The Prophet’s Attitude towards Children and Youth

Chapter Two: Affection

The Prophet:

“Love children and be kind to them.”

Affection for Children

As a child needs food and water, he also needs to be caressed and to be treated with love and affection which is the best food for a child’s psyche. Children love to be kissed and hugged. The one, who from early childhood receives an adequate amount of love from his parents, is likely to have a pleasant disposition.

In many of the narrations of our religious leaders, affection for children is expressed and advised in various forms, some of which are as follows:

In the Sermon of Sha‘baniyyah, while outlining various duties, the Prophet advised: “Respect your elderly and be kind towards children.27

The Prophet is quoted elsewhere as saying, “He who does not have affection for children and does not respect the elderly is not one of us.”28

According to a narration, the Prophet also said, “Love the children and be kind to them.”29

Just before his martyrdom, ‘Ali thus advised, “In your family, be kind to children and respect the elderly.”30

In another account, he said to his followers, “The child must follow the elderly in his behavior and the elderly must be kind to children. Be careful not to behave like the oppressors of the Age of Ignorance.31

Imam Sadiq said, “A man who has much affection for his child will receive special mercy and attention from God.”32

The Prophet’s Affection for Children

‘Ali said, “When I was a little child, the Prophet would sit me on his lap, hug me and sometimes let me sleep in his bed. He would kindly put his face on mine and let me smell his fragrant body.”33

Yes, a child needs to be caressed. He should be stroked gently and lovingly on the head and looked at with affection. Looking at a child warmly and kindly will make him happy.34

The Prophet was so kind to children that it was said that on the occasion of his trip to Ta’if, the Prophet did not react to the children who threw stones at him. Rather, it was ‘Ali who chased them away.35

When the Prophet saw the children of the Helpers, he would stroke their heads, give themsalams and pray for them.36

Anas ibn Malik said: I saw no one kinder to his family than the Prophet.37

Every day, he would caress his children and grandchildren on the head38 . Kindness and affection for children were characteristics of the Prophet.39

One day, the Prophet and his companions were passing by a place where children were playing. The Prophet sat next to one of them, kissed him on the forehead and treated him kindly. Someone asked the Prophet about the reason for his behavior and he said, “One day, I saw this child play with my child Husayn. He took earth from under Husayn’s feet and rubbed it on his face. Therefore, since he is a friend of Husayn’s, I like him too. Gabriel told me that this child would be one of the companions of Husayn in Karbala.”40

Imam Sadiq said, “Musa ibn ‘Imran asked in his prayer, ‘O God, what deeds are the best ones to Thee?’ It was revealed to him, ‘Friendship with children is the best of all deeds to me, as children are god-fearing in essence and love me. When a child dies, I will mercifully make him enter Paradise.’”41

However, one should not show excessive affection for children as this will be harmful. There are many Islamic narrations which forbid such excess.

The Prophet’s Affection for Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn

The prophet had much affection for his children, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn. Some examples of this fact as verified in various documents are listed below:

Sunni books quote ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar as saying, “The Prophet said, ‘Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn are my sweet-smelling flowers in the world.”42

Anas ibn Malik is quoted as saying, “The Prophet was asked, ‘Which member of your family do you like the most?’ The Prophet said, ‘I like Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn more than the others.’”43

In another account,Sa‘id ibn Rashid says, “Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn ran towards the Prophet. He embraced them and said, ‘These two are my sweet-smelling flowers in the world.’”44

Imam Hasan said, “The Prophet told me, ‘O my child, you are like part of my body, good for those who love you and your children and woe to the onewho kills you.”45

The Prophet’s affection for Husayn was so much that he could not bear his crying.

Yazid ibn Abu Ziyad said, “The Prophet left ‘Aishah’s house and passed by Fatimah’s house. He heard Husayn crying and said to Fatimah, ‘Do you not know that Husayn’s crying hurts me?’”46

The Prophet Prayed for Children

The Muslims would bring their children to the Prophet and ask him to pray for them.

Jamarah, ‘Abdullah’s daughter, quotes a girl as saying, “My father took me to the Prophet and asked him to pray for me. The Prophet sat me on his lap, put his hand on my head and prayed for me.”47

Tolerating Children

Umm al-Fadhl, ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Mutallib’s wife, who was Imam Husayn’s nanny, says, “One day, when Husayn was still a nursing baby, the Prophet took him from me and hugged him. The baby wet the Prophet’s clothes. I took the baby back hastily and he began crying. The Prophet told me, ‘Do not rush! My clothes can be cleaned with water, but what can remove the memory of pain from the heart of my child Husayn?’”48

It has been narrated that, when a child was taken to the Prophet either for prayers or to be named, the Prophet would open his arms to take the child and put the child on his lap. Sometimes the child would wet the Prophet’s clothes and those present would scold the child and would treat him harshly in order to stop him from urinating. The Prophet would stop them and say, “Do not stop a child from urinating by being harsh.” Then he would allow the child finish.

