the Life of Imām 'ali Bin Mūsā Al-ridā

Chapter Xv

IMAM AL-RIDĀ AND REGENCY

We are in front of an important historical event which busied the public opinion and stunned all political circles. The event is that al-Mamūn appointed Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, as a heir apparent after him; it indicates that the succession would be taken from the Abbāsids and handed over to their opponents, the Alawides; it astonished the people and they asked each other: How has the Abbāsid policy changed into this line opposing the political line which the Abbāsids have followed since the beginning of their reign? They asked one another such a question because the Abbāsids were famous for persecuting and uprooting the Alawides; in other words, the Abbāsids destroyed the Alawides, buried them while they were alive, threw their children into the Tigris, and used against them all kinds of genocide.

The people and history have known that al-Mamūn belonged to this (Abbāsid) family, who wronged the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them; therefore, it was not possible for him to follow behavior other than that of his fore-fathers or to deviate from their anti-Alawides trend. Al-Mamūn was fed on showing detest and enmity toward the Alawides, for his grandfather al-Mansūr and his father al-Rashid followed all ways to put an end to them; they employed all their economic and political organs to degrade their importance and dignity and to remove them from the political arena in the world of Arabs and Islam.

The Abbāsids were the opponents of the Alawides, but why did al-Mamūn create such a sudden change (in his policy) and turn

away from the plan and method of his fathers? Why did he appoint Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, as a successor after him? Similarly, why did Imām al-Ridā agree to undertake regency while he was fully aware of the deviation of al-Mamūn and of his harboring malice against the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them? We will answer these questions as follows:

Al-Mamūns Motives

It is necessary for us to pause in order to consider the reasons and motives which urged al-Mamūn to appoint Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, as a successor after him:

Al-Mamūn had no strong position in Islamic state, for the Abbāsid family disdained him because of his mother Marājil, who was among the slave-wives in the palace, because of his strong relationship with al-Fadl b. Sahl and his entrusting all his affairs to him, while he was originally from Persia. Moreover, his brother al-Amin hated him, intended to do evil deeds toward him, and schemed against him, for he competed with him for the authority. Accordingly, al-Mamūn wanted to reinforce his position, to strengthen his influence, and to overcome those who harbored malice against him. As a result, he vested the office in Imām Ali b. Mūsā al-Ridā, peace be on him, the greatest personality in Islamic world and son of Imām al-Sādiq, who was the first to supply Islamic world with thoughts and knowledge. Moreover large part of the Muslims believed in his Imāmate and showed friendship to him. For this reason al-Mamūn took the initiative and designated him as his successor over this important office in Islamic world.
Al-Mamūn undertook the leadership of Islamic state while he was fully aware of that Islamic society harbored hate and detest against the Abbāsid family, who oppressed the Muslims, appropriated their affairs, wreaked all kinds of oppression and tyranny upon the Alawides, the summoners to social justice. So the Muslims wished for the return of the Umayyad reign though it was famous for cruelty and torture. In this connection, the poet says:

Would that the tyranny of the Marwānis returned to us,

and would that the just of the Abbāsids was in the fire.

Another poet says:

I do not think that tyranny will come to an end while over

the community is an Abbāsid governor.

Al-Mamūn intended to open a new page for the citizens and to conceal the policy of his fore-fathers, so he appointed Imām al-Ridā the hope of Islamic community, peace be on him as a successor after him.

Most al-Mamūns Army, officers and soldiers, were from among the Shiites who adopted the Imāmate of Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, so he wanted to win their affection and loyalty.
Surely the revolt against the Abbāsid government broke out and extended to most Islamic regions, and the motto of the revolutionaries was: The summons to al-Ridā from among the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family. The revolutionists responded to this allegiance al-Mamūn pledged to the Imām. In the meantime, he gave the Imām the nickname of al-Ridā (i.e. the consent), that, through that, he might attract the feelings of the revolutionaries, and they pledged allegiance to him, and he got rid of the danger which encircled his state and was about to wrap up its banner and fold up its principal features. This was the plan of al-Mamūn, who was among the first-class diplomatic corps, so he was able to overcome the events surrounding him and to save his government from the deadliest danger encircling it.
Through his nominating Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, for succession, al-Mamūn was able to give a religious quality to his government in order to indicate that it was not oppressive like that of his fathers, that mutiny against him was illegal, and that it was obligatory on the Muslims to war against those who revolted against him.
Among the aims which al-Mamūn achieved through this pledge of allegiance (to the Imām) is that he was able to know the Shiite elements and to recognize their identities. It is worth mentioning that the places of the Shiites were very secret, that the Shiites worked in secret and in hiding-places. However, after this

pledge of allegiance (to the Imām), their affair appeared, and the authorities were able to discover them.

Al-Mamūn pledged allegiance (to Imām al-Ridā) in order to indicate that the Imām, peace be on him, was not among those who renounced the world; rather he was among those who loved it through his accepting this pledge of allegiance. However, the Imām was fully aware of al-Mamūns objectives which he disproved when he stipulated that he would not appoint nor remove nor take part in government.

These are some motives which urged al-Mamūn to appoint Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, as a successor after him.[1] Now, we will return to talk about regency, the attitude of Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, toward it, and some matters concerning it; that is as follows:

Al-Fadls Letter to the Imām

Al-Fadl b. Sahl sent a letter to Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, in which he asked him to come to Khurasān in order to receive the caliphate from al-Mamūn; this is the text of the letter:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most

Merciful,

To Ali b. Mūsā al-Ridā, son of Allahs Apostle, the

chosen one, who has become rightly guided by his

guidance, followed his practice, kept the religion of

Allah, and stored the revelation of Allah.

From his friend, al-Fadl b. Sahl, who sacrificed

himself for returning his right to him, and connecting his

night to his day concerning it.

Peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you, O

rightly guided one. Verily I praise on your behalf Allah,

[1] Al-Sayyid Ja'far Murtadā has objectively and inclusively mentioned the objectives which motivated al-Ma'mūn to appoint Imām al-Ridā as successor after him. He has mentioned eleven objectives in his book Hayāt al-Imām al-Ridā (the Life of Imām al-Ridā).

other than Whom there is no god, and ask Him to bless

Mohammed, His servant.

Now then, surely I hope that Allah has helped you and

permitted you to return your right from him who has

deemed you as weak, that He may magnify His favors

toward you, make you the inheriting Imām, make your

enemies and those who have turned away from you see

from you what they feared.

Verily, this letter of mine is out of a determination from

the Commander of the faithful, the servant of Allah, Imām

al-Mamūn and from me for returning your right to

you, confirming your right before you, handing it over

to you, for which I ask Allah who has become aware of it,

that you will inform me of that through which I will be the

happiest of all people, among the successful with

Allah, among those who accomplish the right of Allahs

Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, and his deeds, among those who help you with it, that I may reach both good through showing friendship to you and your state.

When my letter reaches you, my I be your ransom, and it

is possible for you not to place it off your hand, so that

you may come to the Commander of the faithful (i.e. al-

Mamūn), who regards you as a partner in his authority,

a mediator in his ancestry, and the most appropriate of the

people for that which is under his hand. I have done that

while I am surrounded by Allahs choice, protected by His

angels, safeguarded by Him, and Allah is a guarantor for

you through all that which gathers good benefit for you,

and set right the community through you. Allah is

sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector.

Peace, Allahs mercy and blessings be upon you.[1]

This letter, sent by the highest ranking official in the Abbāsid government, contains the following:

[1]Hayāt al-Imām al-Ridā, pp. 442-443, quoted from the book al-Taddwin by 'Abd al-Kareem al-Rāfi'i al-Shāfi'i.

Giving noble nicknames and exalted qualities to the Imām, peace be on him, as follows: (the one who) kept the religion of Allah, and (the one who) stored the revelation of Allah. Of course, it is the Shiites who have given these nicknames to their Imāms.
Informing the Imām, peace be on him, of that the caliphate would be returned to him, that Allah, the Exalted, decreed to return this usurped right to its people and leaders, the Household of the Prophet, whose master was Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him.
This letter was not written by al-Fadl only; rather it was written by him and al-Mamūn, who had decided to abdicate the caliphate and to hand it over to the Imām.
This letter shows that al-Fadl asked the Imām to leave Medina (Yathrib) for Khurasān at once in order to undertake the leadership of the rule.

The Attitude of the Imām

Our sources have not shown the Imāms answer to this letter, but it is certain that the Imām vigorously refused to responded to it, for he was aware of al-Mamūns intentions and al-Fadls unreal letter to him. It is worth mentioning that the political motives schemed behind the scenes urged al-Fadl and al-Mamūn to write it.

Al-Mamūn sends Messengers to the Imām

Al-Mamūn sent an official delegation in order to ask the Imām to leave Medina (Yathrib) for Khurasān. As for the person who headed the delegation, he was al-Rajā b. Abū al-Dahhāk; it is said that he was Īsā b. Yazid, better known as al-Julūdi. Al-Sayyid al-Amin has regarded that as unlikely, and he said: Surely al-Julūdi was among the (military) commanders of al-Rashid and was an opponent of Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, so it was not wise for al-Mamūn to send him to the Imām in order to ask him to leave (Medina for Khurasān).[1]

Al-Mamūn ordered the head of the delegation to bring the

[1] A'yān al-Shi'a 4/Q2/121.

Imām, peace be on him, through the road leading to Basrah, al-Ahwāz, and Fars, and not to bring him through the road leading to Kūfa and Qum.[1] Also al-Mamūn wrote to Imām al-Ridā and asked him not to come through the road leading to the mountain and Qum, and to come through the road leading to Basrah, al-Ahwāz, and Fars.[2]

The reason for al-Mamūns insistence and concern is very clear; it is that he did not want the Imām to come through Kūfa and Qum, for both cities were among the Shiite centers, and their inhabitants were from among those who showed friendship to the Imām and believed in his Imāmate. So if the Imām had passed through them, he would have been magnified and honored; this would have reinforced his position and subjected the Abbāsid state to danger. As for the Imāms passing through Basrah, it did not benefit him, for its inhabitants inclined to Uthmān and showed friendship to the Abbāsids. This step indicates the false plan of al-Mamūn, who claimed that he would abdicate the caliphate and hand it over to the Alawides.

The Imām says Farewell to the Grave of the Prophet

Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, did not find any escape from responding to al-Mamūn, so he went to the grave of his grandfather, the Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, and said the final farewell to it, for he came to know that he would not visit it again. Muhawwil al-Sijistāni has narrated, saying: When the post regarding sending Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, on a journey to Khurasān came, I was in Medina. He entered the mosque in order to say farewell to the grave of his grandfather, Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family. He said farewell to it several times. He wept and wailed loudly, so I walked towards him, greeted him, and he returned the greetings. Then I congratulated him on that which he would reach, but he, peace be on him, said: Leave me, for I am going to leave

[1] 'Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 2, p. 149.
[2]A'yān al-Shi'a. Bihār al-Anwār.

neighboring my grandfather, may Allah bless him and his family, so I will die strange and buried beside Hārūn (al-Rashid).

