I witness that there is no god except Allah, and that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah.

Surely, Imām Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, is the gate of the city of knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. He is the leading figure of this community, the pioneer of its intellectual and scientific renaissance. It is certain that if the cushion had been folded for him and he had undertaken the leadership of the reign after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, the Jews, the Christians, and the Magians would have adopted Islam.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] The best deeds with Allah are: belief without doubt, invasion without stealing from war booty before it is distributed (ghulūl), and proper hajj. The first to enter the Garden will be a martyr; a slave who worships his Lord well and is sincere to his master; and a chaste man who abstains from what is forbidden, has a family, and strives to secure the daily bread of his own family. The first to enter the Fire will be a domineering Imām (leader) who does not treat (his subjects) with justice; a possessor of wealth of property who does not pay the right against it; and a boastful, poor (person).

This tradition includes the best actions in reward and repayment with Allah, the Most High;  the actions are: belief in Allah without any doubt, invasion without stealing from war booty before it is distributed (ghulūl); for it is spent on spreading Allahs words on earth; and making a pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allah.

This tradition also gives an account of the best men in the view of Allah, the Exalted, and the most honorable before Him, and they are: the martyrs in the path of Allah, not in the path of booty or worldly pleasures; the slave who believes in his Lord and is sincere to his master; and the chaste man who strives to secure the daily bread of his family.

Moreover the tradition gives an account of the most hateful person in the view of Allah and who deserves the Hellfire. The first to enter it are: the disobedient criminal ruler who wrongs the servants of Allah and does not treat them with fairness and justice; the possessor of a plentiful wealth who is miserly toward the rights of Allah (against him) and does not help the poor; the boastful, poor (person) who boasts of his own person and his family, shows arrogance and vainglory toward the creatures of Allah.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] He who makes my community learn by heart forty traditions and it makes use of them, Allah will raise him from the dead a jurist and scholar on the Day of the Resurrection.

Surely, the Prophetic traditions are a flame of light which guides the perplexed and the errant and brighten the road (to them), for they are some springs of wisdom. So he who circulates them among the Muslims surely takes part in building Islamic thought; and Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, had promised him that Allah would raise him from the dead a jurist and scholar on the Day of Resurrection.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] He who gives a religious opinion to men without knowledge, the heavens and the earth curse him.

The ugliest and most sinful crime is giving a religious opinion to men without knowledge, for such a religious opinion misleads men, spreads lying among them, and ascribes falsehood to Allah.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] Reliance (on Allah) and monotheism are the half of religion; make livelihood come down from Allah through alms.

Surely, reliance on Allah and professing His Oneness are part of core of religion and are basic elements of its entity. The Imām has urged (the Muslims) to give alms, for it aids the poor and the deprived. Allah has promised that He will bestow upon those who give alms.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] Verily Mūsā b. Umrān asked his Lord, saying: O Lord, are You far, so I will call out to You? Or are You near, so I will whisper to You? So Allah revealed to him: O Mūsā, I am the friend of him who invoke Me!

  2. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] The supplication of the children of my community is accepted unless they commit sins.

Certainly, the supplication of the children of the faithful is accepted, for Allah does not refuse a supplication of theirs on the condition that they should not commit crimes and sins.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] He who passes by cemeteries and recites (the sura) Qul Huwa Allah Ahad eleven times and then he gives his reward to the dead, a reward equal to the number of the dead will be given to him.

Surely, Allah doubles the reward of him who recites Surat al-Tawhid for the dead Muslims, and He abundantly rewards him.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] Supplication is the weapon of a believer, pillar of religion, and light of the heavens and the earth. So cling to supplication and be sincere in intention.

This tradition gives an account of the importance of supplication, for it is the weapon of a believer, pillar of religion, and light of the heavens and earth. So supplication has occupied the highest position with Allah, the Exalted.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] If one of you wants a need, then let him seek it early in the morning on Thursday, and let him recites when he goes out of his house the last (verse) of Āl Umrān, Āyat al-Kursi, Innā Anzalnāhū fi Laylat al-Qadr, and Umm al-Kitāb (Surat al-Fātiha), for in them is the accomplishment of the needs of this world and the next.

