A Glance at the
Biography of Emam Reza (A. S.)
Emam
Reza (A.S.), the eighth Shi'ite Emam was born on Thursday 11th Zee al-Qa'adah
148 A.H. /29 December 765 A.D. in Medina. The new-born child was named
Ali by his holy father, Emam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.), the seventh Shi'ite
Emam. He was divinely entitled al-Reza and his nickname was Abul Hasan.
For many times Emam Musa Al-Kazem (A.S) explicitly introduced his eldest
son "Ali" as his immediate successor to accede to the divine position of
Emamat.
Subsequent to the martyrdom of his father in Baghdad, on the 25th of
Rajab 183 A.H. / 1 September, 799 A. D. in the prison of Abbasid caliph,
Harunal_rashid, he attained the holy position of Emamat, when he was
thirty five years old, and he held that divine position for twenty
years.
Three Abbasid caliphs were his contemporaries: for the first ten years
Harun al- Rashid, for next five years Amin and finally for the last five
years Ma'mun.
Why Ma'mun invited Eman Reza (A.S.)
After the death of Harun (b, 766 A.D., r. 786-809 A.D.) in 193 A.H./ 809
A.D., Ma'mun fell into conflict with his brother Amin (b 787 A.D., r.
809-813 A.D.), which led to bloody wars and finally the assassination of
Amin in 813 A.D./ 198 A.H., after which Ma'mun became caliph.
The Umayyad and the Abbasid caliphs were afraid of the Holy Emams
(A.S.), who were publicly recognized as the true and worthy successors
of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.). The Holy Emams (A.S.), were
therefore constantly persecuted and tortured by the ruling caliphs of
the time.
Ma'mun thought ot finding a new solution for these difficulties which
his Abbasid predecessors had not been able to solve. Ma'mun contrived to
invite Emam Reza (A.S.)to Marw, (the city where Ma'mun's seat of
caliphate was located) with the evil intention of making false
friendship with His Holiness. Thus the cruel Caliph intended to have a
direct eye on His Holiness.
In order to have this decision put into effect, Ma'mun forcefully exiled
Emam Reza(A.S) from Medina to Marw. On his departure from Medina, Emam
Reza (A.S.) gathered the members of his family and enjoined them to shed
tears for his last jouney with no return. Holy Emam (A.S.) did not take
any member of his household with him to Marw. His Holiness intended to
make the people aware of the exile that Ma'mun had intended for him.
Towards Khorasan
According to Ma'muns' commands the direction of Emam Reza (A.S.) caravan
from Medina to Marw was predetermined. He arrived in Marw on the 10th of
Shawwal in 201 A.H. / 1 May 817 A.D., via Basrah, Khorramshahr, Ahwaz,
Rey, Neyshabur, Sanabad and Sarakhs. Throughout his long journey, the
Holy Emam (A.S.) was cordially received by the people living in those
cities and villages on the route. When His Holiness arrived in Neyshabur
he narrated a Hadith Qudsi before an estimated crowd of 120,000 which
also included thousands of distinguished scholars and traditionists.
This historical and the most famous Hadith Qudsi in known as "Silsilat
al-Dhahab". Emam Reza (A.S.) confirmed that worshipping God will be
counted as a perfect procedure when it is based on the obedience of the
Immaculate Holy Emams (A.S.). This historical statement of Emam Reza
(A.S.) implied the presentation and assertion of the Emamat (Socio-
religious leadership) of His Holiness.
Emam-e- Zaamin(A.S.)
The 8th Shi'ite Imam, Imam Ali ibne Musa ar-Reza (A.S.) is also called
as Imam-e-Zaamin(A.S.).When Muslims go on journeys they take with them
something called Imam-e-Zaamin (another name for Imam Reza (A.S.)) which
is some money tied in a cloth. This tradition probably came from the
time of Imam Reza (A.S.) when people used to carry money with them
especially because it had Holy Imam's (A.S.) name on it. As Ma'mun,the
Abbasid caliph the contemporary of Imam Reza(A.S.), had coins minted
with the name of Imam Reza (A.S.) on them, it was very easy for the
Muslims to carry the name of Holy Imam (A.S.) with them, especially when
they went on journeys.