Muhawwil al-Sijistāni said: So I went out following the road of the Imām until he died at Tūs and buried beside Hārūn.[1]

The Imām orders his family to weep over him

Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, came to know that he would not return to his family and homeland. So he gathered the members of his family, divided twelve thousand dinars among them, made them know that he would never return to them, ordered them to weep and wail for him while he could hear that, and then he said the final farewell to them.[2]

The Imām appoints his Son al-Jawād

Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, appointed his son al-Jawād as a successor after him, while he was seven years old or more than that. He made him enter the mosque of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and place his hand on the edge of the holy grave; he made him cling to it, ask his grandfather, the Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, to protect him; then he said to him: I have ordered all my agents and my servants to listen to you and obey you. Then the Imām told his companions that his son would be the successor after him.[3]

To the Sacred House of Allah

The Imām had gone to the Sacred House of Allah to say the final farewell to it before he headed for Khurasān. Most his family accompanied him, among them was his son Imām al-Jawād, peace be on him. When he arrived the Sacred House, he greeted it,

[1] A'yān al-Shi'a 4/Q2/122.
[2]A'yān al-Shi'a 4/Q2/123. Kashf al-Ghumma, vol. 3, p. 95.
[3] Al-Durr al-Nazim.

circumambulated it, performed prayers in the Standing-place of Ibrāhim, ran, and circumambulated it along with his son al-Jawād. When al-Jawād arrived at the Stone of Ismāil, he sat by it for a long time. So Muwaffaq al-Khādim asked him to stand up, but he refused and looked sad and sorrowful. So Muwaffaq hurried towards the Imām and told him about the state of his son. Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, hastened to his son and asked him to stand up, and he wept, sighed, and said: O Father, how can I stand while you are saying the final farewell to the House with a farewell after which there will be no return?

Imām al-Jawād, peace be on him, saw sadness appear on the face of his father, so he concluded that his father was in the last part of his life. That happened, for Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, did not return to the Holy Houses and died poisoned through the hand of al-Mamūn, the Abbāsid.

To Khurasān

Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, left the Sacred House of Allah for Khurasān, and he was extremely honored and magnified at every district or in every city through which he passed, for the Muslims hurried to receive him cordially, to get the blessing of kissing his hands, to ask him to stop at them, and to serve him. They asked him about the precepts of their religion, and he, peace be on him, answered them about that.

In Nisābūr

The caravan of the Imām covered the desert, was earnest in waking, and did not pay attention to anything until it arrived in Nisābūr.[1] The Imām was received there with a unique popular reception, for Nisābūr did not witness such a reception throughout its history. At the head of those who received him were the scholars, the virtuous, and the traditionalists who have narrated on his authority al-Hadith al-Dhahabi which we will mention.

The Imām, peace be on him, stopped at the district of al-Gharbi or al-Farawi, in the house of a person whom the people of Nisābūr called Bisanda, a Persian word means satisfactory, for the Imām was satisfied with him apart from the rest of the peopleand stopped at his house. Then the Imām planted an almond in that house, and it grew and became a tree and bore fruit in a year. When the people came to know of the tree, they began curing themselves with its fruit. So he who was inflected by a certain malady got the blessing through eating some of its fruit, and he recovered through the bless of the great Imām. A person cut some of its branches, and he became blind. Ibn Hamdān cut down that tree, and he became blind.[2]

[1] Regarding Nisābūr, Yāqūt al-Hamawi (in his bookd Mu'jam al-Buldān, vol. 5, pp. 331-332) has said: "Nisābūr is a great city with important excellences. It is the origin of the virtuous and source of the scholars. I have never seen the like of it in the country which I have circled." Abū al-'Abbās al-Zawzani, better known as al-Ma'mūni has praised it, saying:
There is no (land) like Nisābūr; (it is) a good land and a Forgiving Lord!
Dispraising its inhabitants, al-Murādi has said:
Do not stop at Nisābūr while you are a stranger
Unless your robe is connected to an authority;
Otherwise neither courtesy avails; nor does ancestry benefits; nor is man's sacredness respected.
Many learned scholars graduated from it; among them was al-Hāfiz Imām Abū 'Ali al-Husayn b. 'Ali b. Zayd b. Dāwud b. Yazid al- Nisābūri, al-Sā'igh.
[2] 'Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 2, p. 133.

There was a public bath-house in Nisābūr. The Imām entered it, washed himself, and performed a prayer on its top, so the inhabitants of Nisābūr began getting the bless of that public bath-house. They washed themselves wherein, drank from it seeking bless, prayed on its top, and asked Allah, the Great and Almighty, to accomplish their needs, and they were accomplished for them out of the bless of the great Imām.[1]

Al-Hadith al-Dhahabi

The scholars and the traditionalists surrounded the Imām, peace be on him, who was on the (back) of a gray mule wearing his turban. At the head of the scholars were Yahyā b. Yahyā, Ishāq b. Rāhawayh, Mohammed b. Rāfi, Ahmed b. Harb, and others.[2] When the people saw him, and he was in that appearance which gave an account of the appearance of Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, they said loudly, There is no god but Allah, and exclaimed, Allah is great! They displayed sadness for the Imām and wept for him. That area became noisy out of weeping, so the scholars and the Huffāz (memorizers of the Qurān) called out: O people, listen, understand, and do not harm Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, regarding his family!

Then the Imām, peace be on him, delivered to the scholars this holy tradition, saying: I heard my father Mūsā b. Jafar say: I heard my father Jafar b. Mohammed say: I heard my father Mohammed b. Ali say: I heard my father Ali b. al-Husayn say: I heard my father al-Husayn b. Ali say: I hard my father the Commander of the faithful Ali b. Abū Tālib say: I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, say (on behalf of Allah): There is no god but Allah is My stronghold, so he who enters My stronghold is safe from My chastisement.

When the Imām passed, he called out to the people of Nisābūr,

[1] Ibid., p. 135.
[2] Ibn al-Jawzi, al-Muntazam, vol. 10, p. 67 (photographed and available in al-Sayyid al-Hakim Library).

saying: But according to its conditions, and I am among its conditions.[1]

Surely the statement, there is no god but Allah, is one of the strongholds of Allah, the Most High, but according to conditions among which is professing the Imāmate of Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, who is one of the testamentary trustees of Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family.

More than twenty thousand scholars and memorizers of the Qurān (huffāz) has written this holy tradition.[2] As for the chain of authorities of this tradition, it is the greatest and most wonderful of all chains of authorities. Ahmed b. Hanbal says: If this chain of authorities was recited before a mad person, he would recover from his madness.[3] A Sāmāni ruler ordered this tradition to be written in gold and to be buried along with him.[4]

To Tūs

The caravan of the Imām, peace be on him, left Nisābūr and covered the desert until it arrived at Sanābād where there was a mountain from which cooking-pots were made. The Imām leaned on the mountain and said: O Allah, benefit (the people) through it, bless that which is placed in it, and that which is made from it. Then he ordered some cooking-pots for him to be made from it. They were made for him, and he said: My food will not be cooked (in anything) except in them.

The house of Hamid b. Quhtuba al-Tāi was at Sanābād, where the grave of Hārūn al-Rashid is. The Imām went to it and reached the grave of Hārūn. So he drew a line with his own hand and said to those around him: This is my earth, and I will be buried in it. Allah will

[1] 'Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 2, p. 135. The scholars have taken great care of this tradition, so they have mentioned numerous chain of authorities for it and regarded it as one of the authentic traditions.
[2] Akhbār al-Diwal, p. 115.
[3] Al-Sawā'iq al-Muhriqa.
[4] Akhbār al-Diwal, p. 115.

make my Shiites and those who love me visit me. If any of them visits me and greets me, Allah will forgive him (his sins) and have mercy on him through our intercession, the ahl al-Bayt. Then he turned to the qibbla, performed some rakas, and supplicated with some supplications. Having finished his prayers, he performed a long prostration. I (i.e. Hamid al-Tāi) counted that he said, glory belongs to Allah, five hundred times.[1] Then the Imām, peace be on him, gave some of his clothes to Hamid, who, in turn, gave them to a slave-wife of his. She took them, and then she quickly came back and said: I have found a piece of cloth in the shirt of Abū al-Hasan (al-Ridā). Then she handed it to Hamid, and he at once gave it to the Imām, peace be on him, and asked him: What is in it, O son of Allahs Messenger?

This is a supplication, the Imām, peace be on him, replied, he who carries it in his own pocket, (all evil deeds) will be driven away from him, and it will be an amulet against the accursed Satan and the ruler.

Hamid asked the Imām to dictate it to him, and he recited it to him. It reads as follows: In the name of Allah, I seek protection in the Merciful (Allah) from you if you are pious or not pious. I have clung to Allah, the All-hearing, the All-seeing, against your ear and your eye. You have no power over me; nor over my ear and my eye; nor over my hair; nor over my skin and my flesh; nor over my blood; nor over my brain; nor over my nerves; nor over my bones; nor over my family; nor over my wealth; nor over what my Lord has provided me. I have been covered over between me and you with the cover of Prophethood through which the prophets of Allah covered themselves from the power of the Pharaohs. Gabriel is on my right hand; Michael is on my left hand; Seraphiel is behind me; Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, is before me; Allah is aware of what withholds you and Satan from me.

O Allah, let not his ignorance overcome your slowness if he incites and makes little of me! O Allah, I have sought refuge in You!

[1] 'Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 2, p. 136-137.

O Allah, I have sought refuge in You! O Allah, I have sought refuge in You [1]

Al-Mamūn receives the Imām

Al-Mamūn ordered the Imām to be received with an official reception, so the armed forces and the rest of the people went out to receive him. Al-Mamūn was at the head of those who received him. There were along with him al-Fadl b. Sahl, the rest of his ministers and advisers. Al-Mamūn shook hand with the Imām, welcomed him warmly, appointed for him a splendid house supplied with servants and all the necessary requirements, and took great care of him.

Al-Mamūn asks the Imām to undertake the Caliphate

Al-Mamūn officially abdicated the caliphate and asked the Imām, peace be on him, to undertake it, saying: O son of Allahs Messenger, I have realized your excellence, your knowledge, your asceticism, your piety, and your acts of worship; therefore, I see that you are more appropriate for the caliphate than me.

The Imām answered him: Through renouncing the world I hope for the salvation from the evil of the world; through refraining from the unlawful I wish for wining good final results; through humbleness in the world I hope for exaltedness with Allah.

I have seen that I must remove myself from the caliphate and entrusted it to you, retorted al-Mamūn.

However, the Imām was fully aware of the intentions of al-Mamūn, who spared no effort to achieve his political objectives. How did al-Mamūn abdicate the caliphate while for it he killed his brother al-Amin; destroyed Baghdad; spread bereavement, sadness, and mourning among the regions of Islamic world? How did he hand it over to the Imām in spite of all these evil deeds?

The Imām gave a decisive answer which enraged al-Mamūn, saying to him: If this caliphate belongs to you, then it is not

[1] Ibid., vol. 2, p. 138.

permissible for you to take off the garment in which Allah has clothed you and to give it to other than you. If the caliphate does not belong to you, then it is not permissible for you to give me that which does not belong to you.

The Imām silenced al-Mamūn and closed before him all avenues of argument, so the latter threatened the former, saying: There is no escape for you from accepting this matter.

I will never do that willingly, retorted the Imām.

Dhu al-Riyāsatayn[2] admired this attitude of them and began saying: How fantastic, I have seen al-Mamūn, the Commander of the faithful, entrusting the matter of the caliphate to al-Ridā, and I have seen al-Rida saying to him: I have no ability or power for that. I have never seen the caliphate more abandoned than that.

The Imām, peace be on him, was aware of this false purpose, for al-Mamūn belonged to the Abbāsid family, who harbored malice against the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, killed them during the brightness of day and darkness of night, and spared no effort to eliminate them from the face of earth. As for al-Mamūn, he was the wickedest of them, for he killed the master of the Alawides, Imām al-Ridā, and killed other than him from among the pure Alawides. So how did the Imām trust him?