* *This tradition contains the program of accomplishing needs, for he (the Prophet) has appointed the time  when the Suras of Allahs dear Book should be recited.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] Six (things) are of manhood: Three of them (is performed) in cities and towns and three of them (is performed) on journey. As for those (performed) in cities and towns are: reciting the Qurān, building mosques, and making friends in Allah; and as for those (performed) on journey are: giving food generously, good manners, and joking (in things) other than acts of disobedience to Allah.

These six qualities give an account of mans honor, manhood, and good inner self.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said three times:] O Allah, have mercy on my successors!

He was asked: Who are your successors, Allahs Apostle?

He replied: Those who will come after me, narrate my traditions and my Sunna (sayings and practices), and teach them to men after me.

Surely, the successors of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and the closest of men to him are those who narrate his traditions, circulate them among men, teach men the principle features of religion and the precepts of Islam.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] Verily, this knowledge is the treasures of Allah and its keys are question, so question, may Allah have mercy on you, for four (persons) are rewarded because of it: the questioner, the teacher, the listener, and the answerer.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, urges the ignorant to question about the affairs of their religious and worldly affairs which they do not know, for, in this manner, knowledge is spread and circulated.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] He who recites Idhā Zulzult al-Ardū  four times is like him who has recited the whole Qurān.

Surely, reciting this Holy Verse four times leads to this great result, which is reciting the whole Qurān.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [My father Mohammed b. Ali, peace be on them,  related to me. He said: He, peace be on him, said:] If you enter five (things), you will not able to (perform) the like of them: The servant should fear (nothing) except his sins, hope for (none) except his Lord. The ignorant, when asked about something he does not know, should not be ashamed of saying that Allah and His Messenger know. He who does not know should not be ashamed of learning. Steadfastness is of the same rank with

faith as (that of) the head with the body. He who has no patience has no faith.

Wisdom has been embodied in these matters through which man, if he follows them, is exalted and a model of excellence and politeness.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said:[ Al-Husayn b. Ali, peace be on them, related to me. He said:] A tablet was found under a wall of one of the cities (al-Madāin), and therein was written: I am Allah; there is no god save Me and Mohammed is My Prophet. I wonder at him who is sure of death, how is he happy? I wonder at him who is certain of (Allahs) determination, how is he sad? I wonder at him who has tried the world, how does he feel secure wherein? And I wonder at him who is sure of reckoning, how does he commit sins?

This tablet contains a great warning. If man carefully considers the warning, he will turn away from every sin and do all that which bring him near to Allah.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] An angel came to me and said: O Mohammed, verily your Lord recite (His) greetings to you and says to you: If you want, I will make the valley of Mecca gold. He said: So he (the Prophet) looked toward the sky and said: O Lord, make me satisfied on one day, so I will praise you; make me hungry on another, so I will ask you!

Indeed, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, renounced the world, turned away from its pleasures, and devoted himself to Allah, the most High. This is one of his special qualities which distinguished him from the rest of the prophets.

CHAPTER TWO

ON THE ADHĀN

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said:] When Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, began learning the adhān (call to prayer), Gabriel brought him the Burāq, but it was difficult for him (to

ride it). Then he brought him a riding animal called Burāqa and it was difficult for him (to ride it), so Gabriel said to it: Be calm, for none more honorable than him in Allahs view has ever ridden you! It became calm, and Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: I rode it until I reached the veil which was before the Merciful (Allah), and then an angel came out from behind the veil and said: Allahu akbar! Allahu akbar! (Allah is greater.) He (Allahs Messenger) said: So I asked: O Gabriel, who is that angel? He replied: By Allah who has honored you with the Prophethood, I have never seen that angel before this hour of mine. He said: Allahu akbar! Allahu akbar! (Allah is greater.) So he was called out from behind the veil: My servant is truthful; I am greater; I am greater! Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: The angel said: Ashhadu anna Lā ilāha illa llāh, Ashhadu anna Lā ilāha illa llāh (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.) So he was called out from behind the veil: My servant is truthful. I am Allah; there is no god but I. Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said (that), so the angel said: Ashhadu anna Mohammedar rasūl allah, Ashhadu anna Mohammedar rasūl allah (I bear witness that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah.) So he was called out from behind the veil: My servant is truthful; I have sent Mohammed as a Messenger. Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: The angel said: Hayya allas-salāh, Hayya allas-salāh (Make haste to the prayer.) So he was called out from behind the veil: My servant is truthful and summons (men) to worship Me. Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: The angel said: Hayya allal falāh, hayya allal falāh (Make haste to salvation). So he was called out from behind the veil: My servant is truthful and summons (men) to worship Me. And surely successful is he who perseveres in it.[1] Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: Allah has completed for me the honor over the first and the last.

