Imam Ali Ar-ridha (a.s)

Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s)

Once when our 8th Imam, Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) was travelling through a town called Nishapur, the people of the town asked Imam (a.s) to tell them a hadith from the Prophet (s.a.w).

Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) told them the following hadith:

"My father Musa al-Kadhim (a.s) told me,
from his father Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s),
from his father Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s),
from his father Ali Zainul Abideen (a.s),
from his father the martyr of Kerbala (Husain) (a.s),
from his father Ali ibn Abu Talib (a.s),
from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w).
from Jibrail,
from Allah:
"The Kalima of La ilaha illallah is My fort, and whosoever says it will enter My fort, and whosoever enters My fort is safe from My punishment."

This hadith is known as the golden chain hadith. This is because each member of the chain was a Ma'sum. The people of Nishapur began reciting the Kalima. Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) continued, that there was one condition to the safety in this fort and that was that they had to obey and follow the Imams (a.s).

Moral :

Just to say something will be of no use. Only when you understand what you are saying and believe in it enough to follow it then will it be of use to you.

The king at the time of our 7th Imam, Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) was Ma'mun.

Ma'mun had forced Imam (a.s) to take the position of his heir apparent (i.e. Imam (a.s) was supposed to take over as king after Ma'mun); because he wanted to be accepted by the Shias.

Although Imam (a.s) did not want to take this position, he made full use of it to preach Islam openly.

To show to the people how much he thought of Imam (a.s), Ma'mun changed the colour of his court from black to green (the colour of the Imams (a.s).), he also had new coins made with Imam Ali ar-Ridha's (A) name on it.

Each Imam (a.s) is remembered for a specific thing:
eg.4th Imam, Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s) - In illness.
6th Imam, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s) - For sustenance.
And in the same way our 8th Imam, Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) is called upon when someone is about to go on a journey.

When you go on journeys you take with you something called Imam-e-Zaamin (another name for Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s)) which is some money tied in a cloth. This tradition probably came from the time of Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) when people used to carry money with them especially because it had Imam's (a.s) name on it.

As Ma'mun had had coins minted with the name of Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) on them, it was very easy for the Muslims to carry the name of Imam (a.s) with them, especially when they went on journeys.

There is a hadith of the Prophet that when you travel you should give charity (sadqa). So is it not better to give the money of Imam-e-Zaamin before you go on your journey rather than when you get back, so that it may reach the poor quicker.

It is said that the Sura of Tawheed (Sura Ikhlas) if written and cut into two halves, one given to the traveller and the other left at his home, will always come together again and so ensure the safe journey of the traveller.

Moral :

1. Make best use of your circumstances.

2. Give Sadaqa to avoid calamities.

Our 8th Imam, Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) is also known as Imam Zaamin (A). Zaamin means safety.

One day when Imam (a.s) was walking he came across a hunter who was about to kill a deer. The deer was trying to get away and when she saw Imam (a.s) she said something to him.

Imam asked the hunter to free the deer so that she could go and feed her little baby deer who were very hungry. Imam (a.s) also told the hunter that once the deer had fed her babies she would come back.

The hunter allowed the deer to go because Imam (a.s) had told him to, but he did not think she was coming back, so Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) waited with the hunter until the deer returned with her young ones. She asked Imam (a.s) to look after her babies.

The people of king Ma'mun were very angry that he had made our 8th Imam, Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s), his heir.

To show Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) that they did not respect him, the servants of Ma'mun decided that when Imam (a.s) came to the court they would not open the doors, or lift up the curtains for Imam (a.s) to pass through.

That day when Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) came to the court, the doors and curtains were opening by themselves for Imam (a.s) under the command of Allah.

The servants became very scared and ashamed and resumed their duty of opening the doors and curtains for Imam (a.s).

Moral :

No-one can do anything to you when Allah is looking after you, as Allah is the most powerful and in control of everything.

Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s)

Our 9th Imam, Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) had an uncle called Ali ibne Jaffar, who was a very knowledgeable, pious old man. Whenever he went to the mosque, people would surround him and ask him questions.

One day Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) arrived at the mosque. When his uncle who was sitting in the middle of a large group of people saw him, he immediately got up and kissed the hand of Imam (a.s).

Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) asked his uncle to sit down, to which his uncle replied that he could not sit while Imam (a.s) was standing. When Ali ibne Jaffar returned among his friends, after Imam (a.s) had left, his friends told him that it was wrong for him to show so much respect to that child (Imam (a.s) as he was an old man and the uncle of the child.

Ali ibne Jaffar replied that he was showing respect to the child because of who he was. He continued that Imamate is an office and a station from Allah, and Allah did not deem him an old man fit and capable for the leadership of the Ummah, but considered the child capable for it. Therefore they should all obey his (Imam (a.s)) commands.

