Imam_al Rida_a Historical_and Biographical Research

8/13/2019 Imam_al Rida_a Historical_and Biographical Research

1/190


2/190

Presentedbyhttp://www.alhassanain.com & http://www.islamicblessings.com

ImamalRidaAHistoricalandBiographicalResearch

Author

:

Muhammad

Jawad

Fadlallah

Introduction

PrefaceOurBeliefinAhlalBayt[as]

Preface2OurBeliefinAhlalBayt[as]

HisDistinctions

and

Characteristics

ClemencyandTolerance

ImamandtheWaqfis

Imamandthe'Caliphs'

TheRegency

RegencyCelebrated

Imam'sRoleinEliminatingalFadlibnSahl

TheTragicEnding

ImamandAlawideRevolts

HisWorks

Altercations

BasicBeliefs

Exegesis


3/190


Shari'a(IslamicLegislativeSystem)

SelectHadithoftheImam

HisMoralsandCounsels

RegencyDocument

Introduction

Imam

Abul

Hassan

II,

Ali

ibn

Mousa

al

Rida,

is

the

eighth

in

the

series

of

the

Imams

from

the

HouseholdoftheProphetinwhosepersonalitiesallthestandardsofgreatnesshavebeen

personified;so,theybecameitsmostmagnificentexampleandmostgenuinefountainhead.

Hislifewascharacterizedbyasombertragicstampfromitsgrievousbeginningtillitspainful

end.Bitternessseldompartedfromhissoulduringtheperiodshelived,i.e.thereignofHarun

alRashidandthebeginningoftheregimeofalMamoon,thelatter'sson.

Attheoutsetofhislife,hewitnessedthenormsoftrialsandtribulationswhichfilledthelife

ofhisfatherImamMousaibnJa'fer(A.S.)[1],thepatientImamwhosemereexistencewasthe

causeof

worry

for

the

ruling

government

and

the

source

of

its

suspicious

doubts

despite

his

peacefulstance,distancinghimselffromanycausesforadirectconfrontationtherewith.

TheAbbasidecaliphalMehdiIIIorderedtheImam(A.S.)togotoBaghdadsothatthecaliph

wouldsecurefromhimpromisesandpledgesthathewouldnotopposehisauthorityor

mobilizearevolutionagainsthimtoputanendtohisregime,andtheImam(A.S.)didnotgo

backhometillalMehdijoinedhisLordandhisshouldersbentbytheloadoftheregime'ssins

andimmoralactionstobesucceededbyalHadi.Thelattertriedtoputanendtothelifeof

theImam,buthedidnotlivelongenough,soalRashidaccededtothethrone,thusthe

parchingflamesofthetragedystartedincineratingtheexistenceoftheAlawisheadedby

ImamMousa

ibn

Ja'fer

(A.S.),

and

the

dungeons

of

Baghdad,

Basrah,

Wasit

and

other

cities

couldnotlimittheregime'spassionforseekingrevengeagainstitsopponents.Itsantagonistic

attitudescausedittoinventnormsofrevengeworsethanwhatthosedungeonscould

provide,suchthathumanityshuddersfrom.Instructionsissuedbythegovernmentrequired

thebuilderstofillthehollowbuildingcylindersandcolumnswiththestillalivebodiesofthe

eliteamongAlawiyouthsandnonAlawisympathizersandtocausethemtodiethusoutof

Thelinked imagecannotbedisplayed.Thefilemay havebeen moved,renamed,or deleted.Verify thatthelink pointsto thecorrectfileand location.


4/190


suffocation.Thisuglymethodofeliminatingthegovernment'sopponentswasnotsomething

inventedbyalRashid,butitwasacontinuationofacustomstartedbyalMansourtoseek

revengeagainstsomeAlawiyouthsashistorytellsus.[2]

ImamMousaibnJa'fer(A.S.)receivedthelion'sshareoftheatrocitiessufferedbytheAlawis

duringthat

period

of

time.

Al

Rashid

imprisoned

him

due

to

his

being

the

top

Alawi

leader,

subjectinghimtoextremepressuresathishorribledungeonsforfourteenyearsaccordingto

someaccountstillhebecametiredofthinkingofmethodsandmeansofinflictingpainon

him;therefore,heorderedalSindiibnShahik,throughhisministerYahyaibnKhalid,whowas

inchargeofthelastprisoninwhichtheImamwasimprisoned,topoisonhimandridhimof

thepresenceofonewhorobbedhimofhistranquilityandpeaceofmind.Meanwhile,the

Imam(A.S.)waspainfullyandbitterlywatchingcloselythebloodyeventswhichconsumed

manyofhisownfamilyandkin.

Hewasdestinedtorelivethetragedythroughwhichhisfatherhadlivedfromitsbeginningto

theendwithoutbeingabletodecreaseitsintensity,forhewaspowerlesstodoso.Maybehe

evenawaitedthesamefateatthehandsoftherulinggang,forthedisputewasoneofa

conflictofprinciplesbetweentherulersononehandandtheAlawisontheother;itwasnota

personalityconflict.

AfterthemartyrdomofhisfatherandtheperishingofalRashid,thentheendingofthedays

ofalAmininthewaytheyended,andalMamoonreceivingthereinsofgovernment,the

windsofyetanothertragedyofadifferenttypestartedblowingattheImam(A.S.).Itwasa

tragedytheImam(A.S.)livedwithextremebitterness.

AlMamoon,duetocertainpoliticalreasonswhichwewilldiscussseparatelyinthisresearch,

decidedtousetheImam(A.S.)asabargainingchipbetweenhimandtheAbbasidesin

Baghdadononehand,andbetweenhimandtheAlawisontheother,andalsobetweenhim

andtheShi'asofKhurasanaswell.Theployofrelinquishingthethronewasfoiledwhenthe

Imam(A.S.)refusedtoaccedetoit.Thenhewasforcedtoplayaroleinthemasqueradeof

thesuccessiontothethrone.Wearehereconcernedaboutdispellingsomeoftheambiguity

whichshroudedit,theambiguitywhichdraggedmanyresearchersintoahelterskelter

situationtheresultsofwhichbecameobscuredfromtheirsuperficialsightthescopeofwhich

didnotexceedtheskimmingofthesurface,nordidtheytakethetroubletodelvedeeplyinto

thedepthsoftheirresearch.

ItisworthmentioningherethatwhentheImam(A.S.)refusedtoacceptthecaliphatefrom

theabdicatingcaliph,alMamoon,ortotakechargeofthepostofheirtothethrone,hehad

noreasonexcepthisownawarenessoftherealdepthofthegoalalMamoonanticipatedto

achievebyhisplan,andthatthedesiretoabdicatewasnotgenuineenoughtobetaken


5/190


seriously;rather,itwasapoliticalmaneuverwherebyalMamoondesiredtoperfecthisgame

duringaparticularperiodoftime,agamewhichwasdictatedbypoliticalcircumstances

posingseriousthreatstohisseatofgovernment.Itwasasituationonwhichtheverydestiny

ofalMamoondepended.

Theexpected

finale

was

thereafter

enacted

when

al

Mamoon

completed

his

acting

part,

whichhehadrehearsedbeforehand,perfectingtheplayingofhisintricateroleinsuch

dexterityandskillwhichsecuredaperiodoftranquilityforhisregime,somethingwhichhe

couldnothaveotherwiseachievedhadhenotdoneso,aswewilldiscusslaterinthis

research.

Inadditiontotheabove,weshallattempttodealwiththecomprehensiveaspectsofthelife

oftheImam(A.S.)sothatthepicturebecomescleartouswhenwewishtoreviewthelifeofa

greatImamsuchasImamalRida(A.S.).

MuhammadJawadFadlallah

[1]AcronymsofAlaihisSalam(peacebeuponhim).

[2]IbnalAthir,Vol.4,p.375.Hesaid:'AlMansourMuhammadibnIbrahimibnalHassanwas

broughtin,andhewasthemosthandsomemanpeopleeversaw.Heaskedhim,`Areyouthe

onenicknamedtheyellowsilk?'Heanswered,`Yes.'Hesaid,`Ishallcertainlykillyouina

mannerwhichIhavenotemployedtoanyoneelse,'thenheorderedhimtobeplacedina

cylinderand

it

was

built

up

on

him

while

he

was

still

alive;

thus,

he

died

inside

it."

Maqatil

al

Talibiyyin,p.136,indicateslikewise.

PrefaceOurBeliefinAhlalBayt[as]

Imam

al

Rida

is

one

of

the

bed

rocks

of

Islamic

thought

and

one

of

its

main

rich

sources

of

knowledge.AfterthedemiseofhisfatherImamMousaibnJa'fer(A.S.),thesecretsoftheDivine

Messageandthekeystoitstreasuresbecameattainabletohim,sohequenchedhisthirst

therefromandderivedthesourceofhisintellectualcontributionfromthesame.

HeisoneoftheTwelveImamsoftheAhlalBayt(A.S.)whoenrichedtheIslamicthoughtwith


6/190


varioustypesofknowledgeduetotheknowledgetheyinstructedtheirstudentstowritedown,or

inprovidingtheiranswerstothequestionsputforthtothembyothers,ortowhathistoryhas

narratedtousoftheirscientificandtheologicaldiscourseswithfollowersofotherMuslimsects.

ThedistinctionwhichcharacterizedtheImamsoftheAhlalBayt(A.S.)andwhichattractsour

attentionwhen

we

study

their

biographies

is

the

fact

that

they

were

obligated

to

others

to

providethemwithknowledgewhilenobodywasobligatedtoacceptitfromthem.Thisisadivine

blisswithwhichGodendowedtheminordertoachievethroughthemtheestablishmentofHis

ProofagainstHiscreation,somethingwithwhichtheywerecreditedevenbytherulersamong

theircontemporaryopponentsandbythemostprominentthinkersamongtheircontemporaries.

Supportingthisphenomenonisthefactthatsomesciencesandtheirdetailswerenotdistinctly

clearduringtheirtime,norweretheireffectsobvious,buttheybecameclearandtheir

ambiguitiesweredispelledbytheteachingoftheImamsoftheAhlalBayt(A.S.)suchasthe

scienceofchemistryofwhichImamJa'feralSadiq(A.S.)isconsideredastheveryfirstpioneerand

founderofitsprinciplesandrules,andthescienceofmedicineaboutwhichImamalRidaprovides

us,inhislettertoalMamoon,withaglorioussystemandaninnovativeapproachinthewayhe

explaineditsparticularitiesandregulations,inadditiontovariousothersciencesofwhichtheir

legacyisfullandtowhichtheircontributionsurpassedthatofanyoneelseinsettingtheircorner

stonesandinpointingouttheirvariousrequirements.

NoneamongthecontemporaryscientistswascreditedforbeingtheinstructorofImamalSadiq

(A.S.)inchemistry,orofImamalRida(A.S.)inmedicine.Rather,itwasthefountainhead

establishedforthembytheirgrandfather,BeareroftheMessage(S.A.W.)3,whiletheyinheritedit

sonfromfather.WemaynoticethattheImams(A.S.),uponbeingaskedaboutthesourceoftheir

knowledgeoftheanswerstothequestionsputforthtothem,referittotheirownparticular

comprehensionoftheBook(Qur'an),ortowhattheyderivedfromthebookoftheirmother

Fatima(A.S.),ortowhattheylearnedfromtheirforefatherswhointurnlearneditfromthe

MessengerofGod(S.A.W.).TheydidnotreferittothenarrationofasahabioftheProphetora

tabi'iortoanyotherlearnedscholarormanofknowledge.

Theirfamiliaritywithvariousbranchesofknowledgeandwithallnormsoflearningingeneralwas

acauseforthenation'sadmirationofandreverenceforthem.Theyweregrantedthefinalsayin

theirdisputes,insolvingaproblemwhichmayhavethenrisenamongtheircontemporary

scholarsormenoflearning.Everytimetheywereaskedaboutsomething,theywouldproducean

answerforitinsuchamostastonishingeasilyconvincingmannerwhichuntiestheknotofwhatis

complex,turningitintoacommonsenseknowledge,orinturningthetheoreticalintoapractical

necessity,withoutanyambiguityorconfusion.