When the praying and naming ceremony was finished, the child’s relatives would happily take their child and the Prophet would not be the least bit upset with the child for wetting him. After the relatives left, the Prophet would wash his clothes.49

The Prophet’s Gifts to Children

One of the practices of the Prophet towards children was giving gifts to them.

‘Aishah reported, “Najashi, the king of Abyssinia, sent a golden ring to the Prophet, which had been made in Abyssinia. The Prophet called Umamah, the daughter of Abu al-‘AS (the Prophet’s stepdaughter) and said, ‘My dear little daughter, adorn yourself with this gift.’”50

There is a story quoted from ‘Aishah: “A gold necklace was brought to the Prophet as a present. All the wives of the Prophet were present and Umamah the daughter of Abu al-‘As , who was a child, was playing in the house. The Prophet showed the necklace and asked, ‘What do you think of this?’ All of us looked at it and said, ‘We have never seen anything more beautiful than this!’ The Prophet said, ‘Give it to me.’ It seemed as if everywhere around me became dark. I was deathly afraid that he might put it around someone else’s neck and everyone else thought the same. All of us were silent until Umamah came to the Prophet and the Prophet put it around her neck and left.”51

It was reported that an Arab man came to the Prophet and said, “O Prophet, I have hunted a fawn, which I present to you for your children, Hasan and Husayn.” The Prophet accepted the present and prayed for the hunter. Then he gave the fawn to Imam Hasan. He took it and showed it to his mother, Fatimah. Imam Hasan was very happy with this gift and he would play with the fawn.52

The Way the Prophet Treated the Children of Martyrs

Bashir, son of ‘Aqriyah ibn Jahni, says, “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, I asked the Prophet, ‘How was my father martyred?’ The Prophet said, ‘He was martyred in God’s way, may God’s mercy be upon him.’ I cried. The Prophet hugged me, stroked my head and put me on his steed and said, ‘Do you not like me to be like your father?’53

In the month of Jumadi al-Awwal of the 7th year after the Hijra, the battle of Mawtah occurred, in which three of the commanders of Islam namely, Zayd ibn Harithah,Ja‘far ibn Abu Ṭalib and ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah were killed. The army returned to Madinah.54 The Prophet and the Muslims went to welcome them, chanting hymns. The Prophet was riding on an animal. He said, “Take the children for a ride. GiveJa‘far’s child to me.” They brought ‘Ubayd Allah, son ofJa‘far ibn Abu Ṭalib. The Prophet took him and put him to ride in front of himself.55

Ibn Hisham wrote: “Asma’, the daughter of ‘Umays, the wife of ‘Abdullah ibnJa‘far said, ‘The day when Ja‘far was martyred in the battle of Mu’tah, the Prophet came to our house. I had just finished the housework and grooming the children. The Prophet told me, ‘Bring me Ja‘far’s children.’ I took the children to him. He embraced them and began caressing them while shedding tears.

I asked, ‘O Prophet, why do you cry? Has there been any news of Ja‘far and his companions?’ The Prophet said, ‘Yes, they were martyred today.’”56

Other children were also not deprived of this kind and fatherly attitude by the Prophet. It has been told that the Prophet would embrace the children and would carry some of them on his shoulders and back. (He told his companions, “Embrace the children and put them on your shoulders.”) The children loved such displays of kindness and would be endlessly happy and would never forget such sweet memories. After a while, they would get together to recount the event for each other. Some would proudly say, “The Prophet took me on his back.” And another would say, “The Prophet ordered his companion to take you on his back.”57

The Way the Prophet Treated his Children during Prayer

Shaddad ibnHad said, “The Prophet had one of his two children, either Hasan or Husayn, with him during prayer. He stood in front of the rows and had his child stand on his right side. He lengthened his prostration.”

