The following maxims are related to the gallant Imam Abul-Hasan Ali Ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (‘a).

Imam Ar-Ridha’’s (‘A) Answers To Al-Ma’mun In Relation To The Comprehensives Of The Shari’a

Imam Ar-Ridha’’s (‘a) Answers to Al-Ma’mun in relation to the comprehensives of the Shari’a1

Al-Maumun (The Abbasid caliph) sent Al-Fadhl Ibn Sahl Thurriyasatain, his vizier, to summon Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a). When the Imam attended, the caliph said, “I like you to summarize for me the legal and the illegal matters in addition to the obligatory and the recommendable practices of Islam, for you are certainly the argument of God against His creatures and the core of knowledge.” Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) agreed and asked for an ink-well and a paper. He then asked Al-Fadhl to write down:

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

We are sufficed with the confession that there is no god but Allah the One the Absolute Who did not have a wife or a son. He is Self-Existent, All- Hearing, All-Seeing, Almighty, All-Existing, Everlasting, Light, All-Knowing Who is not ignorant, All-Powerful Who is not incapable, All-Sufficient Who needs no one, and All-Just Who does not wrong anyone. He created everything. Nothing is like Him. There is no one match, opponent, opposite, or equal to Him.

I declare that Muhammad is His servant, messenger, trusty, and choice among the creatures. He is the master of the messengers, the seal of the prophets, and the best in the worlds. There is no prophet after him and there is no conversion or change to his religion. I declare that everything with which Muhammad (S) came is the evident right. We believe in him as well as all the messengers, prophets, and evidences of God that preceded him. We believe in his truthful Book that

Falsehood cannot reach it from any direction. It is the revelation from the All-wise, Praiseworthy One. (41:42).

We also believe that his Book is the prevalent over all the (heavenly) Books and that it is all right from its beginning up to its end. We believe in its decisive (verses), allegorical, particular, general, promise, threat, repealing, repealed, and news. No creature can ever bring its equivalent.

We declare that the evidence and argument on the believers after the Prophet (S), the manager of the Muslims’ affairs, the spokesman of the Qur’an, and the knowledgeable of its rulings is his brother, successor, and trustee whose relation to him is as same as Aaron’s relation to Moses; Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a). He is the commander of the faithful believers, the imam of the God-fearing, the leader of the white-foreheaded honorables, the drone (head) of the believers, and the best of the successors of the prophets. After him come Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn (peace be upon them) successively up to now. They are the Prophet’s progeny, the most knowledgeable with the Book (of God) and the Sunna, the fairest in issues, the most favorable for leadership in every time, the firmest handle, the imams of right guidance, and the argument against people of this world until God seizes the earth and those living in it. He is surely the best of the seizers.

We believe that anyone who opposes them (the Imams) is deviant, misleading, and deserter of the right and the guidance. They (the Imams) are the interpreters of the Qur’an and the spokespersons of the Prophet with directness. He whoever dies before he acknowledges and follows them by names is regarded as one of those who died before Islam.

Piety, chastity, honesty, goodness, diligence, keeping the deposit of the pious and the sinful, lengthy prostration (to God), night worship, avoidance of the forbidden acts, expectation of the Relief by means of patience, good companionship, good neighborhood, doing favors limitlessly, abstinence from injury, and treating the believers with happy mien, advice, and mercy—all these are among the features of the Imams’ religion.

The ritual ablution (as God instructed in His Book) is washing the face and the hands and passing water over the head and the feet. To do each action one time is the obligatory, and to do each action twice is recommendable. Any addition is a rewardless sin. Invalidators of the ablution are fart, urination, excretion, sleep, and ceremonial impurity.

Anyone who passes water over the slippers (in the ritual ablution) is opposing God, His messenger, and His Book. Besides, his ablution will be invalid.

When Umar heard that Ali (‘a) opposed people who used to pass water over their slippers, he said to him, ‘I saw the Prophet (S) pass water over the slippers.’ ‘Was it that before or after the revelation of Sura of Al-Ma’ida?’ asked Ali (‘a). ‘I do not know,’ answered Umar. Then Ali (‘a) said, ‘I am sure that the Prophet (S) did not pass water over the slippers since the revelation of Sura of Al-Ma’ida.’

Bathing after the ceremonial impurity, wet dreams, and menstruation, in addition to the bathing of those who wash the dead, are obligatory.

Friday bathing, the two eids bathing, bathing before arrival in Mecca and Medina, bathing of the umrah, bathing of ihram, bathing of Arafa Day, and bathings on first, nineteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-third of Ramadan—all these bathings are recommendable.

The obligatory prayers are as follows:
The Dhuhr Prayer is four rak’as, the Asr Prayer is four rak’as, the Maghrib Prayer is three rak’as, the Esha’ Prayer is four rak’as, and the Fajr Prayer is two rak’as. These are seventeen obligatory rak’as. The recommendable rak’as are thirty-four. Eight rak’as are performed before the Dhuhr Prayer, eight are performed after it, four are performed after the Maghrib Prayer, two (although considered as one) are performed (while sitting) after the Esha’ Prayer, and eight are performed after midnight. Witr prayer is three rak’as followed by two.

The prayers should be performed as soon as their times fall. Every single rak’a that is performed collectively is equal to two thousand rak’as that are performed individually. Do not follow a sinful imam (of a collective prayer). Follow (in the collective prayers) only those who believe in the Wilaya2 (the Imamites3). Do not offer the prayers while you are wearing skins of dead animals4 or beasts.

Shortening the prayers is valid after a traveler is four farsakhs5 away from his home country. Four bareeds6 back and four forth. When prayers are shortened, fasting should be broken. Qunut is in four prayers—the Dhuhr Prayer, the Maghrib and Esha’ Prayers, the Friday prayer, and the Asr Prayer. Qunuts are performed before ruku’ after qira’a.

The Funeral Prayer is five takbirs. It is empty of taslim because taslim is performed only when there is ruku’ and Sujud7, and the Funeral Prayer has no ruku’ or Sujud. The graves should be squared, not humped. Voices should be raised when ‘bismillahir rahmanir rahim (in the Name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful)’ is recited with Sura of Fatihah.

The obligatory zakat is five (silver) dirhams for each two hundred dirhams. It is not obligatory in less than this quantity. For quantities more than the previous, the zakat is one (golden) dirham for every forty dirhams. It is not obligatory in less than forty dirhams. It is obligatory only when a whole year lapses. It should be given only to the Imamites. For the golden dinars, the obligatory zakat is half a dinar for every twenty.

The khums is paid only one time from the profits. The obligatory zakat of wheat, barley, dates, raisins, and any grain the quantity of which is five wasqs (a measurement) is one tenth provided that it is irrigated by rainfall or a river. In case it is irrigated by pails, the zakat then is half a tithe for both the insolvent and the solvent. The zakat of the other grains is one or two handfuls. This is because God does not impose on any soul a responsibility beyond its ability and He does not overburden the servants. One wasq is sixty saas. One saa is sixty rotls and four mudds. A mudd is two and quarter Iraqi rotls. Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) said: “It is nine Iraqi rotls which is equal to six Medinian rotls.”

Zakat ul-Fitr8 is obligatory on everybody apart from the age or the social class. It is half a saa of wheat and one saa of dates and raisins. Because it is obligatory, it is illicit to give the zakat ul-Fitr to other than the Imamites.

Period of menstruation is between ten and three days. The semi-menstruant should perform the ritual bathing before she performs any prayer. The menstruant leaves performing the prayers and does not settle the prayers that she misses during her period of menstruation, but she should settle the days of fast that she misses.

