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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Story of the Sun: A Look at Imam al-Ridha Life Imam al-Ridha’s (a.s.) Historical Emigration Due to many letters from Ma’mun and frequent referrals by his agents to him, and while he was reluctant to take this trip and knew that this trip is without a return, His holiness Imam al-Ridha (a.s.) prepared for it.[^1] Farewell to Medina Several times the holy Imam went to the grave of his forefather, the Apostle of Allah, (S) to say farewell, acting in a way that repugnance and sadness [for leaving Medina] was obvious in his countenance.

When bidding farewell, he would weep out loud and when someone called Mukhawwal Sajistani congratulated him for the journey he was about to set out, the Holy Imam said, “Leave me to myself; I am separating from the proximity of my forefather and will pass away in a foreign land.” Before leaving Medina, the Imam (a.s.) called all his relatives together and told them: “Cry for me, for I will not return to Medina ever again!”[^2] He took hadhrat Jawad (a.s.), who was a child then, to Masjid al-Nabi and while hadhrat Jawad (a.s.) was embracing the Prophet (S)’s tomb, Imam al-Ridha (a.s.) said, “O Apostle of Allah!

I leave him with you.” Then, he told all his ministers and delegates to listen to his words and not to oppose him; and asserted his Imamate and succession to the trustworthy among his companions.[^3] Imam al-Ridha’s (a.s.) Itinerary There are controversies as to how and where had the Imam’s (a.s.) travel route from Medina to Marv been. For instance, did his holiness first go to Mecca and thence set out his journey or did he enter Kufa?

The Imam’s (a.s.) itinerary seems to have been arranged for him so that it could prevent any movement by Shi‘as and ‘Alawis; therefore, according to some traditions, he passed by Kufa without entering it.[^4] Nabaj Village Along the way, his holiness arrived in Nibaj, a village at a distance of ten manzil s (35-50 km?) from Basra. Abu Habib al-Nibaji said, “I saw in a dream that the Apostle of Allah (S) came to Nibaj and entered the mosque where the Hajj pilgrims stay every year.

I went to his presence and greeted him. There was a large dish of Sayhani dates before him; his holiness gave me a fistful of the dates. I counted them and I found they were eighteen. I woke up and interpreted that dream as my living on for eighteen more years! Twenty days passed when I was informed that Imam al-Ridha (a.s.) has come to Nibaj and settled in the mosque.