Al-Mamūns claimed Justifications

As for al-Mamūns claimed justifications during his asking the Imām, peace be on him, to undertake the caliphate, they are as follows:

He summoned al-Fadl b. Sahl and his brother al-Hasan b. Sahl. When the were before him, he told them that he would entrust the caliphate to the Imām. So al-Hasan exaggerated that before him and explained to him its disadvantages. However, al-Mamūn said: I had promised Allah that if I overcame the deposed one (i.e. al-Amin), I would have handed over the caliphate to the most meritorious (afdal)

[1569] Dhu al-Riyāsatayn means the man with two offices. This nickname was given to al-Fadl b. Sahl, who was in charge of the military and civil administration.

of the family of Abū Tālib. I do not know anyone more meritorious than this man on the face of the earth.[1]

This means that al-Mamūn had promised Allah that if he put an end to his brother and overcame him he would have handed over the caliphate to the most meritorious of the family of Abū Tālib, and the most meritorious of them in his time was Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him. But this did not happen according to the events that followed.

Through his handing over the caliphate to the Alawides, he tried to reward Imām Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, for his favors toward the Abbāsids, for the latter appointed Abd Allah b. Abbās as a minister and entrusted him with the Emirate of Basrah. Similarly, he entrusted Ubayd Allah b. al-Abbās with the Province of Yemen, and other favors he did toward them. So al-Mamūn wanted, through what he did, to reward the Imām regarding his children.[2]
He did that in order to seek obedience to Allah, His good pleasure, good for the community, and the interests of the Muslims.[3]

These are some justifications which al-Mamūn advanced as pretext for handing over the caliphate to Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him.

His false Justifications

These justifications were unreal. If al-Mamūn had been truthful to them, he would not have prevented the Imām from passing through Kūfa when he came from Medina (Yathrib), for he feared that the people would receive him in this city, which was among the centers of the Shiites in Islamic world; likewise, he would not have prevented him from passing through Qum, for the same reason. Moreover Abd Allah b. Abū Sahl al-Nobakhti, an astrologer, told him that it was not good for him to pledge allegiance to Imām al-Ridā when he appointed him as a successor after him; yet al-Mamūn insisted on pledging

[1] Maqātil al-Tālibiyyin, pp. 562-563.
[2] Al-Ādāb al-Sultāniya, p. 219.
[3] Al-Ma'mūn has declared than in the document of regency which we will mention.

allegiance to the Imām during that time.[1] This demonstrates that he was a liar regarding this matter.

Al-Mamūn asks the Imām to undertake Regency

Through all ways and means, al-Mamūn tried to convince the Imām, peace be on him, to accept the caliphate or at least the regency after him, but he refused him vigorously. He went on convincing the Imām for more than two months, but all his attempts came to nothing, for the Imām insisted on refusing him and refraining from undertaking any state office.

Al-Mamūn forces the Imām

All the diplomatic ways which al-Mamūn followed to convince the Imām, peace be on him, to accept regency came to an end, so he thought that he had to follow another way which was threatening the Imām. He sent for the Imām. When he was in his presence, a conversation took place between them, so the Imām said to him: By Allah, I have never told a lie since my Lord, the Great and Almighty, has created me. I have not renounced the world for the world, and I definitely know what you want.

What do I want? asked al-Mamūn.

The Imām asked him for security if he said the truth frankly, saying: The Imām (i.e. the leader) must be truthful, mustnt he?

I have given you security, replied al-Mamūn.

The Imām explained the motives which urged al-Mamūn to vest regency in him, saying: Through that you want the people to say: Surely Ali b. Mūsā (al-Ridā) has not renounced the world; rather it is the world which has renounced him. Do you not see that he has accepted regency and craved for the caliphate?

Al-Mamūn became angry, so he shouted at the Imām, saying: You always face me with what I hate! You have felt safe from my power! I swear by Allah, you should accept regency or I will force you

[1] Farajj al-Mahmūm, p. 142. Tārikh al-Hukamā', pp. 222-223.

to (accept) it! You should do that; otherwise, I will strike off your head [1]

The Imām, peace be on him, pleaded to Allah and supplicated Him, saying: O Allah, You have prohibited me from throwing my own soul into destruction; I have been forced; I am about to be killed by Abd Allah al-Mamūn if I do not accept regency! I have been forced just as Yusuf and Danyāl, peace be on them, had been forced by the tyrant of their time to accept authority! O Allah, there is no covenant except Your covenant; nor have I a friend except You! So give me success to establish Your religion and to enliven the Sunna of Your Prophet, Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family! Verily, You are the Master, and You are the Helper! You are the best Master, and You are the best Helper [2]

Any how, the Imām accepted regency while he was weeping and sad.[3] Pain and worries dominated him.

The Conditions of the Imām

The Imām mentioned before al-Mamūn some conditions which showed that he was dissatisfied with regency and that he was forced to accept this office. These conditions are as follows:

He would not appoint anyone as a governor.
He would not dismiss anyone.
He would not abolish any rite.
He would be a distant adviser in the affairs of the state.[4]

Yet al-Mamūn accepted these conditions which clashed with his objectives and exposed his intentions.

The Textual Document of Regency

The regency between the Imām, peace be on him, and al-
Mamūn was not confined to speech; rather it was written on an

[1] Al-Sadūq, Amāli, p. 43. 'Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 2, p. 140.
[2] 'Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 1, p. 19.
[3] Yanābi' al-Mawadda, p. 284.
[4] 'Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 2, p. 140.

official document signed by the Imām and al-Mamūn, witnessed by high-ranking statesmen, and transmitted by a group of historical sources. Ibn al-Jawzi came to know of the document and said: My uncle bought it (the document) for two hundred dinars and brought it to Sayf al-Dawla Sadaqa b. Mansūr, and there were in it scripts of a group of writers such as Abd Allah b. al-Abbās and the Moroccan Minister (al-Wazir al-Maghribi).[1] Similarly, Ali b. Īsā al-Arbali came to know of it and has mentioned its text in his book entitled Kashf al-Ghumma, and that was in the year 670 A. H.[2] I (i.e. the author) will narrate its text as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

This letter has been written by the servant of Allah (i.e. al-Mamūn) b. Hārūn al-Rashid, the Commander of the faithful, to Ali b. Mūsā b. Jafar.

Now then: So surely, Allah, the Great and Almighty, has chosen Islam as religion and chosen from among his servants messengers showing the way to Him and guiding to Him, the first of them gives good news of the last of them and the last of them testifies the first of them, until the Prophethood of Allah reached Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, after a cessation of the (mission of the) apostles, extinction of knowledge, a cessation of revelation, and approach to the Hour. So Allah has ended the prophets through him, made him a witness to them, and dominator over them, and He sent down to him His Holy Book falsehood shall not come to it from before it nor from behind it, a revelation from the Wise, the Praised One through which He has made lawful and unlawful, promised and threatened, cautioned and warned; through which He has ordered and prohibited, that the firm argument over His creatures may be His*, that he who would be perish might perish by clear proof, and he who would live might live by clear proof, and most surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing*.

So he (the Prophet) delivered on behalf of Allah His message

[1] Mir'āt al-Zamān, vol. 5, p. 148 (photographed).
[2] Kashf al-Ghumma.

and summoned (men) to His path through what He had ordered him of wisdom, good exhortation, reasoning in the best way, then through jihad and hardness, until Allah took him to Himself and chose for him that which is with Him. So when the Prophethood came to an end, and Allah ended through Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, the revelation and the message, He has made the religion continue and regulated the authority of the Muslims through the caliphate, its completion and exaltedness, and undertaking it with respect to Allah through obedience through which the duties and punishments imposed by Allah, Islamic laws are carried out, and jihad is waged against His enemy.

So it is obligatory on the vicegerents of Allah to obey Him concerning what He has entrusted to them and attracted their attention regarding His religion and His servants, and it is obligatory on the Muslims to obey their caliphs and to help them in establishing the right and justice of Allah, the security of the way, sparing blood, settling hostility, and reuniting; otherwise, the cord of the Muslims disorders; they become disordered; their beliefs become different; their religion is defeated; their enemy becomes powerful; they are different in opinion; and they lose this world and the next.

So it is incumbent upon him whom Allah has appointed as a vicegerent on His earth and entrusted him with His creatures to do his best for Allah, to prefer that in which there is the good pleasure of Allah and obedience to him, to follow that for which Allah will make him stand and about which He will question him, to rule with the truth and do with justice in what Allah has placed him and vested him with, for Allah, the Great and Almighty, says to His prophet Dāwud: O Dāwud, surely We have made you a ruler in the land; so judge between men with justice and do not follow desire, lest it should lead you astray from the path of Allah; (as for) those who go astray from the path of Allah, they shall surely have a severe punishment because they forget the day of reckoning. And (for) Allah, the Great and Almighty, said: So by your Lord, We shall ask them all about what they were doing. And (for) we have heard that Umar b. al-Khattāb said: If a goat got lost on the bank of the Euphrates, I would fear that Allah would ask me about it.

By Allah, surely the one who will be asked about his own soul and informed of his work regarding what is between him and Allah will be brought before a great affair and tremendous danger; therefore, just imagine how much more is (the situation) of him who is responsible for taking care of a community? And reliance is on Allah; to Him is the flight, desire for success and protection, directing and guiding to that through which argument is established, good pleasure and mercy from Allah are won.

And the best of the community in reflecting on his own soul and the loyalist of them to Allah regarding His religion and His servants from among His creatures on His earth is he who works according to obedience to Allah, His Book, and the Sunna (practices) of His Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, during the period of his days and after it, strains his own opinion regarding him to whom he has entrusted his reign, whom he has chosen for the Imāmate over the Muslims and taking care of them after him, and appoints for them him who is a great figure and a place of flight in order to bring them into harmony, to reunite them, to spare their blood, to give them security, with Allahs permission, from their division, their being corrupt by enmity, and their difference, and to raise the insinuation and trickery of Satan from them. For Allah, the Great and Almighty, has regarded regency after the caliphate as part of completing and perfecting Islam, exalting and setting right its followers, and He has inspired succession in His vicegerents through His emphasizing on him whom they choose for Him after them, who through whom blessing is great and well-being is inclusive, and Allah, through that, has invalidated the deception of men of dissension, hostility, slander, difference, and any lying in wait for discord.

He (al-Mamūn) has been the Commander of the faithful since the caliphate reached him, so he has tried its ugly taste, its burdensome undertaking, its hard provisions, clinging to obedience to Allah which is obligatory on him who undertakes it (the caliphate), and fear of Him concerning what He has burdened with it. So he has tired his body, kept his eye awake, elaborated his thinking on that through which the religion is glorified, the polytheists are suppressed, the community is

set right, justice is spread, the Book and the Sunna are established; and he has deprived himself of ease, gentleness, and happy life. He is aware of that about which Allah will ask him; he likes to meet Allah while he is loyal to Him regarding His religion, His servants, choosing for succession after him and taking care of the community the best one (of men) in religion, piety, and knowledge, and the most hoped of them for assuming the command and right of Allah, whispering (to Him) through seeking refuge (in Him) concerning that, asking Him for inspiration in which there is His good pleasure and obedience to Him by day and night, reflecting on seeking and requesting him through the members of his household from among the children of Abd Allah b. al-Abbās and Ali b. Abū Tālib, confining himself to his knowledge of him whose condition and doctrine he has come to know, sparing no effort and power to ask about him whose affair is unknown to him, till he examined their affairs through knowledge, tried their stories through seeing, regarded their conditions as innocent through observing, and discovered that which is with them through questioning.