The narrator quoted from his father, “I raised my head and saw the Prophet with the child sitting on his back. I returned to my prostration. When the prayer was finished, the people said to the Prophet, ‘The prostration was so long in today’s prayer. Has there been an order to you about this or has there been a revelation to you?’ The Prophet said, ‘None of these. Rather, my son was sitting on my back and I did not want to bother him. I let him do what he wanted.’”58

There is a narration by Abu Bakr, “I saw Hasan and Husayn while the Prophet was saying his prayer. They jumped on his back. The Prophet held them when he was standing up so as to let them smoothly stand on the ground. He would put them on his lap and caress their heads and say, ‘These two boys are my two sweet-smelling flowers in this world.’” According to another saying, the Prophet said, “A child is a sweet-smelling flower and my sweet-smelling flowers are Hasan and Husayn.”59

In another narration, it is said that, “One day, the Prophet was saying prayers with a group of Muslims. When the Prophet prostrated, Husayn, who was a little child, mounted on the Prophet’s back and move his legs as if urging his steed forward.

“When the Prophet wanted to sit up from prostration, he took him and put him at his side. This continued to the end of the prayer.”

A Jew witnessed this event. After the prayer, he said to the Prophet, “You treat children in a way we have never done before.”

The Prophet said, “If you believed in God and his messenger, you would be kind to your children.” The Prophet’s kindness strongly impressed the Jew and he converted to Islam.60

Chapter Three: Kissing Children

“A child is a sweet smelling flower.”

The Noble Prophet

When a parent kisses his child, such behavior strengthens the affection between the parent and the child and it is the best way to quench a child’s thirst for love. A kiss shows that parents are kind to their children. It feeds the seedling of love in the child’s soul while it makes him aware of his parents’ love for him and it stimulates the creation of a new force within the child.

The Prophet also kissed children. Interestingly, his love for children was publicly displayed. This has two advantages:

Firstly, a child’s personality is radically reinforced by being respected in public.

Secondly, the Prophet thus taught the people how to strengthen and encourage their children.

Islam often emphasizes kissing children.

The Prophet said, “One who kisses his child does a pious deed and one who makes his child happy will be made happy by God on the day of Resurrection.61

‘Aishah said, “A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘Do you kiss children? I have never done so!’ The Prophet responded: ‘What can I do when God has taken his mercy from your heart?’”62

It has also been reported that a man came to the Prophet and said, “I have never kissed a child!” Later the Prophet said, “I think this man is one who will end up in the fire of hell.”63

There is another saying that, “The Prophet kissed Hasan and Husayn.Aqra‘ bin Habis said, ‘I have ten children, none of whom I have kissed.’ The Prophet turned to him and said: ‘What can I do when God has taken his mercy from you?!’64 ”

‘Ali said, “Kiss your children because there is a rank and position for you in every kiss you give.”65

Imam Sadiq said, “Kiss your children often because every time you kiss them, God gives you a rank.”66

Ibn ‘Abbas reported: “I was with the Prophet. Ibrahim, his son, was on his left knee and Imam Husayn was on his right. The Prophet sometimes kissed Ibrahim and sometimes Husayn.”67

Justice for Children

One thing that parents have to consider about their children is establishing justice among them. Children should taste the flavor of and feel justice from the very beginning, become familiar with it and consider it as a necessity for the society and for their lives, while avoiding any injustice and oppression. Therefore, the smallest matter should be treated with importance and administered with justice.

‘Ali said, “The Prophet saw a man with two children, one of whom he kissed and the other he did not. The Prophet said, ‘Why do you not treat them with justice?’”68

AbuSa‘id Khidri said, “One day, the Prophet went to his daughter’s house.

‘Ali was sleeping in bed and the children Hasan and Husayn were beside him. The children asked for water. The Prophet fetched them water. Husayn came forward first. The Prophet said, ‘Hasan asked for water first.’ Fatimah asked, ‘Do you like Hasan more?’ The Prophet answered, ‘Both are equal to me [but justice demands that each one takes his turn to drink water].’”69

Anas said, “A man was sitting with the Prophet. The man’s son entered the room. The father kissed him and sat him on his lap. Then the man’s daughter came and [without kissing her], he sat her next to himself. The Prophet said, ‘Why did you not treat them with justice?’”70

‘Ali said, “Do justice to your children as you yourself wish to be treated with justice.”71

The Prophet Kissed Fatimah

The Prophet loved his daughter Fatimah and still kissed her even when she had a husband and children.

Aban ibn Taghlab said, “The Prophet often kissed his daughter Fatimah.”72

Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq have said, “The Prophet kissed Fatimah at night, when she was asleep and put his face on her chest and prayer for her.73

‘Aishah said, “The Prophet once kissed Fatimah on the neck. I told him, ‘O Prophet, you treat Fatimah in a way that you do not treat others.’ The Prophet said, ‘O ‘Aishah, whenever I take interest in the Paradise, I kiss her on the neck.’”74

When Should One Stop Kissing Children?

