Traditions About Imam al-Ridha’s Mother and Her Name

I had a dream. In my dream God’s Prophet (s) told me to give Najma to my son Musa (s). The Prophet (s) told me that Najma and Musa (s) will have a child who will be the best man on the Earth. Then I gave her to my son Musa (s).’ When Najma gave birth to Imam Al-Ridha (s), Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (s) named her Taherah. She also had other names including Najma, Arwa, Sakan, Samaneh and Toktam. Toktam was her last name.” Ali ibn Maysam added on the authority of his father, “I heard my mother say that Najma was a girl when Lady Hamideh bought her.”

Do you know anyone from the West who has come here?” I said, “No.” Imam Al-Kadhim (s) said, “Yes, a red man has come here. Let’s go to see him together.” We mounted our horses and rode over to see him. He was a Western man with several slaves. Imam Al-Kadhim (s) said, “Show us your slaves.” The man showed the Imam (s) nine of his female slaves. About each one of them Imam Al-Kadhim (s) said, “I do not need her.” Then he said, “Show us the rest of them.” The man said, “I do not have any more.” TheImam (s) said, “Yes you do. Show them to us. The man swore to God and said, “I swear by God that I do not have any more. There is just an ill female slave left.” The Imam (s) said, “What would happen if you also show her to us?” The man refused and then the Imam (s) left. The next day Imam Al-Kadhim (s) sent me to that man, instructed me to ask him what the last price was for her and to accept whatever price he quoted for her. Then I went to see that man. He said, “I will not sell her for an less than so much.” I said, “O.K. I accept the amount. Here is the money. It is yours.” He said, “O.K. That female slave is ours. But please tell me who the man with you was.” I said, “He is from the Hashemite tribe.” He asked, “Which branch? “I answered, “He is from the noble men of the Hashemite tribe.” The man said, “Please explain more.” I said, “I do not know anymore than this.” Then the man said, “O.K. Let me tell you then. I bought this female slave from one of the farthest towns away in the West.” A woman of the People of the Book saw me and asked me, “What is this female slave doing with you?” I said, “I have bought her for myself.” She said, “It is neither proper nor possible for her to be with people like you. She must live with the best of the people on the Earth. She will give birth to a child after living in their house for a short while to whom all the people of the East and the West will be humble.” Hisham said, “After buying her, I took her to Imam Al-Kadhim (s). Then after a short while, she gave birth to (Imam) Ali ibn Musa Al-Ridha (s). Muhammad ibn Ali Majiluwayh - may God be pleased with him - quoted the same tradition in the same form for me on the authority of his uncle Muhammad ibn Ali al-Qasim, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ali al-Kufi, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Khalid, on the authority of Hisham bin Ahmed.