It is reported from
a person called Rayyan that he once asked Imam Ali ibn Musa ar-Ridha
(as), “What do you say about the Holy Quran?” Imam (as) replied,
“It is the speech
of Allah. Do not venture ahead of it nor seek guidance from other
than it otherwise you shall be led astray”.
Muhammad bin Musa
Nasr al-Raazi has narrated that he heard his father telling Imam ar-Ridha
(as), “By Allah! There is no one more noble than your father and
forefathers on this earth”. Imam (as) said,
“It is TAQWA (Godwariness)
that made them so noble and it is obedience of Allah that gave them
greatness”. Then another person said,
“By Allah! You are the best of all people”. Imam (as) said,
“O Man! Do not take an
oath (on this matter). Better than me is he who is more Godwary and
more obedient to Allah than me. By Allah! This verse has not been
abrogated: ‘..And We
made you nations and tribes that you may identify with one another.
Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most Godwary
among you’. (49:13)”.
(‘Uyoon Akhbaar ar-Ridha)
Hasan bin Musa
al-Baghdadi has reported that:
[Once
Zayd, a brother of Imam ar-Ridha (as) was seen boasting about
himself and his family to others. Imam (as) came nearer to listen to
what he was saying and then addressed him in the following manner:
“O Zayd! What has made you so boastful
about yourself? Indeed Fatimah al-Zahra (as) is the best, purest and
the chastest of all; and that Allah has forbidden the fire of
Jahannam on her progeny. But by Allah! Except for al-Hasan and
al-Husayn who were born from her pure womb, her progeny does not
include anyone else. On one hand Musa ibn Ja’ffar (referring to
their own father) used to obey the commands of Allah, spend his days
in fasting and nights in worship and on the other hand it is you
(the son) who is sinning! Do you think that on the Day of Judgement
Allah will treat you both (father and son) equally and that you
shall enjoy a respectable and higher position than him in the sight
of Allah?
Certainly, Ali ibn al-Husayn
(as) used to say:
‘From among us – the Ahlul-Bayt, one who does a good act shall be
rewarded twice and one who commits a sin shall be punished twice’.”
Imam (as) then
turned towards Hasan bin Musa and said,
“How do you read this verse:
‘O Nuh! Verily he is
not of your family; Verily his conduct is other than righteous’.?
(The verse that refers to the son
of Nuh (as) who drowned on account of his disbelief and Nuh (as) was
distressed by it).
Hasan bin Musa
said, “Some say that it means the deed of Nuh’s son was not
righteous and some claim that he was not Nuh’s son”. Imam (as) said,
“This is certainly
not true! He was indeed the son of Nuh but on account of his
disobedience to Allah, he was removed from the family of Nuh.
Similarly, anyone from the Ahlul-bayt who disobeys Allah is not from
us; and you (O Hasan) if you obey Allah, you will become part of us
– the Ahlul-bayt”. ] (Bihar
al-Anwaar)