Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha Volume 2

Chapter 39: On the Departure of Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) from Neishaboor Towards Toos and Marv

39-1 Tamim ibn Abdullah ibn Tamim al-Qurashi - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his father quoted on the authority of Ahmed ibn Ali Al-Ansari, on the authority of Abdul Salam ibn Salih al-Harawi, “When Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) was going to see Al-Ma’mun, they reached a village called al-Hamra. He was told, “O son of the Prophet of God (a.s.)! It is noon. Will you pray?” He got off (his mule) and said, “Bring me some water.” They said, “We have no water.” He (a.s.) dug the ground with his hands and water started to flow out. He and those with him all made their ablutions with that water. The water is still there today. When they entered Sanabad he faced the hill from which they make stone pots[^1] and said, “O God! Please grant benefits by it. Bless whatever they place there and whatever they build from it.”

Then he ordered a few stone pots to be built from that hill for him and said, “Please do not make any food for me unless you cook it in these pots.” He (a.s.) used to eat very little. He also ate simple food. The people were thus guided towards him and the blessing of his prayers became apparent from that hill. Then he went to the house of Hamid ibn Qahtaba al-Ta’ee. He went to the grave in which Harun Al-Rashid was buried. Then he drew a line next to it and said, “This is my grave. I will be buried here. God will establish this place to be the place where my followers and friends will come and go. By God, whoever visits me and sends greetings upon me will be certainly forgiven by God. He will benefit from God’s Mercy due to our intercession - the intercession of the Members of the Holy Household.” Then he turned towards the Qibla and said prayers and supplications. Then he prostrated for a long time. I counted. He praised the Glory of God for five hundred times. Then he stopped.

39-2 Abu Nasr Ahmad ibn Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad ibn Obayd al-Dhabbi narrated that he had heard that Abul Husayn ibn Ahmad quote on the authority of his grandfather, on the authority of his father, “When Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) entered Neishaboor at the time of Al-Ma’mun, I was at his service and took care of his needs as long as he was there until he departed towards Sarakhs. I accompanied him. I accompanied him when he wanted to leave Sarakhs to go to Marv. But as soon as we passed through one way-station, he brought out his head from his carriage and

39

1 - حَدَّثَنا تَمِيمُ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه بْنِ تَمِيمُ القُرَشِي رَضِىَ

2 - حَدَّثَنا أَبُو نَصْرِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ

said, “O Aba Abdullah! Return. May you be successful. You have performed what is incumbent upon you. You need not accompany me anymore.” I said, “I swear by al-Mustafa (the Prophet), al-Mortadha (Imam Ali) and az-Zahra (Fatima). Please tell me one tradition to heal me so that I may return.” He said, “Are you asking me for traditions? I have left the neighborhood of my grandfather - the Prophet of God (a.s.) - not knowing what will happen to my affairs.” I said, “I swear by al-Mustafa, al-Mortadha and az-Zahra. Please tell me one tradition to heal me so that I may return.” Then he said, “My father (a.s.) narrated that his father (a.s.) quoted on the authority of his father (a.s.) that he had heard his forefathers (a.s.) say that they heard their forefathers (a.s.) say that they heard Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) say that he had heard the Prophet (S) say that God - the Exalted the Magnificent - said, There is no god but God is My Name. Whoever says it sincerely and whole-heartedly will enter My Stronghold. Whoever enters My Stronghold is secure from My punishment.”

The author of this book (a.s.heikh Sadooq) - may God forgive him - said, “Sincerity here means that these words should protect him from saying what God the Exalted the Honorable has forbidden.

39-3 Muhammad ibn Musa al-Mutawakkil - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of Yasir - the servant, “When Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.)[^2] entered the palace of Hamid ibn Qahtaba he took off his clothes and handed them to Hamid. Hamid handed them to his maid to wash. Shortly later the maid returned with a sheet of paper and said that she had found it in Abil Hassan Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’’s attire. She handed it to Hamid. Hamid said, “May I be your ransom! The maid found this paper in the pocket of your shirt. What is it?” He said, “O Hamid! This is a charm which I never separate from myself.” I said, “Could you honor me with it?” He (a.s.) said, “This is a charm. Calamities will be warded off from whoever has it in his pocket. He will be secured from all calamities. It is a protection for him against the evils of the damned Satan (and from the King).” He then dictated the charm to Hamid. It is as follows, “In the Name of God the Beneficent, the Merciful. In the Name of God. I take refuge in the Merciful from you - whether you are pious or not. By God - the One who hears and sees all - I shut off your ears and eyes. You have no power over me, my ears, my eyes, my hair, my skin, my meat, my blood, my brain, my nerves, my

3 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى المُتَوَكِّل رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ

bones, my family, my property, and the daily bread that God bestows upon me. I draw a veil between me and you - a veil of the Prophets by which God’s Prophets protected themselves from the Kings of the Pharaoh. Gabriel is on my right side, Michael is on my left side. Israfil is behind me. And Muhammad (a.s.) is in front of me. God is informed about me, and will protect me from you and from Satan. O my Lord! May not Satan’s ignorance overcome Thy Patience so as to make me frightened and belittled. O my Lord! I take refuge in Thee. O my Lord! I take refuge in Thee. O my Lord! I take refuge in Thee.”

[^1]: Nowadays it is called ‘Kooh Sangi.’

[^2]: Imam Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.)