Fasting should be observed during month of Ramadan only when the new moon is seen and should be stopped when the new moon (of the next month) is seen. It is invalid to offer the Tarawih Prayer9 collectively. It is recommendable to fast during three days every month—one day for every ten days; a Thursday from the first ten, a Wednesday from the middle ten, and a Thursday from the last ten (days of a month). It is fine and recommendable to fast during month of Shaban. The Messenger of God (S) said: “Shaban is my month and Ramadan is God’s.” It is acceptable to settle the missed fast of Ramadan in different days.

The hajj to the Holy House (of God) is obligatory upon anyone who finds a way to it. ‘Way’ in this regard stands for supplies and a riding animal (a means of transportation). Except for people of Mecca, any form of hajj except that of tamattu’ is illicit. It is also illicit to opt for hajj of ifrad and hajj of qiran10 that the others perform. Ihram is illicit before attaining the miqat. God says:

Complete the hajj and umrah in obedience to God. (2:196).

It is illicit to immolate a castrate sheep because it is imperfect. It is acceptable to immolate a sheep whose testicles are pressed between two rocks so that it will lose libido.
Jihad is obligatory only under the leadership of a just imam. The killed for defending their wealth, baggage, or themselves are martyrs. It is illicit to kill any disbeliever in time of taqiyah, except the murderers and the aggressors when safety is guaranteed. It is also illicit to use the wealth of people, whether of other sects or not, wrongly. Taqiyah is obligatory in its proper time (when it becomes necessary). Those who perjure out of taqiyah so as to save themselves against harm are not to undergo the doctrinal provision.

Divorce is valid only when it is implemented according to the Islamic laws that God the Majestic mentioned in His Book or the Prophet (S) referred to in his Sunna. Any other form of divorce is invalid, including the forms that oppose the Book. Similarly, any form of marriage that opposes the Sunna is invalid. It is illicit to marry more than four mistresses in one time. It is illicit for husbands who divorced their wives three times, according to the Shari’a, to have them as wives anew before they marry other husbands. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) said: “Be away from women whom are divorced three times in one situation, for they are still wives.”

It is recommendable to send blessings to the Prophet (S) in every situation, including blowing of the wind11, sneezing and so on.

It is obligatory to cherish the disciples of God and their disciples and to hate and disavow the enemies of God and their masters.

It is obligatory to treat the parents piously. In case they are polytheists, you may not obey them, but maintain lawful relations with them, because God says:

Give thanks to Me first and then to your parents, to Me all things proceed. (31:14).

If they try to force you to consider things equal to Me, which you cannot justify, do not obey them. (31:15).

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) said: “Those who were described as worshipping others besides God did not pray or fast for their sake. They only obeyed them when they ordered to act disobediently to God. I heard the Messenger of God (S) saying: ‘He whoever obeys any creature in acts other than those of obedience to God the Majestic is converting to atheism and be taking a god other than Allah.’”12

The legality of a fetus (of an eatable animal) is materialized when the legality of (slaughtering of) its mother is materialized.

The faults of the prophets are regarded as insignificant and pardoned for their prophecy.

The laws of inheritance are errorless provided that they are applied as exactly as God has enact-ed. Except the husband or the wife, no one will inherit (a dead person) with the parents and the sons. Those whom are given shares according to the Book of God are more meritorious than those whom are not. The inheritance of the agnation is not in the religion of God.

An immolated animal for the newborn baby, whether male or female, should be slaughtered on the seventh day of age. On the same day, the baby should be had his hair cut, his name should be chosen, and a golden or silver alms that is as weighty as his cut hair should be given.

Deeds of the servants are created optionally not compulsorily. Do not believe in fatalism or indeterminism. God the Majestic does not punish an innocent for a sin that is committed by a sinful. Likewise, He does not torment sons and children for the sins of their fathers. He the Exalted says:

No one will be considered responsible for another's sins. (6:164).

…nor can man achieve anything except that he had exerted his own efforts in acting. (53:39).

God forgives, never treats unjustly, never orders the servants to obey somebody that He knows he will oppress and deviate them, and never chooses for conveying His message anyone that He knows he would disbelieve and follow the Shaytan. Islam is something different from faith. Every faithful believer is Muslim but not every Muslim is faithful believer.

A larcener is faithless in the moment he commits larceny, a drunken is faithless in the moment he drinks (alcohol), and a murderer is faithless in the moment he kills a respectful soul. The individuals that are subject to the doctrinal provisions are neither believers nor atheists.

God will not submit the faithful believers to Hell after He promised them Paradise and eternal abode in it. He whomever is submitted to Hell out of hypocrisy, sinfulness, or a grand sin will not be joined with the faithful believers. Hell will surround only the disbelievers. Any guilt due to which its committer will be submitted to Hell is sin. The polytheists, disbelievers, hypocrites, and committers of grand sins will be submitted to Hell.
Intercession is permissible for the seekers of intercession.
It is obligatory to enjoin good and forbid evil by way of the tongue.

Faith stands for the fulfillment of the ritual duties and the abstinence from the forbidden acts. It is acknowledgement of the heart, uttered declaration, and the application of the organs.

Takbir in Eid ul-Adha comes after ten prayers beginning with the Dhuhr Prayer of Day of Immolation (the tenth of Dhu’l-Hijja13). Takbir in Eid ul-Fitr comes after five prayers beginning with the Maghrib Prayer of the night before breaking the fast.

The puerperal should leave the prayers for twenty days no more. She should offer prayers if she becomes clean before this period, otherwise she should complete the twenty days. Then, she should wash herself and apply the acts of the semi-menstruant.

It is obligatory to believe in the tomb agony, Munkar and Nakeer, the resurrection after death, the Judgment, the Balance, and the Path. It is also obligatory to believe in the disavowal of the leaders of deviation and their followers, compliance with the disciples of God, forbiddance of the alcohol. The little amount of any beverage the much amount of which is intoxicating is haram. The individual under constraint ought not to drink wine because it may kill him. It is also obligatory to believe in the forbiddance of having the meat of any animal that has a canine tooth and every bird that has a claw, and the forbiddance of (eating) the spleen because it is blood, any fish other than the shellfish, and any bird that does not have a gizzard. Regarding eggs, it is halal to have any egg whose edges are uneven and it is haram to have any egg whose edges are equal.

It is also obligatory to believe in (the necessity of) the abstinence from the forbidden matters, which are killing the soul that God forbade, drinking alcohol, impiety to the parents, flight from fighting the enemy, wrongful consuming of the orphans’ property, having the dead meat, the blood, the pork, and any animal that is slaughtered and consecrated in the name of someone (or something) other than God except in states of necessity. It is furthermore obligatory to believe in the forbiddance of usury, unlawful trade after a proof is demonstrated, gambling, cheating in weighing and measuring, false accusation of married ladies, fornication, sodomy, perjury, despair of receiving comfort from God, feeling of being secure from God’s unexpected plans, losing hope in God’s mercy, supporting and approach to the unjust rulers, false swearing, detention of the rights in solvency, arrogance, atheism, squandering, treachery, concealment of testimony, diversions that prevent from mentioning God such as singing and playing music, and finally insistence on the insignificant sins.

The previous were the principals of the religion. All praise is due to Allah the Lord or the worlds.

All peace and blessings be upon the Lord’s Messenger and his family.