One may ask, at what ageshould one stop kissing children. To answer this, we have referred to the words of the religious leaders.

Islam pays special attention to the ages of 6 to 10 in the upbringing of children and gives special instructions to its followers while taking into consideration the divine laws and the physical and spiritual conditions of children. Therefore, with practical applications, it has controlled the sexual urges of children so as to prevent the development of immoral practices in them.

Islam keeps children 6 years of age or older away from any sexual provocation and instructs parents to provide a favorable environment in order to control their children’s sexual tendencies.

The Prophet said, “A 6-year-old girl should not be kissed by a 6-year-old boy and women should avoid kissing boys 6 to 7 years of age.”75

The Prophet Kissed Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn

In addition to kissing his daughter, the Prophet loved her children Imams Hasan and Husayn and kissed them.

Abu Hurayrah said, “The Prophet was kissing Hasan and Husayn when one of the Helpers said, ‘I have ten children none of whom I have ever kissed.’ The Prophet responded, ‘One who shows no mercy will be shownno mercy.’”76

Salman Farsi (Salman the Persian) said, “I came to the Prophet and saw that he had put Husayn on his lap and was kissing him on the forehead and lips.”77

Ibn Abu ad-Dunya’ said, “Zayd ibn Arqam saw in ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziad’s court that the latter was hitting the lips of Imam Husayn’s severed head with his cane.

“Zayd ibn Arqam said to ‘Ubayd Allah, ‘Take away your cane. I swear by Allah that I saw the Prophet kiss these two lips many times.’ He said this and he began to cry. ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad replied, ‘May God make you cry. If you were not a senile old man, I would order you to be beheaded!’”78

Zamakhshari said, “The Prophet embraced Hasan and kissed him. Then he put him on his knee and said, ‘My meekness, patience and dignity I have given to him.’ Then he embraced Husayn, kissed him, put him on his left knee and said, “I have given him my bravery, generosity and magnanimity.’”79

Chapter Four: Playing with Children

“Anyone with whom there is a child shall treat him as a child.”

The Noble Prophet

One thing that affects a child’s personality is adult participation in children’s games. A child tends to imitate adult behavior firstly because of his physical weakness and secondly because of the force and power he sees in adults and the love that he naturally has for growth and development.

When parents descend to the level of children and take part in their games, children will indeed be happy, excited and feel inside that what they do is very important.

Therefore, it is very important to play with children as part of their upbringing. This is considered by psychologists to be a parental duty.

T.H. Morris wrote in Lessons for Parents, “Be friends with your children and play with them. Tell them stories and have friendly chats with them. Parents should especially know that they have to come to the same level as that of children and speak to them in the language they understand”80

Another psychologist stated, “It is necessary for the father to take part in his children’s entertainment and games. This mutual understanding seems necessary. Indeed, there are different times, places and chapters in life. A father who takes part in his children’s games indeed does not spend much time for this, but he is aware of the great importance for the child of the fact that the father descends to a child’s level to take part in children’s games, however little the time may be that the father spends for this.”81

The Playing Instinct in Children

One of the instincts that God has endowed children with is the interest in playing. Children run, jump, are sometimes entertained by toys and take pleasure in moving them around. Although such movements may appear useless in the beginning, they are necessary for the development of their tender bodies and souls and improve their abilities of thought and innovation. This is perhaps one of the reasons why Islamic narrations advise playing with children.

Playing with children is a practice that is important in the development of independence of will and the stimulation of creativity and innovation. When a child makes a structure with his toys, his thought mechanism functions like that of a construction engineer and he takes pleasure in his successes. When he faces a problem in his task, he thinks of a solution. As a result, all his actions strongly affect his personality.

The Prophet said, “One who has a child with him has to treat him like a child.”82

The Prophet also said, “God’s mercy be upon the father who helps his child for good purposes, treats him well, is his friend and educates him well.”83

‘Ali said: “Let your child be free, until the age of 7, to play.”84

Imam Sadiq said, “The child plays in the first seven years of his life, spends his time learning in the second seven years and learns about religious permissions and prohibitions in the third seven years.”85

‘Ali also said, “One who has a child has to behave in a childlike manner in training his child.”86

The Prophet Played with Children

The Prophet played with his children, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn. There are many narrations in this respect, some examples of which are provided below.

