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Folders \ Spotlights on the life of Imam Alretha
His birthday AS:
Ali bin Musa Alretha (AS) was born in Almandine, on Thursday, 11th Thi Alqe'da,
148H (1).
His nickname:
Abu Alhasan: he was titled with that name by his father Imam Musa Alkathem (AS).
His epithets
Al-Retha, Al-Saber: the patient, Al-Wafi: the faithful, Al-Sadiq: the truthful,
Al-Fathel: the virtuous, Al-Zaki: the chaste, Al-Wali: the custodian, but the
most famous one is Al-Retha (2).
Imam Aljawad (AS) explained the meaning of (Al-Retha) to a group of his
companions, saying: "Verily Allah, the Blessed and Most High, named him
Al-Retha`, for he was the pleasure of Allah, the Exalted, the Great, in His
heaven, of His Messenger, and of the Imams, the blessings of Allah be upon them,
after him."
Al-Bizanti asked him: "Weren't all your past forefathers, peace be on them, the
pleasure of Allah (Retha Le-Allah), the Exalted, the Great, of His Messenger,
and of the Imams after him?"
"Yes," replied Imam Al-Jawad(AS).
"Why has only your father been named al-Retha?" Al-Bizanti asked.
"Because both his opposing enemies and obedient supporters were pleased with
him, while this did not happen to any of his fathers, so only he was called
Al-Retha... "(3).
His solemnity
Imam Al-Retha has the solemnity of the prophets, and the dignity of the
Guardians, whom Allah enlightened them. He was known amongst the society members
of his era, of that when he was sitting with people, or while travelling around,
no one could raise up his voice in his appearance for his great solemnity.
Narrators said: "Whenever he (AS) went to Almamon, the chamberlains and the
servants hurried to raise the curtain for him. When they heard that Almamon
wanted to pledge allegiance to him, they said to each other that if he (the Imam
Reza(AS) came, they would not honor or magnify him as they would do. The
Imam(AS) came as usual, and his solemnity moved them, so they honored him as
they would do. Then they blamed one another and swore (by Allah) that if he
returned they would not honor him. When the Imam, peace be on him, came on the
following day, they stood for him and greeted him, but they did not raise the
curtain for him, so a wind came and raised it for him. When he wanted to leave,
the wind also raised the curtain for him. As a result they said to each other:
'Surely this man is of great importance, and Allah takes care of him, so return
to your serving him." (4)
Abdullah bin Mutreq narrated that one day he entered on Almamon while Ali bin
Musa Al-Retha (AS) was there. Almamon said to him: What are you saying about
AhlulBayt? Abdullah said: What could I say about a piece of mud which was knead
with the water of the message (prophecy), and watered with the revelation, it
would only perfumes the musk of guidance, and the Anbar (a luxurious perfume) of
pious.
Then Almamon ordered a chest containing pearls, and he stuffed his mouth with
pearls, to prevent him from repeating it front of people. (5)
His characteristics and behavior
Imam Al-Retha (AS) Had his own way of guidance, and life style, which was a copy
of the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (SAWA). His behavior was exactly the
same as his fathers whose were known for self-denial, and left everything which
has no connection with rightfulness. There were many occasions when he (AS)
denounced Almamon who was the autocratic Abbasid Khalifa of his time, for his
behaviors which did not match with the laws of the religion, and ordered him to
fear Allah the Almighty. This made Almamon too fed up with him, and he decided
to kill him (AS).
One of his noble morals was his kindness towards slaves. He (AS) was always nice
to them and supported them. Abdullah bin Alsalt narrated: "I was with Imam
AL-Retha(AS)during his journey to Khurasan. One day he called for food and
gathered his black and non-black retainers around it. Hence I asked him: 'May I
be your ransom, could you please isolate food for these (retainers)? As a
result, he blamed me for this and said: 'The Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, is
One, the mother is one, and reward will be according to deeds." (6)
The most lovable thing to Imam Al-Retha(AS) was releasing slaves and freeing
them from slavery. The narrators have said: "He (Imam Al-Retha(AS) released one
thousand slaves." (7)
His generosity towards his guests: One day Imam Al-Retha (AS) hosted a guest,
and he spoke to him at night. When the lamp state changed, the guest hurried to
set it right, but the Imam went ahead of him and he himself set it right and
said to his guest: "We are the people who do not employ their guests." (8)
His Martyrdom
Almamon was suffocating the freedom of the Imam (AS) tightly, and ordered to
monitor him severely. Hence the Imam (AS) fed up with this painful life, and
started to supplicate The Almighty Allah to release him from life, and get him
closer to Him. He (AS) said: "O Allah if my relief of my situation is by death,
then hasten my death at this moment. (9)" Rapidly, Allah answered his
supplication! Once the night started, he called after Herthema bin A'ion, when
he arrived he (AS) told him: "O Herthama, this is the time of my departure to
Allah, the Exalted, and of my joining with my grandfather and my fore-fathers,
peace be on them; the fixed term has come; this tyrannical one (Almamon) has
decided to kill me with squeezed grapes and pomegranates. He will have needles
prodded into the grapes at the place of their storks; he will put some poison on
the hand of one of his retainers and order him to knead pomegranates with it,
that they may be stained with poison. He will summon me on the next day, bring
the grapes and pomegranates near to me, and ask me to eat them. I will eat them,
so the decision is valid and the decree is present." (10)
In the next day everything Imam Al-Retha (AS) said happened, he was poisoned by
Al-Mamon. At the end of the night the Imam (AS) was reading verses from the
noble Quran, and the last verse he read was: (Then after sorrow He sent down
security upon you, a calm coming upon a party of you, and (there was) another
party whom their own souls had rendered anxious; they entertained about Allah
thoughts of ignorance quite unjustly, saying: We have no hand in the affair.