Imam Ar-Ridha’’s (‘A) Wording Of Monotheism

The following are excerptions from the long narration and the well-known session in which Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) overcame all the theologians of the various sects opposing Islam whom were gathered by Al-Ma’mun for disputation.

…Imran As-Sabi said to Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a): Do we declare the oneness of God by reality or by description?

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) answered:
Certainly, God the Light, the Initiator of this cosmos, and the Foremost is One without any associate or any accompanying thing. He is Unique without a second. He is neither realized nor unknown. He is neither decisive nor allegorical. He is neither mentioned nor forgotten. He is not a thing that a familiar name can fit Him. The Initiator has been Self-Existent and light that is dis-pending with everything. He did not exist in a definite time and will not last for a definite time. He has not existed in anything, has not hidden Himself to anything, and has not resorted to any-thing. No sayer can invent a statement describing Him even if he thinks of light, example, ghost, or shadow. All that was before the creation and in the situation where there was nothing but Him. The same situation is in this position. There are only imaginary attributes and a translation of a picture in the mind purposed for making others understand. Did you understand, Imran?

Imran answered affirmatively.

The Imam (‘a) then went on:
You should know that imagination14, volition, and will have the same meaning although they are three expressions. The foremost of His imagination, volition, and will is the letters that He made the origin of everything and the answer for every problem. He has not decided in His imagination a meaning, other than the finite and existent, for the letters, because they are imaginary and God has preceded imagination because nothing was before or with Him. Imagination, however, pre-ceded the letters; therefore, they became new by means of the imagination.

The imagination was existent when there was no trend before God. The imagination of God is something different from Him. On that account, the action of a thing is something different from it, the edge of a thing is something different from it, the feature of a thing is something different from the thing that is described with that feature, and the border of a thing is something different from the thing that is related to that border. Letters are broken up and scattered things that have no single indication. When they are combined in a definite arrangement, they will refer to other things like names and features.
You should know also that there is no feature to the indescribable, no name to the meaningless, and no edge to the edgeless. All the names and features refer to perfection and existence, but do not refer to encirclement, like their referring to the terms such as squares, circles, and triangles, because God can be recognized through names and attributes and not through terms. God is not subject to any terms; therefore, the creatures cannot recognize Him in the same way they recognize themselves. If His attributes and names do not refer to Him, then the creatures are worshipping His names and attributes, not their meanings. If this is true, the worshipped god will be someone other than Allah, since His attributes refer to something other than Him.

Imran asked: Is imagination a created being or not?

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) answered:
Imagination is a created inactive being that cannot be realized by inactivity. It is a created being just because it is originated by God. Because it is called a thing, it becomes a created being. There are only two things—God and His creatures. A created being can be inactive, moving, variable, static, familiar, or obscure. Any being that acquires a name is created.

Imam Ar-Ridha’’s (‘A) Wording Of Selection

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) was attendant in a session that included the best scholars of Iraq and Khurasan when Al-Ma’mun asked them about the exegesis of God’s saying:

We gave the Book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants, among whom some are unjust against their souls, some are moderate, and some are exceedingly virtuous by the permission of God. This is indeed a great favor. (35:32).

They answered that the Verse refers to all the umma.

Al-Ma’mun then turned to Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) and asked for his opinion. The Imam answered:
I do not agree with them. I say that God the Blessed refers to the immaculate progeny of the Prophet (S) exclusively.

Al-Ma’mun asked for an explanation. The Imam (‘a) explained:
If God referred to the umma, they all should be in Paradise. This is for His saying:

…among whom some are unjust against their souls, some are moderate, and some are exceedingly virtuous by the permission of God. This is indeed a great favor.

God then informs that all of them will be in Paradise. He the Majestic said:

They will enter the gardens of Eden… (35:33).

Thus, the Verse refers to the immaculate progeny of the Prophet (S) exclusively.

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) then added:
The immaculate progeny are those whom God describes in His Book by saying:

People of the house, God wants to remove all kinds of uncleanness from you and to purify you thoroughly. (33:33).

The Prophet (S) said about them:
“I am leaving among you the two weighty things—the Book of God and my progeny; my family. They will not depart each other until they will join me on the Divine Pool. Consider how will you regard me in treating them. O people, do not suggest to them, because they are more knowledgeable than you.

The scholars asked Abul-Hasan (‘a) whether the progeny of the Prophet and the Prophet’s family are the same.

The Imam (‘a) answered that they are the same.

The scholars claimed that the Prophet (S) is related to have said, “My umma is my family,” and the Prophet’s companions agreed unanimously on the fact that Muhammad’s family is his umma.

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) worded:
Well, tell me whether it is lawful for Muhammad’s family to have any alms in possession.

“No, it is unlawful,” answered the scholars. Then the Imam (‘a) asked:
Tell me whether it is lawful for the umma to have the alms in possession.

“Yes, it is lawful for them,” answered they. The Imam (‘a) commented:

This is one difference between Muhammad’s family and the umma. Woe to you! Where are you misled? Do you ignore the Qur’an or are you transgressing people? Have you not known that this narrative is obviously dedicated to the guided choice ones exclusively?15

“How can you prove this, Abul-Hasan?” asked the scholars. The Imam (‘a) answered:
This is clear in God’s saying:

We sent Noah and Abraham and placed prophethood and the Book among their offspring, some of whom have the right guidance. However, most of them are evildoers. (57:26).

Hence, the inheritance of the Book is dedicated to the guided ones, not the evildoers.

In his supplication to his Lord, Noah said (as God relates in the Qur’an):

Lord, my son is a member of my family. Your promise is always true and you are the best Judge. (11:45).

He said so after God had promised to save his family and him. However, God the Exalted answered him:

He is not one of your family. He is a man of unrighteous deeds. Do not ask me about that which you have no knowledge. I advise you not to become an ignorant person. (11:46).

Al-Ma’mun asked: “Did God give distinction to the Prophet’s progeny over people?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:
God the Majestic the Omnipotent gave distinction of the Prophet’s progeny over people in the Wise Book.

Al-Ma’mun asked for examples, and the Imam (‘a) cited:
God says:

God chose (and gave distinction to) Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and Imran over all the people of the world. (3:33)

They were the offspring of one another. (3:34).

In another place in the Qur’an, God says:

Are they jealous of the favors that God has done to some people? We have given to the family of Abraham the Book, Wisdom, and a great Kingdom. (4:54).

Then God refers this to the believers at whom he addressed:

Believers, obey God, His Messenger, and your (qualified) leaders. (4:59).

In the previous Verse, God refers to the qualified leaders to whom He gave the Book and wisdom in inheritance, but people envied them for these two things as He affirms in His saying: “Are they jealous of the favors that God has done to some people? We have given to the family of Abraham the Book, Wisdom, and a great Kingdom.” The favors stand for the (obligatory) obedience to the immaculate choice ones and the great kingdom stands for the obedience to them.

“Does God the Elevated explains this selection in the Book?” asked the scholars.

The Imam (‘a) answered:
God explains this selection obviously in twelve verses in the Book and refers to it in many verses whose meanings are hidden.

First, it is explained in God’s saying:

And warn your nearest relations. (26:214).

Ubay Ibn Ka’b adds16 ‘And your selected family,’ to the previous Verse, and the addition is recorded in Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud’s copy of the Holy Qur’an.

When Utham (Ibn Affan) ordered Zaid Ibn Thabit to compile the Qur’an, he bypassed that statement, which is certainly a sublime standing, a great excellence, and a grand honor for the Prophet’s family whom are exclusively stated in the previous Verse.