[1] The tradition has been mentioned in the book Tārikh al-Khamis in this formula along with and addition Hayya 'ala khayri'l-'amal (Make haste to the best of actions). The Shi'ite references of hadith and jurisprudence have also mentioned it.

The Shiites have unanimously agreed that it was the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who legislated the adhān in this manner which have been mentioned in this tradition or something similar to it; whilst the Sunnis have mentioned that when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, came to Medina, it was difficult for the people to know the timings of his prayers. So they discussed specifying a certain signal in order to know the timing of the payer of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, lest they should miss the congregational prayers. Hence some suggested a bell, but the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: The bell belongs to the Christians. Others suggested a trumpet, but he said: It belongs to the Jews. Others suggested a tambourine, but he said: It belongs to the Romans. Others suggested burning fire, but he said: It belongs to the Magus. Others suggested setting up a banner, but that did not appeal to him, may Allah bless him and his family. So, he may Allah bless him and his family, stood up concerned; hence Abd Allah b. Zayd spent the night concerned because of the concern of Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, and he saw in his sleep an angel who taught him the adhān and the iqāma (the declaration of standing for prayer), so he told the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, about that. The dream coincided with the revelation. So the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, ordered it (adhān) to be performed.[1] 

This is very impossible, for the adhān and the iqāma are of the pre-conditions of prayer; they are like the rest of the pre-conditions such as tahāra (purity), istiqbāl al-qibla (facing the qibla), and ibāhat al-makān (the place should be permissible). The Revelation came down (to the Prophet) carrying all these pre-conditions and explanations of prayer. Then why did Abd Allah b. Zayd see the angle and the rest of Companions (of the Prophet), who were greater than him in importance, did not see him?

[1] Al-Fiqh 'alā al-Madhāhib al-Arba'a, vol. 1, p. 311.

CHAPTER THREE

ON URGING TO PERFORMING THE FIVE PRAYERS AND THE QUALITY OF THE PRAYER FOR THE DEAD

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] Satan is still afraid of Adams son as long as he keeps his prayers. However, if he neglects them, he (Satan) dares against him and throws him into great sins.

Allah, the Most High, honored and dignified man through praying and standing before Him during the five prayers. However, the stoned Satan plays with man and does his best to deprive him of this excellence and honorable rank.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] He who performs a religious duty (farida), Allah responds to his supplication .

Surely, he who performs a religious duty, whether prayer or fasting or hajj or others, Allah rewards him and accepts his supplication.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] My community is still in good as long as they love each other, return things deposited (with them), refrain from the unlawful, entertain the guest, perform the prayer, and pay zakāt (alms). However, if they do not do that, they will be afflicted by drought.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, has summoned his community to keep these noble qualities, and he promised that they would be in good as long as they performed them, but if they neglected them, Allah would afflict them with a dreadful tribulation.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] If man is not able to perform prayer in standing position, he can pray in

sitting position. If he cannot pray in sitting position, he can pray laying down on his back and his feet facing the qibla, and he makes a sign.

The prayer is the most important of religious duties, and the responsible is not exempted from it in all circumstances. If he is able, he prays in standing position; if he is unable, he prays in sitting position; and so on.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] Keep the five prayers, for Allah, the Great and Almighty, will summon the servant on the Day of Resurrection; prayer will be the first thing about which He will ask him. If he brings it perfect; otherwise, he will be pushed into the Fire.

