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Imam Riḍa (PBUH) and the Succession to the Caliphate - Al-Shia The Scientific and Cultural Website of Shia belief Imam Riḍa (PBUH) and the Succession to the Caliphate 2023-03-27 439 Views Imam Ali ibn Musa Al-Rida , Succession to Caliphate , Waliy ahd Imam Riḍa (PBUH), the eighths Imam of Shias, is the progeny of (PBUHH) and his eighth successor.

His name is Ali, his title is Abu al-Hassan, and his most famous honorary name is al-Riḍa, meaning Satisfaction His father was Imam Musa al-Kazim (PBUH), the seventh Imam from the Prophet’s Household, who was martyred by Harūn, the Abbasid caliph, in 138 A.H. His mother was Najmah. Imam Riḍa (PBUH) was born on the 11th of Dhul Qadah,148 A.H. in the holy city of Medina.

His grandfather Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq (PBUH) died one month before the birth of Imam Ridha’ (PBUH) The family must have been consoled by his birth which took place after such a great loss. He was brought up and instructed by his affectionate father under whose supervision he passed his boyhood and youth. He availed himself of the instructions of his learned father for thirty-one years, till later was taken to Baghdad to suffer the hardship of imprisonment for four years till his death.

Imam Riḍa (PBUH) was thirty-five years old when his father died in the prison of Harun al-Rashid in Baghdad and the responsibilities of the Imamate devolved on him. At that time Harun Al-Rashid was the absolute ruler of Baghdad and the descendants of Imam ‘Ali (as) were passing as ever, through trials and tribulations because of the tyranny of the Abbasid ruler.

Yet Imam Riḍa (PBUH) carried on the responsibility of administering the Divine Law of Shari’a as taught by the Holy Prophet (PBUHH) and the Infallible Imams (PBUT) after him. Harun was incited to kill Imam Riḍa (PBUH) and finally, he made the decision to kill him but did not find the opportunity. Before the death of Harun, there was political wrangling in Baghdad between the two sons of Harun, Amin and Ma’mun.

His elder son Amin who had an Arab mother had the support of the Arabs and most of the Abbasid elders, while the younger son Ma’mun had a Persian mother and was supported by the Persians. To console both factions Harun took a pledge from both his sons that after his death Amin will rule the Arab part of the Empire while Ma’mun will rule the Persian side. After Harun, his son, Amin became the caliph. At that period, the government was weakened because of Harun’s death.