The second Verse of the selection is God’s saying:

People of the house, God wants to remove all kinds of uncleanness from you and to purify you thoroughly. (33:33).

Except the obstinate, no one can deny this merit because it is obviously clear.

The third Verse of selection is that in which God gave distinction to the Immaculates over all others and ordered His Prophet in His saying:

If anyone disputes (your prophesy) after knowledge has come to you, say, "Let each of us bring our children, women, and ourselves to one place and pray to God to condemn the liars among us." (3:61).

The Prophet (S) carried out this order when he brought Ali, Al-Hasan, Al-Husayn, and Fatima (peace be upon them) for praying to God for condemning the lying party. Thus, God added them to the Prophet. Do you know the indication of God’s saying: “…and ourselves…?”

The scholars said: “This is the Prophet’s personality.” Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) commented:
This is not accurate. It is an indication to Ali (‘a). This can be proved by the Prophet’s saying: “Let the Luhai’as keep on doing so and I will subjugate them to a man who is like myself—Ali.” No one can precede this particularity, disagree about this virtue, or overtake this honor. Thus, the Prophet (S) compared Ali’s personality to his.

The fourth Verse of selection is that when the Prophet ordered everybody to leave the Mosque17 except his family. People showed dissatisfaction for such a procedure and Al-Abbas discussed the Prophet (S) in the question, but the Prophet answered: “It was not I who dismissed you all except Ali. It was God who did so.” This is a clear explanation of the Prophet’s saying to Ali: “Your relation to me is as same as Aaron’s to Moses.”
“What is the relation between this and the Qur’an?” asked the scholars. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) answered:
This is in the Qur’an in God’s saying:

We sent a revelation to Moses and his brother to build houses for their people in the Pharaoh's town and to build them facing one another. (10:87).

This Verse shows Aaron’s relation to Moses. It also shows Ali’s standing to the Prophet (S). Besides, there is clear evidence in the Prophet’s saying: “Except Muhammad and Muhammad’s family, all the ceremonially impure and the menstruant are forbidden from entering this Mosque.”

“This explanation and evidence cannot be found with anyone other than you, the Prophet’s family,” said the scholars.

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) commented:
Who can deny this fact? The Prophet (S) said: “I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is its portal. He whoever betakes himself to the city of knowledge should first see its portal.”

The previous clear explanation of the virtue, honor, preference, selection, and immaculacy cannot be denied by anyone except the obstinate. All praise belongs to God for so.

The fifth Verse of selection is God’s saying:

Give the relatives their dues. (17:26).

Almighty God gave this particularity to the Prophet’s family exclusively as a sign of their distinction over the umma. When this Verse was revealed to the Prophet (S), he summoned Fatima, his daughter, and said to her, “Fadak is one of the territories that we did not exhaust our horses or camels to seize them; therefore, it is mine exclusively18. Now, I gift it to you and your offspring according to God’s instructions.”

The sixth Verse of the selection is God’s saying:

(Muhammad), say, "I do not ask you for any payment for my preaching to you except (your) love of (my near) relatives." (42:23).

This is a particularity for the Prophet (S) and his family exclusively. Relating the sayings of Noah (‘a), God the Majestic says:

My people, I do not ask any payment for what I preach to you. No one except God has to give me any reward. I do not drive away those who have faith (in my teaching); they will all receive mercy from their Lord. I know that you are ignorant people. (11:29).

Relating the sayings of Hood, the prophet (‘a), God says:

My people, I do not ask any reward for what I have preached to you. No one can give me my reward except my Creator. Will you then not take heed? (11:51).

For the Prophet Muhammad (S), God orders him:
Say, "I do not ask you for any payment for my preaching to you except (your) love of (my near) relatives."

God imposed the love of the Prophet’s relatives only when He knows that they will never apostatize and they will never deviate.

It happens that a man may bear any bit of malice in the heart for another, who is an intimate friend of him, when a member of the family of the previous is an opponent to the latter. On that account, God wants to make the Prophet’s heart completely free of malice against the believers; therefore, he ordered them to love the Prophet’s family. The Prophet then will not hate anybody who loves his family and him. In the same manner, the Prophet (S) will hate those who dislike his family, because they have ignored one of the duties of God. This is surely the most prominent honor.

When the previous Verse was revealed, the Prophet (S) ad-dressed a sermon before his companions. He said: “All praise and gratitude is due to Allah. O people, God has imposed upon you a matter. Will you carry it out?” No one answered him. He therefore repeated the same on the second day. But nobody answered him, too. On the third day, he added: “O people, it is not gold, silver, food, or drink that you should pay.” Thus, they asked what it was. The Prophet (S) then recited the Verse “(Muhammad), say, "I do not ask you for any payment for my preaching to you except (your) love of (my near) relatives."”. They agreed to carry out this commandment. Unfortunately, most of them broke it.

My father related to me his fathers’ relation that Al-Husayn Ibn Ali (‘a) had narrated the following:

Muhajirs and Ansar came to the Prophet (S) to offer him their estates and souls since (as they claimed) he had to spend great sums of his own wealth for his personal expenditures in addition to the continuous visits of the delegations. As a result, God the Majestic sent the Faithful Spirit (the Angel Gabriel) to convey to the Prophet His saying: “(Muhammad), say, "I do not ask you for any payment for my preaching to you except (your) love of (my near) relatives."” This means that you should not hurt my relatives after my death.

As they left, some of them murmured, “He rejected our offers only for urging us accepting (the leadership of) his relatives after his death. This was surely something he himself invented in that session. They also said horrible things that made God reveal His saying:

They say, "(Muhammad) has invented it by himself." Say, "Had I invented it, you would not have been able to rescue me from God. He knows best what you say about it. He is our witness and He is All-forgiving and All-merciful" (46:8).

Accordingly, the Prophet (S) summoned them and wondered whether they had done something due to which the Verse was revealed. They confessed that they had said horrible things. When the Prophet (S) recited the Verse before them, they wept heavily. Hence, God revealed:

It is He who accepts the repentance of His servants, forgives their evil deeds and knows all about what you do. (42:25).

The seventh Verse of selection is God’s saying:

God showers His blessings upon the Prophet and the angels seek forgiveness for him. Believers, pray for the Prophet and greet him with, "Peace be with you." (33:56).

All the obstinate realize that when this Verse was revealed, some people came to the Prophet and asked him to teach them how to pray for him. He (S) instructed, “Say: O Allah, bless Muhammad and Muhammad’s family the way You blessed Abraham and Abraham’s family. You are surely Praiseworthy and Glorious.”

Can any one of you disagree to this?

“No, no one can,” answered the scholars. Al-Ma’mun said, “This is a unanimous thing. However, we need something more evident about the Prophet’s family excerpted from the Qur’an.”

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

God says:

Yasin (36:1).

By the Qur’an, the Book of wisdom (36:2).

You are a Messenger (36:3).

And you follow the right path. (36:4).

Who is that Yasin?

“Undoubtedly,” said the scholars, “Yasin is Muhammad.” Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) commented:
God has given to Muhammad and his family (peace be upon them) a characteristic that, except the heedful, no one can attain its meaning. In the Qur’an, God blesses no one save the prophets (peace be upon them). He the Exalted says:

Peace be with Noah among all men in the worlds. (37:79).

Peace be with Abraham. (37:109).

Peace be with Moses and Aaron. (37:120).

God, thus, does not bless the family of Noah, Abraham, or Moses. But He blesses Muhammad’s family in His saying:

Peace be with the family of Yasin. (37:130).