Prayer will be the first thing about which the responsible will be asked during his mustering and his raising from the dead. If he performs prayer perfectly, he will be safe from the chastisement of Allah; if he performs it imperfectly or neglects one of its pre-conditions, he will be thrown into the Fire.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] Do not lose your prayers, for he who loses his prayer will be mustered along with Qārūn and Firoun and Hāmān; and it is incumbent upon Allah to make him enter the Fire along with the hypocrites; and woe unto him who does not keep his prayers and does not perform the Sunna of his Prophet.

Islam takes great care of prayer and distinguishes it from the rest of acts of worship. So he who performs it is a Muslim; and he who denies it dies the death of those pagans before Islam and will be mustered along with the oppressive and the unbelievers.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [Ali, the blessings of Allah be on him, said:] Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, led us in the travelers shortened prayer and recited in the first (raka) al-hamd and qul yā ayuhā al-kafirūn, and in the other (raka) he recited al-hamd and qul huwa Allahu ahad. Then he said: I recited to you the one-third and one-fourth of the Qurān.

A four-raka prayer is shortened during travel, and surely the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, recited qul yā ayuhā al-kafirūn in the first raka after al-fātiha, and in the second raka he recited surat al-Tawhid after al-fātiha; and he, may Allah bless him and his family, made clear the reward of that when he said that he recited the one-third of the Qurān in the first raka and the one-fourth of the Qurān in the second raka.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said: Mohammed b. Ali, peace be on him, was asked about the prayer, and he claimed that his father would shorten the prayer during travel.

As for shortening prayer during travel, it is among the necessities of the creed of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them; the Book and the Sunna are two proofs of that.

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he said: I saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, exclaim Allah is Great! over his uncle Hamza, peace be on him, five times, and after him he exclaimed Allah is Great! over the martyrs, so seventy times of exclaiming Allah is Great! was the share of Hamza.

As for the prayer for the dead, it is one of the general obligations. In other words, it is not obligatory on all Muslims to perform it; rather it obligatory on some of them. As for its performance, it is as follows: Five takbirs should be made; al-Shahādatayn (the two testimonies: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Mohammed is Allahs Messenger) should be recited after the first takbir, calling down blessing upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, should be after the second takbir; a supplication for the believers, male and female, should be recited after the third takbir; a supplication for the deceased should be recited after the fourth takbir; the fifth takbir should be recited, and then departure.[1] In this connection many traditions have been reported from the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them.[2] As for the

[1] Al-'Urwat al-Withqā, vol. 1, p. 170.
[2] Wasā'il al-Shi'a, Chapter on the Prayer for the Dead.

Sunnis, they believe that the takbirs are four, and the worshipper departs after the fourth (takbir).[1]

  1. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] O Ali, when you pray over a deceased person, say: O Allah, verily this is Your slave and son of Your bondmaid has passed away according to Your decree, and he is not a mentioned thing. He has visited You and You are the best One whom is visited. O Allah, dictate to him Your argument, join him to Your Prophet, brighten his grave for him, be generous toward him during his entering, make him firm through the firm statement, for he is in need of You and You are in no need of him. He bore witness that there was no god but You, so forgive him. O Allah, do not deprive us of the reward through him and do not try us after him.

O Ali, when you pray over a woman, say: O Allah, You created her, and You gave life to her, and You made her die, and You are more knowledgeable of her secret and openness. We have come to You as intercessors for her, so forgive her. O Allah, do not deprive us of the reward through her.

O Ali, when you pray over a child, say: O Allah, make him an ancestor and provisions for his parents, make him an intercessor (for them), make him for them as light and guidance, and make his parents follow (him to) the Garden. Verily, You are powerful over all things!

As for the performance of the prayer for the dead, we have already mentioned it. As for this supplication, it should be recited after the fourth takbir. As for the prayer over the child, it is as follows: If he/she dies at the age of six years, then the prayer for the dead should be performed over him. If he/she has not reached this age, then prayer over them is recommended.

[1] Al-Fiqh 'alā al-Madhāhib al-Arba'a, vol. 1, p. 519.