His holiness answered...

His holiness answered: No, and know that there would be no more than one child for me, but God will grant him many children.[^11] The Auspicious Birth of Shams al-Shumus (the Radiant Sun among all the suns), ‘Ali b. Musa al-Ridha (a.s.) His holy mother, Lady Najma when pregnant with her son, ‘Ali, said, “I did not feel any heaviness. When asleep, I heard dhikr of God from within me in a way that I was awe-inspired.

After I gave birth to him, he placed his feet and hands on the ground and, raised his head to the sky, and moved his lips, as though he was saying something.” When his holiness, Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.) saw his son, he said, “O Najma!

Blessed are you for the miraculous gift Allah granted you.” Then, the baby was wrapped in a white piece of cloth and given to his holiness, who recited adhan into his right ear and iqama into his left ear; he asked for some Euphrates water and touched the baby’s palate with it [for blessing], and said to his mother: “Take the baby as he is the remnant of Allah on His earth”.[^12] After the birth of Imam al-Ridha (a.s.), Imam al-Kazim (a.s.) gave her mother the nickname Tahira, meaning pure.[^13] Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.), Wishing to See Imam al-Ridha (a.s.) Hadhrat Musa b.

Ja‘far (a.s.) would say to his children: “This brother of yours, ‘Ali b. Musa is the learned of the Prophet (S)’s household [ ‘Alim-i Al-i Muhammad (S)]; ask him about your religion and learn by heart what he says. I frequently heard from my father, Ja‘far b.

Muhammad, who told me: “The learned of the Prophet (S)’s household is from among your progeny; I wish I would see him; he has the same name as Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali (a.s.).[^14] In numerous traditions related from the Holy Prophet (S), Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali (a.s.), and Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) references have been made to the birth of that magnanimous Imam as well as his tragic martyrdom, his noble mausoleum in Khurasan, and the great reward for paying pilgrimage to him, which will be elaborated on in the chapter concerning his martyrdom.

Why was Imam al-Ridha (a.s.) Named al-Ridha? Al-Bazanti, one of the dignitaries among the companions of Imam al-Ridha (a.s.) and Imam al-Jawad (a.s.) said, “I said to Abu Ja‘far Muhammad b.