Yasin is Muhammad (S).

Al-Ma’mun expressed, “I have already known that only the core of the prophecy can explain this clearly.”

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) went on:
The eighth Verse of selection is God’s saying:

Know that whatever property you may gain, one fifth belongs to God, the Messenger, the kindred, orphans, the needy and those who need money while on a journey. (8:41).

In the previous Verse, God adds the share of the Prophet’s family to his share as well as the share of His Messenger. This is the distinction between the Prophet’s family and the umma whom God has situated in a place and situated the Prophet’s family in another higher place. Besides, Almighty God chooses to the Prophet’s family what He chooses for Himself as He selected them. He begins with mentioning Himself, His Messenger, and then the kindred. This is operative not only in the distribution of the spoils of war, but also in everything that God accepts for Himself and for them.

God says:
Know that whatever property you may gain, one fifth belongs to God, the Messenger, the kindred…

This holy saying is an affirmative declaration and an everlasting commandment for them in the Book of God that,

Falsehood cannot reach it from any direction. It is the revelation from the All-wise, Praiseworthy One. (41:42).

Regarding God’s reference to the orphans and the needy, it is natural that the share of the orphan should be stopped when the feature of orphanage ceases to exist. The same thing can be said about the share of the needy. While, on the other hand, the share of the Prophet’s kindred, whether they are needy or not, is incessant up to the Day of Resurrection, because no one is wealthier than God or the Prophet; however, their shares are incessant. God the Majestic has decided for the Prophet’s family anything that He decides for Himself and His Messenger. As He decides for Himself and His Messenger a share in the spoils of war, He decides for the Prophet’s family a share. He begins with Himself, His Messenger, and then His Messenger’s family.

The same thing can be said about the commandment of obedience. God the Exalted says:

Believers, obey God, His Messenger, and your (qualified) leaders. (4:59).

In the previous Verse, God begins with Himself, His Messenger, and then His Messenger’s family. The same thing occurs in the Verse of Wilaya. God says:

Only God, His Messenger, and the true believers who are steadfast in prayer and pay alms while they kneel during prayer, are your guardians (leaders). (5:55).

In the previous Verse, God makes the leadership of the Prophet’s family and the obedience to the Prophet connected to the obedience to Him. Likewise, He makes His share as well as His Messenger’s share of spoils of war connected to the shares of the Prophet’s family. All praise is due to Allah Who has given the Prophet’s family the greatest grace.

As God refers to the classes to whom the alms should be given, He deems Himself, His Messenger, and the prophet’s family far above them. He the Exalted says:

Alms are only for the poor, the destitute, the tax collectors, those whose hearts are inclined (to-wards Islam), the slaves, those who cannot pay their debts, for the cause of God, and for those who have become needy on a journey. It is an obligation that God has decreed. God is All-knowing and All-wise. (9:60).

You cannot find any indication to God, His Messenger, and the Prophet’s family with the above-mentioned classes. This is because God has deemed Himself, His Messenger, and The Messenger’s family far above receiving the alms. Moreover, He has deemed unlawful for Muhammad and his family to receive anything of the alms, because alms are only the dirt of people, and it is unlawful for the Prophet and his family to enjoy the dirt of people because they are purified against any dirt or filth. In fine, because God has purified and selected the Prophet’s family exclusively, He accepts for them only what He accepts for Himself and dislikes for them only what He dislikes for Himself.

The ninth verse of selection is God’s saying:

Ask the people of the Reminder if you do not know. (16:43).

We (the Prophet’s family) are the people of the Reminder.

“In this Verse,” spoke the scholars, “God refers to the Christians and the Jews.” Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) answered:
How is this acceptable? If it so, then God is asking us to follow their religion, and they can claim that their religion is better than Islam!

“O Abul-Hasan,” said Al-Ma’mun, “Do you have an explanation opposing the scholars?”

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) spoke:
The Reminder in the Verse is God’s Messenger. We are his people. This is clear in the Book of God. See God’s saying in Sura of At-Talaq:

People of understanding and believers, have fear of God. God has certainly sent you a reminder. (65:10).

a Messenger who recites to you the illustrious revelations of God. (65:11).

Thus, the reminder is God’s Messenger and we are his people. The tenth Verse of selection is God’s saying:

You are forbidden to marry your mothers, daughters, sisters, paternal aunts, maternal aunts, nieces, your foster-mothers, your foster-sisters, your mothers-in-law, your step-daughters whom you have brought up and with whose mothers you have had carnal relations. It would not be a sin to marry her if you did not have carnal relations with her mother. You are forbidden to marry the wives of your own sons and to marry two sisters at the same time without any adverse effect to such relations of the past. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.” (4:23).

Supposing the Prophet (S) is alive, is it licit for him to marry my daughter, my granddaughter, or my offspring?

“No,” answered they, “It is unlawful.”

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) continued:
Is it licit for him to marry the daughter of any of you?”

“Yes,” answered they, “It is lawful.”

The Imam (‘a), then, said:
This is sufficiently clear evidence that I am one of the Prophet’s family members while you are not.

If you are the Prophet’s family, then it is unlawful for him to marry your daughters. It is unlawful for him to marry my daughter because I am one of his family members while you are members of his umma. This is another distinction between the Prophet’s family and the umma. The Prophet’s family is a part of him while the umma members are not unless they are his family.

The eleventh Verse of selection is God’s saying:

A believing person from the people of the Pharaoh who concealed his faith said, "Would you kill a man just because he says God is my Lord? He has brought you illustrious miracles from your Lord. If he speaks lies, it will only harm him, but if he speaks the Truth, some of his warnings may affect you. God does not guide a transgressing liar.” (40:28).

That man was the maternal cousin of the Pharaoh; therefore, God relates him to the Pharaoh due to this relation, not religion. The same thing can be said about us. We are the Prophet’s because we are his family, particularly, and followers of his religion, generally. This is another distinction between the Prophet’s family and the umma.

The twelfth Verse of selection is God’s saying:

Instruct your family to pray and be steadfast in worship. (20:132).

In this Verse, God joins us with the Prophet (S) in the same commandment. This is a distinction over the umma. After the revelation of this Verse, the Prophet (S) used to come near to the door of the house of Ali and Fatima (peace be upon them) five times a day for nine months. He was shouting: “The prayer! God’s mercy be upon you.”

God has not bestowed upon any of the prophets’ progenies with such an honored virtue that He has given exclusively to us. This is another distinction between the Prophet’s family and the um-ma.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. All peace be with Muhammad, the Prophet of God.

Imam Ar-Ridha’’s (‘A) Account Of Imamate, Imam, And Position Of The Imams

Abdul-Azeez Ibn Muslim related: We were accompanying Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) in Marw. Once, we were in the central mosque when people discussed the matter of imamate and referred to the great variance of people’s opinions in this regard. I then visited my master Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) to inform him of people’s discussion. He then smiled and said:

O Abdul-Azeez, people are ignorant and unaware of their religion. Almighty God did not made His Prophet (S) die before He had perfected the religion for him. He revealed to him the Qur’an in which there is the explanation of everything and the manifestation of the halal, haram, doctrinal provisions, rulings, and everything that people may need completely. God the Majestic says:

Nothing is left without a mention in the Book. (6:38).

During the Farewell Pilgrimage, which was the last days of the Prophet’s lifetime, God revealed to him:

On this day I have perfected your religion, completed My favors to you, and have chosen Islam as your religion. (5:3).