It has been reported that the Prophet caressed his children and his grandchildren on the head lovingly every morning and that he played with Husayn.87

Ya‘la ibn Marrah said, “The Prophet had been invited to lunch. We were with him, when all of a sudden we saw Hasan playing in the alley. The Prophet saw him and ran towards him with arms outstretched to catch him. However, the child ran this way and that, escaping from the Prophet and making him laugh. Then the Prophet caught Hasan. He put one hand under his chin and the other on his head. He brought his face close to the child’s and kissed him, saying, ‘Hasan is a part of me and I am a part of him. God will love those who love him.’”88

Many narrations report that this incident was about Imam Husayn [rather than Imam Hasan].89

Imam Sadiq said, “One day, Imam Husayn was sitting on the Prophet’s lap and the Prophet was playing with him and laughing. ‘Aishah said, ‘O Prophet, you play so much with this child.’ The Prophet said, ‘O no, how can I fail to love him when he is the fruit of my heart and the apple of my eyes?!’”90

Jubair ibn ‘Abdullah said, “The Prophet played with the children of his companions and comrades and let them sit beside him.”91

Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet had the best manners among the people. I had a little brother who had just been weaned and of whom I took care. His nickname was Abu ‘Umayr. When the Prophet saw him, he would say, ‘See what weaning has done to you!’ and he would begin playing with him.’”92

There is a saying that, “The Prophet would call the children of ‘Abbas. They were young and still loved to play. Then he would tell them, ‘He who comes to me the fastest will be rewarded.’ The children would race towards the Prophet. He would embrace and kiss them.93 Sometimes , he would give them a ride on his back and he would caress them on the head.”94

Giving a Ride

The Prophet would give rides to the children, seating them in front of or behind himself while riding. This had a very positive psychological effect on the children as they would consider this to be a very valuable and an unforgettable experience.

It is worth noting that the Prophet would sometimes carry children on his back and sometimes on his shoulders. Examples of these are provided in this chapter.

Jabir, a companion of the Prophet, said, “I came to the Prophet while Hasan and Husayn were on his back. The Prophet was walking on hands and feet and saying, ‘You are having a good ride and you are good riders!’”95

Ibn Mas‘ud says, “The Prophet was carrying Hasan and Husayn on his back, with Hasan on his right and Husayn on his left side while saying, “You are having a good ride and you are good riders. Your dad is better than you.’”96

The Prophet Let Children Ride on His Steed

The Prophet treated the children of his companions just like his own and he would let them ride on his steed. Some examples of this are as follows:

‘Abdullah, the son of Ja‘far ibn Abu Talib, said: “One day, the Prophet let me ride behind him and told me something that I will not tell anyone.”97

It has been said that whenever the Prophet returned from a trip and saw children, he would stop and order the others to pick the children up and he would let one of them ride in front of him and another behind him. After a while, the children would say to each other, “The Prophet let me ride in front but you rode behind.” Others would say, “The Prophet ordered his companions to let you ride behind them.”98

Fudayl ibn Yasar said: “I heard Imam Baqir say, ‘The Prophet was going somewhere when he saw Fadhl ibn ‘Abbas. He told his companions, ‘Let this child ride behind me.’ They put the child behind the Prophet and he was very careful with him.”99

‘Abdullah, the son of Ja‘far said: “I was with Qutham and ‘Ubayd Allah, the children of ‘Abbas and we were playing. The Prophet passed by and said, ‘Lift this child and let him ride.’ They lifted ‘Abdullah and put him in front of the Prophet. Then the Prophet said, ‘Bring this child too!’ They lifted Qutham and put him behind the Prophet.”100

Certain things have been said about the way the Prophet carried children on his shoulders:

1. He put the children on his shoulders in such a way that they faced each other.

2. He put them on his shoulders in such a way that one’s back faced that of the other.

3. He put one on his right shoulder and the other on his left shoulder.

4. He put one on his right shoulder, facing the front and the other on his left shoulder, facing the back.101

Publisher’s Preface

Some years ago, while I was paying a visit to the Holy Shrine of the eighth Imam, my master, ‘Ali b. Musa’ al-Ridha’, peace be on him, I asked myself: “Is it possible for me to find favor with my Imams, the guides and rightly-guided ones who have said in their traditions: ‘May Allah have mercy on him who enlivens our affairs,?” So it came to my mind that I had to find a book on the life of the eighth Imam in order to translate it into English.

After I had asked the advice of some professors, I chose the book entitled the Life of Imam al-Ridha’ by Shaykh Ba’qir Sharif al-Qarashi. Then I gave the book to Mr. Ja’sim al-Rasheed in order to translate it into English, and he agreed to this suggestion; I thank him, and praise belongs to Allah.

After an arduous effort and diligent striving, this great book has been translated into English, that it may be an important reference before those who desire to study and to inquire into the lives of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them. We ask Allah, the Great and Almighty, to help us enliven more works about the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, and on Tashayyu‘; surely He is powerful over everything.