Imam Reza (A.S.) is also known as Imam-e- Zaamin (A.S.). Zaamin means
"The Guarantor". One day when Imam Reza (A.S.) was on his historical
journey from Madina to Marw(Khurasan),while in a jungle the Holy
Imam(A.S.) came across a hunter who was about to kill a deer. The deer
was trying to get away and when she saw Holy Imam (A.S.), she said
something to him.Holy Imam(A.S.) asked the hunter to free the deer so
that she could go and feed her little baby deer who were very hungry.
Imam Reza(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
becauseHoly Imam (A.S.) had told him to, but he did not think the deer
will come back. But Imam Reza (A.S.)) waited with the hunter until the
deer returned with her young ones. The hunter was amazed on witnessing
this miraculous event and he set the deer free as a mark of respect for
Imam Reza(A.S.).After this historical event Imam Reza(A.S.) became
famous as Imam Zaamin(A.S.).
The most famous artist of the contemporary world, Ustad Mahmud
Farshchiyan has depicted this historical event in this beautiful
masterpiece iconograph entitled "Zaamin-e-Aahu"(The Guarantor of the
Deer).
Successorship to Caliphate
His Holiness was welcomed at Marw by the caliph himself and by Fazl ibn
Sahl and some distinguished Abbasid nobles in a place a few leagues
outside the metropolis. After some days, Ma'mun offered Emam Reza
(A.S.), first the caliphate, His Holiness seriously rejected Ma'mun's
proposal. Then Ma'mun proposed Emam to accept the successorship to
caliphate, the Holy Emam (A.S.) turned down this proposal also but he
was finally forced to accept the successorship to caliphate. The Holy
Emam (A.S.) put forward certain conditions that he would not interfere
in
governmental affairs or in the appointment or dismissal of government
agents.
Ritual of Fitr Prayer
In the late Ramadan 202 A.H./ March 817 A.D., Ma'mun requested Emam Reza
(A.S.) to conduct the religious service of the celebration of "Fitr
Prayers" (Festival at the end of the month of Ramadan) in Marw.
The Holy Emam (A.S.) accepted only with the condition to perform the
related ritual just on the basis of the method of the Holy Prophet of
Islam (S.A.W.).
Early in the morning of the celebration day of "Fitr", Holy Emam (A.S.)
appeared in plain clothing and bare-footed before that congregation and
glorified God loudly; saying "Allah Akbar" (God in the Greatest of
all.). From every direction of the city the call "Allah Akbar" could be
heard because the congregation present there followed His Holiness and
shouted "Allah Akbar".
Ma'mun was deeply alarmed by the magnificence and splendour of that
demonstration and requested Holy Emam (A.S.) to cease the continuation
of that ritual.
The Holy Emam's (A.S.) Scholarly
Discourses
Ma'mun often managed sessions of debates to be held in his own royal
palace and celebrated scholars of various religions were invited there
to exchange and discuss their different views on religious issues,Emam
Reza (A.S.) was always victorious in all those debates and soon his
opponents recognized the scientific status of His Holiness. Emam Reza
(A.S.) directed Muslims to the right path and removed deviated views of
the antagonists who endeavoured to distort Islam. In this way the Holy
Emam (A.S.) safeguarded and propagated the principles of Islam.
The Holy Emam's (A.S.) Martyrdom
The vicious caliph was scared of the ever-increasing Holy Emam's (A.S.)
popularity. Thus he decided to eliminate the Holy Emam (A.S.).
In 203 A.H./ 818 A.D., Ma'mun first imprisoned Emam Reza (A.S.) in
Sarakhs. Then the Holy Emam (A.S.) was taken to Sanabad and confined in
the palace of Humaid bin Qahtabah. During the morning of the last day of
the month of Safar 203 A.H./ 818 A.D., the Holy Emam (A.S.) was poisoned
by Ma'mun in that palace. The Holy Emam (A.S.) was seized with intensive
pain and languor and in the evening of the same day the holy soul of the
innocent Holy Emam (A.S.) departed to heaven. The Holy Emam (A.S.) was
buried in the solitude of night at the same place of the palace which
His Holiness had prophecied during his first visit to Humaid bin
Qahtabah's palace at Sanabad in 201 A.H. / 817 A.D.
Once a small village called Sanabad soon transformed into a great
metropolis by the presence of the holy shrine of Emam Reza (A.S.) called
as Mashhad al-Reza (tomb sanctuary of Emam Reza (A.S.)., also briefly
called Mashhad which is also one of the most extensively visited
pilgrimage centers in the world.
Compiled by : Dr
Hyder Reza Zabeth
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