Suchauniquedistinctionwasnotsharedbesidesthembyanyonefromamongthescholarsofthe


7/190


nationoritswisemendespitetheirvariousranksinknowledgeanddegreesofwisdomandpower

ofreasoning.

Sufficesusforaproofamagnificentdialoguewhichisrecordedinthebooksofhistoryand

biographybetweenImamalJawad(A.S.),whowasthenachild,andYahyaibnAktham,the

supremejudge

(or

judge

of

judges)

of

the

then

Abbaside

regime

in

the

meeting

prepared

by

al

MamoontounderscoredistinctionandsuperiorityoftheImamoverallotherswhenalMamoon

facedoppositiontohisdecisiontomarrytheImamtohisdaughterUmmulFadlduetohisyoung

age.Hewaspresumedtobeinneedofsomeonetoeducatehimandteachhimtheology.The

conclusionofthedialoguewasavictoryfortheveryyoungImaminhisstanceandtheshrinkingof

thejudgeandthecrowdoflearnedscholarsandpillarsofFiqhandSunnahandtheiradmissionof

hisdistinctionandthegreatnessofhisstatus.

NobodyeverreportedthatanyImamwasslowinprovidingtheanswertoanyquestionputforth

tohim,aquestionwhichdealtwithvariousbranchesofknowledgeandwithdifferentissues,

despitethefactthatsomeofthemwereactuallynotoldenoughtoprovidesuchanswers.

TheAmaliofSayyidalMurtadanarratesthefollowing:

AbuHanifasaid:"IsawonceMousaibnJa'fer(A.S.)asayoungboyinthecorridorofhisfather's

houseandIaskedhim:`Wheredoesastrangeramongyourespondtothecallofnatureifhehas

to?'Helookedupatmeandsaid:`Hegoesbehindawall,hidesfromtheviewoftheneighbour,

keepsadistancefromrunningrivers,residentialsewers,highways,mosques,withoutfacingthe

Qiblaorleavingitbehindhim;thenheturns,raises,anddepositsashepleases.'"AbuHanifa

continuestosay:"Havingheardthisanswers,IsawhimtobeamorenoblepersonthanIfirst

thought,andhisstatusgrewgreater.ThenIaskedhim:`Maymylifebesacrificedforyours;what

isthesourceofrenunciation?'Helookedupatmeandsaid:`SitdownandItellyouaboutit.'SoI

satdown,andhesaidthistome:`Renunciationcomeseitherfromtheservant,orhisLord,or

fromboth.IfitwerefromtheAlmightyGod,Heismorejustandfairthanrenouncingorwronging

Hisservantorpunishinghimforwhathedidnotdo.Andifitweretocomefrombothofthem,He

wouldbehisaccomplice,andthestrongOneismoreapttodojusticetoHisweakservant.Ifit

comesfromtheservantalone,heistobearitsburden,andheshouldbetheonetoforbid,and

forhimistherewardandpunishment,andforhimwerebothParadiseandHellprepared.'Isaid

(citingtheHolyQur'an:`...aprogeny,onefromanother...'"4

ButsomeImams,suchasImamalJawad,ImamalHadi,andImamalAskeri(A.S.),werenotold

enoughtobeacquaintedwithvariousbranchesofknowledgeandfieldsofarts,hadweclaimed

thattheirknowledgewastheproductofthetutoringoftutorsortheteachingofteachers,but

theywereaprogeny,onefromanother,asAbuHanifasaid,thatderivedknowledgefromthe

substanceoftheMessageandtheFountainheadofProphethood.Thatwasadistinctionforwhich


8/190


theAlmightychosethemfromamongHiscreationinordertomakethemlightpolesofthepath

ofguidance,andtomakethewordoffaithandrighteousnessthroughthemtheuppermost

throughouttheworld.

AlTabrani,inhisAlTarikhalKabir,andalRafi'iinhisMusnad,dependingontheauthorityofIbn

Abbas,quote

the

Messenger

of

God

(S.A.W.)

saying:

"WhoeverispleasedtolivethewayIhavelivedandtodiethewayIshalldie,toliveintheGarden

ofEdenwhichmyLordplanted,lethimemulatemyProgenyaftermeandfollowtheexampleof

myAhlalBayt(A.S.)aftermydemise,fortheyaremydescendants;theywerecreatedoutofmy

ownmouldandwereblessedwithmyownpowerofcomprehensionandknowledge;woeunto

thosewhodenytheirdistinctioninmynation,thosewhoseveretheirtieswithmyloins!Maythe

Almightydeprivethemofmyintercession."5

ImamAli(A.S.)says:"Iandtheeliteamongmydescendants,andthevirtuousamongmyprogeny,

arethemostclementwhenyoung,themostlearnedwhenold."6

Somehistoriansandresearchers,havingexhaustedthemselvesintheattempttoexplainthis

phenomenoninawaywhichseemsreasonabletothem,maytrytosupposethatsomeImamshad

mentorsandinstructorstoeducatethem.TheyclaimedthatImamZainulAbidin,ImamalBaqir,

andImamalSadiq,peacebeuponthem,weretutoredbysomeSahabaandTabi'in,without

relyingonanyhistoricaldocumentexceptmereconjecture,goingtoextremitiesintheir

guessworkandpresumption.

WhatprovesthefallacyofsuchpresumptionsandallegationsisthatwhenevertheImamswere

questionedaboutsomething,theywouldnotbasetheiranswersonwhatanyoftheSahabaor

Tabi'inhadsaid,butononeoftheirownancestorsuptotheMessengerofGod(S.A.W.),ortothe

booksofknowledgewithwhichtheyweredistinguishedandwhichtheyinheritedfromtheir

grandfathertheMessengerofGod(S.A.W.),somethingwhichanyonewhoresearchestheirlegacy

andisacquaintedwiththeirstatementscomestoknow.Anditmayquitebethecasethatsomeof

themwouldstatesoveryclearlywhichsupportsourownconclusion.

YetifwesupposethatsomeImamsdidindeedattendthesessionsofsomeofthoseSahabaor

Tabi'in,theirattendancedoesnotbyanymeansindicatethattheybecametheirstudents,orthat

theytookthemastheirownmentors,foroneoftheoutcomesoftutorshipatthattimewasthe

narrationofhadith,whereasitwasneverreportedthatanyImamnarratedhadithfromany

sourceotherthanhisownforefathers.Iftheydidinfactnarrateincidentsthroughotheravenues,

suchastheavenuesoftheSahabaorTabi'in,suchnarrationwasnotrelatedinanywaytothe

sciencesoftheIslamiclegislativesystem(Shari'a),ortoanyotherart;rather,itdealtwithmatters

relatedtothebiographyoftheProphet(S.A.W.),orintheirownprocesstoproveapointagainst


9/190


thosewhodidnotfollowthembycitingwhattheancestorsofsuchnonfollowershadthemselves

narrated.

Fromsuchastandpoint,wecanreferthereasonforsomeSunnitraditionistswhoconsideredthe

hadithofImamalSadiq(A.S.)as"weak,"thusneglectingtorecordit,tothesameargument,and

wecan

also

conclude

after

reading

their

statements

that

Imam

al

Sadiq

(A.S.)

was

not

tutored

by

anymentormentionedwithreverencebythem.

Forexample,inhisTabaqat,IbnSa'd,whilediscussingImamalSadiq(A.S.),said,"Henarrateda

greatdealofhadith;heisnotconsideredasanauthorityonhadithandthehadithhenarratedis

consideredweak.Thereasonforthisisthathewasonceaskedwhetherhehadlearnedthe

ahadithhenarratedfromhisfather,andheansweredintheaffirmative;onanotheroccasion,he

waslikewiseasked,andhisanswerwasthathehadreadtheminhis(father's)books."

AbuBakribnAyyashwasaskedonce,"WhydidyounotlearnhadithfromJa'ferandyouwerehis

contemporary?"Heanswered,"Iaskedhimoncewhetherhehadhimselfheardtheahadithwhich

henarrated,andhedeniedthatsayingthatitwasanarrationheardbyhisforefathers."7

Whatwas"wrong"withthehadithnarratedbyImamalSadiq(A.S.)accordingtoIbnSa'disthat

someofwhattheImamnarratedhadbeenwhathehadreadinthebooksofhisfather,rather

thanlearningitfromothers,andsinceitwasnotknownwhichhadithhehadlearnedwas

narratedfromhisforefathersandwhichwaslearnedfromothers,hedecidedtorejectallofthem

onthataccount.

Butthiscannotbeanacceptableexcuseforhim,especiallysinceagreatdealofwhattheImam

narrateddidindeedgivecredittoothers,andsincehisfatherwasquotingthehadithhisown

forefathershadheardfromtheProphet(S.W.A.);so,whydidIbnSa'drejectevensuchahadith?

AsregardinghisexcusefornotacceptingtheImam'shadithduetoitsabundance,wecannot

understandsuchanexcuseatall;hadthisbeenthecase,hewouldnothavenarratedthe

abundanthadithofAbuHurairaandhislikeswhoattributedmorehadithtotheMessengerof

God(S.A.W.)thanwasactuallyreportedbythosewhokeptcompanywiththeMessengerfora

muchlongerperiodoftime,andwhoweremuchclosertohim,thantheythemselvesdid.Butthe

presenceoftheelementofbiasandprejudicedoesindeedinterferewhensomeonemakesan

assessment,causingthepersoncalculatingtomiscalculate.

ImamalSadiq(A.S.)isnotharmedbyIbnSa'dconsideringhishadithas"weak"justasdoAbu

BakribnAyyashandYahyaibnSa'id.Thelattergoesfurtherthanthatbysaying:"...andI

personallyhaveagreatdealofdoubtabouthim,"whilediscussingtheImam'shadith...


10/190


HadImamalSadiq(A.S.)narratedhadithfromAbuHuraira,Mu'awiyaibnAbuSufyan,orMarwan

ibnalHakam,hewouldhavebeenaffordedthehighestpinnacleofreverencebythesepersons,

butthe"fault"ofhisnarrationsisthattheywerenarratedbyhisforefathersandwerederived

fromtheirbookstheknowledgeofwhichwasderiveddirectlyfromtheMessengerofGod

(S.A.W.).

Thestatementsoftheseindividuals,anyway,leadustotheconclusionthathisnarrativeswere

heardfromhisownforefathers,ratherthanbeingquotationsfromothers;otherwise,theywould

haveindicatedwhothose"others"were.Allinall,itsupportsourviewthatheandtherestofthe

Imamsdidnothavementorsbesidestheirownfathers.

OurbeliefintheImamsisnot,assomewouldliketostate,duetotheirknowledgeofthe

unknown,ortotheirindependentrighttolegislate,butduetotheirbeingconveyersonbehalfof

theBeareroftheMessageofwhatisobscuretothenationofthesecretsandimplicationsofthe

Message,thecustodiansoftheparticularitiesofthelegislativesystem,theoneswhoaremost

familiarwiththerulesandtheirimplementation.

Wemaygraspallofthisfromthesacredhadithwhichwasproducedandverifiedbythemasters

ofhadithandSunnahfrombothsects.He(S.A.W.),inthewordingofAhmed,hassaid:

"Iamabouttobecalleduponandrespond,andIamleavingwithyoutheTwoWeightyThings:

theBookofGod,andmyProgeny.TheBookofGodislikearopeextendedfromheavenstoearth,

andmyProgenyaremyAhlalBayt(A.S.),andtheMostKnowinghastoldmethattheybothshall

neverpartfromeachothertilltheymeetmebythePool;so,seehowyoushallfarewiththem

afterme."8

AccordingtoalTirmithiandalNisai,hehasalsosaid,"Opeople!Ihaveleftwithyouthatwhich,

aslongasyouupholdto,willneversufferyoutostray,andthatis,theBookofGodandmy

Progeny,membersofmyAhlalBayt(A.S.)."Tabraniaddsthefollowingtotheabove:"So,donot

goaheadofthemelseyoushouldperish,norshouldyouteachthem,fortheyaremore

knowledgeablethanyouare."