The imamate is a part of the perfection of the religion.

The Prophet (S) did not depart this world before he had manifested to his umma the points of their religion, showed them the (right) courses that they should take, situated them on the right path, and assigned Ali (‘a) as the leader and Imam for them. As a matter of fact, the Prophet (S) did not leave anything without thorough manifestation. He whoever claims that God has not perfected His religion is denying the Book, and whoever denies the Book is converting to atheism.

Do they acknowledge the true standing of Imamate and its position in the umma, before they choose for themselves?

God gave Abraham the prophet (‘a) imamate as a third rank after prophecy and intimacy and as a virtue by which He conferred honor upon him (Abraham) and praised him. God says:

When his Lord tested Abraham's faith, (by His words) and he satisfied the test, He said, "I am appointing you as the imam of mankind." Abraham asked, "Will this imamate also continue through my descendants?" The Lord replied, "The unjust do not have the right to exercise My authority." (2:124).

Abraham the prophet (‘a) was highly delighted for gaining this rank; therefore, he hoped it would be passed to his descendants.

This Verse cancels the imamate of any unjust one until the Day of Resurrection, and dedicates it to the choice ones exclusively. Then God honors this imamate when He decides it to be in the offspring of the immaculate choice ones. He says:

We granted him (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob as a gift and helped both of them to become righteous people. (21:72).

We appointed them as imams to guide the people through Our command and sent them revelation to strive for good deeds, worship their Lord, and pay religious tax. Both of them were Our worshipping servants. (21:73).

The successive generations kept on receiving the imamate in inheritance in that order until it reached the Prophet Muhammad (S).

In this regard, God says:

The nearest people to Abraham, among mankind, are those who followed him, this Prophet (Muhammad) and the true believers. (3:68).

In this manner, the imamate became exclusive for them.19 Then the Prophet (S) gave it to Ali (‘a) to be successive in his choice offspring upon whom God conferred knowledge and faith. This is indicated in God’s saying:

Those who have received knowledge and have faith will say, "By the decree of God, you have remained for the exact period which was mentioned in the Book of God about the Day of Resurrection. This is the Day of Resurrection, but you did not know." (30:56).

This Verse shows the decree of God regarding the question of imamate that will persist in the Prophet’s progeny until the Day of Resurrection, since there will be no prophet after the Prophet Muhammad (S).

After all, how can those ignorant people choose for imamate out of their opinions?

Imamate is the rank of the prophets and the heritage of the prophets’ successors.

Imamate is the representation of God the Majestic and His Messenger (S), the position of Amir al-Mu’minin, and the succession20 of Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn (peace be upon them).

The Imam is the head of the religious affairs, the system of the Muslims, the goodness of the world, the stronghold of the believers.

The Imam is the rising principal and the noble branch of Islam.

The accomplishment of the prayers, zakat, fasting, hajj, jihad, the availability of spoils and alms, the execution of the doctrinal provisions and the rules, and the protections of the fronts and the borders—all these are achieved through the Imam.

The Imam legalizes whatever God deems legal, forbids whatever God deems illegal, executes the doctrinal provisions that God enacts, protects the religion of God, and calls to the path of God through wisdom, good advice, and strong evidence.

The Imam is as same as the shining sun whose light covers the whole world while it stands erect in the horizon and neither sights nor hands can catch it.

The Imam is the luminous full moon, the bright lamp, the rising light, the guiding star in tenebrous gloom, the guide to the right, and the savior from demise.

The Imam is the guiding fire on highlands, the heat to the seekers of warmth, and the rescuer from dangers. He whoever departs the Imam will surely perish.

The Imam is the raining clouds, the torrential downpour, the shady sky, the plain land, the abundant spring, the brook, and the garden.

The Imam is the lenient custodian, the humane father, the full brother, the like of the sympathetic mother to her baby, and the shelter of the servants.

The Imam is the trustee of God on His land and creatures, the argument of God against the serv-ants, the successor of God in His countries, the caller to God, and the protector of the sanctities of God.

The Imam is purified from sins, freed from defects, given knowledge exclusively, characterized with forbearance, the system of the religion, the stronghold of the believers, the punishment of the hypocrites, and the perdition of the disbelievers.

The Imam is the unique in his time. No one can catch up with him and no scholar can amount to him. There is no substitute for him and there are no like or match to him. The whole virtue is dedicated to him without seeking or acquisition. It is only the choice of the Favorer Endower God.

How is it then possible for anybody to understand the reality and the quality of the Imam? How impossible this is! Minds are too astray, intellects are too lost, wits are too perplexed, the speakers are too mute, the poets are too unversed, the authors are too impotent, the eloquent are too wordless, and the scholars are too weak to describe a single feature or a single virtue of the Imam’s features and virtues. As a consequence, they confessed of their shortcoming and inadequacy to do so. How is it then possible to describe him as a whole or portray his manners? How it is possible to find anyone who can do his role or represent him? How is this possible while the Imam is as far as stars from the reach of the debaters and the describers? Do they think they can find imamate in anybody other than the Prophet’s family?

They are deceived by their opinions and they are indulging in the false hopes. They are surely climbing a rugged ascent and a slippery mount that will surely cause them to stumble to the rock bottom because they have intended to nominate an imam out of their opinions. How can they nominate an imam while the true Imam is permanently knowledgeable that ignorance never reaches him and a custodian that never betrays? He is the core of the prophecy whose lineage is too honorable to be criticized and no highborn individual can ever dare him. The Imam’s tribe is Quraysh, his clan is Hashim, his root is the Messenger of God (S), the master of the celebrities, and he is the offspring of Abd Menaf.

The Imam is that whose knowledge is increasing and whose forbearance is perfect. He is cognizant of policy and worthy of leadership. The obedience to him is obligatory. He is the executor of God’s commandments and the adviser of God’s servants.

God leads the prophets and their successors (peace be upon them) to success and the right, and gives them (a part of His stored) knowledge and wisdom exclusively so that they become the most knowledgeable of people. God the Majestic says:

Is the one who guides to the Truth a proper guide or one who himself cannot find guidance un-less he is guided (by others)? What is wrong with you that you judge (so unjustly)? (10:35).

Relating the story of Saul, God says:

God has chosen him as your ruler and has given him physical power and knowledge. God grants His authority to anyone whom He wants. (2:247).

About David the prophet (‘a), God says:

David slew Goliath and God granted David the kingdom and wisdom and also taught him what-ever He wanted. (2:251).

Addressing to the Prophet Muhammad (S), God says:

God has revealed the Book to you, has given you wisdom, and has taught you what you did not know. Certainly, God's favor to you has been great. (4:113).

About the Imams of the Prophet’s family, progeny, and offspring, God says:
Are they jealous of the favors that God has done to some people (the Imams) ? We have given to the family of Abraham the Book, Wisdom, and a great Kingdom. (4:54).

Some have believed, others have disbelieved and tried to prevent people from believing. For these people, only the intense fire of hell is a sufficient punishment. (4:55).

When God selects someone (the Imam) for managing the affairs of His servants, He grants him the inclination to do so, fills in his heart with springs of wisdom, and bestows upon him with flu-ency. Hence, he will have the ability to answer any question and will say nothing but the truth. The Imam is therefore granted successfulness, right guidance, and advocacy and will be saved from error and flaw.

He is given such characteristics so that he will be an argument against the creatures and a witness on the servants (of God). Can they then ensure such characters for the one they choose as imam out of their opinions?