So his (al-Mamūns) choosing him (al-Ridā) was after asking Allah for the best and exerting himself in accomplishing His right toward His servants and His earth concerning the two houses in general. That is because he (al-Mamūn) has seen his (the Imāms) brilliant excellence, his plain knowledge, his manifest piety, his pure asceticism, his renouncing the world, and his being safe from the people. He has clearly come to know that reports, tongues, and words have unanimously agreed upon him. Besides, he still knows his excellence when young and adult, hence he has appointed him as his successor after him, having confidence in asking Allah for the best regarding that, for Allah has come to know that his act is as preferring for him and the religion, taking care of Islam and the Muslims, seeking safety, and establishing argument and salvation on the day when men will stand for the Lord of the worlds.

The Commander of the faithful had summoned his sons, the members of his house, his personal entourage (khāssa), his commanders, and his servants, and they with pleasure have pledged

allegiance (to al-Ridā). They are aware of that the Commander of the faithful has preferred the obedience to Allah to his own desire regarding his children and other than them from among those who are more interlaced than him in womb relationships and closer (than him) in kinship.

He (al-Mamūn) has named him al-Ridā (consent), for the Commander of the faithful is satisfied with him; therefore, O group of the household of the Commander of the faithful and those who are in the guarded city from among his commanders, his soldiers, and the Muslims in general, pledge allegiance to the Commander of the faithful and after him to al-Ridā, Ali b. Mūsā in His name, His blessing, His good decree for His religion, and His servants, with a pledge of allegiance for which you stretch out your hands and at which you are delighted. You are aware of what the Commander of the faithful has intended through it (the pledge of allegiance), preferring through it the obedience to Allah, taking care of himself and you, giving thanks to Allah for what He has inspired in the Commander of the faithful through it regarding accomplishing His right in taking care of you, his clinging to directing you and setting you right, hoping for the advantage of that through reuniting you, sparing your blood, bringing you together, closing your frontiers, strengthening your religion, defeating your enemy, setting right your affairs; and hasten to obedience to Allah and to the Commander of the faithful, for it is security; if you hurry to him and praise Allah for him, you will know that good luck is through him, Allah willing.[1]

This document has ended and was dated on Monday on the eighth of the month of Ramadān, in the year 201 A. H.

Al-Mamūn asked Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, to write the document of regency with his own sacred hand, and he, peace be on him, wrote the following:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, praise belongs to Allah, the Doer of what He intends, there is no repeller of His decision; nor is there any repeller of His decree, who

[1] Subh al-A'shā, vol. 9, pp. 362-366.

knows the stealthy looks and that which the breasts conceal, and His blessings be upon His Prophet, the last of the prophets, and his family, the good, the Pure.

I say, and I am Ali b. Mūsā b. Jafar, that the Commander of the faithful, may Allah support him with rightness and give him success for right guidance, has come to know of our right of which other than him has failed to know, so he has tightened the womb links which have been cut, made safe the souls which have become frightened; rather he has enlivened them while they were already destroyed, made them rich while they were poor, seeking the good pleasure of the Lord of the world, wanting no reward from other than Him, and Allah will reward the grateful and He does not waste the reward of the doers of good.

And that he has entrusted his regency and the great authority to me if I remain (alive) after him, so he who unties the knot of the command of Allah through tying it and breaks a handle whose fastening is more lovable to Allah, then surely Allah will make lawful his sacredness if he through that reproaches the Imām and violates the sacredness of Islam, according to this the former (i.e. Imām Ali) did, was patient toward the random matters, and did not object the resolutions, for he feared that the religion would be scattered, the cord of the Muslims would be disordered, the affairs of the pre-Islamic paganism age was close (to him), an opportunity might be seized, and calamity might quickly be created.

And I have appointed Allah (as witness) over my own soul if He makes me take care of the authority over the Muslims and vests me with His vicegerency to work among them (men) in general and the children of al-Abbās b. Abd al-Muttalib in particular, through obedience to Him and to His Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, that I will not shed forbidden blood; nor will I make lawful pudenda nor property except that which is shed by the punishments prescribed by Allah and made lawful by the religious duties issued from Him, and that I will do my best and power to choose the most qualified persons, and through that I have placed against my own soul a certain promise about which Allah will ask me, for He, the Great and

Almighty, says: And fulfill the promise; surely (every) promise shall be questioned about.

And if I originated or changed or altered, I would be worthy of being changed and liable to severe punishment, and I seek refuge in Allah from His wrath, desire for success in obeying Him, coming between me and disobeying Him, (giving) well-being to me and to the Muslims.

Al-jāmia [1] and al-jafr [2] indicate the opposite of that, and I do not know what will be down toward me and you, surely the judgment is Allahs; He relates the truth and He is the best of the deciders, but I have obeyed the order of the Commander of the faithful, preferred his good pleasure, and Allah protects me and him; I have called Allah to bear witness to my own soul through that, and Allah is enough for a witness.

I have written (the document of regency) in my own handwriting in the presence of the Commander of the faithful, may Allah prolong his life, al-Fadl b. Sahl, Sahl b. al-Fadl, Yahyā b. Akkthem, Bishr b. al-Mutamir, and Hammād b. al-Numān, in the month of Ramadān, in the year 201 (A. H.).

Al-Fadl b. Sahl, the minister of al-Mamūn, wrote the following: The Commander of the faithful, may Allah prolong his life, has decreed reading the meaning of this letter outwardly and inwardly in the Holy Shrine of our master, Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, between the theological center (rouda) and the Pulpit in the presence of the elite from among the Banū Hāshim, the rest of the friends and the soldiers, and he asks Allah to make the Commander of the faithful and all Muslims know through it the argument over all Muslims and to invalidate the vague errors which have hindered the viewpoints of the ignorant: On no account will Allah leave the believers in the condition which you are in.

[1] (The document called) al-jāmi'a is a scroll seventy yards long which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, dictated from his own mouth and 'Ali b. Abū Tālib wrote in his own hand writing.
[2] Al-jafr or the white case is a vessel in which are the Torah of Mūsā, the Gospels of 'Īsā, the Psalms of Dāwud and the other Books of Allah.

Al-Fadl b. Sahl wrote (this document) in the appointed date.

Yahyā b. Akkthem has written the following: Yahyā b. Akkthem has testified to the content of this page outwardly and inwardly, and he has written in his own handwriting the (appointed) date.

Hammād b. al-Numān has written the following: Hammād b. al-Numān has testified to the content (of this document) outwardly and inwardly.

Bishr b. al-Mutamir has written the following: Bishr b. al-Mutamir has testified to the like of that and written in his own handwriting the (appointed) date.[1]

It is necessary for us to pause in order to consider the document of al-Mamūn, what Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, has written, and what al-Fadl b. Sahl has testified, and that is as follows:

The Contents of the Document of Regency

The document of regency signed by al-Mamūn and Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, contains the following:

Firstly, praising Islam and Allahs great Book, which is a perfect system and an inclusive institution for making man happy and righteous.

Secondly, lauding the great Prophet, the greatest summoner to Allah, hoister of torch of monotheism and intellectual renaissance on earth.

Thirdly, clarifying the succession after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, for through it the religion is established, the authority over the Muslims is regulated, and it is the shadow of Allah on earth.

Fourth, it is obligatory on the Muslims to obey the caliphs, for disobedience to them causes disadvantages to Islamic world.

Fifth, the caliphs undertake important responsibilities of which are preferring obedience to Allah to all things, ruling over men with

[1] Subh al-A'shā, vol. 9, pp. 392-393.

fairness and justice, and other important responsibilities which the document has inclusively shown.

Sixth, among the most important responsibilities of the caliphs is that they designate successors after them, that the designation should be based on perfect choice and exact test regarding him whom they appoint after them, and that the choice should not be subject to partiality and desires, for such an action leads the community to disadvantages.

Seventh, al-Mamūn did his best to choose the successor after him, so he did not find in the Abbāsid and the Alawide families anyone more meritorious than Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, because he had noble qualities of which are the following:

A. Brilliant excellence,

B. Useful knowledge,

C. Pure asceticism in the world,

D. And refraining from all things made unlawful by Allah,

the Most High.

It is these noble qualities which urged al-Mamūn to elect the Imām and to nominate him for regency after him.

The Contents of what the Imām has written

As for the contents of what Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, has written concerning regency, they are as follows:

Firstly, praising al-Mamūns relationships with the Alawides, for he refreshed them through such relationships after they had faced tyranny and oppression through the Abbāsid rulers, who spared no effort to eliminate the Alawides from the face of earth; it is worth mentioning that the Abbāsids buried the Alawides while they were alive, killed them everywhere, threw their babies into the Tigris, and wreaked other tragedies upon them.

Secondly, through these word of him, if he through that reproaches the Imām, Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, referred to his grandfather, Imām Ali, the Commander of the faithful, the gate of the city of the knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his

family, and the pioneer of his wisdom, whom the people removed from his office which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, entrusted to him on the Day of Ghadir Khum, and accordingly the community suffered from terrible kinds of tragedies and calamities, for the caliphate was undertaken by some criminals such as Muāwiya, Yazid, al-Walid, al-Mansūr, and other than them from among the Imāms of oppression and tyranny who spared no effort to oppress the people and to force them to yield to what they hated.

Similarly, through these words of him, and was patient toward the random matters, he referred to the words of Umar b. al-Khattāb, who described the pledge of allegiance to Abū Bakr as, a random matter (falta) from whose evil Allah has protected the Muslims. So Imām Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was patient toward this random matter, which he has mentioned in his saying: and there is pricking (qadhā) in the eye * *and suffocation (of mortification) in the throat. That is because he feared that the word of Islam would collapse, and the unity of the Muslims would crack, for the Muslims were still close to the pre-Islamic paganism age, and the enemy forces lied in wait for attacking Islam if any division occurred in it; therefore, it is this matter which prompted Imām Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, to be patient toward those who took his legacy.

Thirdly, the Imām promised before Allah and the Muslims that he would rule the Muslims with a policy based on pure justice, that he would return to the people the practices of his grandfather the greatest Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and that he would choose for the organ of government qualified and righteous persons who feared Allah, the Exalted, and sought the next world. If the Imām had undertaken the caliphate over the Muslims, he would have achieved all these great goals.

Fourth, the Imām, peace be on him, predicted that he would not assume the caliphate; nor would the community lead a life of ease and comfort during his rule, for he had read al-jāmia and al-jafr, which were among the deposits of the Prophethood, in which was the knowledge of what was and what would be until the Day of

Resurrection, which showed that he would not undertake the caliphate, and that al-Mamūn would deceive him through regency.

The Contents of al-Fadls writing

As for what al-Fadl b. Sahl wrote in the document of regency, it refers to that al-Mamūn ordered this document to be read in the mosque of the Prophet between the theological center and the Pulpit, and in the presence of the Hāshimite notables, the armed forces, and the rest of the people, for reading the document in such a place would emphasize regency and disprove the views of the ignorant and of the partial.

These are some contents of the document and its supplements. They are plain; there is no confusion or ambiguity in them.

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Imām

Al-Mamūn held a general popular festival attended by the ministers, the high-ranking statesmen, the commanders of the armed forces, and the rest of the people; at their head were the Alawides and the Abbāsids; the festival was held on Tuesday, the second day of the blessed month of Ramadān[1], in the year 201.[2]

Al-Mamūn was seated and he had had two great cushions placed for Imām al-Ridā, so that he would have the same kind of seat and covers. He seated al-Ridā, peace be on him, on them; he was dressed in green and wearing a turban and a sword. Then al-Mamūn ordered his son, al-Abbās, to be the first of the people to make the pledge of allegiance to him[3], and then the people pledged allegiance to him.