IbnHajarhassaid:"Thisprovesthatanyoneamongthemwhoisqualifiedforloftypositionsand

theologicalofficesshouldbepreferredoverallothers."9

Theclarityofthishadithdoesnotneedanydetailedexplanation,nordoesitrequireprecise

interpretationandinstruction,fortheBookisthefirstsourceofguidance,andtheProgeny,the

AhlalBayt(A.S.)(membersoftheProphet'shousehold)areitssecondsource,andthenationis

requiredtoupholdtotheirpathinordertosecureforitselftostayawayfromthepathsof

misguidance.


11/190


Putinaclearerway,wesaythatthishadithimpliesinitscontextthatAhlalBayt(A.S.)enjoya

uniquedistinction,thattheybythemselvesareindependentoftheachievementsofothers,for

theProphet(S.A.W.)madethempeersonlyoftheHolyQur'aninexplainingthecontentsofthe

Messageandthefactsrelatedthereto.Thiscannotbelogicalifwepresumetheirrelianceon

others,forthose"others"wouldthenbemoreeligibletobeequaltotheBookofGodthanthem.

Haditbeenotherwise,whydidnottheProphet(S.A.W.)choosetheSahabaandtheirfollowersto

bepeersoftheBookotherthantheProgenyorinadditiontothem?

OthernarratorshavereportedthishadithinadifferentwayofwordingasinMalik'sMawtiwhere

anarratorstatessaying:"MaliktoldmethatitcametohisknowledgethattheMessengerofGod

(S.A.W.)said,`IhaveleftforyoutwoThings;aslongasyouupholdtothem,youshallneverstray,

andtheseare:theBookofGod,andtheSunnahofHisProphet."

InhisAlSawa'iqalMuhriqa,IbnHajarnarratesit,takingitsnarrationforgranted10.AlTabrani,

too,quoteditinhisalAwsat,andsodidIbnHishaminhisSeeratwithoutmentioninghis

references.AlloftheseauthorsmayhaveallreliedwhilequotingitontheMawtiwhich

mentioneditwithoutitsisnad.

WhatisquiteunusualisthatProfessorMuhammadAbuZuhra,inhisworkAlImamalSadiq(A.S.),

statesthattheSunnireferenceswhichnarratedthehadithwiththewordingof"mySunnah"are

morereliablethanthosewhichnarrateditwith"myItrat(Progeny),"despitethefactthatonlyIbn

Malik'sMawtinarratesthehadithwiththeword"Sunnati(i.e.mySunnah)."Theotherthree

bookswhichquoteditwiththesamewordingof"Sunnati"alsonarrateditwiththewording

"Itrati"aswell.

Asregardingthebookswhichnarrateditinthewording"Itrati,"thesecomprisemostbooksof

hadith,exegesis(tafsir),andtraditionsuchasMuslim'sSahih,alDarmi'sSunan,AbuDawud's

Sunan,IbnMaja'sSunan,alNisai'sKhasais,Ahmed'sMusnad,alHakim'sMustadrak,alTabari's

DhakhairandalsoHilyatalAwlia,Kanzul'Ummal,inadditiontothetafsirbooksofalRazi,al

Tha'alibi,alNishapuri,alKhazin,IbnKathir,andmanyothers.

ItwasnarratedthroughSunniauthoritiesinthirtytwoahadithbymorethantwentycompanions

oftheProphet(S.A.W.)asIbnHajarstates.ThroughShi'aavenues,itwasnarratedineightytwo

ahadith.Despiteallthis,ProfessorAbuZuhradoesnotfindinthesebooksandavenues,someof

whichareheldtobethemostauthentic,anddespitethisconsecutivenarrationwhichnottoo

manyotherahadithenjoy...,whatbringshimcomfortwithandconfidenceinthishadith!Yet,a

narrationtakenforgrantedorsupportedbyonedocumentation,onewhichisnotreported

exceptbyonesinglesource,isconsideredbytheprofessortobe"mostauthentic,"bypassingall

theconsecutivenarrationsupportingitsrivalnarrativesandanalmosttotalconsensusagreement


12/190


regardingtheirauthenticity...

Despiteallofthis,ProfessorAbuZuhraconsidershimselftobe"subjective,"andwhathewritesis

inspiredonlybyinnocentknowledgeratherthandictatedbypersonalbias;therefore,he

presumeshimselftorecordonlywhatisdictatedbythebalancesofjusticeandequity,andwe

shallhave

alengthy

discussion

of

him

in

our

forthcoming

book

Al

Imam

al

Sadiq

(A.S.)

in

which

we

shallexamineadegreeofhisowntrespassingbeyondtheseverylimitsandwillshedalightonthe

biasandfanaticismhisviewsarechargedwith.

ThereisapointIwouldliketotackleinthisdiscourse:itisthedeliberateviciouspolicyofignoring

theImamsoftheProphet'sHouseholdfollowedbytheadherentsofothersectswhilediscussing

viewsanddebatingtheirproofs.Whileyoufindthemgivingampleattentiontothenarrations

reportedthroughthecompanionsoftheProphetandthosewhofollowedsuitintheirfootsteps,

andtotheirown,relyingonthemasproofsandbasesofargument,evengoingtoasfaras

presumingthattheirownadditionalcontributionisaSunnahtobeemulated,thesesame

individuals,whenitcomestotheImamsfromtheProphet'sownfamily,stopshortofdiscussing

theirviewsandthenarrationswhichtheyhadnarratedorwerenarratedaboutthem.Thisisso

despitethefactthatthefoundersofthesesects,suchasAbuHanifa,Malik,SufyanalThawri,Abu

AyyubalSajistaniandothers,whoareconsideredasthecreativepioneerswhoinspiredthe

outsetofthesesects,wereactuallygraduatesoftheschoolofImamalSadiq(A.S.)whowasone

oftheImamsoftheProphet'sfamily.EvenAbuHanifausedtobeoftheviewthatthereasonwhy

hewasinthevanguardofhispeerswasduetohisbeingastudentofImamalSadiq(A.S.),and

historyhasrecordedhisfamousstatement:"Withoutthosetwoyears,alNu'man(AbuHanifa)

wouldhavebeenannihilated,"11meaningtherebytheperiodhelivedasastudentintheImam's

school,andalsohisotherstatementwhenhewasaskedaboutthebestFaqihheeversaw;he

said:"Ja'feribnMuhammad(alSadiq,A.S.)."

HistoryhaspreservedagreatdealofthestatementsofSunniimamsandrenownpersonalities

givingcredittoImamalSadiq(A.S.)andotherImamsfromtheProphet'sfamilywhich,allinall,

leadonetorealizetheirsuperiorityoverothersandtheneedofthose"others"fortheir

knowledge.Yet,despiteallthis,wefindalBukhariinhisSahihabstainingfromconsideringa

narrationasauthenticfornoreasonotherthanthefactthatitschainofnarratorsendsupwith

ImamalSadiq(A.S.)aboutwhomhehassome"doubts."

InTahtheebalTahtheeb,IbnHajarsaysthatthedifficultyindistinguishingwhatisauthenticand

whatisnotforcedalBukharinottoreportanyofhis(alSadiq's)hadith12.YetIbnHajardidnot

tellushowalBukhariwasabletodistinguishbetweenwhatwasauthenticandwhatwasnotof

thehadithAbuHurairahandotherfabricatorsandinventorsofhadithhadreported.Hemayfind

forhimselftheexcusethatthecompanionswereallequitablewhichisajustificationworsethan

theerrorbeingjustifiedduetothefactthatthisissimplyafalsepretextsincethebehaviourof


13/190


someofthosecompanionsandtheirexchangingofchargesofdeviationandcountercharges

underminedsuchclaimof"equitability."Wecannotunderstandanexplanationforthisodd

phenomenonexceptprejudiceandtheinfluenceofthestandingsectarianenvironmentwhichwas

chargedwiththevenomofgrudgeandbitteranimositytowardstheHouseholdoftheProphet

(S.W.A.),theenvironmentwhichisbutanextensionofdesperateeffortsofMu'awiyaandhis

agents,the

caliphs

of

iniquity,

who

succeeded

him

in

widening

the

gap

they

created

between

the

massesoftheMuslimnationandthemembersofthefamilyofthePropheticmissionandtheir

practicalisolationfromgeneralpopulacewhoseconductcannotremainontheStraightPath

withoutthatfamily,accordingtothedeclarationoftheirgreatgrandfathertheGreatestProphet

(S.A.W.)asstatedinthepreviouslyquotedhadithandinotherahadithwhichfillthebooksof

hadithandSunnahofbothparties.

Otherthanthis,howelsecanyouexplainalBukhari'soddrefusaltoquoteImamalSadiq(A.S.)

whilehe,atthesametime,doesnothesitatetoquoteindividualssuchasMu'awiyaibnAbu

Sufyan,MarwanibnalHakam,ImranibnHattanwhohailedIbnMuljimformurderingthe

CommanderoftheFaithful(A.S.),UmeribnSa'dwhoinstigatedthemurderofImamalHusayn

(A.S.)andotherswhowerethesocialoutcastsofthenationandthemostimmoralamongthem?

HowelsecanyouexplainwhatalSayyutimeantwhenhesaidthattherewasnothingwrongwith

thehadithnarratedbyImamalHasanal'Askari(A.S.)exceptthathisnarrationofavirtueof

FatimaalZahra(A.S.)didnotagreewithhisown"scholarly"taste,andthatforthisreasonthe

narrationwasconsideredafabrication?!13

ItwasdestinedthattheplottoisolatetheImamsfromamongtheProphet'sfamilyfrompublic

affairsshouldenjoyatotalsuccessduringtheepochsoftheUmayyadandAbbasideruling

dynastiesbarringbriefperiodsduetocertainpoliticalfactors.Duringthosebriefperiods,some

suchImams(A.S.)wereabletoquenchthescholarlyandintellectualthirstoftheirstudents.

Despitethescarcityofsuchperiodsandtheirshortspanoftime,thoseImamswereableto

benefitthenationintheareasofthesecretsofbranchesofknowledgeandintricaciesofartswith

whichtheyfillednumerousbooksandchronicles.Thestrongerfactorwhichpromptedtheregime

totakeanegativestancetowardstheImamsoftheProphet'sfamilyisthattheseImamsandtheir

followerswereneverconvincedthatsucharegimewaslegitimateorthatthosewhowereholding

itsreinswerequalifiedforleadingthenation.Accordingtothem,theconductofthese"leaders"

didnotrepresenttheadequateconductofmessagebearerswhorulewithacommitmenttocarry

outtheresponsibilitiesofsuchamessagesothatthenationwouldfollowintheirfootstepsand

correctitspathshoulditatalldeviatefromthestraightpath.Thislackofconvictioncausedthem

agreatdealoftroubleduringtheirlifetimedespitetheiroutwardtolerationofthegovernment,

andthosetroubleswerenotconfinedtothemalonebutwereextendedtotheirShi'asand

followerswhosesharewasthelion's.


14/190


Itisimportanttopointoutheretheextentoftheimpactofthisnegativestanceofthe

governmenttowardstheseImamsandtheirdisciplesonthewritingsofthenarratorsand

recordersofhadith,forthepensofthelatterwerepoisonedbythemotivesandillintentionsof

therulers;therefore,wefindthemexcludingthenarrationsandahadithifoneoftheirnarrators

happenstobeaShi'areporterortraditionistevenifheenjoyedthehighestdegreeofreliability

andauthenticity.

Their

only

excuse

is

that

he

was

simply

aShi'a;

therefore,

they

make

the

false

claimthatthenarrationwasnotauthenticbecauseoneofitsnarratorswassoandso,i.e.aShi'a,

oronewhopracticedShi'aismsecretly,orafoul"Rafidi,"orapplytohimsomeotherbadname,

thusrevealingtheirsectarianprejudicewhichoverturnsthebalancesofaconscientious

investigationandinsightupsidedown.

Contrariwise,Shi'aswhofollowedthoseImamsappliedadifferentcriterionwhereinthe

judgementregardingtheauthenticityofanarrationorthelackthereofaccordingtothemwasto

ascertainthetruthfulnessoruntruthfulnessofthenarratorregardlessofhissectorschoolof

thought.Uponsuchapremise,theauthenticityorthelackthereofwasbased.Therewere

numerousnarrationsamongwhosechainofnarratorswerenonShi'as,yettheywereaccepted

andappliedbytheShi'aswhoevenbasedtheirownjurisdicjudgementuponthem.Thereisno

roomheretoelaborateonthistopic;thosewhowishtoinvestigatetheextentofaccuracyofthis

factarereferredtothebooksoftheirfamousdignitariestoseeforthemselves.