In the Name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate

“Surely Allah chose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and the descendants of ‘Umra’n above the nations. Offspring, one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.” Qur’an (3: 33 -34)

“Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you thoroughly.” Qur’an (33: 33)

“Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein; surely Allah is Forgiving, Grateful.” Qur’an (53:23)

Foreword

by His Eminence, Imam al-Sayyid ‘Abd al-A‘la’ al-Sabzwa’ri, may his blessings lastmay his blessings lastmay his blessings last

In the Name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate,

Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Blessing and peace be on the noblest of His creatures Muhammad and his Household, the good, the pure. The pure Imams, peace be on them, are the mediations of the Holiest Grace, the means of Divine mercy, and the testamentary trustees of Allah, may His name be exalted, on earth. Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, has endowed them with knowledge and cognition through which they set the foundations of the religion and pillars of Shari‘a. The gallant, affectionate, infallible Imam ‘Ali b. Musa’ al-Ridha’, peace be on him, was unique in being able to affirm Divine knowledge through debating with the leading scientists of religions and followers of false beliefs. He established right and refuted wrong, and his holy words have become the axis of studies and foundation of perfection.

A group of scholars-may Allah, the Exalted, reward them with the best reward-has undertaken the task of collecting, interpreting, and explaining these words. Among those whom Allah, the Most High, has singled out for this great dignity is, Shaykh of traditionalists, the Hujja, Shaykh Ba’qir al-Qarashi, whom Allah, the Exalted, has endowed with His special favor and placed him among those who are guides to the righteous Imams, peace be on them, and explain their words and their characters. May Allah, the Most High, appreciate his efforts and grant him success to exalt the word of the truth and to manifest the reality. Verily, He is All-hearing, and answers to prayers!

Jama’di al Tha’niya 26th, 1412 A. H.

‘Abd al-A‘la’ al-Sabzwa’ri

Dedication

I submit this humble effort to the great position of the pioneer of the intellectual and cognitive renaissance in Islam, the Prophet’s descendant, Imam Ja‘far al-Sa’diq, peace be on him. I have made this research about his grandson Imam ‘Ali b. Musa’ al-Ridha’, peace be on him, while hoping that he will kindly accept, so it would be a treasure for me on the Day of Resurrection.

The Author

Introduction

1

This is an inquiry into the life of Imam ‘Ali b. Musa’ al-Ridha’, peace be on him, the eighth Imam from the Household of the Prophet. He is Allah’s light, His gift, and His treasure. He and his fathers, the leaders of Islamic Thought, are in no need of praiser’s praise and describers’ description, for Allah, the Exalted, praised them, took away uncleanness from them, and purified them from deviation. Regarding them He, the Exalted, has said:”

Verily Allah intends to keep off from you every kind of uncleanness and to purify you people of the House with a thorough purification.”1

He has also imposed love for them on all the children of Islam. Moreover He, the Exalted, has said:

“Say: I demand not of you any reward for it (the toils of preaching) except the love of my relations.”2

Their grandfather the Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, associated them to the Qur’an when he said: “I am going to leave among you the thaqalayn. If you cleave to them, you will never go astray after me; one of them is greater than the other that is the Book of Allah which is a cord stretching from the sky to the earth and my offspring from my family. They will never scatter (from each other) until they come to me at the Pool (hawd). Hence, think! How will you treat them after me?”3 Also he, may Allah bless him and his family, regarded them as the life-ships of this community. He has said: “Verily my Household among you are like Noah’s Ark, which whoever embarked was safe, and whoever missed drowned. Verily my Household among you are like the gate of Hitta among the children of Isra’’il, through which whoever entered was forgiven.”4

Al-Ma’mu’n asked ‘Abd Allah b. Matar, who was an eminent thinker and poet at his time: “What is your opinion of the Household (of the Prophet)?” “What shall I say about the clay which was plunged into the water of the Message and planted in the water of the Inspiration? Nothing will spread from it except the musk of guidance and ambergris of piety,” replied ‘Abd Allah with these brilliant words.

These golden words controlled al-Ma’mu’n’s heart, hence he, and in the presence of Imam al-Ridha’, ordered the mouth of ‘Abd Allah to be stuffed with pearls.”5

All the exalted values and genuine principles of which man boasts were in the Imams of the Household (of the prophet), peace be on them, for they were some of their elements and qualities.

