CHAPTER XV
IMAM AL-RIDA AND REGENCY
We are in front of an important historical event which busied the public opinion and stunned all political circles. The event is that al-Ma'mun appointed Imam al-Rida, peace be on him, as a heir apparent after him; it indicates that the succession would be taken from the 'Abbasids and handed over to their opponents, the 'Alawides; it astonished the people and they asked each other: "How has the 'Abbasid policy changed into this line opposing the political line which the 'Abbasids have followed since the beginning of their reign?" They asked one another such a question because the 'Abbasids were famous for persecuting and uprooting the 'Alawides; in other words, the 'Abbasids destroyed the 'Alawides, buried them while they were alive, threw their children into the Tigris, and used against them all kinds of genocide.
The people and history have known that al-Ma'mu`n belonged to this ('Abba`sid) family, who wronged the members of the House (
ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them; therefore, it was not possible for him to follow behavior other than that of his fore-fathers or to deviate from their anti-'Alawides trend. Al-Ma'mu`n was fed on showing detest and enmity toward the 'Alawides, for his grandfather al-Mansu`r and his father al-Rashï~d followed all ways to put an end to them; they employed all their economic and political organs to degrade their importance and dignity and to remove them from the political arena in the world of Arabs and Islam.
The 'Abba`sids were the opponents of the 'Alawides, but why did al-Ma'mu`n create such a sudden change (in his policy) and turn
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away from the plan and method of his fathers? Why did he appoint Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, as a successor after him? Similarly, why did Ima`m al-Rida` agree to undertake regency while he was fully aware of the deviation of al-Ma'mu`n and of his harboring malice against the members of the House (
ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them? We will answer these questions as follows:
Al-Ma'mun's Motives
It is necessary for us to pause in order to consider the reasons and motives which urged al-Ma'mu`n to appoint Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, as a successor after him:
1. Al-Ma'mu`n had no strong position in Islamic state, for the 'Abba`sid family disdained him because of his mother Mara`jil, who was among the slave-wives in the palace, because of his strong relationship with al-Fadl b. Sahl and his entrusting all his affairs to him, while he was originally from Persia. Moreover, his brother al-Amïn hated him, intended to do evil deeds toward him, and schemed against him, for he competed with him for the authority. Accordingly, al-Ma'mun wanted to reinforce his position, to strengthen his influence, and to overcome those who harbored malice against him. As a result, he vested the office in Imam 'Ali b. Musa al-Rida, peace be on him, the greatest personality in Islamic world and son of Ima`m al-Sadiq, who was the first to supply Islamic world with thoughts and knowledge. Moreover large part of the Muslims believed in his Ima`mate and showed friendship to him. For this reason al-Ma'mu`n took the initiative and designated him as his successor over this important office in Islamic world.
2. Al-Ma'mu`n undertook the leadership of Islamic state while he was fully aware of that Islamic society harbored hate and detest against the 'Abba`sid family, who oppressed the Muslims, appropriated their affairs, wreaked all kinds of oppression and tyranny upon the 'Alawides, the summoners to social justice. So the Muslims wished for the return of the Umayyad reign though it was famous for cruelty and torture. In this connection, the poet says:
Would that the tyranny of the Marwa`nis returned to us,
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and would that the just of the 'Abba`sids was in the fire.
Another poet says:
I do not think that tyranny will come to an end while over the community is an 'Abba`sid governor.
Al-Ma'mun intended to open a new page for the citizens and to conceal the policy of his fore-fathers, so he appointed Ima`m al-Rida the hope of Islamic community, peace be on him as a successor after him.
4. Most al-Ma'mu`n's Army, officers and soldiers, were from among the Shï~'ites who adopted the Ima`mate of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, so he wanted to win their affection and loyalty.
5. Surely the revolt against the 'Abba`sid government broke out and extended to most Islamic regions, and the motto of the revolutionaries was: "The summons to al-Rida` from among the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family." The revolutionists responded to this allegiance al-Ma'mu`n pledged to the Ima`m. In the meantime, he gave the Ima`m the nickname of al-Rida` (i.e. the consent), that, through that, he might attract the feelings of the revolutionaries, and they pledged allegiance to him, and he got rid of the danger which encircled his state and was about to wrap up its banner and fold up its principal features. This was the plan of al-Ma'mu`n, who was among the first-class diplomatic corps, so he was able to overcome the events surrounding him and to save his government from the deadliest danger encircling it.