Moral :

1. The age of a person is not important but what kind of person they are.

2. Only Allah knows everything about everyone and therefore only Allah is allowed to judge people, and say what they do and do not deserve.

When our 9th Imam, Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) was a young man, Ma'mun had arranged a question - answer session between Imam (a.s) and Yahya bin Athkam, who was supposed to be the most learned of men at that time.

The court was full of people from near and far everyone wanted to see what the outcome would be.

Yahya asked the first question which was:What would be the kaffara of a person in Ihram who hunted and killed his prey?

Imam Muhammad at-Taqi answered that he would have to be given a lot more detail before he could even begin to answer the question.

For example :

Was the person in Ihram Baligh or not?
Was the person a free man or a slave?
Did he know the laws of sharia on hunting or not?
Was his Ihram for Hajj or Umra?
Did he hunt intentionally or not?
Was this the first time or one of many?
Did the person in Ihram hunt inside the Haram of the Ka'ba or outside.
Did he hunt in the day or at night?
Was the prey big or small?
Was the prey a bird or an animal?
Was the person sorry or not?
Yahya was shocked and did not know what to say.

Ma'mun asked Imam (a.s) to answer Yahya's question for all of the above conditions, which Imam (a.s) did.

It was then Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) to ask Yahya a question, which he did and which Yahya could not answer; so Imam (a.s) again gave the answer.

Moral :

To answer a fiqh question is not as easy as you may think; this is why Ulema spend years of their lives learning and researching. And why we have to do Taqlid of a Marja'.(Just like we take the advice of a doctor when we are ill, we should take the advice of a Marja' in religious affairs.)

Once when our 9th Imam, Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) was only a child, he was walking down a street, when Ma'mun and his soldiers came by. All the other children on the street ran away but Imam (a.s) did not.

Ma'mun stopped his coach and asked Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) why he did not run away like the others.

Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) answered that he had done nothing wrong and that the road was big enough for the both of them.

Ma'mun asked Imam (a.s) who he was; and Imam (a.s) told him. Ma'mun asked Imam (a.s) what he was holding in his closed hand.

Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) knew that it was a little fish without seeing it.

Moral :

You should not be scared of anything or anyone as Allah is the strongest and will look after you.

When our 9th Imam, Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) was only 9 years old, his father our 8th Imam, Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a.s) was killed by the king Ma'mun.

Ma'mun decided that he would try to buy (bribe) Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) into his way of life because Imam (a.s) was still only a child.

Ma'mun took Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s) to his palace and gave him what ever money could buy, but Imam (a.s) was not interested, because he knew Allah could give him much much more.

No matter how much Ma'mun gave him Imam (a.s) did not do anything against Allah's commands as Ma'mun wished.

Moral :

Whatever anyone gives you always remember that Allah can give you so much more but only if you are a good Muslim and do as Allah tells you.

Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s)

Once in the time of our 10th Imam, Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s), a lady came to the Khalifa, Mutawakkil and said that she was Zainab (A), the daughter of Fatimah (s.a), the daughter of the Prophet (s.a.w).

Mutawakkil told her that this could not be true because many years had passed since the time when Zainab (A) was alive, and the lady looked very young.

The lady answered that she was Zainab (A) and that she looked young because the Prophet (s.a.w) had passed his hand over her head and prayed for her to remain young for ever.

Mutawakkil did not know what to do so he called all the wise men and asked them. All of them said that the ladywas lying, but how were they to prove this.

No-one could think of anyway to prove that the lady was lying, so then Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) was called.

Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) told Mutawakkil to put the lady into a cage of lions and if what she said was true, then the lions would not harm her, because the wild animals do not hurt the children of Fatimah (s.a).

The lady said that Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) wanted to kill her and that if what he said was true then let him go into the cage first.

Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) agreed and went into a cage of lions. The lions did not harm Imam (a.s) instead they caressed him. Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) then came out and told the lady that now it was her turn.

The lady began to cry and said that she was sorry and that she did not mean to lie, it was only a joke.

Moral :

You should never lie (even as a joke) as you will get caught. If you do get away with it and no-one finds out remember that Allah knows and He is the one you have to go back to for your reward or punishment.

Our 10th Imam, Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) became an Imam at the age of only 8 years old.

Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) when young, was forced to go to a famous old poet named Junaydi to be tutored.

Junaydi was a very clever man but hated the Ahlul-bayt.

The king at the time forced Imam (a.s) to go to Junaydi so that anything that the Imam (a.s) said or did in his life would be according to the teachings that he had received from Junaydi. Even if they were not people would think that they were because he had been taught by him.

After some time had passed the king asked Junaydi how the Imam (a.s) was doing.

To which Junaydi answered that he was no longer the teacher (Imam (a.s) was), but a student, and that he now understood what knowledge really was.