ThisprovesthefactthattheattitudeofSunnistowardstheirShi'abrethrenregardingscholarly

borrowingandloaningwasnotsubject,duringthetimeoftheImams(A.S.),tosectarianor

politicalmotivesforthesetookplaceduringlaterperiodswhenargumentsaboutsectsappeared,

andthescienceofkalamwasdiscussedindetail,andpartisansdemonstratedtheirbiastowhat

theythoughttohaveprovedtheaccuracyoftheirownsect.Allthisledtothewideningofthegap

ofdissensionwhichevencausedviolencetoeruptamongthefollowersofvarioussects.Iteven

ledonepartytocalltheother"Kafir"(infidel)andcorrupt,justifyingthespillingofthebloodofits

adherents.Thesadtalesofsuchbloodshedarebitterlynarratedbyhistory.Addtothisthe

deliberateattemptbytherulerstoinstigatesuchuglyprejudicesandpavethepathforthose

whoseobjectivesweremalicioustospewtheirvenomandnurturetherebytheelementsof

dissensioninordertokeepthenationfromquestioningthelegalityofthecorruptgovernmentor

questioningitsiniquitiesandinjustices,andinordertoprolongitsownenjoymentandpleasure

withoutanyonequestioningwhatitwasactuallydoing.

Yetafterallthis,whydotheShi'asadheretothesectofthisparticularHouseholdratherthanany

otherIslamicsect?

Theanswertothisquestion,inourview,isquiteclear.Itdoesnotrequireanefforttofinditout

andsimplifyitsarguments.

Man,bynature,isbentuponselectingthebestpathwhenapproachingcrossroadsinorderto


15/190


securesalvationforhimselfandattainthegoalheaspirestoachieve.Hehastothinklongenough

beforemakingamoveinordertoknowexactlywhichpathhehastotakesothathewillnotbe

confusedwhileseekingthetruth.Itisonlynaturalthatman,inordertodefinehissafestpath,

shouldrefertoonewhoisfamiliarwithhisapproachesandavenueswhen,athisoutset,he

standsconfusedastowheretostartfrom.

Wemaynotdifferwhiledefiningthe"expert"whoshouldbefollowedwhenhedefinesthepath

forusinthisregard,forsuchan"expert"isnoneotherthantheBeareroftheMessageandits

Promoter(S.A.W.),andwehavetofollowhisdirectivesandinstructionsinthisregard.Whenwe

failinourattempttoknowwhatweneedtoknow,wehavetorefertothecompletedefinitions

followedinthisregardwhichwouldtakeustothedesiredresult.

ThetextsnarratedabouttheCustodianoftheShari'amaysufficeforuswhenweseeksucha

definitionsincehehimselfhadoutlinedforusthebestpathwehavetochoose.Inadditiontohis

traditionoftheTwoWeightyThingsinwhichhedescribedtheBookandtheProgenyasthe

dividinglinebetweenguidanceandmisguidance,thereisanotherexplanatorytraditionwitha

moreexplicittextinwhichhe(S.A.W.)isquotedassaying:

"ThesimilitudeofmyAhlalBayt(A.S.)amongyouisliketheArkofNoah:whoeverboardsitis

saved,andwhoeverlagsbehinditisdrowned."14

AlTabraniaddsanother:"ThesimilitudeofmyHouseholdamongyouisliketheGateofHittafor

theChildrenofIsrael:whoeverentersisforgiven."15Theclarityofthistraditionindefiningthe

safestpathneedsnoexplanationsincehemadesalvationdependantuponfollowingthem,

makingthesinkingintothecalamitiesofmisguidanceanindicationoflaggingbehindthem.

Anothertraditionstates:"Starsareprotectorsoftheinhabitantsofearthagainstdrowning,and

myProgeny(AhlalBayt,(A.S.)aretheprotectorsofmynationagainstdissensioninthecreed;

therefore,ifatribeamongtheArabsdiffersfromthem(inreligiousmatters),itwouldthen

becomethepartyofthedevil."16

Havingquotedthesetraditions,IbnHajarcommentsthus:

"Thereasonforcomparingthemwiththearkisthatwhoeverlovesthemandholdstheminhigh

esteemasmeanstothankingGodWhograntedthemsuchhonours,followingtheguidanceofthe

learnedmenamongthem,issavedfromdissension,andwhoeverabstainsfromdoingsois

drownedintotheseasofingratitudeandannihilatedatthecrossroadsoftyranny."17

Besides,theyweretheoverflowingfountainheadwhichproducedtheleadingscholarsand

foundersofschoolsofthought;so,whatstopsusfromemulatingthesemenbystayingawayfrom


16/190


whattheythemselveshadstayedawayfrom?Addtothistheconsensusviewregardingthese

men'sintegrityandimmaculateconduct,theirsuperiorityoverothersinknowledge,theirbeing

thefinalarbitratorsregardinganydifficultproblemfacedinthelegislativesystemoranyother

systemaccordingtothetestimonyoftheleadingscholarsandphilosophers,nay,ofevenmenof

thegovernment,andtheendorsementofeveryoneoftheirviewsandthesubmission

wholeheartedlythereto.

Forthesereasonsandforothers,wehaveupheldtheAhlalBayt(A.S.)oftheProphet(S.A.W.)

andpreferredthemoverallothers,followingthepaththeyoutlinedforuswithoutpaying

attentiontoothersespeciallysincetheyenricheduswithwhatevervaluableinformationand

intellectualrichesanyMuslimneedsinhisdailylifeandforwhichtheMessagewasrevealedunto

theirgrandfathertheGreatestProphet(S.A.W.).

Thereupon,itisworthwhiletoresearchthebiographiesofthesegreatImamsandexaminetheir

detailsandcharacteristicsandhighlighttheaspectsofgreatnessoftheiruniquepersonalitiesin

ordertocorrectlyemulatethem.Wehavealsotocomparetheirconductwiththatofothersso

thattheirdistinctionsbecomemanifesttous,thedistinctionswhichraisedtheirstatustothevery

summitofhumanperfection.

Inthisstudy,weshalltryourbesttoexaminethebiographyofoneofthoseImamswhoisthe

eighthintheseriesoftheTwelveImams.HeisImamAlisonofMousaalRidawhose

contemporaryepochwasfullofhistoricaleventsinwhoseshapingheplayedasignificantrolethe

effectsofwhichwerereflecteduponthethencontemporaryIslamichistory.Thereasonwhich

invitedustoprefertostudythebiographyofImamalRidaoverthoseofotherImams(A.S.)isthat

he,despitethemanycharacteristicsofhiscontemporarytime,anddespitethemagnitudeofthe

eventsandoccurrenceswhichfilledhisdays,hasnotbeenindependentlyresearchedasfaraswe

know.WhatIsincerelydesireistobehonestinmyexpositionandanalysis,freefromthe

psychologicalcomplexesofprejudiceandsectarianfanaticism,andIalsowishthereaderwillbe

likewisesothathemaybemycompanionwhileconductingthisresearch,andGodistheMaster

ofsuccessanduprightness.

3AcronymsofSalallahoAlaihiWasallam(PeaceandGreetingsofGodbeuponhim).

4AamaliofSayyidalMurtada,Vol.1,p.151.

5Kanzal'Ummal,Vol.6,p.217.Alsohadithnumber3819recordeddownbyalHafizAbuNa'eem

inHilyatalAwliyaa,andheisquotedbyIbnAbulHadeedinhiscommentary,quotingsimilar

ahadithrecordedinAhmedibnHanbal'sMusnad.

6Kanzal'Ummal,Vol.6,p.396.ItisalsonarratedfromalMamoonandrecordedinVol.1,p.204,


17/190


ofAkhbaralRidawiththeadditionof"Sodonotteachthem,fortheyaremorelearnedthanyou,

andtheydonottakeyououtofguidance,nordotheyletyouenterintomisguidance,"andal

MamoonattributedthisstatementtotheMessengerofGod(S.A.W.).

7TahtheebalTahtheeb,Vol.2,p.103.

8Thishadithofthetwoweightythingsisrecordedbyalargenumberofpioneersofhadith:Itis

recordedbybothalTirmithiandalNisaifromJabir,byalTirmithifromZaydibnalArqam,byal

TabranifromZaydibnThabit,andtheyareallquotedbyalMuttaqialHindiinVol.1,p.44,ofhis

Kanzul'Ummal.ItisalsorecordedbyImamAhmed[ibnHanbal]fromthehadithnarratedbyZayd

ibnThabitthroughtwoauthenticavenuesinVol.5,pp.182189ofhisMusnad.Itisalsonarrated

bySa'eedalKhudrifromtwoavenuesandrecordedinVol.3,pp.1726.AlHakim,inVol.3,p.

873,ofhisMustadrak,says,"Thisisanauthentichadiththroughconsecutivenarrationaccording

tobothShaikhs[BukhariandMuslim]whodidnotrecorditdown,whilealThahbiadmittedinhis

TalkheesalMustadrakitsauthenticityaccordingtotheirownstandardsofauthenticity."IbnAbu

Shayba,AbuYa'li,IbnSa'd,allrecorditfromAbuSa'eedasisrecordedinVol.1,p.47,tradition

number945,ofKanzul'Ummal.IbnHajarquotesitonp.75ofhisAlSawa'iqalMuhriqa,andso

dootherswholearnedhadithbyheartandbytraditionistswithaninsignificantvariationintheir

texts.HavingquotedthishadithinhisAlSawa'iq,IbnHajarsays,"Beinformedthatthehadith

enjoiningustoupholdtothembothisplentifulandisnarratedinnumerouswaysbymorethan

twentycompanionsoftheProphet(S.A.W.)."Thishadithenjoysamanytestimonieswhichagree

witheachother,andDaralTaqreebBaynalMathahibalIslamiyyainCairopublishedagraduate

thesisdealingwithitsSunnisourcesandauthoredbysomevirtuouscontemporaries.

9AlSawa'iqalMuhriqa,p.135,byIbnHajar,chaptertitled"RecommendationoftheProphet

(SAW)inTheirRegard."

10AlSawa'iqalMuhriqa,p.148.ThesamemaybereadinHadithalThaqalaynwhichwas

publishedbyDaralTaqreebBaynalMathahibalIslamiyyaofCairo.

11MukhtasaralTuhfaalIthnai'AshariyyabyalAloosi,p.8.


13AlLaalialMasnoo'afilAhadithalMawdooabyalSayyuti,Vol.1,p.396.

14AlTabranihasrecordeditrelyingontheauthorityofAbuDharralGhifarionp.151ofVol.3of

hisAlSahihalMustadrak.

15AlTabranihasrecordeditinhisAlAwsatfromAbuSa'eed.Itishadithnumber18ofthefifth


18/190


sectionofthefortytraditionsrecordedonp.216ofalNabahani'sbookAlArba'eenHadith.

16AlHakimrecordsitinVol.3,p.149,ofhisMustadrak,quotingIbnAbbas,thenadding,"This

hadithisauthenticinitsconsecutiveness,andthey[BukhariandMuslim]didnotrecordit."

17Al

Sawa'iq

al

Muhriqa,

p.

91.

Preface2OurBeliefinAhlalBayt[as]

ImamalRidaisoneofthebedrocksofIslamicthoughtandoneofitsmainrichsourcesof

knowledge.

After

the

demise

of

his

father

Imam

Mousa

ibn

Ja'fer

(A.S.),

the

secrets

of

the

Divine

Messageandthekeystoitstreasuresbecameattainabletohim,sohequenchedhisthirst

therefromandderivedthesourceofhisintellectualcontributionfromthesame.

HeisoneoftheTwelveImamsoftheAhlalBayt(A.S.)whoenrichedtheIslamicthoughtwith

varioustypesofknowledgeduetotheknowledgetheyinstructedtheirstudentstowritedown,or

inprovidingtheiranswerstothequestionsputforthtothembyothers,ortowhathistoryhas

narratedtousoftheirscientificandtheologicaldiscourseswithfollowersofotherMuslimsects.

