A. Tibb (Dissertation) of Ima`m al-Rida
It is a great, medical account which the Ima`m wrote according to al-Ma'mu`n's request and is called
al-Risa`la al-Dhahabiya (the Golden Dissertation). It contains the Ima`m's health programs on foods which improves man's body and protects it from maladies. It also contains his general prescriptions such as refraining from eating too much food which gives rise to high blood pressure, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, and other dangerous diseases. It is certain that if one puts into practice the Ima`m's prescriptions, he will need no medicine.
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As this dissertation is of great importance, some meritorious people have explained it according to modern medicine. Among them is Dr. al-Sayyid Sa`hib Zayni.
B. Imam al-Rida's Musnad
It contains some traditions which the Ima`m, peace be on him, has reported from his grandfather, the greatest Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. It was printed in Cairo. 'Alla`ma 'Abd al-Wa`si' b. Yahya al-Wa`simi printed and commented on it.
C. Jawam' al-Shrï'a
It contains outstanding, religious precepts and mother, juristic problems. Imam al-Rida, peace be on him, dictated it to al-Fadal b. Sahl, the prime minister of al-Ma'mu`n. That was according to al-Ma'mu`n's request. This dissertation has been mentioned in Tuhaf al-'Uqu`l and other Shï'ite books. We have reported it from them and mentioned it in the book. These books are part of the Ima`m's scientific wealth.
As for the jurisprudence of Ima`m al-Rida`, we have indicated that it is not among his works; rather it belongs to other than him and is ascribed to him.
Any how, the narrators have reported from the Ima`m a large group of outstanding precepts and moral teachings. Islam wants its followers to adopt such precepts and teachings, that they may develop their life.
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This book includes biographies of some great scholars and narrators who studied under the Ima`m, peace be on him, narrated his traditions and his wise sayings, and wrote books about them. It is certain that mentioning such biographies will enhance the research about the Ima`m's life, for it shows that the scholars in that time took great care of taking knowledge and sciences from the Ima`m. The narrators and historians have unanimously agreed that the Ima`m was a unique Muslim thinker, and that he derived his own knowledge from
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that of his pure fore-fathers, peace be on them, who were the guardians of the knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and inheritors of his wise sayings.
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This book contains an inquiry into the time of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, for such a time was full of economic, scientific, social, political, and other events which had great effects on the life of the people.
Mentioning such events is necessary for every researcher. It is worth mentioning that psychology and sociology have established that events in every time have direct effects on man's life and intellect.
The time of the Ima`m was full of important events of which is that Harun al-Rashïd created a conflict between his two sons al-Amïn and al-Ma'mun. This conflict resulted in destroying Baghdad, the most beautiful capital in the Middle East, and murdering a large group of people. Another example of these events is the revolt of the inspired leader, Abu al-Saraya, and other great revolts which were about to destroy the 'Abba`sid government and to fold its standard.
Yet another example of the events in that time was the matter of creating the Qur'an. It was a hidden or neglected theological problem, but it was al-Ma'mu`n who moved it and it led to shedding blood without any right, spreading disorders and discords among the Muslims.
However, through his political cleverness, al-Ma'mu`n could overcame all those events he faced. Then he forced Ima`m al-Rida` the hope of the Muslim community, peace be on him¾to accept the succession after him and made the people busy thinking of this great event. Accordingly, he was able to suppress all those revolts against him .
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We have deeply and inclusively probed into the characters of the 'Abba`sid kings with whom Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, coincided.
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As a result we have concluded that their characters are similar to those of the Umayyads, who spent the property of Allah on themselves and enslaved His servants. After this serious research on their characters, we have come to know that they did not perform any good deed; nor did they pay attention to the interests of the Muslims. Rather, they were absorbed in satisfying their pleasures and desires. They spent on their red nights in Baghdad millions of the funds of the Muslims. They enriched singers, abusers, and the dissolute; meanwhile they subjected the people to poverty and unhappiness.
Moreover, they ordered the innocent to be whipped, imprisoned, and killed by sword; at the head of those innocent were the 'Alawide Sayyids who demanded nothing except establishing social justice. They ordered their tax collectors to show rudeness and brutality toward farmers, craftsmen, and manufacturers. As a result the tax collectors destroyed the people's bodies by whip and went too far in wronging the people.
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As for inquiring into Islamic history, it must be objective, honest, far from doctrinal and traditional trends, for this history has many subjects which have hidden the truth and concealed realities, so it is incumbent on (us) to spend more efforts in order to distinguish the right from the wrong and the true from the false. An example of these subjects is that noble attributes and great titles were given to the Umayyad and the 'Abba`sid kings; they were given the titles as Allah's vicegerents on earth, while this noble title represents fairness, justice, and law. I (the author) seek refuge in Allah from such titles which were given to persons like Yazïd, Marwa`n, al-Walïd, and other 'Abba`sid kings who turned the life of the people into an unbearable inferno.
Some historians and authors think that the measure of one's highness and great position is his sitting on the throne of government and his seizing the reins of general authority over a country. This is incorrect; the measure of one's exaltedness in Islamic viewpoint is the
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services which he renders to his community in the fields of economy, culture, security, and prosperity. If Muslim historians and authors deprive kings of these titles and give them to those who render great services to the community, then they will render great service to Islamic history, for the orientalists and others who harbor malice against Islam have criticized Islam because of such kings who acted in a manner different from Islamic justice and fairness. They think that these kings represent Islam in their conducts and works. If those who criticize Islam probe into Islamic precepts, they will find them noble, creative, comply with justice and nature, have nothing-praise belongs to Allah-which complies with injustice. Rather they will find that Islamic precepts oppose injustice, and that the irregular behavior of some Muslim kings does not represent Islam.
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This is not the first book to be written about the life of Ima`m 'Ali b. Mu`sa` al-Rida`, peace be on him. Rather many books have been written on his life in Arabic and other than it, and the most important of them is al-Sayyid Ja'far Murtada's the Life of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, for this book is rich in information.
It is worth mentioning that all the books written on the personality of this great Ima`m have not encompassed its realities yet. This a far-fetched hope, for the Ima`m , peace be on him, had boundless intellectual wealth like that of the leading Ima`ms, peace be on them, who were guardians of righteousness, and inheritors of the knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.
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Before I end this introduction to the book, I would like to thank His Eminence, our great professor, the Hujjah of Islam and Muslims, Shaykh Husayn al-Khalïfa for his care, favor, and help with printing some of my books; I would particularly like to thank His Eminence al-Hujjah, the great 'Alla`ma, my brother, Ha`di Sharïf al-Qarashi for the creative efforts he rendered to me, his valuable notes on the book, his
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checking some of the books I made use of, and his encouraging me to serve the members of the House (
ahl al-Bayt), peace be on. I ask Allah, the Exalted, to reward him just as He rewards the righteous from among His servants. Verily He is the Supporter of purpose and success.
Holy Najaf,
Shawwal 14th, 1411 A. H.
Baqir Sharïf al-Qarashi.