Moral :

1. Imams (a.s) have a supreme knowledge so that they are able to answer whatever question is put to them.

2. What age you are does not matter but how much youknow matters. People will treat you like a child unlessyou can show them otherwise - through your knowledgeand your Akhlaq.

In the time of our 10th Imam, Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) the king was a bad man called Mutawakkil.

One day Mutawakkil fell very ill. The doctors could notmake him better.

Mutawakkil's mother was very sad and asked Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) to help him.

Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) told her what medicine to use to make Mutawakkil better and when she used what Imam (a.s) had told her to use, Mutawakkil became well again.

All the doctors were very surprised.

Although Mutawakkil was a bad man, Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) still helped him, because the mother had come to him for help.

Moral :

1. If anyone ever asks you for help you should help themeven if they are not very nice. Once in the time of our 10th Imam, Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s), a man came to Imam (a.s) and told him that if Imam (a.s) did not help him, he would be killed.

Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) asked the man to explain. The man explained that he had been given an expensive stone by the King and told to write something on it.

The man continued that when he went to write on it, the stone broke in half and when the king would find out, he would kill the man.

Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s) prayed for the man, then told the man not to worry, and that Allah would look after him.

The next day when the king came to pick up his stone, the man was shaking because he was so scared.

The king told the man that he had changed his mind and now wanted the stone broken in half, one piece for each one of his two daughters, with the writing on each half of the stone.

Moral :

1. No matter what trouble you are faced with always trust in Allah and ask for His help as He can make anything happen.

Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s)

In the time of our 11th Imam, Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) there lived a Christian priest, who could make it rain by raising his hands up to the sky.

The Muslim king began to get worried because the Muslims' faith started to waver and if the Muslims left Islam he would have no one to rule over.

The king went to the Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) whom he had imprisoned and told him that the Muslims were losing faith in Islam because of the Christian priest.

Imam (a.s) told the king to arrange a gathering of all the people and the priest.

At the gathering Imam (a.s) asked the Christian priest to pray for rain. When the priest raised his hands to pray it began to rain. Imam (a.s) asked for whatever was in the priest's hand to be taken away and then told him to pray for rain again.

The priest tried and tried but he could not get it to rain.

Imam (a.s) then showed the people the bone that the priest was holding in his hands. Imam (a.s) told the people that it was a bone of a Prophet and that was what was causing it to rain and not the priest.

Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) then prayed for rain and it rained.

Moral :

1. When things happen that make you question your faith remember you do not know or understand everything.

The rulers of the time of our 11th Imam, Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) knew that the Imams (a.s) were going to be 12 in number and that the last of them was going to be the son of Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) and would finally take control of the world.

The rulers wanted to stop the 12th Imam (a.s) from being born, so they tried to keep Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) imprisoned for most of his life.

They had forgotten how Fir'aun had tried to stop the reign of Prophet Musa (a.s) by killing all the baby boys born to the Isralites, yet he himself was bringing up the one he wanted to kill.

Motamid, who was the 'Fir'aun' at the time of Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) did everything in his power to stop the birth of the 12th Imam (a.s).

Motamid had had Imam (a.s) under his watchful eye from the age of four, and imprisoned following the death of his father, the 10th Imam, Imam Ali an-Naqi (a.s).

Allah had planned for the 12th Imam (a.s) to be born so an incident occurred where Motamid had to ask Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) for help to save the faith of the Muslims.

The incident was that at a time of severe draught a Christian priest was able to make it rain, which was making the Muslim people question their faith.

So Motamid had to ask Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) for help, before there were no Muslims to rule over.

Imam (a.s) showed how the priest was making it rain using the bone of a Prophet (A) and how Imam (a.s) could make it rain without the help of anything.

The Muslims were overjoyed and Motamid had no choice but to let Imam (a.s) free. It was during this period that the 12th Imam (a.s) was born.

Moral :

Allah says in the Holy Qur'an, Sura Ali Imran verse 54:"And they planned, and Allah planned, and Allah is the best of planners."ie. Whatever Allah has decided no-one can change.

Once in the time of our 11th Imam, Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s), there lived a man who only had a little money left.

Now this man was scared about what he was going to do when even this little bit of money finished, so he decided to hide this money by digging a hole in his garden and putting it there.

The man then went to Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) and told him that he had no money and needed Imam's (a.s) help.

Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) gave the man a whole bag of money and told him that the Imams (a.s) always help anyone that asks them for help, so there had been no need for him to have lied.

Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) continued that the man should be grateful for whatever Allah has given him. Imam (a.s) then told him that the money that he had hidden would not be there when he would need it.

The man realised what he had done was wrong.

Later when the man needed some more money, he went to dig out the money that he had hidden and found it gone. His son had found out about it and taken it.

Exactly like Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s) had said, that when he would need the money it would not be there.

