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.