The Way of the Pledge of Allegiance

As for the way the people followed to pledge allegiance to the Imām, peace be on him, it was unique, with which the Umayyad and

[1] 'Uyūn al-Tawārikh, vol. 3, p. 221.
[2] Sir al-Silsila al-'Alawiya, p. 38. Mir'āt al-Zamān, vol. 6, p. 40. Al-Qudā'i.
[3] Bihār al-Anwār.

the Abbāsid kings were not familiar, for he, peace be on him, moved his hand and hit his own face with the back of it and their faces with the palm.

Stretch out your hand for the pledge of allegiance, al-Mamūn demanded.

The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, used to make the pledge in this way when the people pledge allegiance to him, retorted al-Rida, peace be on him.[1]

Perhaps the Imām depended on these words of Him, the Exalted: The hand of Allah is above their hands. So it was not permissible for one who made the pledge of allegiance to place his own hand above the hand of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, or above the hand of the Imām, peace be on him.

The Imām predicts that this Matter will not be achieved

Imām al-Rida, peace be on him, was dressed in the robes of honor and attended that meeting. Orators and poets rose and began to mention his great merit and summoned the people to pledge allegiance to him. The Imām, peace be on him, looked at one of his close associates, who was feeling happy about what had happened. He signaled him to come closer. He went closer to him, and he said so that no one else could hear: Do not occupy your heart with this matter and do not be happy about it. It is something which will not be achieved.[2]

The matter was as the Imām, peace be on him, had said, for this pledge of allegiance to him was not achieved, and al-Mamūn broke his promise when he gave him poison to drink and assassinated him.

Al-Mamūn delivers a Speech

When the ceremonies of the pledge of allegiance to the Imām were over, al-Mamūn rose, ascended the pulpit, and addressed the

[1] Maqātil al-Tālibiyyin.
[2]Al-Fusūl al-Muhimma, p. 238.

people, saying: O people, you have come to know about the pledge of allegiance to Ali b. Mūsā b. Jafar b. Mohammed b. Ali b. al-Husayn b. Ali b. Abū Tālib, peace be on him. By Allah, if I recited these names before the deaf and the dumb, they would recover with the permission of Allah, the Great and Almighty.[1]

Imām al-Ridā delivers a Speech

After the pledge of allegiance to Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, had terminated, al-Mamūn asked him to ascend the pulpit and address the people, so he went up on the pulpit. He praise and glorified Allah, and then he said: O People, we have a right due to us from you through the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, and you also have a right due to you from us through him. If you carry out your duty to us, then it is necessary for us to carry out our duty to you.

The Imām did not mention anything other than these words[2] in which he has expressed his right due to him from the people, for he is the grandson of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who was faithful to their religion and their world, and took them out of the life of error and estrangement, so if they had carried out his right and installed him as a caliph, then it would have been obligatory on him to establish in their regions justice in all its senses and concepts.

Al-Abbās delivers a Speech

Al-Abbās, the orator, delivered an eloquent, wonderful speech and ended it with this poetry line:

There is no escape for the people from having a sun and

a moon, so you are a sun, and this is that moon.[3]

[1] 'Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 2, p. 147.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Tadhkirat al-Khawās, p. 364.

Persons abstain from pledging Allegiance to the Imām

Some persons abstained from pledging allegiance to the Imām, for they harbored malice against him, hated him, and were indignant with al-Mamūn because of his appointing the Imām as a successor after him. They are as follows:

Īsā al-Julūdi.
Ali Bin Umrān.
Abū Yunus.[1]

Al-Mamūn ordered them to be arrested and imprisoned.

Al-Mamūn orders them to be executed

He ordered these three persons to be taken out of the prison. When they stood before him and saw Imām al-Ridā sitting beside him, they became so angry that Ali b. Umrān addressed al-Mamūn, saying: I seek refuge for you, O Commander of the faithful, with Allah from taking out this authority, which Allah has vested in you and with which He has singled you out, and placing it in the hands of your enemies and those whom your forefathers had killed and made homeless in the land.

O Son of the adulteress, shouted al-Mamūn at him, why have you insisted on that?

Then he ordered his head to be struck off. Then Abū Yunus was brought before him. When he saw the Imām sitting beside al-Mamūn and enjoying honor and magnification, he became displeased and addressed al-Mamūn, saying: O Commander of the faithful, by Allah, this (one) who is sitting beside you worships an idol apart from Allah.

As a result al-Mamūn ordered him to be executed, and he was executed. Then Īsā al-Julūdi was brought into his presence. It is worth mentioning that he was the mortal enemy of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them. It was he whom Hārūn al-Rashid had

[1] 'Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā.

sent to Medina (Yathrib) in order to loot and confiscate the garments and jewels of the granddaughters of Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family. Accordingly, he went to the house of Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, intended to break into it and to loot the garments of the Alawide ladies. The Imām refused that, but al-Julūdi paid no attention to him. So the Imām began entreating him and promising him that he would go in and bring him what he wanted. Al-Julūdi yield to the words of the Imām, who went in, gathered the garments and jewels of the Alawide ladies, and gave them to him. He took them and went away. As for the Imām, he asked al-Mamūn to pardon al-Julūdi, but he refused him vigorously, saying: O my master, it is this (person) who had looted (the garments and jewels) of the granddaughters of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family!

Al-Julūdi looked at the Imām when he was speaking to al-Mamūn and entreating him in order to pardon him, but the stupid one (i.e. al-Julūdi) thought that the Imām intended to avenge himself upon him because of what he had done toward him, so he said to al-Mamūn: O Commander of the faithful, I ask you through Allah and my service to al-Rashid not to accept the statement of this (i.e. the Imām) concerning me.

Al-Mamūn turned to Imām al-Ridā and said to him: O Abū al-Hasan, he has asked me for pardon, and we regard his oath as true.

Then he addressed al-Julūdi, saying: No, by Allah, I will not accept his statement concerning you.

Then he turned to the police men and said to them: Let him join his friend! So he was advanced and his head was struck off.[1]

Important Decrees

Al-Mamūn issued some important decrees on the occasion of appointing Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, as a successor. They are as follows:

Giving salaries to the soldiers for one full year.

[1] Ibid., vol. 2, p. 161-162.

Abandoning the black uniform of the Abbāsids[1], and dressing in green. I (i.e. the author) think that the inhabitants of the Garden will be dressed in green, for Allah, the Most High, says: And they shall wear green robes of fine silk and thick silk.[2]
Striking dirhams and dinars with the name of Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him. Al-Sayyid Abd al-Qādir Ahmed al-Yusuf has mentioned some examples of that currency as follows:

(The Dinar)

It has been written in the center of its face: There is no god but Allah, the One without associate with Him. It has been written in the girth: In the name of Allah, this dinar was struck in Samarqand in the year 202. And it has been written in the circle: Allahs is the command before and after, and on that day the believers shall rejoice at Allahs help.

It has been written in the center of the back: Allah, Mohammed is Allahs Messenger, al-Mamūn is the vicegerent of Allah, of what the Emir al-Ridā, the regent over the Muslims, Ali b. Mūsā b. Ali b. Abū Tālib has commanded.

And it has been written in the circle of the center of the back: Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah; He has sent him with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse.

(The Dirham)

Abd al-Qādir has moved the shape of the dirham from Berlin Museum numbered 1295. The formula of the writing in the center of

[1] Ina tradition it has been mentioned that Gabriel came down to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and was dressed in black, so he asked him: "O Gabriel, what about this black uniform?" "It is the uniform of children of your uncle al-'Abbāss," replied Gabriel, "O Mohammed, your children will face destruction from the children of your uncle al-'Abbāss." This has been mentioned in Wasā'il al-Shi'a, vol. 3, p. 279.
[2] Qur'ān, 18, 31.

the face is: There is no god but Allah, the One without an associate with Him. in the year 203.

The writing in the circle is: Allahs is the command before and after, and on that day the believers shall rejoice at Allahs help.

The writing in the back is: Allah, Mohammed is Allahs Messenger, al-Mamūn is the vicegerent of Allah, of what al-Ridā has commanded.

The writing in the circle is: Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah; He has sent him with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse.

Another shape of the dirham available in the British Museum in London, number 289 is as follows:

The writing in the center of the face is: There is no god but Allah, the One without an associate with Him.

The writing in the girth is : the year 2

The writing in the circle is: Allahs is the command before and after.

The writhing in the center of the back is: It was commanded by the Emir of the Muslims, Ali b. Mūsā...Ali b. Abū Tālib...Dhu al-Riyāsatayn.

The writing in the circle is: Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah.

These dots show that some letters have been erased, for they have copied in this manner in the world catalogs. This writing has been erased because the currency is very old and used very much. There are examples of the dirhams which were struck in the year 704 A. H., the same as the currency of the Imām, and it has been written in them what had been written in the original currency.[1]

[1] Al-Imām 'Ali al-Ridā Wali 'Ahd al-Ma'mūn, pp. 62-65.

The Imām marries al-Mamūns Daughter

Al-Mamūn asked Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, to marry the Princess, Mrs. Umm Habib[1]; the Imām accepted that and married her. Al-Mamūn intended to seek nearness to the Imām, that the relationships between them might be strong. Some traditionalists think that al-Mamūn married his daughter to the Imām in order to spy on his behavior and activities. This step suits al-Mamūn, who is famous for deception and trickery.

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Imām in all Cities

Al-Mamūn ordered all his governors over all Islamic cities and regions to take from all citizens the pledge of allegiance to Imām al-Ridā regarding regency. The following are some cities where the pledge of allegiance to him was taken:

1. Medina (Yathrib)

All popular classes in Medina (Yathrib) happily received the news of regency of Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him. The governor of Medina, Abd al-Jabbār al-Masāhiqi, hurried to the mosque of the Prophet in order to take from the inhabitants of the city the pledge of allegiance (to the Imām). That was after al-Mamūns command concerning that. He ascended the pulpit and addressed the people, saying: O People, this is the matter for which you have wished, the justice for which you have waited, and the good for which you have hoped. This is Ali b. Mūsā b. Jafar b. Mohammed b. Ali b. al-Husayn b. Ali b. Abū Tālib, the peace of Allah be upon them.[2]

The pledge of allegiance to Imām al-Ridā was the most important and valuable hope for which the Muslim community waited,

[1] Abū al-Farajj al-Asfahān has mentioned: "Imām al-Ridā married Umm al-Fadl, al-Ma'mūn's daughter." This is incorrect; the correct is that the Imām married Umm Habib.
[2] Al-'Aqqd al-Farid, vol. 5, p. 226.

for it impatiently waited for the return of the rule to the Imām, that he might establish pure justice among it, spread security and welfare among its regions, and save it from the oppression and tyranny of the Abbāsids.

2. Egypt

Al-Mamūn wrote to his governor over Egypt, al-Sari, and ordered him to take from the Egyptians the pledge of allegiance to his successor Imām al-Ridā. The letter came to al-Sari in the month of Muhrrah, in the year 202. So al-Sari started taking the pledge of allegiance to the Imām, peace be on him. But Ibrāhim b. al-Mahdi, the leader of the singers in Baghdad, spoiled this pledge of allegiance, for he wrote to the prominent soldiers and their commanders in Egypt and ordered them to depose al-Mamūn and his heir apparent and to revolt against al-Sari. So some of them responded to him, among them were al-Hārith b. Zara b. Mahzam at al-Fistāt, Abd al-Aziz al-Wazir al-Jarawi at the bottom of the land, Salāma b. Abd al-Malik al-Azdi al-Tahāwi at al-Said, Sulaymān b. Ghālib b. Gabriel, and Abd al-Aziz b. Abd al-Rahmān b. Abd al-Jabbār al-Azdi. As a result they revolted against al-Sari, summoned the people to pledge allegiance to Ibrāhim, and appointed Abd al-Aziz al-Azdi as a governor over Egypt. So al-Sari warred against them, captured Abd al-Aziz and a group of his family. He killed some of them, sent some of them along with Abd al-Azizs daughter to al-Mamūn, and he ordered them to be killed. The rest went to al-Harawri in order to protect them.[1] In this manner the revolt was suppressed, and the people pledged allegiance to the Imām.