Say: Surely the affair is wholly (in the hands) of Allah. They conceal within
their souls what they would not reveal to you. They say: Had we any hand in the
affair, we would not have been slain here. Say: Had you remained in your houses,
those for whom slaughter was ordained would certainly have gone forth to the
places where they would be slain, and that Allah might test what was in your
breasts and that He might purge what was in your hearts; and Allah knows what is
in the breasts.) (11) then his soul went to it's creator. Surely we are Allah's
and to Him we shall surely return.
The virtue of visiting him (Ziyarat)
To visit Imam Al-Retha (AS) in the sacred Mashhad has its own specialty. A
specialty which the tradition of Imam Aljawad (AS) stated, and was narrated by a
group of Imami Shiite narrators in their Isnads, which are related to the Imam
(AS). Thus it was narrated by Theqat Al Islam Sheikh Alkulaini, ibn Qulawaih,
and Sheikh Alsadoq (RA), said: Ali bin Mehzebar, said: I said to Abu Ja'far
(Aljawad) (AS): May I be your sacrifice, which is better, visiting Al-Retha (AS)
is, or visiting Abu Abdullah Alhussain bin Ali (AS)?
He (AS) said: Visiting my father is better, it is so because Abu Abdullah (AS)
is being visited by all people, but my father no one visit him except the chosen
and sincere once of our Shiite. (12)
Imam Abu Alhasan Musa bin Ja'far Al Kathim (AS) said, “Allah will record seventy
accepted Hajjs for one who performs the Ziyarat of the grave of my son.” I
asked, “Seventy Hajjs?” Imam (AS) replied, “Yes and even seven hundred Hajjs.” I
asked, “Seven hundred Hajjs?!” Imam (AS)replied, “Yes, and even seventy thousand
Hajjs.” I asked, “Seventy thousand Hajjs?!” Imam (AS)replied, “Yes and going to
Hajj is not always accepted, but one who performs his Ziyarat and spends the
night besides him is like one who visits Allah on His Throne.” I asked, “Like
one who visits Allah on His Throne?!” Imam (AS)replied, “Yes, on Judgment Day,
there will be four people from the past nations and four people from the last
nation on the Throne of Allah. The four from the past are Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa and
Isa (AS)and the four people from the last are Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and Hussain–
Allah’s blessings be on them all. Then a barrier will be extended and only those
who have gone to the Ziyarat of the graves of the Imams (AS)will sit with us.
Indeed, the highest in rank and closest to us who will be honored will be those
who have performed the Ziyarat of my son, Ali. (13)
References:
1. 'Elal Alshraie' by Alsadoq: V1, Page 237, Published by Almaktaba Alhaidareia
2. Nor Alabsar: Page 178
3. Behar AlAnwr: v12, Page 2
4. Alethaf behob Alashraf: Page 58
5. A'ian Alshi'a: V4, Page: 112
6. Albehar: V12, Page 18
7. Alethaf behob Alashraf: Page 58
8. Wasael Alshi'a: V2, Page 659, P. Dar Ehia Alturath AlArabi
9. Oion Akhbar alretha by Alsadoq: V2, Page 247
10. Quran 3: 154
11. Alkafi: V4, Page 584, P dar Alkotob Alislameiah. Kamel Alzeiarat by Ibn
Qulawaih: Page 510, P Moasasat nashr Alfaqaha. Oion Akhbar Alretha (AS) by
Alsadoq: V1, Page 292, P Moasasat Ala'lami. Montaha Almatlab by Almah Alheli:
V2, Page 894, P Hajreiah.
12. Alkafi by Alkulaini: V4, Page 584, P dar Alkutob Alislameiah. Oion Akhbar
Al-Retha AS by Alsadoq: V1, Page 291. Altahtheb by Altusi: V6, Page 85, P Dar
Alkutob Alislameia
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