On The Reasons why Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha (a.s.) accepted the succession to the throne from Al-Ma’mun, what Went On, those who were displeased and those who were pleased

a man asked him, “May God settle your affairs! Why did you accept this affair and go to Al-Ma’mun? He was somehow blaming the Imam (a.s.) for this. However, Abul Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) asked him, “Hey you! Please tell…

“I went to see Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) and told him, “O son of the Prophet! The people say that although you show asceticism, you have accepted the succession to the throne.” He (a.s.) replied, “Indeed God knows…

I will never accept this willingly.’ Al-Ma’mun kept insisting on this issue day after day until he lost all hope. Then he said, ‘Now that you do not accept the Caliphate and do not let me pledge allegiance to you as the…

Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.), “O son of the Prophet of God! What forced you to accept the succession to the throne?” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “The same thing which forced my grandfather the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) to join…

“By God! Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) did not accept this affair willingly. He was unwillingly taken to Kufa, then he was taken to Marv by way of Basra and Fars.”

I was in the province of Khorasan with Muhammad ibn Ja’far. Then I heard that one day Thul-Riasatayn Al-Fadhl ibn Sahl came out and said, ‘I have dreamt something amazing. Ask me what I saw.’ They asked, ‘May God…

“When Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) was appointed as the successor to the throne, Ibrahim ibn Al-Abbas and De’bel ibn Ali went to see him. They did not separate from each other. Razin ibn Ali - De’bel’s brother - was also with them.…

“When Ibrahim ibn Al-Abbas and De’bel al-Khoza’ee reached Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) after the people had pledged allegiance to him, De’bel said,‘The schools for the Qur’anic verses are void of reciting nowand the landing site of…

O Abu Nuwas! You know the position that Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) has in my sight, and how much I respect him. Then why did you procrastinate in praising him for this position while you are the best poet of the…

O son of the Prophet! I have composed a few verses about you and would like you to hear them.’ Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said, ‘Let us hear them,’ so he said,Cleansed and Purified are they,When mentioned, they are…

“One day when Abu Nuwas left his house, he saw someone riding on an animal. He did not see his face. He asked who he was. They told him he was Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.). Then Abu Nuwas recited the following poem:Had…

No.” He said, “This is Ali ibn Al-Husayn (a.s.).” The people fell to his feet, kissed his hands and feet and said, “O son of the Prophet of God! Do you want us to burn in the Fire of Hell? Will we not be ruined for as…

Do you realize who the successor to the throne is? They said, “No.” He said, “It is Ali ibn Musa ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.).Seven forefathers - what ancestorswho are the…

When Al-Ma’mun pledged allegiance to Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.), the Imam (a.s.) told him, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! It is obligatory to be sincere with you. It is not proper for a believer to be tricky. The…

“When Al-Ma’mun pledged allegiance to Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.), Al-Ma’mun had him (a.s.) sit next to himself. Abbas - the orator - stood up, delivered a good speech and ended it with the following poem:People can’t live without…

In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Praise be to God who does whatever He wills. No one can object to His Decrees. No one can reject His Destiny. He knows whatevertreason that lies in one’s heart from the…

O people! You were informed of the news of the pledge of allegiance to Ali ibn Musa ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib. By God, if they read these names to the deaf and dumb, they will be…

troops be granted one full year’s salary. He declared this issue to all Muslim lands. He called him Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) and had silver coins coined in Ar-Ridha’’s (a.s.) name. He ordered the people to put aside their black…

poems he had composed in praise of Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) which were partly written in his own handwriting and some had been written in other people’s handwriting, were with him. Ishaq threatenedthat if Ibrahim did not stop…

State your conditions.’ Then Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) wrote, ‘I will accept the succession to the throne upon the conditions that I neither issue any orders, nor do I admonish against anything; I neither judge, nor change…

This is one of the plans of Thul-Riasatayn Al-Fadhl ibn Sahl.’ This was told to Al-Ma’mun. Then he sent for me at midnight. I went to him. He said to me, ‘O Rayyan! I have been informed that the people say that the…

40-22 In some of the manuscripts of the book Al-Hiba wal-Shart, I found some traditions regarding Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.), the government officials, Al-Fadhl ibn Sahl and his brother. No one, however, granted me permission to…

O Commander of the Faithful! Fear God in the way you deal with the nation of Muhammad (a.s.) and the mission that God has given you, and made you especial in that. You have left the Muslims’ affairs unattended to, and…

“O Commander of the Faithful (Al-Ma’mun)! You are in charge of running the affairs, and I am in charge of praying.” When Al-Ma’mun left, I (Abul Husayn) asked Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.), “May God honor you! Why didn’t you accept…

Praise be to God who protected for us what the people had ruined, and promoted us no matter how much the people debased us. They cursed us while lecturing on the atheists’ pulpits for eighty years. They covered up our…

Let me live since I have been grateful to you.’ He said, ‘Who are you to be grateful?’ Then Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! I adjure you by God the Highest that you appreciate what the…

I will turn it over from one tribe to another one, too.” He then advised Al-Ma’mun to establish Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) as the successor to the throne instead of his brother al-Mo’taman. Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’…

I was in Medina where I went around on my own animals. The people there and other people just asked me for the fulfillment of their needs. I fulfilled whatever I possibly could. Thus to me they were just like my uncles.…

We have come toyou to say what is right and is the truth. We know that the rule belongs to you. O son of the Prophet! We know that it is your right. We have in our minds the same things that we express in words. We swear…