3. Mecca

Al-Mamūn sent Īsā al-Julūdi to Mecca in order to take from its people the pledge of allegiance to the Imām, and in Mecca was Ibrāhim, the brother of Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him. Īsā al-Julūdi summoned the Meccans to pledge allegiance to the Imām, peace be on

[1] Al-Wilāt wa Kittāb al-Qudāt, p. 168.

him, and to dress in green. So they responded to him with happiness and thankfulness, invoking (Allah) for al-Mamūn for accomplishing their wish and hope through this pledge of allegiance.[1]

4. Kūfa

The overwhelming majority in Kūfa received the news of the pledge of allegiance to the Imām with happiness and delight. Al-Mamūn entrusted al-Abbās, the son of Imām Mūsā, peace be on him, with taking from the Kūfans the pledge of allegiance (to the Imām). Ibrāhim b. Abd al-Hamid gave him one hundred thousand dirhams and said to him: Fight on behalf of your brother, for the Kūfans respond to you for that, and I am along with you. Al-Abbās undertook this task, so a large group of them responded to him. A group of people said to him: If you summon (us) to al-Mamūn and then after him to your brother, then we are in no need of your summons; and if you summon (us) to your brother or to some of the members of your household or to yourself, then we will respond to you. So al-Abbās said to them: I summon (you) to al-Mamūn in the first place, and then after him to my brother, al-Ridā.[2]

These people abstained from pledging allegiance to the Imām, condemned those who pledged allegiance to him, and summoned them to break the pledge of allegiance. When Ibrāhim b. al-Mahdi came to know about the desertion of the Kūfans, he ordered his army residing at the Nile and under the leadership of Said and Abū al-Bit to occupy Kūfa and suppress the mutiny. The armies of Ibrāhim marched and arrived at al-Qantara near Dir al-Awar. There they were hindered by a military force headed by the Alawide, Ali b. Mohammed b. Jafar and Abū Abd Allah, the brother of the great leader Abū al-Sarāyā, so it met them, and finally the armies of Ibrāhim b. al-Mahdi won a victory (over it).

Then the armies of Ibrāhim advanced towards Kūfa; they were dressed in black; their motto was: O Mansūr there is no obedience to

[1] Al-Ya'qūbi, Tārikh, vol. 3, p. 277.
[2] Al-Tabari, Tārikh.

al-Mamūn. The Kūfans cowered and were unable to war against them, so they sent a delegation to the commander-in-chief of the army of Ibrāhim in order to give security to al-Abbās and his group, and he responded to them for that and made it a condition on them that al-Abbās and his companions should leave Kūfa. Then the delegation came back to al-Abbās, who had no knowledge of that, and said to him: Surely all your followers are mobs; you will see that the people will face war, loot, and murder; therefore, leave us; we are in no need of you.[1]

Accordingly, al-Abbās left Kūfa while he was sad and sorrowful. He came to know that the Kūfans would not protect him; nor would they fulfill their promise and covenant toward him. Then the armies of Ibrāhim entered Kūfa, but no clashes took place between them and those who pledged allegiance to the Imām as a heir apparent.

These are some of the regions where the pledge of allegiance to the Imām was taken as a heir apparent.

Persons criticize the Imām

Some Shiites criticized the Imām for his accepting the succession after al-Mamūn, the Abbāsid. They are as follows:

1. Mohammed Bin Arafa

Mohammed b. Arafa came to the Imām and asked him: O son of Allahs Messenger, what has made you accept regency?

That which made my grandfather the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, accept the consultative council, replied the Imām.[2]

Imām Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was forced to take part in the consultative committee which Umar b. al-Khattāb chose in order to elect the caliph after him. The Imām announced his sadness and sorrow because of his joining the members of the consultative council, saying: But good heavens! What had I to

[1] Ibid.
[2] Wasā'il al-Shi'a, vol. 12, p. 148.

do with this consultation? Where was any doubt about me with regard to the first of them that I was now considered akin to these ones? Imām al-Ridā was forced to accept regency just as his grandfather was forced to accept the consultative committee.

2. A Man

A man criticized him for his accepting regency, saying: May Allah set you right, how have you become the successor of al-Mamūn?

Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, denied his accepting the succession after al-Mamūn. Then he asked the man: Who is better the Prophet or the testamentary trustee?

No, the Prophet, replied the man.

Who is better the Muslim or the polytheist?

No, rather the Muslim, answered the man.

Then the Imām, peace be on him, stated a decisive argument, saying: The Chief of Egypt was a polytheist, and Yusuf was a prophet. Al-Mamūn is a Muslim, and I am a testamentary trustee. Yusuf asked the Chief to vest him with an office, to the extent that he said to him: Place me (in authority) over the treasures of the land, surely I am a good keeper, knowing well. As for al-Mamūn, he has forced me to be his successor.[1]

3. Al-Rayyān Bin al-Salt

Al-Rayyān Bin al-Salt visited Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, and said to him: O son of Allahs Apostle, surely the people say: Verily, you have accepted regency though you show asceticism in the world.

So the Imām answered him: Allah was already aware of that I hated that. So when I had to choose between that and murder, I preferred acceptance to murder. Woe upon them! Surely Yusuf was a prophet and messenger, but when necessity pushed him to undertake the treasures of al-Aziz (the Chief of Egypt), he said to him: *Place me
*

[1] Ibid., p. 146.

(in authority) over the treasures of the land, surely I am a good keeper, knowing well. Similarly, necessity pushed me to accept that (i.e. regency), though I was forced and was about to be destroyed. I have accepted this matter and will leave it. So I complain to Allah, and it is He Whom we ask for help.[1]

The Imām vigorously expressed his hate and detest toward this office, but he was forced to accept it.

4. A Khārijite

A Khārijite angrily walked towards the Imām and asked him: Tell me about your entering into (negotiations) with this tyrant (i.e. al-Mamūn) while you regard them as unbelievers and you are the grandson of Allahs Messenger, so what made you do that?

The Imām replied: Who are more unbelieving in your viewpoint they or the Chief of Egypt and the inhabitants of his kingdom? Dont they, any how, claim that they are monotheists and those were polytheists and did not profess Allah? Wasnt Yusuf b. Yaqūb a prophet and son of a prophet; yet he demanded the Chief, who was an unbeliever, and said to him: Place me (in authority) over the treasures of the land, surely I am a good keeper, knowing well, and took the place of the Pharaohs? As for me, I am one of the children of Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family. He (al-Mamūn) forced me to accept this matter. What have I denied and you have become indignant with me?

The Khārijite began saying: I witness that you are the son of Allahs Apostle, and that you are truthful.[2]

Through his conversations with those who were indignant with him, the Imām, peace be on him, has shown that he was forced to accept being a heir apparent. That is because he had to chose between killing and accepting regency, so he accepted regency in order to save his own soul from the destruction which would cause no advantage to Islam.

[1] Ibid., p. 147.
[2] Ibid., pp. 149-150.

The Indignant with al-Mamūn

The anti ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, forces were indignant with al-Mamūn because of his designating Imām al-Ridā as a heir apparent; they regarded this procedure as taking the caliphate from the Abbāsid family who enjoyed its shadow.

The Abbāsid family was the most indignant with al-Mamūn, for they regarded that as a danger against their kingdom and the end of their lives. They were so angry with him that they took the following measures:

Deposing al-Mamūn

The Abbāsids refused al-Mamūns pledge of allegiance to the Imām, regarded it as abolished, made public their mutiny against al-Mamūn before the people, asked them to reject the pledge of allegiance to him and to his heir apparent. So many people responded to them. Accordingly, they stated that they were not responsible for the pledge of allegiance to al-Mamūn.

The Pledge of Allegiance to Ibrāhim Bin Shakkla

The Abbāsids intended to pledge allegiance to their leader Ibrāhim b. Shakkla[1], the Shaykh of the singers and the musicians in Baghdad. They summoned the people to accept him as a caliph and called him al-Murdi (the satisfactory one).[2] The aware and the intellectual circles made fun of him and disdained him, for he was reckless and free from all values and traditions; concerning him Dibil al-Khazāi, a revolutionary and social poet, has composed:

Ibn Shakkla cried in Iraq and (among) its people, so those

blind and foolish hurried to him.

If Ibrāhim (Ibn Shakkla) undertakes it (the caliphate),

[1] Shakkla was the mother of Ibrāhim and was a black female-slave. As for Ibrāhim, he was so strong with a great body that he was called al-Tinnin (the dragon), Wafayāt al-A'yān, vol. 1, p. 20.
[2] Al-Ya'qūbi, Tārikh.

then, after him, Makhāriq and Zalzal will be appropriate

for it.

How do, and that does not occur, the dissolute inherit the

caliphate one by one?

Dibil al-Khazāi mocked the caliphate which was undertaken by this dissolute person. He has shown that if the caliphate had been suitable for him, then it would have been suitable for his equal singers such as Zalzal, and Makhāriq. It is an act of mockery that Ibrāhim assumed the caliphate and undertook the affairs of the Muslims. The historians have said: Ibrāhim was the mortal enemy of the family of Ali, peace be on him. When he had heard that regency was entrusted to Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, he became so angry that he composed these poetry lines:

So may the Abbāsids not be rewarded well, according to my claim, nor may they be delighted with my kindness.

They quickly came to me; and the barren time has brought

them clear news.

It has untied the bands of the properties from them and

put them round the heads of the Alawides.

So they (the bands) have clamored when they have been

put round the heads which will demand the

Prophets legacy.[1]

In his time the central budget became bankrupt, and the soldiers gathered around his court asking him for their salaries, so his messenger came out for them and said to them: He has no money. A joker demanded and said: In stead of money, let the Caliph comes out and sing three songs for the people on this side and three songs for the people on that side.[2]

Dibil has composed a poem regarding this funny view, saying:

O soldiers, do not be hopeless; take your salaries

and do not be displeased.

He will sing you a song the

[1] Al-Wilāt wa Kittāb al-Qudāt, p. 168.
[2] Wafayāt al-A'yān, vol. 1, p. 21.

beardless and the bearded enjoy.

Your leaders songs, neither enter the bag nor

tie it.

In this manner the caliph, who plays on the lute,

provides his soldiers with the means of subsistence.

He has stamped the record of your salaries and corrected

the determination; therefore do not be displeased.

The pledge of allegiance to Ibrāhim is an ill omen, during it the people will be killed or subjected to famine.[1]

Al-Mamūns Letter to the Abbāsids

Al-Mamūn and his Abbāsid relatives exchanged letters of cursing and slandering. Al-Mamūn sent the Abbāsids a letter which says[2]:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds; Allah has blessed Mohammed and the family of Mohammed, in spite of the unwilling, now then:

Al-Mamūn has come to know of your letter, your scheming your affair, and your churning your butter. He has towered over the hearts of your young and your old. He is aware of you when you come to (him) and turn away (from him) and of what your letter had reached before you wrote it regarding coaxing falsehood, turning away the eminent figures of the truth from their places, your abandoning the Book of Allah and the traditions, and all that which has been brought by the truthful one Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, to the extent that you look like the bygone communities which had been destroyed (by Allah) through causing (the land) to sink down, drowning, the winds, the outcry, thunderbolts, and stoning.