ThedistinctionwhichcharacterizedtheImamsoftheAhlalBayt(A.S.)andwhichattractsour

attentionwhenwestudytheirbiographiesisthefactthattheywereobligatedtoothersto

providethem

with

knowledge

while

nobody

was

obligated

to

accept

it

from

them.

This

is

adivine

blisswithwhichGodendowedtheminordertoachievethroughthemtheestablishmentofHis

ProofagainstHiscreation,somethingwithwhichtheywerecreditedevenbytherulersamong

theircontemporaryopponentsandbythemostprominentthinkersamongtheircontemporaries.

Supportingthisphenomenonisthefactthatsomesciencesandtheirdetailswerenotdistinctly

clearduringtheirtime,norweretheireffectsobvious,buttheybecameclearandtheir

ambiguitiesweredispelledbytheteachingoftheImamsoftheAhlalBayt(A.S.)suchasthe

scienceofchemistryofwhichImamJa'feralSadiq(A.S.)isconsideredastheveryfirstpioneerand

founderofitsprinciplesandrules,andthescienceofmedicineaboutwhichImamalRidaprovides

us,in

his

letter

to

al

Mamoon,

with

aglorious

system

and

an

innovative

approach

in

the

way

he

explaineditsparticularitiesandregulations,inadditiontovariousothersciencesofwhichtheir

legacyisfullandtowhichtheircontributionsurpassedthatofanyoneelseinsettingtheircorner

stonesandinpointingouttheirvariousrequirements.

NoneamongthecontemporaryscientistswascreditedforbeingtheinstructorofImamalSadiq


19/190


(A.S.)inchemistry,orofImamalRida(A.S.)inmedicine.Rather,itwasthefountainhead

establishedforthembytheirgrandfather,BeareroftheMessage(S.A.W.)3,whiletheyinheritedit

sonfromfather.WemaynoticethattheImams(A.S.),uponbeingaskedaboutthesourceoftheir

knowledgeoftheanswerstothequestionsputforthtothem,referittotheirownparticular

comprehensionoftheBook(Qur'an),ortowhattheyderivedfromthebookoftheirmother

Fatima(A.S.),

or

to

what

they

learned

from

their

forefathers

who

in

turn

learned

it

from

the

MessengerofGod(S.A.W.).TheydidnotreferittothenarrationofasahabioftheProphetora

tabi'iortoanyotherlearnedscholarormanofknowledge.

Theirfamiliaritywithvariousbranchesofknowledgeandwithallnormsoflearningingeneralwas

acauseforthenation'sadmirationofandreverenceforthem.Theyweregrantedthefinalsayin

theirdisputes,insolvingaproblemwhichmayhavethenrisenamongtheircontemporary

scholarsormenoflearning.Everytimetheywereaskedaboutsomething,theywouldproducean

answerforitinsuchamostastonishingeasilyconvincingmannerwhichuntiestheknotofwhatis

complex,turningitintoacommonsenseknowledge,orinturningthetheoreticalintoapractical

necessity,withoutanyambiguityorconfusion.

Suchauniquedistinctionwasnotsharedbesidesthembyanyonefromamongthescholarsofthe

nationoritswisemendespitetheirvariousranksinknowledgeanddegreesofwisdomandpower

ofreasoning.

Sufficesusforaproofamagnificentdialoguewhichisrecordedinthebooksofhistoryand

biographybetweenImamalJawad(A.S.),whowasthenachild,andYahyaibnAktham,the

supremejudge(orjudgeofjudges)ofthethenAbbasideregimeinthemeetingpreparedbyal

MamoontounderscoredistinctionandsuperiorityoftheImamoverallotherswhenalMamoon

facedoppositiontohisdecisiontomarrytheImamtohisdaughterUmmulFadlduetohisyoung

age.Hewaspresumedtobeinneedofsomeonetoeducatehimandteachhimtheology.The

conclusionofthedialoguewasavictoryfortheveryyoungImaminhisstanceandtheshrinkingof

thejudgeandthecrowdoflearnedscholarsandpillarsofFiqhandSunnahandtheiradmissionof

hisdistinctionandthegreatnessofhisstatus.

NobodyeverreportedthatanyImamwasslowinprovidingtheanswertoanyquestionputforth

tohim,aquestionwhichdealtwithvariousbranchesofknowledgeandwithdifferentissues,

despitethefactthatsomeofthemwereactuallynotoldenoughtoprovidesuchanswers.

TheAmaliofSayyidalMurtadanarratesthefollowing:

AbuHanifasaid:"IsawonceMousaibnJa'fer(A.S.)asayoungboyinthecorridorofhisfather's

houseandIaskedhim:`Wheredoesastrangeramongyourespondtothecallofnatureifhehas

to?'Helookedupatmeandsaid:`Hegoesbehindawall,hidesfromtheviewoftheneighbour,


20/190


keepsadistancefromrunningrivers,residentialsewers,highways,mosques,withoutfacingthe

Qiblaorleavingitbehindhim;thenheturns,raises,anddepositsashepleases.'"AbuHanifa

continuestosay:"Havingheardthisanswers,IsawhimtobeamorenoblepersonthanIfirst

thought,andhisstatusgrewgreater.ThenIaskedhim:`Maymylifebesacrificedforyours;what

isthesourceofrenunciation?'Helookedupatmeandsaid:`SitdownandItellyouaboutit.'SoI

satdown,

and

he

said

this

to

me:

`Renunciation

comes

either

from

the

servant,

or

his

Lord,

or

fromboth.IfitwerefromtheAlmightyGod,Heismorejustandfairthanrenouncingorwronging

Hisservantorpunishinghimforwhathedidnotdo.Andifitweretocomefrombothofthem,He

wouldbehisaccomplice,andthestrongOneismoreapttodojusticetoHisweakservant.Ifit

comesfromtheservantalone,heistobearitsburden,andheshouldbetheonetoforbid,and

forhimistherewardandpunishment,andforhimwerebothParadiseandHellprepared.'Isaid

(citingtheHolyQur'an:`...aprogeny,onefromanother...'"4

ButsomeImams,suchasImamalJawad,ImamalHadi,andImamalAskeri(A.S.),werenotold

enoughtobeacquaintedwithvariousbranchesofknowledgeandfieldsofarts,hadweclaimed

thattheirknowledgewastheproductofthetutoringoftutorsortheteachingofteachers,but

theywereaprogeny,onefromanother,asAbuHanifasaid,thatderivedknowledgefromthe

substanceoftheMessageandtheFountainheadofProphethood.Thatwasadistinctionforwhich

theAlmightychosethemfromamongHiscreationinordertomakethemlightpolesofthepath

ofguidance,andtomakethewordoffaithandrighteousnessthroughthemtheuppermost

throughouttheworld.

AlTabrani,inhisAlTarikhalKabir,andalRafi'iinhisMusnad,dependingontheauthorityofIbn

Abbas,quotetheMessengerofGod(S.A.W.)saying:

"WhoeverispleasedtolivethewayIhavelivedandtodiethewayIshalldie,toliveintheGarden

ofEdenwhichmyLordplanted,lethimemulatemyProgenyaftermeandfollowtheexampleof

myAhlalBayt(A.S.)aftermydemise,fortheyaremydescendants;theywerecreatedoutofmy

ownmouldandwereblessedwithmyownpowerofcomprehensionandknowledge;woeunto

thosewhodenytheirdistinctioninmynation,thosewhoseveretheirtieswithmyloins!Maythe

Almightydeprivethemofmyintercession."5

ImamAli(A.S.)says:"Iandtheeliteamongmydescendants,andthevirtuousamongmyprogeny,

arethemostclementwhenyoung,themostlearnedwhenold."6

Somehistoriansandresearchers,havingexhaustedthemselvesintheattempttoexplainthis

phenomenoninawaywhichseemsreasonabletothem,maytrytosupposethatsomeImamshad

mentorsandinstructorstoeducatethem.TheyclaimedthatImamZainulAbidin,ImamalBaqir,

andImamalSadiq,peacebeuponthem,weretutoredbysomeSahabaandTabi'in,without

relyingonanyhistoricaldocumentexceptmereconjecture,goingtoextremitiesintheir


21/190


guessworkandpresumption.

WhatprovesthefallacyofsuchpresumptionsandallegationsisthatwhenevertheImamswere

questionedaboutsomething,theywouldnotbasetheiranswersonwhatanyoftheSahabaor

Tabi'inhadsaid,butononeoftheirownancestorsuptotheMessengerofGod(S.A.W.),ortothe

booksof

knowledge

with

which

they

were

distinguished

and

which

they

inherited

from

their

grandfathertheMessengerofGod(S.A.W.),somethingwhichanyonewhoresearchestheirlegacy

andisacquaintedwiththeirstatementscomestoknow.Anditmayquitebethecasethatsomeof

themwouldstatesoveryclearlywhichsupportsourownconclusion.

YetifwesupposethatsomeImamsdidindeedattendthesessionsofsomeofthoseSahabaor

Tabi'in,theirattendancedoesnotbyanymeansindicatethattheybecametheirstudents,orthat

theytookthemastheirownmentors,foroneoftheoutcomesoftutorshipatthattimewasthe

narrationofhadith,whereasitwasneverreportedthatanyImamnarratedhadithfromany

sourceotherthanhisownforefathers.Iftheydidinfactnarrateincidentsthroughotheravenues,

suchastheavenuesoftheSahabaorTabi'in,suchnarrationwasnotrelatedinanywaytothe

sciencesoftheIslamiclegislativesystem(Shari'a),ortoanyotherart;rather,itdealtwithmatters

relatedtothebiographyoftheProphet(S.A.W.),orintheirownprocesstoproveapointagainst

thosewhodidnotfollowthembycitingwhattheancestorsofsuchnonfollowershadthemselves

narrated.

Fromsuchastandpoint,wecanreferthereasonforsomeSunnitraditionistswhoconsideredthe

hadithofImamalSadiq(A.S.)as"weak,"thusneglectingtorecordit,tothesameargument,and

wecanalsoconcludeafterreadingtheirstatementsthatImamalSadiq(A.S.)wasnottutoredby

anymentormentionedwithreverencebythem.

Forexample,inhisTabaqat,IbnSa'd,whilediscussingImamalSadiq(A.S.),said,"Henarrateda

greatdealofhadith;heisnotconsideredasanauthorityonhadithandthehadithhenarratedis

consideredweak.Thereasonforthisisthathewasonceaskedwhetherhehadlearnedthe

ahadithhenarratedfromhisfather,andheansweredintheaffirmative;onanotheroccasion,he

waslikewiseasked,andhisanswerwasthathehadreadtheminhis(father's)books."

AbuBakribnAyyashwasaskedonce,"WhydidyounotlearnhadithfromJa'ferandyouwerehis

contemporary?"Heanswered,"Iaskedhimoncewhetherhehadhimselfheardtheahadithwhich

henarrated,andhedeniedthatsayingthatitwasanarrationheardbyhisforefathers."7

Whatwas"wrong"withthehadithnarratedbyImamalSadiq(A.S.)accordingtoIbnSa'disthat

someofwhattheImamnarratedhadbeenwhathehadreadinthebooksofhisfather,rather

thanlearningitfromothers,andsinceitwasnotknownwhichhadithhehadlearnedwas

narratedfromhisforefathersandwhichwaslearnedfromothers,hedecidedtorejectallofthem


22/190


onthataccount.

Butthiscannotbeanacceptableexcuseforhim,especiallysinceagreatdealofwhattheImam

narrateddidindeedgivecredittoothers,andsincehisfatherwasquotingthehadithhisown

forefathershadheardfromtheProphet(S.W.A.);so,whydidIbnSa'drejectevensuchahadith?

AsregardinghisexcusefornotacceptingtheImam'shadithduetoitsabundance,wecannot

understandsuchanexcuseatall;hadthisbeenthecase,hewouldnothavenarratedthe

abundanthadithofAbuHurairaandhislikeswhoattributedmorehadithtotheMessengerof

God(S.A.W.)thanwasactuallyreportedbythosewhokeptcompanywiththeMessengerfora

muchlongerperiodoftime,andwhoweremuchclosertohim,thantheythemselvesdid.Butthe

presenceoftheelementofbiasandprejudicedoesindeedinterferewhensomeonemakesan

assessment,causingthepersoncalculatingtomiscalculate.