Moral :

1. You should trust in Allah to look after you.

2. You should thank Allah for whatever He has given you.

3. You should never lie, as you will be found out. Even if no-one finds out, Allah knows.

Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s)

There was a pious man called Syed Muhammad Jabal Amili who was travelling through the desert with a caravan of people, when he got lost.

Syed Amili searched and searched for the caravan but could not find them. It became dark as night set in. He was all alone in the hot desert, tired, hungry and frightened.

He was about to give up and prepare himself for death when he suddenly saw some water. He went to the water drank some and then did wudhu and offered his Salaat.

After his Salaat he did not have anymore strength and lay there waiting for death.

All of a sudden he saw a person riding a horse getting closer and closer to him.

When the horse rider reached Syed Amili he said Salaam to him and asked him what the matter was. Syed Amili explained that he had lost his caravan and was hungry.

The rider asked him why then did he not eat the melons that were lying beside him. Syed Amili asked the rider not to make fun of him as he had searched all over for food.

The rider said he was not joking, and to look behind him. Syed Amili looked and there were three melons.

The rider then told him to eat one of them and to take the other two with him and pointed out the direction he was to go in. He also told Syed Amili that at about sunset he would reach a tent and from there he would be guided to his caravan.

Then the rider disappeared. Syed Amili says that that was when he realised that it was our 12th Imam, Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s).

Syed Amili did as he was told and sure enough the next day at sunset he reached the tent and was directed to his caravan.

Moral :

Although we can not see our 12th Imam (a.s) he can see us and knows when we are in need of his help and comes to help us.

Many people ask what is the use of an Imam that can not be seen. Just as the sun is still of use to us even when it is hidden behind the clouds, Imam (a.s) is of benefit even when hidden.

Although we can not see our 12th Imam, Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s) can see us. He is aware of our prayers, deeds actions and troubles. Any believer who truly asks him for help receives his assistance.

The ghaybat (concealment) of Imam (a.s) is in two stages :

1. Ghaybate sughra - minor concealment.

2. Ghaybate kubra - major concealment.

Ghaybate sughra started from after Imam (a.s) led the funeral prayer of his father (Imam Hasan al-Askeri (A)) until the death of his 4th deputy. All in all 68 years.

Ghaybate kubra started from the death of his 4th deputy till this day.

During Ghaybate sughra although the Muslims could not see Imam (a.s) they could communicate with him through his deputies :

Uthman bin Said
Muhammad bin Uthman
Husain bin Rauh
Ali bin Muhammad Samry.

During Ghaybate kubra although there are no special deputies. The Mujtahids are his representatives.

There have been many examples in history of where Imam (a.s) has guided and helped his followers :

There once lived a great Mujtahid named Allama Majlisi. Once this Mujtahid was asked what to do with the body of a pregnant woman who had died. Should the dead woman be buried as she was or should she be cut open and the child removed, then the woman buried.

Allama decided that the woman should be buried as she was, with the child.

When the people were carrying the coffin to the grave, a horseman appeared and said that Allama had decided that the baby should be removed. This was done.

A few years later Allama Majlisi was visited by a man with a small child. The man told Allama that this was the same child that had been cut from his mother after Allama had sent the horseman telling the people that he had changed his instructions.

Allama immediately realised that the horseman must have been Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s) who had come to his help, preventing him making a grave mistake.

From that day Allama stayed in his house refusing to give anymore advise to the people, in case he made another mistake. In a few days he received a letter from Imam (a.s) telling him that he should not worry and should continue to guide the people. If by any chance he made a mistake Imam (a.s) would come to help him rectify it.

The duties of each and every Muslim in the time of Ghatbate kubra is :

To be the caretakers of Islam.

To pray for the safety of Imam (a.s) and give sadaqa for his safety.

Ask Allah to make Imam (a.s) appearance soon, so that he may come and fill the world with truth and peace.

Whenever the name of the12th Imam is said, you should stand, placing your right hand on your head and bow your head. You should also recite Salawaat after his name.

Moral :

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) has said that if someone dies without knowing the Imam (a.s) of his time, his death is that of an unbeliever. We must therefore carry out our duties to our 12th Imam who is still alive and in Ghaybate(concealment).

As soon as our 12th Imam, Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s) was born, he did Sajdah.

Soon after his birth one of the maids went to see Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s), who was lying in his cradle. The maid said "Salaam" to the Imam (a.s) and the Imam (a.s) answered her salaam.

The maid was surprised. The maid then sneezed and Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s) said from the cradle:"Yarhamukallah, it is a blessing from Allah and you can be sure to live for the next 3 days."

Moral :

1. When anyone says Salaam to you it is Wajib on you to answer and you should try to answer more than what was said to you.

2. When anyone else sneezes you should say Yarhamukallah; when you yourself sneeze you should say Alhamdulillah.