Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha Volume 1

Chapter 1: Why Is Ali Ibn Musa (a.s.) Called Al-Ridha’

The author of this book (a.s.heikh Sadooq) lived in Ray. He was a jurisprudent whose name was Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn ibn Musa ibn Babwaih al-Qumi, a resident of Ray - may God help him in obedience of God, and grant him success in His gratification.

1-1 My father, Muhammad ibn Musa ibn al-Motawakkil, Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Majiluwayh, Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem; Al-Husayn ibn Ibrahim Natanat; Ahmad ibn Ziyad ibn Ja’far al-Hamadani; Al-Husayn ibn Ibrahim ibn Hisham al-Mokattib, and Ali ibn Abdullah - may God be pleased with them all - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father that Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr al-Bezanti told Abi Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Musa (a.s.), “Some of your opponents think that Al-Ma’mun called your father Al-Ridha’ (a.s.) that means ‘acceptable’ or ‘liked’ since he liked your father and chose him to be his crown-prince. Imam Al-Jawad (a.s.) said, “No, by God, they are liars. God the Almighty the Sublime named him Al-Ridha’ (a.s.) since he was accepted by God the Almighty in His Heavens[^1], and he was accepted by his Prophet (S) and the Imams (a.s.) that followed the Prophet (S) on His Earth.” Al-Bezanti said, “Were not your father and grandfathers accepted by God, the Prophet and the Imams?” Imam Al-Jawad (a.s.) said, “Yes, they were.” He then asked, “Why then only was your father called Al-Ridha’ and they were not?” Then Imam Al-Jawad (a.s.) said, “That is because his friends and followers as well as his opponents accepted him, while this was never the case for my forefathers. Therefore, he is the only one who is called Al-Ridha’.”

1-2 Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran ad-Daqqaq - with whom God may be pleased - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abi Abdullah al-Kufi

1

1 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ المُتَوَكِّل؛

2 - حَدَّثَنا عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْرانَ

quoted on the authority of Sahil ibn Ziyad al-Adami, on the authority of Abdul Azeem ibn Abdullah Al-Hassani, on the authority of Soleiman ibn Hafs al-Marwazy that Imam Al-Kazim (a.s.) used to call his son Al-Ridha’ and said, ‘Call my son, Al-Ridha’’, or ‘I called my son Al-Ridha’.’ When he talked to his son Al-Ridha’, he called him Abul Hassan (that is the same as Abul Hassan or Abil Hassan).[^2]

[^1]: “He Who created the seven heavens one above another: No want of proportion wilt thou see in the Creation of (Allah) Most Gracious. So turn thy vision again: seest thou any flaw?” [The Holy Quran: Mulk 67:3]

[^2]: According to some references Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) had as many as 39 children. They include Ali ibn Musa Al-Ridha’ (a.s.), Abdullah, Husayn, Farz, Ali, Hassan, Ahmad, Muhsen, Saradin, Abdullah, Aqeel, Tayyeb, Muhammad, Nasir, Yasir, Hamza, Mahmood, Ahmad, Ridha’, ShahRidha’, Sam, Lam, Yaqoob, Ja’far, Ibrahim, AbuJavab, Yusuf, Fatima, Amina Khatoon, Khanoom Aqa, Tavoos Khatoon. According to the hypertext material at the following url address: http://www.coej.org/islamic_resources/7thimam.htm, he (a.s.) had 19 sons & 18 daughters. The most famous of his sons is his successor, Imam Ali Al-Reza (a.s.) buried in Mashhad and the most famous of his daughters is Fatima Kubra known as Masuma who is buried in Qum. Yasir and Nasir are also buried in the suburbs of Mashhad on the road to Torqaba. Another one is said to be buried in Babol in the north of Iran in a place known as Imamzadeh Sultan Muhammad Taher. This shrine is located 3 km east of Babol and has been officially registered as an Iranian historical relic. Its tower is octagonal and each line is erected on a rectangular artificial arch at the bottom. The shrine was built in the year 1470 A.D.