ImamalSadiq(A.S.)isnotharmedbyIbnSa'dconsideringhishadithas"weak"justasdoAbu

BakribnAyyashandYahyaibnSa'id.Thelattergoesfurtherthanthatbysaying:"...andI

personallyhaveagreatdealofdoubtabouthim,"whilediscussingtheImam'shadith...

HadImamalSadiq(A.S.)narratedhadithfromAbuHuraira,Mu'awiyaibnAbuSufyan,orMarwan

ibnalHakam,hewouldhavebeenaffordedthehighestpinnacleofreverencebythesepersons,

butthe"fault"ofhisnarrationsisthattheywerenarratedbyhisforefathersandwerederived

fromtheirbookstheknowledgeofwhichwasderiveddirectlyfromtheMessengerofGod

(S.A.W.).

Thestatementsoftheseindividuals,anyway,leadustotheconclusionthathisnarrativeswere

heardfromhisownforefathers,ratherthanbeingquotationsfromothers;otherwise,theywould

haveindicatedwhothose"others"were.Allinall,itsupportsourviewthatheandtherestofthe

Imamsdidnothavementorsbesidestheirownfathers.

OurbeliefintheImamsisnot,assomewouldliketostate,duetotheirknowledgeofthe

unknown,ortotheirindependentrighttolegislate,butduetotheirbeingconveyersonbehalfof

theBeareroftheMessageofwhatisobscuretothenationofthesecretsandimplicationsofthe

Message,thecustodiansoftheparticularitiesofthelegislativesystem,theoneswhoaremost

familiarwiththerulesandtheirimplementation.

Wemaygraspallofthisfromthesacredhadithwhichwasproducedandverifiedbythemasters

ofhadithandSunnahfrombothsects.He(S.A.W.),inthewordingofAhmed,hassaid:

"Iamabouttobecalleduponandrespond,andIamleavingwithyoutheTwoWeightyThings:

theBookofGod,andmyProgeny.TheBookofGodislikearopeextendedfromheavenstoearth,


23/190


andmyProgenyaremyAhlalBayt(A.S.),andtheMostKnowinghastoldmethattheybothshall

neverpartfromeachothertilltheymeetmebythePool;so,seehowyoushallfarewiththem

afterme."8

AccordingtoalTirmithiandalNisai,hehasalsosaid,"Opeople!Ihaveleftwithyouthatwhich,

aslong

as

you

uphold

to,

will

never

suffer

you

to

stray,

and

that

is,

the

Book

of

God

and

my

Progeny,membersofmyAhlalBayt(A.S.)."Tabraniaddsthefollowingtotheabove:"So,donot

goaheadofthemelseyoushouldperish,norshouldyouteachthem,fortheyaremore

knowledgeablethanyouare."

IbnHajarhassaid:"Thisprovesthatanyoneamongthemwhoisqualifiedforloftypositionsand

theologicalofficesshouldbepreferredoverallothers."9

Theclarityofthishadithdoesnotneedanydetailedexplanation,nordoesitrequireprecise

interpretationandinstruction,fortheBookisthefirstsourceofguidance,andtheProgeny,the

AhlalBayt(A.S.)(membersoftheProphet'shousehold)areitssecondsource,andthenationis

requiredtoupholdtotheirpathinordertosecureforitselftostayawayfromthepathsof

misguidance.

Putinaclearerway,wesaythatthishadithimpliesinitscontextthatAhlalBayt(A.S.)enjoya

uniquedistinction,thattheybythemselvesareindependentoftheachievementsofothers,for

theProphet(S.A.W.)madethempeersonlyoftheHolyQur'aninexplainingthecontentsofthe

Messageandthefactsrelatedthereto.Thiscannotbelogicalifwepresumetheirrelianceon

others,forthose"others"wouldthenbemoreeligibletobeequaltotheBookofGodthanthem.

Haditbeenotherwise,whydidnottheProphet(S.A.W.)choosetheSahabaandtheirfollowersto

bepeersoftheBookotherthantheProgenyorinadditiontothem?

OthernarratorshavereportedthishadithinadifferentwayofwordingasinMalik'sMawtiwhere

anarratorstatessaying:"MaliktoldmethatitcametohisknowledgethattheMessengerofGod

(S.A.W.)said,`IhaveleftforyoutwoThings;aslongasyouupholdtothem,youshallneverstray,

andtheseare:theBookofGod,andtheSunnahofHisProphet."

InhisAlSawa'iqalMuhriqa,IbnHajarnarratesit,takingitsnarrationforgranted10.AlTabrani,

too,quoteditinhisalAwsat,andsodidIbnHishaminhisSeeratwithoutmentioninghis

references.AlloftheseauthorsmayhaveallreliedwhilequotingitontheMawtiwhich

mentioneditwithoutitsisnad.

WhatisquiteunusualisthatProfessorMuhammadAbuZuhra,inhisworkAlImamalSadiq(A.S.),

statesthattheSunnireferenceswhichnarratedthehadithwiththewordingof"mySunnah"are

morereliablethanthosewhichnarrateditwith"myItrat(Progeny),"despitethefactthatonlyIbn


24/190


Malik'sMawtinarratesthehadithwiththeword"Sunnati(i.e.mySunnah)."Theotherthree

bookswhichquoteditwiththesamewordingof"Sunnati"alsonarrateditwiththewording

"Itrati"aswell.

Asregardingthebookswhichnarrateditinthewording"Itrati,"thesecomprisemostbooksof

hadith,exegesis(tafsir),andtraditionsuchasMuslim'sSahih,alDarmi'sSunan,AbuDawud's

Sunan,Ibn

Maja's

Sunan,

al

Nisai's

Khasais,

Ahmed's

Musnad,

al

Hakim's

Mustadrak,

al

Tabari's

DhakhairandalsoHilyatalAwlia,Kanzul'Ummal,inadditiontothetafsirbooksofalRazi,al

Tha'alibi,alNishapuri,alKhazin,IbnKathir,andmanyothers.

ItwasnarratedthroughSunniauthoritiesinthirtytwoahadithbymorethantwentycompanions

oftheProphet(S.A.W.)asIbnHajarstates.ThroughShi'aavenues,itwasnarratedineightytwo

ahadith.Despiteallthis,ProfessorAbuZuhradoesnotfindinthesebooksandavenues,someof

whichareheldtobethemostauthentic,anddespitethisconsecutivenarrationwhichnottoo

manyotherahadithenjoy...,whatbringshimcomfortwithandconfidenceinthishadith!Yet,a

narrationtakenforgrantedorsupportedbyonedocumentation,onewhichisnotreported

exceptbyonesinglesource,isconsideredbytheprofessortobe"mostauthentic,"bypassingall

theconsecutivenarrationsupportingitsrivalnarrativesandanalmosttotalconsensusagreement

regardingtheirauthenticity...

Despiteallofthis,ProfessorAbuZuhraconsidershimselftobe"subjective,"andwhathewritesis

inspiredonlybyinnocentknowledgeratherthandictatedbypersonalbias;therefore,he

presumeshimselftorecordonlywhatisdictatedbythebalancesofjusticeandequity,andwe

shallhavealengthydiscussionofhiminourforthcomingbookAlImamalSadiq(A.S.)inwhichwe

shallexamineadegreeofhisowntrespassingbeyondtheseverylimitsandwillshedalightonthe

biasandfanaticismhisviewsarechargedwith.

ThereisapointIwouldliketotackleinthisdiscourse:itisthedeliberateviciouspolicyofignoring

theImamsoftheProphet'sHouseholdfollowedbytheadherentsofothersectswhilediscussing

viewsanddebatingtheirproofs.Whileyoufindthemgivingampleattentiontothenarrations

reportedthroughthecompanionsoftheProphetandthosewhofollowedsuitintheirfootsteps,

andtotheirown,relyingonthemasproofsandbasesofargument,evengoingtoasfaras

presumingthattheirownadditionalcontributionisaSunnahtobeemulated,thesesame

individuals,whenitcomestotheImamsfromtheProphet'sownfamily,stopshortofdiscussing

theirviewsandthenarrationswhichtheyhadnarratedorwerenarratedaboutthem.Thisisso

despitethefactthatthefoundersofthesesects,suchasAbuHanifa,Malik,SufyanalThawri,Abu

AyyubalSajistaniandothers,whoareconsideredasthecreativepioneerswhoinspiredthe

outsetofthesesects,wereactuallygraduatesoftheschoolofImamalSadiq(A.S.)whowasone

oftheImamsoftheProphet'sfamily.EvenAbuHanifausedtobeoftheviewthatthereasonwhy

hewasinthevanguardofhispeerswasduetohisbeingastudentofImamalSadiq(A.S.),and

historyhasrecordedhisfamousstatement:"Withoutthosetwoyears,alNu'man(AbuHanifa)


25/190


wouldhavebeenannihilated,"11meaningtherebytheperiodhelivedasastudentintheImam's

school,andalsohisotherstatementwhenhewasaskedaboutthebestFaqihheeversaw;he

said:"Ja'feribnMuhammad(alSadiq,A.S.)."

HistoryhaspreservedagreatdealofthestatementsofSunniimamsandrenownpersonalities

givingcredit

to

Imam

al

Sadiq

(A.S.)

and

other

Imams

from

the

Prophet's

family

which,

all

in

all,

leadonetorealizetheirsuperiorityoverothersandtheneedofthose"others"fortheir

knowledge.Yet,despiteallthis,wefindalBukhariinhisSahihabstainingfromconsideringa

narrationasauthenticfornoreasonotherthanthefactthatitschainofnarratorsendsupwith

ImamalSadiq(A.S.)aboutwhomhehassome"doubts."

InTahtheebalTahtheeb,IbnHajarsaysthatthedifficultyindistinguishingwhatisauthenticand

whatisnotforcedalBukharinottoreportanyofhis(alSadiq's)hadith12.YetIbnHajardidnot

tellushowalBukhariwasabletodistinguishbetweenwhatwasauthenticandwhatwasnotof

thehadithAbuHurairahandotherfabricatorsandinventorsofhadithhadreported.Hemayfind

forhimselftheexcusethatthecompanionswereallequitablewhichisajustificationworsethan

theerrorbeingjustifiedduetothefactthatthisissimplyafalsepretextsincethebehaviourof

someofthosecompanionsandtheirexchangingofchargesofdeviationandcountercharges

underminedsuchclaimof"equitability."Wecannotunderstandanexplanationforthisodd

phenomenonexceptprejudiceandtheinfluenceofthestandingsectarianenvironmentwhichwas

chargedwiththevenomofgrudgeandbitteranimositytowardstheHouseholdoftheProphet

(S.W.A.),theenvironmentwhichisbutanextensionofdesperateeffortsofMu'awiyaandhis

agents,thecaliphsofiniquity,whosucceededhiminwideningthegaptheycreatedbetweenthe

massesoftheMuslimnationandthemembersofthefamilyofthePropheticmissionandtheir

practicalisolationfromgeneralpopulacewhoseconductcannotremainontheStraightPath

withoutthatfamily,accordingtothedeclarationoftheirgreatgrandfathertheGreatestProphet

(S.A.W.)asstatedinthepreviouslyquotedhadithandinotherahadithwhichfillthebooksof

hadithandSunnahofbothparties.

Otherthanthis,howelsecanyouexplainalBukhari'soddrefusaltoquoteImamalSadiq(A.S.)

whilehe,atthesametime,doesnothesitatetoquoteindividualssuchasMu'awiyaibnAbu

Sufyan,MarwanibnalHakam,ImranibnHattanwhohailedIbnMuljimformurderingthe

CommanderoftheFaithful(A.S.),UmeribnSa'dwhoinstigatedthemurderofImamalHusayn

(A.S.)andotherswhowerethesocialoutcastsofthenationandthemostimmoralamongthem?

