ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books the Life of Imām 'ali Bin Mūsā Al-ridā Introduction (1) This is an inquiry into the life of Imām Ali b. Mūsā al-Rida, peace be on him, the eighth Imām from the Household of the Prophet. He is Allahs light, His gift, and His treasure. He and his fathers, the leaders of Islamic Thought, are in no need of praisers praise and descripers 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 Qurān 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: [1] Qur'ān, 33, 22. [2] Ibid., 41, 23. [3] Al-Tirmidhi, Sahih, vol. 2, p. 308. Asad al-Ghāba, vol. 2, p. 12. Verily my Household among you are like Noahs 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 Isrāil, through which whoever entered was forgiven.

[1] Al-Mamūn 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-Mamūns heart, hence he, and in the presence of Imām al-Rida, ordered the mouth of Abd Allah to be stuffed with pearls.