Short Maxims Of Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘A)

1. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

The character of faith is achieved only when the believer enjoys three qualities from his Lord, the Prophet (S), and the leader (the Imam peace be upon him). The quality that he should learn from his Lord is the concealment of secrets, the quality that he should learn from the Prophet (S) is the courteous behavior, and the quality that he should learn from the leader (‘a) is steadfastness against poverty and distress.

2. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

It is obligatory upon the wealthy to improve the standard of living of his family.

3. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Praying and fasting is not the true worship. The true worship is the pondering over God.

4. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Cleanness is one of the prophets’ customs.

5. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Perfuming, hairstyling, and polygamy—these three matters are within the customs of the apostles of God.

6. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

The honest has not betrayed you, but you have trusted the betrayal.

7. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

When God wants to do an action, He seizes the minds of the servants and does that action perfectly. Then, He gives them their minds back. Therefore, they wonder how and when such an action occurred.

8. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Silence is one of the doors of wisdom. It yields amicability and leads to every goodness.

9. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Every unnecessary act requires surplusage.

10. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

The elder brother is as same as the father.

11. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said when he was asked about the lowly ones:

The lowly are those who possess things that engage them from God.

12. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) used to dust the letters and say: This is unproblematic. When he wanted to list his affairs for memorization, he (‘a) used to begin with ‘In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. I will remember, inshallah.’

13. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

When you want to mention a present person, you should use his surname, but when you refer to an absent person, you should use his name.

14. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

The friend of any individual is his mind and his enemy is his ignorance.

15. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Endearment to people is half of intelligence.

16. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

God surely hates gossips, squandering, and asking (for financial help) from the enemies.

17. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

A Muslim’s mind is imperfect before he enjoys ten characters—good is expected from him, evil is far away from him, he regards others’ little good deed as great favor and regards his great favor as little, he is not disturbed by people who ask him to settle their needs, he does not feel tired of seeking knowledge all his lifetime, he prefers poverty for God’s sake to richness, prefers humility with God to honor with His enemies, and prefers obscurity to fame. The tenth character! Do you know what is it?

They asked, ‘What is it?’

It is to regard anyone as better and more pious than him. He classifies people into two kinds; either better and more pious than him or eviler and lowlier than him. If he meets one of those who are eviler and lowlier than him, he wishes the good of that man might be hidden, and this will be better for him, while his own evil is apparent, and this will be worse for him. When he meets one of those who are better and more pious than him, he behaves modestly so that he may join him. If he does so, his glory will be lofty, good deeds will be acceptable, and his reputation will be good. Besides, he will be the master of people.

18. As a man asked him about the exegesis of God’s saying:

“God is Sufficient for the needs of whoever trusts in Him,” (65:3).

Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:
Trusting in God is of various grades, one of which is to trust in whatever He does to you totally. You should satisfy yourself with whatever occurs to you, since you believe that God will not fail to bestow upon you with His good and custody and believe that everything is subject to His estimation; therefore, you should trust in Him by charging with Him whatever befalls you. Another grade of trusting in God is to believe in the unseen acts of God that you cannot comprehend, entrust their comprehension to Him as well as His custodians on them, and rely on him in such acts as well as others.

19. Ahmad Ibn Najm asked Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) about the self-conceit that invalidates one’s actions. The Imam answered:

Self-conceit is of various grades, one of which is that when the evil deeds seem to be attractive and virtuous; hence, the doer becomes self-conceited because he thinks he is doing well. Anoth-er grade of self-conceit is to believe that God owes you a great deal because you believed in Him. In fact, you owe God a great deal because He guided you to believe in Him.

20. Al-Fadhl related: I told Abul-Hasan Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) that Younus Ibn Abdurrahman claimed that knowledge is an acquired thing. The Imam (‘a) answered:

No, it is not. This is inaccurate. God gives knowledge (or faith) to whomever He wishes. He fixes it with a group and deposits with others. God will never seize it from those with whom it is fixed, but he will seize it from those with whom it is deposited.

21. Safwan Ibn Yahya said: I asked Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) whether knowledge is given to the servants out of efforts that they themselves exert. He answered negatively. I also whether they will receive any reward due to their knowledge. The Imam (‘a) answered:

God has given them knowledge out of His grace and will reward them for it out of his grace, too.

22. Al-Fudhail Ibn Yasar said: I asked Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) whether the acts of the servants (of God) are created or not. He answered:

By God, the acts are created (the planning for the acts, not their bringing into being).
The Imam (‘a) then added:
Faith precedes Islam in one degree and God-fearing precedes faith in one degree. Conviction is the ever-best thing that has been given to sons of Adam (human beings).

23. In his indication to the best servants, Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

The best servants (of God) are those who feel delighted whenever they do a good deed, seek God’s forgiveness whenever they commit an evildoing, thank God whenever they obtain some-thing, behave steadfastly whenever a misfortune befalls them, and pardon whenever they are enraged.

24. As he was asked about the limit of trusting in God, Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) answered:

The limit of trusting in God in to fear nobody except Him.

25. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

The banquet of wedding ceremony is a recommendable tradition.

26. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Faith stands on four supports—trusting in God, satisfaction with His acts, submission to His commandments, and entrusting Him with all the affairs. The virtuous servant said (as the Qur’an relates):

I entrust God with my affairs. (40:44).

God is Well Aware of His servants. God protected him against their evil plans. (40:45).

27. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Regard your relatives even by (providing them) a mouthful of water. The best form of regarding your relatives is to save them from your evil. God says:

Do not make your charities fruitless by reproachfully reminding the recipient of your favor or making them feel insulted. (2:264).

28. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Forbearance and knowledge are within the signs of understanding. Silence is one of the doors of wisdom. It yields amicability and leads to every goodness.

29. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

The reward of the one who seeks earnings just for meeting the needs of his dependents is greater than the reward of the fighter for God’s sake.

30. Someone said to Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a): “How is your morning?”21 He answered:

I begin my day with a descending lifetime and recorded deeds. Death is inevitable for us, Hell is behind us, and we do not know what will happen to us.

31. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

You should not have any hope, whether for a worldly or a religious affair, in those who lack five characters: original lineage, generous quality, sedate manner, noble personality, and God-fearing.

32. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

Victory is always the confederate of the more forgiving party.

33. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

The generous call people’s invitations to meals so that they will call his invitations, while the stingy does not call their invitations so as to save himself from inviting them.

34. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

We, the Prophet’s family, consider our promises as debts that we must defray. This is the way of the Messenger of God (S).

35. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

People will live an age in which good health will be divided into ten divisions, nine of which will lie in seclusion and one in silence.

36. Muammar Ibn Khellad said to Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a): God advance your relief. The Imam commented:

O Muammar, that is surely your relief. Mine is no more than a knapsack of a sealed handful of flour.

37. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

To help the weak is the best almsgiving.

38. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

The servants (of God) will not attain the reality of faith before they enjoy three characters—knowledge of the religious affairs, moderation in livelihood, and patience in misfortunes.

39. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said to Abu Hashim Dawud Ibn Al- Qasim Al-Ja’fari:

O Dawud, we have rights that are imposed upon you through the Messenger of God (S), and you have rights that are imposed upon us. We regard the rights of those who acknowledge our rights, while we have nothing to do with those who do not acknowledge our rights.

40. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) was someday attendant in the session of Al-Ma’mun when people, including Al-Fadhl Ibn Sahl Thurriyasatain, were discussing whether night preceded day in creation or not. Al-Fadhl addressed the question at Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a). “Do you want me to extract the answer from God’s Book or the astronomical estimations?” “I like you to mention the astronomical estimations first,” said Al-Fadhl.