HowelsecanyouexplainwhatalSayyutimeantwhenhesaidthattherewasnothingwrongwith

thehadithnarratedbyImamalHasanal'Askari(A.S.)exceptthathisnarrationofavirtueof

FatimaalZahra(A.S.)didnotagreewithhisown"scholarly"taste,andthatforthisreasonthe

narrationwasconsideredafabrication?!13


26/190


ItwasdestinedthattheplottoisolatetheImamsfromamongtheProphet'sfamilyfrompublic

affairsshouldenjoyatotalsuccessduringtheepochsoftheUmayyadandAbbasideruling

dynastiesbarringbriefperiodsduetocertainpoliticalfactors.Duringthosebriefperiods,some

suchImams(A.S.)wereabletoquenchthescholarlyandintellectualthirstoftheirstudents.

Despitethescarcityofsuchperiodsandtheirshortspanoftime,thoseImamswereableto

benefitthe

nation

in

the

areas

of

the

secrets

of

branches

of

knowledge

and

intricacies

of

arts

with

whichtheyfillednumerousbooksandchronicles.Thestrongerfactorwhichpromptedtheregime

totakeanegativestancetowardstheImamsoftheProphet'sfamilyisthattheseImamsandtheir

followerswereneverconvincedthatsucharegimewaslegitimateorthatthosewhowereholding

itsreinswerequalifiedforleadingthenation.Accordingtothem,theconductofthese"leaders"

didnotrepresenttheadequateconductofmessagebearerswhorulewithacommitmenttocarry

outtheresponsibilitiesofsuchamessagesothatthenationwouldfollowintheirfootstepsand

correctitspathshoulditatalldeviatefromthestraightpath.Thislackofconvictioncausedthem

agreatdealoftroubleduringtheirlifetimedespitetheiroutwardtolerationofthegovernment,

andthosetroubleswerenotconfinedtothemalonebutwereextendedtotheirShi'asand

followerswhosesharewasthelion's.

Itisimportanttopointoutheretheextentoftheimpactofthisnegativestanceofthe

governmenttowardstheseImamsandtheirdisciplesonthewritingsofthenarratorsand

recordersofhadith,forthepensofthelatterwerepoisonedbythemotivesandillintentionsof

therulers;therefore,wefindthemexcludingthenarrationsandahadithifoneoftheirnarrators

happenstobeaShi'areporterortraditionistevenifheenjoyedthehighestdegreeofreliability

andauthenticity.TheironlyexcuseisthathewassimplyaShi'a;therefore,theymakethefalse

claimthatthenarrationwasnotauthenticbecauseoneofitsnarratorswassoandso,i.e.aShi'a,

oronewhopracticedShi'aismsecretly,orafoul"Rafidi,"orapplytohimsomeotherbadname,

thusrevealingtheirsectarianprejudicewhichoverturnsthebalancesofaconscientious

investigationandinsightupsidedown.

Contrariwise,Shi'aswhofollowedthoseImamsappliedadifferentcriterionwhereinthe

judgementregardingtheauthenticityofanarrationorthelackthereofaccordingtothemwasto

ascertainthetruthfulnessoruntruthfulnessofthenarratorregardlessofhissectorschoolof

thought.Uponsuchapremise,theauthenticityorthelackthereofwasbased.Therewere

numerousnarrationsamongwhosechainofnarratorswerenonShi'as,yettheywereaccepted

andappliedbytheShi'aswhoevenbasedtheirownjurisdicjudgementuponthem.Thereisno

roomheretoelaborateonthistopic;thosewhowishtoinvestigatetheextentofaccuracyofthis

factarereferredtothebooksoftheirfamousdignitariestoseeforthemselves.

ThisprovesthefactthattheattitudeofSunnistowardstheirShi'abrethrenregardingscholarly

borrowingandloaningwasnotsubject,duringthetimeoftheImams(A.S.),tosectarianor

politicalmotivesforthesetookplaceduringlaterperiodswhenargumentsaboutsectsappeared,


27/190


andthescienceofkalamwasdiscussedindetail,andpartisansdemonstratedtheirbiastowhat

theythoughttohaveprovedtheaccuracyoftheirownsect.Allthisledtothewideningofthegap

ofdissensionwhichevencausedviolencetoeruptamongthefollowersofvarioussects.Iteven

ledonepartytocalltheother"Kafir"(infidel)andcorrupt,justifyingthespillingofthebloodofits

adherents.Thesadtalesofsuchbloodshedarebitterlynarratedbyhistory.Addtothisthe

deliberateattempt

by

the

rulers

to

instigate

such

ugly

prejudices

and

pave

the

path

for

those

whoseobjectivesweremalicioustospewtheirvenomandnurturetherebytheelementsof

dissensioninordertokeepthenationfromquestioningthelegalityofthecorruptgovernmentor

questioningitsiniquitiesandinjustices,andinordertoprolongitsownenjoymentandpleasure

withoutanyonequestioningwhatitwasactuallydoing.

Yetafterallthis,whydotheShi'asadheretothesectofthisparticularHouseholdratherthanany

otherIslamicsect?

Theanswertothisquestion,inourview,isquiteclear.Itdoesnotrequireanefforttofinditout

andsimplifyitsarguments.

Man,bynature,isbentuponselectingthebestpathwhenapproachingcrossroadsinorderto

securesalvationforhimselfandattainthegoalheaspirestoachieve.Hehastothinklongenough

beforemakingamoveinordertoknowexactlywhichpathhehastotakesothathewillnotbe

confusedwhileseekingthetruth.Itisonlynaturalthatman,inordertodefinehissafestpath,

shouldrefertoonewhoisfamiliarwithhisapproachesandavenueswhen,athisoutset,he

standsconfusedastowheretostartfrom.

Wemaynotdifferwhiledefiningthe"expert"whoshouldbefollowedwhenhedefinesthepath

forusinthisregard,forsuchan"expert"isnoneotherthantheBeareroftheMessageandits

Promoter(S.A.W.),andwehavetofollowhisdirectivesandinstructionsinthisregard.Whenwe

failinourattempttoknowwhatweneedtoknow,wehavetorefertothecompletedefinitions

followedinthisregardwhichwouldtakeustothedesiredresult.

ThetextsnarratedabouttheCustodianoftheShari'amaysufficeforuswhenweseeksucha

definitionsincehehimselfhadoutlinedforusthebestpathwehavetochoose.Inadditiontohis

traditionoftheTwoWeightyThingsinwhichhedescribedtheBookandtheProgenyasthe

dividinglinebetweenguidanceandmisguidance,thereisanotherexplanatorytraditionwitha

moreexplicittextinwhichhe(S.A.W.)isquotedassaying:

"ThesimilitudeofmyAhlalBayt(A.S.)amongyouisliketheArkofNoah:whoeverboardsitis

saved,andwhoeverlagsbehinditisdrowned."14

AlTabraniaddsanother:"ThesimilitudeofmyHouseholdamongyouisliketheGateofHittafor


28/190


theChildrenofIsrael:whoeverentersisforgiven."15Theclarityofthistraditionindefiningthe

safestpathneedsnoexplanationsincehemadesalvationdependantuponfollowingthem,

makingthesinkingintothecalamitiesofmisguidanceanindicationoflaggingbehindthem.

Anothertraditionstates:"Starsareprotectorsoftheinhabitantsofearthagainstdrowning,and

myProgeny

(Ahl

al

Bayt,

(A.S.)

are

the

protectors

of

my

nation

against

dissension

in

the

creed;

therefore,ifatribeamongtheArabsdiffersfromthem(inreligiousmatters),itwouldthen

becomethepartyofthedevil."16

Havingquotedthesetraditions,IbnHajarcommentsthus:

"Thereasonforcomparingthemwiththearkisthatwhoeverlovesthemandholdstheminhigh

esteemasmeanstothankingGodWhograntedthemsuchhonours,followingtheguidanceofthe

learnedmenamongthem,issavedfromdissension,andwhoeverabstainsfromdoingsois

drownedintotheseasofingratitudeandannihilatedatthecrossroadsoftyranny."17

Besides,theyweretheoverflowingfountainheadwhichproducedtheleadingscholarsand

foundersofschoolsofthought;so,whatstopsusfromemulatingthesemenbystayingawayfrom

whattheythemselveshadstayedawayfrom?Addtothistheconsensusviewregardingthese

men'sintegrityandimmaculateconduct,theirsuperiorityoverothersinknowledge,theirbeing

thefinalarbitratorsregardinganydifficultproblemfacedinthelegislativesystemoranyother

systemaccordingtothetestimonyoftheleadingscholarsandphilosophers,nay,ofevenmenof

thegovernment,andtheendorsementofeveryoneoftheirviewsandthesubmission

wholeheartedlythereto.

Forthesereasonsandforothers,wehaveupheldtheAhlalBayt(A.S.)oftheProphet(S.A.W.)

andpreferredthemoverallothers,followingthepaththeyoutlinedforuswithoutpaying

attentiontoothersespeciallysincetheyenricheduswithwhatevervaluableinformationand

intellectualrichesanyMuslimneedsinhisdailylifeandforwhichtheMessagewasrevealedunto

theirgrandfathertheGreatestProphet(S.A.W.).

Thereupon,itisworthwhiletoresearchthebiographiesofthesegreatImamsandexaminetheir

detailsandcharacteristicsandhighlighttheaspectsofgreatnessoftheiruniquepersonalitiesin

ordertocorrectlyemulatethem.Wehavealsotocomparetheirconductwiththatofothersso

thattheirdistinctionsbecomemanifesttous,thedistinctionswhichraisedtheirstatustothevery

summitofhumanperfection.

Inthisstudy,weshalltryourbesttoexaminethebiographyofoneofthoseImamswhoisthe

eighthintheseriesoftheTwelveImams.HeisImamAlisonofMousaalRidawhose

contemporaryepochwasfullofhistoricaleventsinwhoseshapingheplayedasignificantrolethe


29/190


effectsofwhichwerereflecteduponthethencontemporaryIslamichistory.Thereasonwhich

invitedustoprefertostudythebiographyofImamalRidaoverthoseofotherImams(A.S.)isthat

he,despitethemanycharacteristicsofhiscontemporarytime,anddespitethemagnitudeofthe

eventsandoccurrenceswhichfilledhisdays,hasnotbeenindependentlyresearchedasfaraswe

know.WhatIsincerelydesireistobehonestinmyexpositionandanalysis,freefromthe

psychologicalcomplexes

of

prejudice

and

sectarian

fanaticism,

and

Ialso

wish

the

reader

will

be

likewisesothathemaybemycompanionwhileconductingthisresearch,andGodistheMaster

ofsuccessanduprightness.

3AcronymsofSalallahoAlaihiWasallam(PeaceandGreetingsofGodbeuponhim).

4AamaliofSayyidalMurtada,Vol.1,p.151.

5Kanzal'Ummal,Vol.6,p.217.Alsohadithnumber3819recordeddownbyalHafizAbuNa'eem

inHilyatalAwliyaa,andheisquotedbyIbnAbulHadeedinhiscommentary,quotingsimilar

ahadithrecordedinAhmedibnHanbal'sMusnad.

6Kanzal'Ummal,Vol.6,p.396.ItisalsonarratedfromalMamoonandrecordedinVol.1,p.204,

ofAkhbaralRidawiththeadditionof"Sodonotteachthem,fortheyaremorelearnedthanyou,

andtheydonottakeyououtofguidance,nordotheyletyouenterintomisguidance,"andal

MamoonattributedthisstatementtotheMessengerofGod(S.A.W.).


8Thishadithofthetwoweightythingsisrecordedbyalargenumberofpioneersofhadith:Itis

recordedbybothalTirmithiandalNisaifromJabir,byalTirmithifromZaydibnalArqam,byal

TabranifromZaydibnThabit,andtheyareallquotedbyalMuttaqialHindiinVol.1,p.44,ofhis

Kanzul'Ummal.ItisalsorecordedbyImamAhmed[ibnHanbal]fromthehadithnarratedbyZayd

ibnThabitthroughtwoauthenticavenuesinVol.5,pp.182189ofhisMusnad.Itisalsonarrated

bySa'eedalKhudrifromtwoavenuesandrecordedinVol.3,pp.1726.AlHakim,inVol.3,p.