*Do they not then reflect on the Qurān or are there locks on the
*

[1] 'Asr al-Ma'mūn, vol. 3, pp. 255-256.
[2] It was in reply to their letters which they had sent to al-Ma'mūn and asked him to answer it, so he has answered them through this letter which has abstracted them from every noble quality.

hearts? By Him who is closer to the jugular vein than al-Mamūn, were it not for that someone said, al-Mamūn has left answer due to feebleness, I would not answer you, because of your bad manners, your insignificant importance, your weak intellects, and your silly viewpoints in which you take refuge. So let a listener listen, and let those present tell those absent.

This part of al-Mamūns letter contains the following:

Al-Mamūn started his letter with calling down blessing upon Mohammed and his family, and then he said, in spite of the unwilling, by which he meant the Abbāsids, who spared no effort to eliminate the name of the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and to remove their intellectual and spiritual qualities from the world of Islam.
He was aware of the hidden things in the souls of the Abbāsids and came to know of their intentions. He came to know of them when they came to him and turned away from him. He was aware of them when they supported falsehood, abandoned right, left the Book of Allah and what was brought by the greatest Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.
He answered their letter not as a result of taking care of them; rather he feared that it would be said that he was unable to answer them. Now, let us return to read the second part of al-Mamūns letter.

Now then, Allah, the Exalted, sent Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, after a cessation of the (mission of the) apostles, while Quraysh were (taking care of) themselves and their properties; they did not think that there was anyone to compete with them (for exaltedness) or vie with them (for glory). So our Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was trusted and among the middle of them in house and the least of them in wealth. So Khadija, daughter of Khwaylid, was the first to belive in him and to help him through her own wealth. Then the Commander of the faithful Ali b. Abū Tālib believed in him while he was seven years old, did not associate anything with Allah even a flicker of an eye; nor did he worship an idol; nor did he swallow down usury; nor was he similar to those ignorant in their ignorance. As for the uncles of Allahs

Messenger, they were either a mean Muslim or a stubborn unbeliever except Hamza, for he did not refrain from Islam; nor did Islam refrain from him until he passed away while he was fully aware of his Lord.

As for Abū Tālib, he looked after him (the Prophet), brought him up, defended him, and protected him. When Allah took Abū Tālib to Himself, the people hurried and agreed on murdering him (the Prophet), so he immigrated to the people who made their abode in the city and in the faith, love those who have fled to them, and not find in their hearts a need of what they are given, and prefer (them) to themselves though poverty may afflict them, and whoever is preserved from the niggardliness of his soul, these it is that are the successful ones.

This part displays the mission of the greatest Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family; it shows that the Prophet was sent to an arrogant group of people who thought that there was none to compete with him for exaltedness and glory, and that, at the dawn of the brilliant mission, none believed in him except Umm al-Muminin (the mother of the believers) Mrs. Khadija, who appropriated all her wealth for his message, and after her believed in him Imām Ali, the Commander of the faithful, the peace of Allah be upon him, who was seven years old, did not prostrate for any idol and did not worship it; rather he worshipped Allah, the Most High, due to faith in Him and sincerity to Him.

As for the uncles of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, one of them was Abū Lahab, who was a spiteful, errant polytheist; among them was the hero of Islam, lion of Allah, the martyr Hamza, throw whom Allah exalted Islam, and who bravely defended Allahs Messenger until he died as a martyr.

The best uncle of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, is Abū Tālib, who believed in Islam, adopted its goals and doctrines, stood beside the Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, protected him, and drove away from him the scheming of the enemies. When this great figure died, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, lost the one who protected and defended him; in the mean time, Quraysh hurried to kill him, so he immigrated to

Medina (Yathrib), took it as a quarter for his summons and a capital for his government, for therein he found the choice who were ready to sacrifice their own souls for him. Now, let us return to another part of this letter:

None of the Muhājirin (Emigrants) supported Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, as Ali did, for he helped him, protected him through his own soul, and slept on his bed. Then he was still clinging to the parts of the frontiers. He clashed with the heroes, did not recoil from any equal, and did not turn the back in flight from any army. He was calm. He ordered the whole (people), but none ordered him. He was the most violent of all the people in pressure against the polytheists, the greatest of them in waging jihād for Allah, the most learned of them in the religion of Allah, the best of them in reading the Book of Allah, the most knowledgeable of them in the lawful and the unlawful.

It is he who is the leader of the authority (wilāya) in the hadith of Ghadir Khum and concerned by these words of him (the Prophet), may Allah bless him and his family: Your position with me is as Hārūn had with Mūsā, except that there will be no prophet after me. He was leader of the Day of al-Tāif, and the most lovable of all creatures to Allah, the Exalted, and to Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family. It was he who opened the gate (of Khaybar) and closed the gates of the mosque. It was he who carried the standard on the Day of Khaybar, killed Amrū b. Abdū Wūd, and was the brother of Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, when he made the Muslims associate with each other as brothers.

He was inaccessible and generous. It was he concerning whom the verse (was revealed): And they give food out of love for Him to the poor and the orphan and the captive.[1] He was the husband of Fātima, the mistress of the women of the world and of the Garden, and son-in-law of Khadija. He was the cousin of Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, who brought him up and maintained him. He was the son of Abū Tālib (and similar to him) in his support

[1] Qur'ān, 76, 8.

and jihād, and he was the soul of Allahs Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, on the Day of al-Mubāhala (the contest of prayer).

It was he whom Abū Bakr and Umar had consulted before they did any affair. They carried out what he regarded as right and did not carry out what he regarded as wrong. He was the only Hāshimite who took part in the Consultative Council. By my life! If his companions had been able to drive him away from him, just as al-Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) did, and they had found a way to that, they would have done.

As for your preferring al-Abbās to him (Ali), surely Allah, the Most High, says: What! do you make (one who undertakes) the giving of drink to the pilgrims and the guarding of the Sacred Mosque like him who believes in Allah and the latter day and strives hard in Allahs way? [1]

By Allah if a man of your men or other than him had a quality of the Commanders of the faithfuls laudable qualities, excellences, and the verses interpreted in the Qurān, then you would regard him as worthy of the caliphate and preferred him to the companions of Allahs Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, through that quality. Then the affairs would promote him until he undertook the affairs of the Muslims, so he did not take care of any of the Hāshimites except Abd Allah b. Abbās as a sign of magnifying his right and tightening the bonds of his blood relatives and confidence in him, so it was one of his affairs through which Allah will forgive him.

This part displays some excellences of Imām Abū al-Husayn, the pioneer of wisdom and knowledge in the world of Islam, of which is that he defended the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, supported him, protected him with his own soul and blood, spent the night on his bed when Quraysh decided to kill him, may Allah bless him and his family, clashed with the heroes, struck off their heads as a sign of defense for Islam; therefore, he was the most violent of all the people in pressure against the polytheists and the unbelievers. So how great his advantages for Islam are!

[1] Ibid., 9, 19.

Among his excellences is that he was the most learned and knowledgeable of the people in the precepts of the religion and the law of the master of the messengers, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, entrusted the authority to him, appointed him as his successor after him on the Day of Ghadir Khum, and said his famous statement regarding him: Whoever I am the master (mawlā) of, this man, Ali is his master. O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, be hostile to whoever opposes him, support whoever supports him and desert whoever deserts him. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, praised him again when he said to him: Your position with me is as Hārūn had with Mūsā, except that there will be no prophet after me.

Another example of his exalted position and his great importance with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, is that he (the Prophet) ordered all the doors facing his great mosque to be closed; he did not exclude in any of them except that of Ali, for it remained open and was not closed. Among his virtues is that he carried the standard on the Day of Khaybar, for it was he who conquered the stronghold of Khaybar and put an end to the Jews, and killed Amrū b. Abd wud, of whom the Muslims were afraid and whom none of them fought against except the hero and protector of Islam, Imām Ali, peace be on him.

Another example of the good traits of the Commander of the faithful is that when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, made the Muslims associate with each other as brothers, Ali was alone, so the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, associated with him as his brother and said to him: O Ali, you are my brother in this world and the next.

Another example of his excellences is that this holy verse was revealed concerning him, his two sons, and his wife, the mistress of the women of the world: And they give food out of love for Him to the poor and the orphan and the captive.

Another example of his virtues is that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, married him to the mistress of the women of the Muslims and part of him, Fātima al-Zahrā, peace be on her, for there was no man equal to her except Ali.

Yet another example of his great traits is that he was the soul of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, as it is indicated by the Verse of al-Mubāhala, for he, the peace of Allah be upon him, through his talents and genius, had a personality similar to that of the noble Messenger, who filled the world with light.

As Imām Ali had an exalted character and a great rank, Abū Bakr and Umar consulted him when they intended to carry out a certain affair; of course, they consulted him regarding the precepts of the religion.

In this part of al-Mamūns letter is that if any of the Muslims had had excellences like those of Imām Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, then he would have been worthy of undertaking the caliphate and authority over the Muslims. Now, let us listen to another part of this letter, which says:

Then we (the Abbāsids) and they (the Umayyads) were like one hand just as you claim until Allah, the Exalted, decided the authority for us, so we terrified them (the Alawides), straitened them, and killed them more than the killing of the Umayyads toward them. Woe unto you! Surely the Umayyads killed anyone (from among the Alawides) who unsheathed a sword, while we, the Abbāsids, have killed en masse; so, ask the great souls of the Hāshimtes what sin they committed. Ask those who were thrown into the Tigris and the Euphrates, and those who were buried in Baghdad and Kūfa while they were alive. How far! So he who has done an atoms weight of good shall see it. And he who has done an atoms weight of evil shall see it.[1]

This part of the letter gives an account of the Abbāsid rulers who committed tragedies toward the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, for they spared noeffort to wrong them and to eliminate them. In this connection al-Mansūr al-Dawāniqi said to Imām al-Sādiq, peace be on him: I will kill you and your family to the extent that I will leave none of you.[2]

[1] Ibid., 99, 7-8.
[2] Al-Manāqib, vol. 3, p. 357. Al-Bihār, vol. 47, p. 178.

And al-Mansūr said: I have killed more than one thousand (persons) from among the progeny of Fātima, and I have left their master and protector, Jafar b. Mohammed.[1]

And Ismāil al-Dibājj said when he escaped from al-Mansūr:

The tyrant is not satisfied with our blood which he sheds

every where, and he does not fall short of looking for (us).

Nothing will quench his thirst except that he will not see

on earth a son belongs to the daughter of the Prophet.[2]

Al-Mamūn has shown terrible kinds of tragedies which the Abbāsids wreaked upon the Alawides, and of which are the following:

A. Destroying all the Alawides.

B. Throwing them into the Tigris and the Euphrates while they were still alive to the extent that they died of drowning.

C. Burying them in Baghdad and Kūfa while they were still alive.

The children of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, suffered from other persecutions through the Abbāsids. Now, let us listen to another part of this letter:

As for what you have mentioned regarding the deposed one (al-Amin) and the confusion concerning him, by my life, none other than you had confused him, for it was you who had made easy to him breaking (the pledge of allegiance), adorned for him treason, and said to him: What could your brother do? He is an exiled man. You have properties and men. We will send for him, and he will be brought. So you had told lies and schemed (against him), and you have forgotten these words of Him, the Exalted: And he who has been oppressed, Allah will most certainly aid him.[3]

In this part of his letter, al-Mamūn has mentioned that some events happened between him and his brother al-Amin, and that the events were created by the Abbāsids, for it was they who made al-

[1] Al-Adab fi Zil al-Tashayya', p. 68.
[2] Al-Maqqrizi, al-Nizā' wa al-Takhāsum, p. 51.
[3] Qur'ān, 22, 60.

