Imam Ali ar-Reza (a.s.) was the eighth link of the “Silsila-e-Zahabiyyah”
or “The Golden Chain”. His father was the Seventh Infallible Imam Musa
al-Kazim (a.s.) and the mother was Sayyidah Najma (s.a.). He was born in
Madinah on 11th Zi’qaadah 148 A.H. He was 29 years when his beloved
father was martyred by poison by the Abbasside Caliph Ma’moun, and he lived
for 20 years as the divinely appointed Infallible Imam of Islam.
During the reign of Ma’moun, there were many bloody
revolts by the Alawites, but the Imam did not support them. Ma’moun cleverly
thought of a plan to contain such uprisings. He first offered the caliphate to
the Imam which he flatly refused but Ma’moun insisted the Imam to accept successor
ship. Ultimately, the Imam accepted it under a threat to his life but
demanded the condition that he will not participate in the affairs of the
state.
When the Imam was travelling from Neshapour, thousands of
Muslims surrounded his camel and requested for a tradition of his great
grandfather (s.a.w.a.s.). The Imam said that the Archangel Jib’raeel
communicated Allah’s words: “La Ilaha Illallah is My fortress and whoever
enters it is save from My punishment.” The Imam said: “There are certain
conditions and I am one of them.”
Imam Reza (a.s.) said: “Doing six things without doing
other six things is self-mockery;
Asking
forgiveness from Allah verbally without repenting from heart.
Asking
for Allah’s help without undertaking any effort.
Beseeching
deliverance from Hell Fire without refraining from lusts.
Asking
Paradise from Allah without enduring related hardships.
In late 202 A.H. Ramazaan, Ma’moun requested the Imam
(a.s.) to lead the Eid prayers. The Imam (a.s.) accepted the request on the
condition that he will perform the Eid prayers exactly as his grandfather
(s.a.w.a.s.) performed it. The Imam (a.s.) started from his house dressed in
plain clothes and bare-footed and advised all his followers to do the same. The
Imam (a.s.) and his followers all shouted “Allah-o-Akbar” and the sound was
audible from every corner of the city. Ma’moun was deeply alarmed by the magnificence
and splendor of the demonstration and requested him not to proceed towards the
mosque for prayers!
The Imam (a.s.) was also known as the “Imam-e-Zaamin”
meaning “The Guarantor Imam”. Muslims, when travelling, used to carry the coins
as a mark of safety, on which Imam Reza’s name was engraved on it being the successor
of the caliph. Once, while travelling from Madinah to Khorasaan, the Imam
came across a hunter who was about to kill a deer. The deer saw the Imam (a.s.)
and came near him and said something in his ears. The Imam (a.s.) asked the
hunter to free the deer so that she will go to feed her babies and come back.
Although, the hunter freed the deer but he knew that the deer will not return.
Imam Reza (a.s.) waited with the hunter until the deer returned with her
babies. The hunter was amazed on witnessing this miraculous event and had set
free the deer as a mark of respect for the Imam (a.s.). After this historical
event, Imam Reza became famous as “Imam Zamin”
Traditions narrated by Imam Reza (a.s.):
1.
Faith has four
pillars; Trusting and relying upon Allah, contentment and pleasure with the
divine will, submitting to the ordinances of Allah, and total submission to
Allah.
2.
Faith means
performing the obligatory duties, avoiding the committing of the forbidden acts,
recognition and knowing through the heart, admitting and confessing through the
tongue, and practicing through the limbs.
3.
The Glorious Qur’an
is the firm cable of Allah, ideal path; it leads to Paradise and is the savior from
Hell Fire.
4.
Allah may take pity
and be merciful to the servant who resurrects and revives our affairs by
learning our knowledge and teaching them to the people.
5.
Allah has commanded
three things which approximate with three others; He ordered prayers and alms,
one who offers prayer but does not give alms, his services are unacceptable. He
ordered his Thanksgiving with that of the parents, so the one who does not
thank his parents has not thanked Allah. He commanded fear of Allah and
connecting with kinship, so the one who does not connect with blood relations is
not afraid of Allah.
Sources
used: Ayoun Akhbar al-Riza, 14Five.com, Duas.org/ Imamreza.htm,
al-Islam.org/story of the Holy Kaaba
No comments:
Post a Comment