873,ofhisMustadrak,says,"Thisisanauthentichadiththroughconsecutivenarrationaccording

tobothShaikhs[BukhariandMuslim]whodidnotrecorditdown,whilealThahbiadmittedinhis

TalkheesalMustadrakitsauthenticityaccordingtotheirownstandardsofauthenticity."IbnAbu

Shayba,AbuYa'li,IbnSa'd,allrecorditfromAbuSa'eedasisrecordedinVol.1,p.47,tradition

number945,ofKanzul'Ummal.IbnHajarquotesitonp.75ofhisAlSawa'iqalMuhriqa,andso

dootherswholearnedhadithbyheartandbytraditionistswithaninsignificantvariationintheir

texts.HavingquotedthishadithinhisAlSawa'iq,IbnHajarsays,"Beinformedthatthehadith

enjoiningustoupholdtothembothisplentifulandisnarratedinnumerouswaysbymorethan

twentycompanionsoftheProphet(S.A.W.)."Thishadithenjoysamanytestimonieswhichagree

witheachother,andDaralTaqreebBaynalMathahibalIslamiyyainCairopublishedagraduate


30/190


thesisdealingwithitsSunnisourcesandauthoredbysomevirtuouscontemporaries.

9AlSawa'iqalMuhriqa,p.135,byIbnHajar,chaptertitled"RecommendationoftheProphet

(SAW)inTheirRegard."

10Al

Sawa'iq

al

Muhriqa,

p.

148.

The

same

may

be

read

in

Hadith

al

Thaqalayn

which

was

publishedbyDaralTaqreebBaynalMathahibalIslamiyyaofCairo.

11MukhtasaralTuhfaalIthnai'AshariyyabyalAloosi,p.8.


13AlLaalialMasnoo'afilAhadithalMawdooabyalSayyuti,Vol.1,p.396.

14AlTabranihasrecordeditrelyingontheauthorityofAbuDharralGhifarionp.151ofVol.3of

hisAlSahihalMustadrak.

15AlTabranihasrecordeditinhisAlAwsatfromAbuSa'eed.Itishadithnumber18ofthefifth

sectionofthefortytraditionsrecordedonp.216ofalNabahani'sbookAlArba'eenHadith.

16AlHakimrecordsitinVol.3,p.149,ofhisMustadrak,quotingIbnAbbas,thenadding,"This

hadithisauthenticinitsconsecutiveness,andthey[BukhariandMuslim]didnotrecordit."

17AlSawa'iqalMuhriqa,p.91.

HisDistinctionsandCharacteristics

Lineage

HeisAlisonofMousasonofJa'fersonofMuhammadsonofAlisonofalHusaynsonofAlisonof

AbuTalib(A.S.),eighthintheseriesoftheImamsbelongingtotheAhlalBayt(A.S.).Hisbirthplace

isMedina,andhisrestingplaceisToos(Iran).

BirthandDemise

Historiansdisagreeagreatdealabouttheyearofhisbirthandevenindeterminingthemonthas

well,and

they

also

disagree

about

determining

the

year

and

the

month

of

his

death.

Their

disagreementsarenotconfinedtothelimitofashortspanoftimebuttheymaybefiveyears

apart,andthedisagreementissoconfusingthatitisverydifficulttodetermineclearlysuch

matters;however,weshallpointoutthestatementsrecordedinthisregardwithoutfavouring

anyofthemduetothelackofpurposeofsuchfavouringwhichnaturallyrequiresresearchand

investigationandaproofforselectingwhatseemstobethemostaccurate.


31/190


HewasborninMedinaonFriday,orThursday,DhulHijja11,orDhulQi'da,orRabi'ulAwwal,of

theHijriyear148ortheyear153.HediedonFriday,orMonday,neartheendofthemonthof

Safar,orthe17thofSafar,orRamadan21,orJumadaI18,orDhulQi'da23,ortheendofDhul

Qi'da,oftheyear202or203or206.Inhis'UyoonAkhbaralRida,alSaduqstates:"Whatis

accurateis

that

he

died

on

the

13th

of

Ramadan,

on

aFriday,

in

the

year

203."

Whatismostlikelyisthathisdeathtookplaceintheyear203asstatedbyalSaduq.Itisthesame

yearinwhichalMamoonmarchedtowardsIraq.Tosaythathediedin206isnottoagreewith

thetruthbecausealMamoonmarchedtowardsBaghdadintheyear204,andtheImamdied

whilehewasheadinginthesamedirection.

HisMother

Thereisagreatdealofdisputeregardingthenameofhismother.Somesayshewascalledal

Khayzaran;otherssayshewasArwiandthathernicknamewas"theblondeofNubia,"while

otherssayshewasNajmaandhernicknamewas"UmmulBaneen."Otherssayshewascalled

SekantheNubian;stillotherssayshewascalledTakattamasmaybeprovenfromthepoetryin

hispraisewhichsaid:

Thebestinselfandparenthood,

Inoffspringandinancestry,

IsAlialMuaddam,

Eighthinseriesoftheknowledgeable

andtheclement,

AnImamdescendingfromtheProofofGod,

thatisTakattam.

Offspring

Disputesexistalsoregardingthenumberofhisoffspringandtheirnames.Agroupofscholarssay

thattheywerefivesonsandonedaughter,andthattheywere:MuhammadalQani',alHassan,

Ja'fer,Ibrahim,alHusayn,and'Ayesha.

SabtibnalJawzi,inhisworkTadhkiratulKhawass,saysthatthesonswereonlyfour,droppingthe

nameofHusaynfromthelist.AlMufidinclinestobelievethattheImamdidnothaveanyson

otherthanImamMuhammadalJawad(A.S.),andIbnShahrAshoobemphaticallystatesso,andso

doesalTibrisiinhisA'lamalWara.Al'UdadalQawiyyastatesthathehadtwosons,Muhammad

andMousa,andthathedidnothaveanyotheroffspring.Inhisclaim,heissupportedbyQurbal

AsnadinwhichtheauthorsaysthatalBazantiaskedalRida,"ForyearsIhavebeenaskingyou


32/190


whoyoursuccessorisandyoukeeptellingmethatitisyoursonevenwhenyouhadnosonatall,

butsinceGodhasnowblessedyouwithtwosons,whichoneofthemishe?"'UyoonAkhbaral

RidaindicatesthathehadadaughternamedFatima.

Wearenotintheprocessofinvestigating,researchingandpinpointingwithaccuracythenumber

ofhis

offspring

and

their

names,

but

what

seems

to

be

more

reasonable

is

what

al

Mufid

states.

WhatisestablishedasafactwithusisthatImamMuhammadalJawad(A.S.)washisson;as

regardinghisothersons,nobodyseemstobeabletoproveanyfactsregardingthem,andGod

knowsbest.

PersonalityandCharacteristics

Generallyspeaking,anImamenjoysauniquepersonalityanddistinctivecharacteristics,inasfar

asShi'afollowersoftheImamsareconcerned;therefore,heisnotpermittedtodowhatothers

are,suchasfallingintoerror,orgettingconfusedaboutamatter.Rather,infallibilityisessentialin

himsinceheconveysonbehalfoftheProphet(S.A.W.)whatseemstootherstobeobscureofthe

Messageanditsintricacies.JustasweprovedtheinfallibilityoftheProphet(S.A.W.),we,bythe

sametoken,proveinfallibilityfortheImamaswellwithoneexception:theImamconveyson

behalfoftheProphet(S.A.W.),whereastheProphetconveysonbehalfoftheAlmightyGod.The

wisdominthisargumentisthatshouldfallingintoerrorbeacceptedandexpectedfromthe

Prophet(S.A.W.)ortheImam,thendoubtwillresultregardingthereliabilityofwhattheyconvey

topeopleofjurisdicrulesandregulationsandothersuchmatterssincetheyareliabletoerrin

theirjudgementorgetconfusedaboutaparticularissue.Althoughthebelieversarenotheld

accountablefordoingwhattheyarenotsupposedtobedoingduetosucherrorofjudgement,

theassumptionoftheerrorofjudgementitselfcollideswiththeverywisdombehindthereason

whyprophetsweresenttopeopleatallwhichistoclarifytopeople,accordingtothewayGod

Almightyintendedthemto,withoutanyerrororconfusion,whatHisWillis.

Thetopicofinfallibilityisavastonethediscussionofwhichhasnoroomhereandwhichrequires

adedicatedresearchImaybeableonedaytotackle.WhatIhavetoclarifyhereisthatImamate

ischaracterizedbycertaindistinctiveaspectssuchasinfallibilitywhichwecannotdiscussbyitself

withothersexceptafterbothpartiesagreeonthebasisfromwhichitemerged;otherwise,our

casewouldbelikeonewhodiscussesthenecessityofperformingtheritualprayers(salat)with

someonewhodoesnotbelieveinthemessageoftheProphet(S.A.W.).

Thebasicpointuponwhichwehavefirstandforemosttoagreeisthedefinitionofgeneral

Imamate,thenthedistinctionsitrequiresand,finally,theproofswhichtestifytothese

distinctions.Itisonlythenthatdisagreeingpartiescanconductareasonablediscussion.Having

beenconvincedbyunequivocalproofsofsuchinfallibility,andhavingseentheTwelveImams

(A.S.)tobefullyqualifiedtobetheonlyonesinwhomsuchinfallibilitycouldbeobserved,we


33/190


becamefullyconvincedoftheirunshakablesuperiorityoverallothers,andthattheywerethe

onesadornedwithabsolutehumanperfection.

AnImam,accordingtothisviewpoint,hasgottobethemostlearnedamongpeopleandthemost

awareofthegeneralneedsofpeoplesuchasknowledgeorothernecessitiesoflife,andthathe

hasto

be

the

most

pious,

the

most

ascetic,

the

most

perfect

in

personal

conduct

and

norms

of

behaviour.Inotherwords,inordertobequalifiedforImamate,onehastobesuperiorto

everyoneelseinallaspectsofperfectionanditsrequirementswhichallraisehimtohisposition

ofleadership.Onthisbasis,thecharacterofImamalRida(A.S.),whoisoneoftheseTwelve

Imams,becomesclearlydistinctiveduetoitsmerits.Butthisisnotthelimitofthescopeofthis

research;rather,weshallattempttoresearchhispersonalityandthequalitieswhich

distinguishedhimfromallothersbyoursiftingintothelegacyhistoryhaspreservedforusofhis

conductwhilestillalive,andfromthestancestakenbythemenofknowledgeandby

contemporarycaliphstowardshim.

Government'sAttitudeTowardstheImam

TheattitudeofthethenrulerstowardsImamalRida(A.S.)andtheotherImamsmayprovideus

withaclearviewofthedistinctionswhichraisedtheirpersonalitiestothezenith.Anditis

essentialtoexplainthephenomenonofthegovernment'sattitudetowardsthemwhich

manifesteditselfinthesurveillanceimposeduponthemratherthanuponotherdistinguished

dignitariesorchiefsoftheAlawides,monitoringtheirmovementsandcountingtheirstepsinall

theirsocialandpersonalencounters.Whatwecanmentionheretoexplainthisphenomenonare

thefollowingreasons:

1)ThebeliefofalargenumberofMuslimsintheirImamateandintheirbeingthemostworthyof

thecaliphate,andtheirconvictionthatallothercaliphsareconsideredusurpersofauthority,

trespassersupontherightsordainedbyGodtoothers.Thisiswhythepoliticiansofthetime

consideredthemtheircompetitorswhosemerepresenceincreasedthedangerssurrounding

themandjeopardizedthesecurityoftheveryexistenceoftheirgovernmentstructure.

2)Theirbeingthemagnetwhichattractedleadingscholarsandthinkerswhoshrankintheir

presencedespitetheirintellectualadvancementanddistinctioninthefieldsoftheartsand

knowledgeanddespitetheirgeniusandintellectualprowess.Thiscausedthecaliphstofeela

strongeranimositytowardsthemandbemoregrudgefultowardsthemduetothepublic

fascinationbythemandtotheirattemptstobeclosetothemandtobeingemotionallydistant

fromthecenterofthegovernment.

3)Theirbeingthebetteralternativefromthepublic'spoliticalstandpointtotakechargeofthe

responsibilitiesofgovernment,bearitsburdens,carryoutitsobligationsanddoingallofthat

8/13/2019 Imam_al Rida_a Historical_

Imam_al Rida_a Historical_and Biographical Research

Documents

Transcript of Imam_al Rida_a Historical_and Biographical Research