5. Through his nominating Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, for succession, al-Ma'mu`n was able to give a religious quality to his government in order to indicate that it was not oppressive like that of his fathers, that mutiny against him was illegal, and that it was obligatory on the Muslims to war against those who revolted against him.
6. Among the aims which al-Ma'mu`n achieved through this pledge of allegiance (to the Ima`m) is that he was able to know the Shï'ite elements and to recognize their identities. It is worth mentioning that the places of the Shï'ites were very secret, that the Shï'ites worked in secret and in hiding-places. However, after this
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pledge of allegiance (to the Ima`m), their affair appeared, and the authorities were able to discover them.
7. Al-Ma'mu`n pledged allegiance (to Ima`m al-Rida`) in order to indicate that the Ima`m, peace be on him, was not among those who renounced the world; rather he was among those who loved it through his accepting this pledge of allegiance. However, the Ima`m was fully aware of al-Ma'mu`n's objectives which he disproved when he stipulated that he would not appoint nor remove nor take part in government.
These are some motives which urged al-Ma'mu`n to appoint Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, as a successor after him.
1 Now, we will return to talk about regency, the attitude of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, toward it, and some matters concerning it; that is as follows:
Al-Fadl's Letter to the Imam
Al-Fadl b. Sahl sent a letter to Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, in which he asked him to come to Khurasa`n in order to receive the caliphate from al-Ma'mu`n; this is the text of the letter:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
To 'Ali b. Musa al-Rida`, son of Allah's Apostle, the chosen one, who has become rightly guided by his guidance, followed his practice, kept the religion of Allah, and stored the revelation of Allah.
From his friend, al-Fadl b. Sahl, who sacrificed himself for returning his right to him, and connecting his night to his day concerning it.
Peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you, O rightly guided one. Verily I praise on your behalf Allah,
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1. Al-Sayyid Ja'far Murtada has objectively and inclusively mentioned the objectives which motivated a;-Ma'mun to appoint Imam al-Rida as successor after him.He has mentioned eleven objectives in his book Hayat al-Imam al-Rida (the Life of Imam al-Rida).
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other than Whom there is no god, and ask Him to bless Mohammed, His servant.
Now then, surely I hope that Allah has helped you and permitted you to return your right from him who has deemed you as weak, that He may magnify His favors toward you, make you the inheriting Ima`m, make your enemies and those who have turned away from you see from you what they feared.
Verily, this letter of mine is out of a determination from the Commander of the faithful, the servant of Allah, Imam al-Ma'mu`n and from me for returning your right to you, confirming your right before you, handing it over to you, for which I ask Allah who has become aware of it, that you will inform me of that through which I will be the happiest of all people, among the successful with Allah, among those who accomplish the right of Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, and his deeds, among those who help you with it, that I may reach both good through showing friendship to you and your state.
When my letter reaches you, my I be your ransom, and it is possible for you not to place it off your hand, so that you may come to the Commander of the faithful (i.e. al- Ma'mu`n), who regards you as a partner in his authority, a mediator in his ancestry, and the most appropriate of the people for that which is under his hand. I have done that while I am surrounded by Allah's choice, protected by His angels, safeguarded by Him, and Allah is a guarantor for you through all that which gathers good benefit for you, and set right the community through you. Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector. Peace, Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you.
1
This letter, sent by the highest ranking official in the 'Abba`sid government, contains the following:
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1. Hayat al-Imam al-Rida, pp. 442-443, quoted from the book a;-Taddwin by 'Abd al-Kareem al-Rafi' al-Shafi'i.
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1. Giving noble nicknames and exalted qualities to the Ima`m, peace be on him, as follows: (the one who) kept the religion of Allah, and (the one who) stored the revelation of Allah. Of course, it is the Shï'ites who have given these nicknames to their Ima`ms.
2. Informing the Ima`m, peace be on him, of that the caliphate would be returned to him, that Allah, the Exalted, decreed to return this usurped right to its people and leaders, the Household of the Prophet, whose master was Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him.
3. This letter was not written by al-Fadl only; rather it was written by him and al-Ma'mu`n, who had decided to abdicate the caliphate and to hand it over to the Ima`m.
4. This letter shows that al-Fadl asked the Ima`m to leave Medina (Yathrib) for Khurasa`n at once in order to undertake the leadership of the rule.