Amin love deposing al-Mamūn and subduing him. In other words the events happened not as a result of al-Amins view and planning. This is another part of this letter:

As for what you have mentioned regarding al-Mamūns reflection on the pledge of allegiance to Abū al-Hasan al-Ridā, al-Mamūn did not pledge allegiance to him but he was discerning concerning his affair and was aware that none on the face of the earth was clearer than him in excellence, more manifest than him in chastity, more pious than him in piety, more ascetic than him in asceticism in the world, freer than him in soul, more satisfactory than him with the personal entourage (khāssa) and the populace (āmma), and stronger than him in Allahs Selfness, and that the pledge of allegiance to him was surely agreeing with the good pleasure of the Lord, the Great and Almighty. I did my best for Allah and paid no attention to the blame of a blamer.

By my life! If the pledge of allegiance stems from partiality, then al-Abbās, my son, and the rest of my children will be the most lovable to my own heart and the most beautiful in my own eye, but I willed an affair and Allah willed an affair, so my affair did not precede Allahs.

This part gives an account of that al-Mamūn pledged allegiance to Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, during regency, and that it was not because of partiality, sentiments, and desires; rather it was on account of diligence, scrutiny, and consideration about the affairs of the Muslims. That is because the great Imām was endowed with exalted qualities of which are the following:

A. Surely the Imām was the most meritorious of all people on the face of the earth.

B. He was the most chaste person.

C. He refrained from the things made unlawful by Allah.

D. All the Muslims magnified him and preferred him to

other than him.

E. He, peace be on him, did not fear the censure of any

censurer regarding Allah.

It is these qualities which urged al-Mamūn to designate the

Imām as his heir apparent. Now, let us listen to another part of this letter:

As for what you have mentioned regarding the alienation which has touched you during my rule, by my life, it has not occurred but from you through your helping (al-Amin) against me and your inclination to him. But when I killed him, you scattered like slaves, so you sometimes followed Ibn Abū Khālid; sometimes you followed Arābi; and sometimes you followed Ibn Shakkla. Then all of you drew a sword against me. Were it not for that my trait was pardon and my nature was forgiveness, I would not leave any of you on the face of earth, for all your blood is lawful.

Al-Mamūn has expressed the estrangement and deprivation which befell the Abbāsids during his time, for they were the reason for that when they helped and supported al-Amin. However, when he was killed, they joined all those who mutinied against his government such as Ibrāhim b. Shakkla and the like, so through that they filled al-Mamūns heart with malice against them. Had it not been for that his quality was forgiveness, as he said, then he would not have left any Abbāsid on the face of earth. And this is another part of his letter, which says:

As for what you have asked about the pledge of allegiance to al-Abbās, my son, will you exchange that which is better for that which is worse? Woe unto you! Surely al-Abbās is still a young man; his reason is not acquainted (with life affairs); he is not given time (to stay) alone; experiences have not strengthened him; the women direct him; and the slave-wives maintain him. Then he has not understood the religion yet; he does not distinguish between the lawful and the unlawful; (he has nothing) except knowledge which subjects do not put into effect and through which no proof is established. If he was qualified; experiences strengthened him; he understood the religion, attained the high degree of the Emir of justice in asceticism in the world and turned away his soul from it, he would have with me nothing except what a man from Akk and Himyar had; therefore, do not mention this statement frequently, for my tongue is still restrained from affairs and stories which I hate (to mention), and for your souls

will be broken when they are revealed. It is worth mentioning that Allah will someday reach His order and manifest His decree.

If you refuse (all things) except removing the cover and revealing the defects, then al-Rashid informed me on the authority of his forefathers and of what he found in the book of the state and other than it that the Abbāsids would come to an end after the seventh son of al-Abbās and the blessing upon them would be confined to his own lifetime, so if it (the blessing) said farewell (to you), then you would say farewell to it. And if you lost my person, then seek a stronghold for your own souls. And how far! You will have (nothing) except the sword. Al-Hasani, the revolutionary, the wild or al-Sufyāni, the forced, will reap you with a reap, and al-Qāim al-Mahdi will not spare your blood except through its right.

This part of the letter shows the reasons which prevented al-Mamūn from designating his son, al-Abbās, as a heir apparent as follows: Al-Abbās did not have the qualifications which should be available in the heir apparent such as knowledge, excellence, piety, and the like. He was still a boy whom days did not educate and experience did not strengthen. He had neither knowledge nor culture. Rather, he was a youth whose affairs were directed by the women and the salve-wives, so how was it right for al-Mamūn to nominate him for this important office?

After this al-Mamūn added that al-Rashid told him about what he found in the book of the state; he told him that the Abbāsid state would come to an end after the seventh Abbāsid king, and that the Abbāsids would not rule after him.

As for al-Rashid, he made a mistake, for the Abbāsid state continued after their seventh king and then it came to an end by Hulagu the Tatarian, who struck off the heads of the Abbāsids, removed their kingdom and authority. Now, let us listen to another part of this letter, which says:

I pledged allegiance to Ali b. Mūsā because he himself was worthy of the caliphate and because I chose him; I did that because I wanted to spare your blood and to defend you through continuing love between us and them; I have followed this way in order to honor the

family of Abū Tālib and to aid them with a little of al-fayyā (war booty gained without fighting).

Al-Mamūn has said that his pledge of allegiance to Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, was for the interest of the Abbāsids, for, through this pledge of allegiance, he was able to spare their blood. Perhaps the reason for that is that many revolts broke out in Islamic world and summoned the people to pledge allegiance to al-Ridā from among the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, that he might establish political and social justice in the quarters of the homeland. When he brought him and appointed him as his successor, those revolts terminated. If they had continued, they would have destroyed the Abbāsid rule and put an end to the Abbāsids.

Now, let us return to another part of this letter, in which al-Mamūn says: And if you claim that I have intended to achieve a result and an advantage for them (the Alawides), then surely I always reflect on you, take care of you, your progeny, and your children after you, while you are inattentive, heedless, straying, in a gulf (of ignorance) blindly wandering on; you do not know what is wanted toward you, of the indignation you have cast as a shadow over him, and the extortion of the blessing. The concern of one of you is that he enters into evening while he is mounted and enters upon morning while he is drunk. You boast of acts of disobedience and rejoice at them. Your gods are the lutes. You are womanish and stupid. None of you thinks of setting right livelihood, continuing blessing, doing a noble deed, the day on which property will not avail nor sons, except him who comes to Allah with a heart free (from evil).

ss = t50>You have neglected prayers, followed desires, and busied (yourselves) with pleasures, so you will meet perdition. By Allah, perhaps, I think of your affairs, so I find none of the communities deserved punishment until it befell them out of a defect, except that I have found the defect itself in you along with many defects which, as I think, Iblis has not discovered; nor has he ordered (men) to put them into practice, while in His Holy Book, Allah has given an account of the people of (the Prophet) Sālih that there was among them nine persons whom made mischief in the land; yet you have followed them

inwardly and outwardly as a sign of making little of the hereafter and little certitude in the reckoning; therefore, which of you has an opinion which may be followed or useful reflection? So may your faces be distorted and your cheeks be covered with dust!

Al-Mamūn has described his own family with the ugliest qualities by which none is distinguished except low men and the deviants of regions. He has pictured them with a picture which is detested by the least of people in feelings.

Now, let us listen to another part of this letter, in which he says: And as for what you have mentioned about the fault regarding Abū al-Hasan (al-Ridā), may Allah enlighten his face, so, by my life, it is in my viewpoint for renaissance and independence through which I hope that I will pass al-Sirāt [1], security and salvation from the fear on the Day of the Greatest Fear, and I do not think that I have a deed better than that except that I must return the like of it (the caliphate) to the like of him (al-Ridā). How can I obtain that (deed)? And how can you win that happiness?

Al-Mamūn has refuted the viewpoints of his own family, who criticized him for his making an unforgivable mistake through appointing Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, as a heir apparent. So he answered them that he took such a step for the renaissance and independence of the community, for he had nominated for the leadership of the community the best man on the face of earth, that he might establish the truth, spread justice, and return dignity to Islam.

This is another part of this letter, in which he says: As for your statement that I have discredited the views of your forefathers and insights of your ancestors, then this is the statement of the Qurayshi polytheists, who have said: We have found our fathers on a course, and surely we are guided by their footsteps.[2] Woe unto you! Surely the religion is not taken (from anyone) except from the prophets; therefore, understand (what I say to you), and I do not see that you understand (it).

[1] Al-Sirāt is a path or a road or a kind of bridge which only the righteous can cross on the road to Paradise.
[2] Qur'ān, 43, 22.

Through this statement, al-Mamūn has disproved the viewpoints of his own family, who claimed that he had discredited the viewpoints of his forefathers and spoiled the insights of his ancestors, and that was through his showing kindness to the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. It is worth mentioning that this silly logic was followed by the Qurayshi polytheists, who have said: We have found our fathers on a course, and surely we are guided by their footsteps.

Now, let us listen to the last part of this letter, in which he says: As for your reviling because of my following the policy of the Magians toward you, then nothing has made you believe in that except haughtiness even if apes and pigs govern over you. By my life, they had been Magians, and they have become Muslim just as our fathers and mothers in the past. So they are the Magians who have become Muslim, and you are the Muslims who have become apostates. Therefore a Magian who becomes a Muslim is better than a Muslim who becomes an apostate. For they prevent each other from doing evil and enjoin (men) to do good; seek nearness to good; refrain from evil; defend the sacredness of the Muslims; rejoice at evil which befalls polytheism and polytheists; give good news to one another of good which includes Islam and Muslims, so of them is he who accomplished his vow, and of them is he who yet awaits, and they have not changed in the least.[1]

You are either one who plays with his own soul or stupid or a singer or one who plays on the tambourine or one who plays on the flute. By Allah, if the Umayyads, whom you killed yesterday, were raised from the dead and it was said to them, Do not disdain the defects through which you disparage them, they would increase nothing to what you have adopted inwardly and outwardly as a craft and manners.

You become impatient when evil touches you and deprive (others) of good when it touches you. You do not disdain (offenses) and do not hope (for good deeds) except out of fear. How do you

[1] Ibid., 33, 23.

disdain (offenses) while you spend the night mounted, enter upon morning admiring your own sins as if you had earned a praiseworthy deed, your goal is your stomach and your pudenda, pay no attention to murdering one thousand sent prophets or angels brought nigh in order to attain your own desires, love him who adorns act of disobedience for you or helps you with ill-deed, are cleaned by the drunken woman, are patted by the unknown one, and your conditions are scattered? You must refrain from (doing) evil deeds and atrocities or the sword will be raised above your heads, and there is no strength save in Allah; my reliance is on Him, and He is sufficient unto me.[1]

This letter has terminated, and in the last part of it, al-Mamūn has mentioned the defects and atrocities of his own family. I (the author) think that there is no Arab family has been stained with such atrocities, which al-Mamūn has mentioned, and which led this family to an endless level of meanness.

[1] Al-Bihār (modern edition), vol. 49, pp. 208-214. Hayāt al-Imām al-Ridā, pp. 453-460, I (the author) have quoted the letter from it.