2

As for the inclinations and qualities of Imam al-Ridha’, they were like those of his fathers, the great Imams. He freed himself from the world, renounced its beauties, and turned away from its embellishment, dedicated himself to Allah, devoted himself to Him, and clung to obedience to Him. He had knowledge of the precepts of the religion, inclusively encompassed the law of the Lord of the messengers, helped the weak, relieved the deprived, and accomplished the needs of the needy and other qualities which placed him at the top of honor and glory in the world of Arabs and Muslims.

Imam ‘Ali al-Ridha’, peace be on him, possessed these original values in all their forms and kinds, for he completely freed himself from the world and divorced it three times, just as his grandfather Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, did. Hence, he paid no attention to its vanities and embellishment. This clearly appeared when he undertook the succession, which was the greatest office in the Islamic State, hence he was the second character after al-Ma’mu’n.

Nevertheless, he rejected all the seductions of government and authority. He intensely hated the popular festivals and all kinds of honoring and magnifying which the people would hold for their kings and rulers. He announced this when he said: “Man’s waking behind a man is a trial for the followed and abasement for the follower.”6 The narrators have said: “Imam ‘Ali b. Musa’ al-Ridha’ would go to the bath-house, but the owner of the bath-house did not recognize him. It happened that there was a soldier in the bath-house and the soldier asked the Imam to rub and clean him. The Imam responded to his request. When the soldier came to know of the Imam, he became fearful and terrified. However, the Imam calmed his fear and made him know that he rendered him a human service.”

Among his high moral traits is that he would eat with his boys and retainers. He hated to distinguish himself from them. There are other high moral traits which he inherited from his grandfather, the greatest Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family.

3

The Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, had their own brilliant policy and method in the world of government and policy. They thought that government should be a means for establishing pure justice and truth, spreading love and friendship among men. They though that government should be a means for refreshing peoples, achieving their welfare, security, and prosperity. They thought that government was worthless if it did not achieve these noble aims through which peoples become happy. Listen to what the master of the Household (of the Prophet), Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, when he said to his helper and adviser, ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abba’s to whom he held up his sandals made of fiber and asked him:

“Ibn ‘Abba’s, how much do you value these sandals?”

“They have no value,” Ibn ‘Abba’s retorted.

“By Allah, they are more lovable to me than these affairs of yours but for the fact that I must establish (what is) true and ward off (what is) false,” explained the Imam.

The dictionary of policy has no words greater or more exalted than these words said by Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful and greatest Muslim thinker, peace be on him. Authority has no value unless it establishes fairness and justice, wards off falsehood and tyranny.

This is the path which Allah has chosen for His servants, that they may be righteous, and that they may enjoy a government which stands on neither deception nor misleading nor playing with the fates of the community.

4

Imam al-Ridha’, peace be on him, appeared on the arena of the political life in Islam, and he was the most brilliant politician in Islamic history. He was steadfast in his political attitudes, so he was not deceived by the bright ways and false hopes of al-Mu’mu’n, the ‘Abba’sid king, when he abdicated the throne and entrusted it to him. This abdication of the throne was not real; nor was it true at all; rather al-Ma’mu’n had decided that in order to achieve his political goals; probably the most important one of these goals is that he wanted to suppress those burning revolts which were about to burn the ‘Abba’sid government and to fold its flag. Among those revolts was that of Abu’ al-Sara’ya’. It is worth mentioning that Abu’ al-Sara’ya’ was an inspired military commander like Abu’ Muslim al-Khurasa’ni, who had overthrown the Umayyad government. Moreover al-Ma’mu’n wanted to conciliate the Iranians and all supporters of the Household (of the Prophet) whom the previous ‘Abba’sid governments had wronged, persecuted, and deprived of their natural rights.

Imam al-Ridha’, peace be on him, was fully aware of the political reasons which urged al-Ma’mu’n to abdicate the office of the caliphate and to hand it over to him, peace be on him. He, peace be on him, vigorously refused to undertake it. When al-Ma’mu’n was despair of him, he threatened him with death, so the Imam reluctantly responded to him according to the following conditions:

A. He (Imam al-Ridha’) would not command; nor would he prohibit.

B. He would not remove any person from his office.

C. He would not appoint any person in any of the state offices.

These conditions indicate that the Imam was the apparent successor of al-Ma’mu’n, and that the government of al-Ma’mu’n was illegal, for if it had been legal, he would not have mentioned these conditions.

Only few days ago and all the people came to know that the Imam had deep faith and that al-Ma’mu’n had nothing except cunning. They understood that al-Ma’mu’n wanted to achieve his political aims. When al-Ma’mu’n had achieved his goals, he assassinated the Imam, for he was unable to remove him from the office of regency. We will explain this matter in the chapters that follow.

