11th ZeeQaad 1431 A.H.
Birth anniversary of Imam Ali Riza(a.s.)
the 8th Holy Imam.
On this occassion of hapiness in the household of Prophet
Mohammad(sawaw), I wish to felicitate the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw),
Imam-e-Zamana(a.s.), the Ahl-e-Bait(a.s.) and all Momineen and Mominaat.
In keeping with the practice of the followers of Ahl-e-Bait(a.s.), please offer nazrana and special prayers on this auspicious day to renew your allegiance to Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) and his Ahl-e-Bait(a.s.).
Please also recite the Ziarat of Imam Riza(a.s.) and as per instructions of Imam Ali Naqi(a.s.), please recite the Ziarat-e-Jame'a as well
A Glance at the Sacred Life of Imam Riza (A. S.)
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Imam Riza(a.s.), the eighth Shi'ite Imam was born on Thursday 11th Zee al-Qa'adah 148 A.H. /29 December 765 A.D. in Madinah. The new-born child was named Ali by his holy father, Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.), the seventh Shi'ite Imam. He was divinely entitled "Riza" and his kunniyat was Abul Hasan.
For many times Imam Musa al-Kazem (A.S) explicitly introduced his eldest son "Ali" as his immediate successor to accede to the divine position of Imamat. Subsequent to the martyrdom of his father in Baghdad, on the 25th of Rajab 183 A.H. / 1 September, 799 A. D. in the prison of Abbasid caliph, Harun-al-Rashid, he attained the holy position of Imamat, when he was thirty five years old, and he held that divine position for twenty years.
Three Abbasid caliphs were his contemporaries: for the first ten years Harun al- Rashid, for next five years Amin and finally for the last five years Ma'mun.
Why Ma'mun invited Iman Riza(a.s.)
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After the death of Harun (b, 766 A.D., r. 786-809 A.D.) in 193 A.H./ 809 A.D., Ma'mun fell into conflict with his brother Amin (b 787 A.D., r. 809-813 A.D.), which led to bloody wars and finally the assassination of Amin in 813 A.D./ 198 A.H., after which Ma'mun became caliph. The Umayyad and the Abbasid caliphs were afraid of the Holy Imams (a.s.), who were publicly recognized as the true and worthy successors of the Messenger of Allah(sawaw). The Holy Imams (a.s.) were therefore constantly persecuted and tortured by the ruling caliphs of the time.
Ma'mun thought of finding a new solution for these difficulties, which his Abbasid predecessors had not been able to solve. Ma'mun contrived to invite Imam Riza(a.s.) to Marw, (the city where Ma'mun's seat of caliphate was located) with the evil intention of making false friendship with His Holiness. Thus, the cruel Caliph intended to have a direct eye on His Holiness.
In order to have this decision put into effect, Ma'mun forcefully exiled Imam Riza(A.S) from Madinah to Marw. On his departure from Madinah, Imam Riza(a.s.) gathered the members of his family and enjoined them to shed tears for his last journey with no return. Holy Imam (a.s.) did not take any member of his household with him to Marw. His Holiness intended to make the people aware of the exile that Ma'mun had intended for him.
Towards Khorasan
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According to Ma'muns' commands, the direction of Imam Riza(a.s.) caravan from Madinah to Marw was predetermined. He arrived in Marw on the 10th of Shawwal in 201 A.H. / 1 May 817 A.D., via Basrah, Khorramshahr, Ahwaz, Rey, Neyshabur, Sanabad and Sarakhs.
Throughout his long journey, the Holy Imam (a.s.) was cordially received by the people living in those cities and villages on the route. When His Holiness arrived in Neyshabur he narrated a Hadith Qudsi before an estimated crowd of 120,000 which also included thousands of distinguished scholars and traditionists.
This historical and the most famous Hadith Qudsi in known as "Silsilat al-Dhahab." Imam Riza(a.s.) confirmed that worshipping God will be counted as a perfect procedure when it is based on the obedience of the Immaculate Holy Imams (a.s.). This historical statement of Imam Riza(a.s.) implied the presentation and assertion of the Imamat (Socio- religious leadership) of His Holiness.
Imam-e-Zaamin(a.s.)