The Imam (‘a) spoke:
You claim that the world began with Cancer and the stars were in its prospect. On that account, Saturn was in Libra, Jupiter in Cancer, Mars in Capricorn, Venus in Pisces, the moon in Taurus, and the sun in Aries in the middle of the sky. This occurs only in daylight.

“What about the Book of God?” asked Al-Fadhl. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) answered: The answer is in God’s saying:

The sun is not supposed to catch-up with the moon, nor is the night to precede the day. (36:40).

This means that day preceded night.

41. Ali Ibn Shuaib said: I, once, visited Abul-Hasan Ar-Ridha’ (‘a). He asked, “O Ali, do you know who the best earner of livelihood among people is?” I answered, “You, my master, is more knowledgeable than me.” He (‘a) said:

The best earner of livelihood among people is that who improves others’ livelihoods out of his livelihood.

42. Imam Ar-Ridha’, peace be upon him, asked Ali Ibn Shuaib, “O Ali, do you know who the worst earner of livelihood among people is?” “You are more knowledgeable?” answered Ali. The Imam (‘a) said:

The worst earner of livelihood is that who deprives others of improving their livelihoods through his earnings.

43. O Ali, use good neighborhood with the graces, for they are wild—they will not return if they leave.

44. O Ali, the evilest of people is that who deprives others of his aid, eats alone, and lashes his slave.

45. In the Eid ul-Fitr, a man told Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) that he had broken his fast with dates and dust of the tomb.22 The Imam answered:

You have joined the prophetic tradition to the blessing.

46. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said to Abu Hashim Al-Ja’fari:

O Abu Hashim, intelligence is the gift of God while the ethics are obtained through exertion of efforts. Thus, he whoever exerts efforts for obtaining ethics will surely obtain them while those who exert efforts for obtaining intelligence will not obtain anything except increasing ignorance.

47. Ahmad Ibn Umar and Al-Husayn Ibn Yazid related: We visited Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) and complained against the living changes that we encountered after we had lived in luxury and comfort, and asked him to supplicate to God to return our past luxury and comfort to us. The Imam spoke:

Which extent do you want to attain exactly? Do you want to be kings? Are you pleased to have the same royalty of Tahir and Harthama while your current beliefs are seized from you?
“No,” we answered, “We will never be pleased to have gold and silver as much as this world with all its contents if this causes us to change our current beliefs.”

He (‘a) then added:
God says:

Give thanks, O family of David, and very few of My servants are grateful. (34:13).

Anticipate good from God, for God will treat those who anticipate good from Him according to their anticipations. God will accept the few deeds of those who satisfy themselves with the little sustenance. He who satisfies himself with the few legal gotten sustenance will have light burdens, his family will be living in comfort, and God will show him the maladies and the remedies of this world and will cause him to leave this world peacefully to move to the Abode of Peace.

48. Ibn As-Sikkeet asked Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) about God’s current argument against people. The Imam answered:
God’s current argument against people is the mind. It is the means by which the honest with God and the liar are recognized.
“This is by God the most accurate answer,” confessed Ibn As-Sikkeet.

49. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:
You should not kiss the hand of anyone, because kissing somebody’s hand is as same as praying to him.

50. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:
The mother is kissed on the mouth, the daughter on the cheek, and the Imam between the eyes.

51. Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:
The stingy do not enjoy comfort, the envious cannot enjoy pleasure, the enslaved cannot be loyal, and the liars do not have personality.

• 1. See Islamic Terms.
• 2. Wilaya has various meanings in Arabic. It may refer to leadership, loyalty…etc. In this regard, it refers to believing in the divine leadership of the twelve sinless Imams.
• 3. Imamite is another name said to the Shia. It means the followers of the Imams.
• 4. A skin of an animal cannot be tanned and worn unless that animal is dead. However, ‘dead animal’, here, stands for the animals whose flesh in legally eatable but were not slaughtered according to the Islamic Sharia, such as the animals that are found dead.
• 5. See Islamic Terms.
• 6. Bareed is a unit of distance that equals 12 miles. One bareed equals four farsakhs.
• 7. See Islamic Terms.
• 8. See Islamic Terms.
• 9. See Islamic Terms.
• 10. Hajj of tamattu’, ifrad, and qiran are the three major forms each with certain rites and for certain circumstances that are detailed in the Risalas (books concerning the Islamic laws).
• 11. It seems that an error in writing occurred here. According to the book titled ‘‘Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha’’, the word ‘Theba’ih (slaughtered animals) is recorded instead of ‘Riah’ (wind). Hence, the sentence should be in the following form:
  Sending blessing to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) is acceptable in every situation including slaughtering animals, sneezing and so on.
• 12. Imam Ali (‘a) uttered this statement while he was explaining God’s saying:

  “They (unconditionally) obeyed the rabbis and the monks and worshipped the Messiah, son of Mary, as they should have obeyed God.” (Sura of At-Tawba, 9:31).

  Hence, the Imam’s saying, “they worshipped others,” is a reference to the rabbis and the monks.

• 13. See Islamic Terms
• 14. In ‘‘Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha’’, the word ‘imagination’ is substituted for ‘innovation’.
• 15. In ‘‘Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha’’, this statement is recorded in the following form:
  “Have you not known that the inheritance (of the Book that is mentioned in the first Verse) and the purity (that is mentioned in the second) are dedicated to the guided choice ones?”
  The statement that is recorded in ‘‘Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha’’, seems to be more accurate.
• 16. Muslims generally and Shias particularly believe that the Qur’an is only what is between the two covers of the current copies of the Holy Qur’an without any addition or imperfection. However, this point was a matter of disagreement and exchangeable accusation among the different sects of Muslims, because of many reasons some of which is the existence of many reports and narratives claiming the distortion of the Qur’an in addition to the existence of a number of different copies of the Holy Qur’an each is referred to one of the Prophet’s companions, such as Ubay Ibn Ka’b, Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud and others. Anyhow, when a statement is reported to have been added to a Qur’anic Verse, this means that the statement is only an explanation of the Verse, not a part of it, but was deleted or distorted.
• 17. The Prophet’s companions whose houses were encompassing the Prophet’s Mosque opened doors from their houses to the Mosque. They were passing by the Mosque while they were ceremonially impure. The Prophet therefore ordered them to close all these doors except the door that takes to Ali Ibn Abi Talib’s house. This is the meaning of dismissing all people out of the Mosque except Ali (‘a). Another point is that when this occurrence happened, Al-Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, was still living in Mecca. Hence, it was another person who discussed the Prophet in this question.
• 18. This is an indication to God’s saying–in Sura of Al-Hashr:

  “Since you did not have to exhaust your horses and camels or (even fight), God granted to His Messenger their property. God gives authority to His Messenger over whomever He wants. God has power over all things.” (59:6).

• 19. This very form is also recorded in ‘‘Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha’’ and An-Nu’mani’s ‘Al-Ghaiba’, but in ‘Al-Kafi’, it is recorded in this form:
  In this manner, the imamate became exclusive for him [the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny)]. This form seems to be more suitable.
• 20. In ‘‘Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha’’, ‘Al-Ghaiba’, and ‘Al-Kafi’, the word ‘inheritance’ is recorded instead of ‘succession’.
• 21. This statement is the Arabic greeting of morning.
• 22. Dust of the tomb seems to refer to the dust of Imam Al-Husayn’s tomb.