5

Among the aims of this book is to give proof of the Imam’s abundant knowledge of philosophy, theology, medicine, jurisprudence, and so on. This can be indicated objectively through his debates with the great philosophers and scholars from different countries and cities. It is worth mentioning that al-Ma’mu’n had asked them to come to Khurasa’n in order to examine the Imam. He held a private and secret meeting with them and promised to give them a lot of money if they could silence the Imam with their arguments and render him incapable of answering them, that he might use this incapability as a means for slandering and defaming the Shi‘ites who believed that the Imams of the Household (of the Prophet), peace be on them, were the most knowledgeable of the community, and that Allah endowed them knowledge and excellencies just as He had endowed His prophets and His testamentary trustees.

The scholars responded to al-Ma’mu’n’s summons and asked the Imam about the vaguest and most difficult matters. The historians have said: “The scholars asked Imam ‘Ali b. Musa’ al-Ridha’ more than twenty thousand questions about various matters, and he skillfully answered them. Then they admired his abundant knowledge and most of them believed in his Imamate.” As a result al-Ma’mu’n was forced to prevent the scholars and others from meeting the Imam. Meanwhile he kept him under intense observation lest the people should admire him.

It is worth mentioning that these debates were recorded by some of the Imam’s students, but we have not found them yet. Perhaps they are part of the manuscripts which Arab and Islamic world has lost.

Anyhow, the Shi‘ite historians have reported a small group of these debates which are of great importance. For they, though few in number, show the Imam’s abundant and scientific wealth, and they indicate that he was a unique thinker and scholar in the world of Islam.

6

Some books of Imam al-Ridha’, peace be on him, have been reported and mentioned in the books of some historians and biographers such as Ibn al-Nadim, al-Tu’si, and others. They are as follows:

A. Tibb (Dissertation) of Imam al-Ridha’

It is a great, medical account which the Imam wrote according to al-Ma’mu’n’s request and is called al-Risa’la al-Dhahabiya (the Golden Dissertation). It contains the Imam’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 Imam’s prescriptions, he will need no medicine.

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-Ridha’’s Musnad

It contains some traditions which the Imam, 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. Jawa’m‘ al-Shri‘a

It contains outstanding, religious precepts and mother, juristic problems. Imam al-Ridha’, 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 Shi‘ite books. We have reported it from them and mentioned it in the book. These books are part of the Imam’s scientific wealth.

As for the jurisprudence of Imam al-Ridha’, we have indicated that it is not among his works; rather it belongs to other than him and is ascribed to him.

Anyhow, the narrators have reported from the Imam 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.

7

This book includes biographies of some great scholars and narrators who studied under the Imam, 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 Imam’s life, for it shows that the scholars in that time took great care of taking knowledge and sciences from the Imam. The narrators and historians have unanimously agreed that the Imam was a unique Muslim thinker, and that he derived his own knowledge from 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.

8

This book contains an inquiry into the time of Imam al-Ridha’, 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 Imam was full of important events of which is that Ha’ru’n al-Rashid created a conflict between his two sons al-Amin and al-Ma’mu’n. 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-Sara’ya’, 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 Imam al-Ridha’ the hope of the Muslim community, peace be on him to 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.

9

We have deeply and inclusively probed into the characters of the ‘Abba’sid kings with whom Imam al-Ridha’, peace be on him, coincided. 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 dissolutel; 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.

10

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 Yazid, Marwa’n, al-Walid, 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 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.

11

This is not the first book to be written about the life of Imam ‘Ali b. Musa’ al-Ridha’, 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 Imam al-Ridha’, 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 Imam have not encompassed its realities yet. This a far-fetched hope, for the Imam, peace be on him, had boundless intellectual wealth like that of the leading Imams, peace be on them, who were guardians of righteousness, and inheritors of the knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.

12

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-Khalifa 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 Sharif al-Qarashi for the creative efforts he rendered to me, his valuable notes on the book, his 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,

Shawwa’l 14th, 1411 A. H.

Ba’qir Sharif al-Qarashi

Notes

1. Qur’an, 33, 22.

2. Ibid., 41, 23.

3. Al-Tirmidhi, Sahih, vol. 2, p. 308. Asad al-Gha’ba, vol. 2, p. 12.

4. Majjma‘ al-Zawa’’id, vol. 9, p. 68. Al-Hlya, vol. 4, p. 306. Ta’rikh Baghdad, vol. 2, p. 19.

5. Al-Majjlisi, Biha’r al-Anwa’r, vol. 12, p. 71.

6. Al-Ya‘qu’bi, Ta’rikh.