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The Eighth Shi'ite Imam, Imam Ali ibne Musa ar-Riza(a.s.) is also called as Imam-e-Zaamin(a.s.).When Muslims go on journeys they take with them something called "Imam-e-Zaamin" [another name for Imam Riza(a.s.)] which is some money tied in a cloth. This tradition probably came from the time of Imam Riza(a.s.) when people used to carry money with them especially because it had Holy Imam's (a.s.) name on it. As Ma'mun,the Abbasid caliph the contemporary of Imam Riza(a.s.), had coins minted with the name of Imam Riza(a.s.) on them, it was very easy for the Muslims to carry the name of Holy Imam (a.s.) with them, especially when they went on journeys.
Imam Riza(a.s.) is also known as Imam-e-Zaamin (a.s.). Zaamin means "The Guarantor". One day when Imam Riza(a.s.) was on his historical journey from Madinah to Marw(Khurasan),while in a jungle the Holy Imam(a.s.) came across a hunter who was about to kill a deer. The deer was trying to get away and when she saw Holy Imam (a.s.), she said something to him.
Holy Imam(a.s.) asked the hunter to free the deer so that she could go and feed her little baby deer who were very hungry. Imam Riza(a.s.) also told the hunter that once the deer had fed her babies she would come back. The hunter allowed the deer to go because Holy Imam (a.s.) had told him to, but he did not think the deer would come back. However, Imam Riza(a.s.) waited with the hunter until the deer returned with her young ones. The hunter was amazed on witnessing this miraculous event and he set the deer free as a mark of respect for Imam Riza(a.s.).
After this historical event Imam Riza(a.s.) became famous as Imam Zaamin(a.s.). The most famous artist of the contemporary world, Ustad Mahmud Farshchiyan has depicted this historical event in this beautiful masterpiece iconography entitled "Zaamin-e-Aahu"(The Guarantor of the Deer).
Successorship to Caliphate
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Imam Riza(a.s.) was welcomed at Marw by the caliph himself and by his Prime Minister Fazl ibn Sahl and some distinguished Abbasid nobles in a place a few leagues outside the metropolis. After some days, Ma'mun offered Imam Riza(a.s.), first the caliphate, His Holiness seriously rejected Ma'mun's proposal.
Then Ma'mun proposed Imam to accept the successorship to caliphate, the Imam Riza(a.s.) turned down this proposal also but he was finally forced to accept the successorship to caliphate. The Holy Imam (a.s.) put forward certain conditions that he would not interfere in governmental affairs or in the appointment or dismissal of government agents.
Ritual of Fitr Prayer
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In the late Ramadan 202 A.H./ March 817 A.D., Ma'mun requested Imam Riza(a.s.) to conduct the religious service of the celebration of "Fitr Prayers" (Festival at the end of the month of Ramadan) in Marw. The Holy Imam (a.s.) accepted only with the condition to perform the related ritual just on the basis of the method of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sawaw).
Early in the morning of the celebration day of "Fitr", Holy Imam (a.s.) appeared in plain clothing and bare-footed before that congregation and glorified God loudly; saying "Allah Akbar" (God in the Greatest of all.).
From every direction of the city the call "Allah Akbar" could be heard because the congregation present there followed His Holiness and shouted "Allah Akbar". Ma'mun was deeply alarmed by the magnificence and splendor of that demonstration and requested Holy Emam (a.s.) to cease the continuation of that ritual.
The Holy Imam's (a.s.) Scholarly Discourses
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Ma'mun often managed sessions of debates to be held in his own royal palace and celebrated scholars of various religions were invited there to exchange and discuss their different views on religious issues, Imam Riza(a.s.) was always victorious in all those debates and soon his opponents recognized the scientific status of His Holiness.
Imam Riza(a.s.) directed Muslims to the right path and removed deviated views of the antagonists who endeavored to distort Islam. In this way the Holy Imam (a.s.) safeguarded and propagated the principles of Islam.
The Golden Dissertation in Medicine
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The Most Precious Islamic Legacy in the Science of Medicine:
Among such books written by Imam Riza(a.s.) is Al-Risala al-Dahabiyya fil Tibb (the Golden Dissertation in Medicine) for which sources are counted reaching sometimes to Muhammad ibn Jumhoor, and sometimes to al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Nawfali who was accepted as trustworthy by al-Najjashi who described him as "highly esteemed and trustworthy; he narrated one text about Imam Riza(a.s.)," which could be "the golden dissertation in medicine".
The Holy Imam's (a.s.) Martyrdom
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The vicious caliph was scared of the ever-increasing Holy Imam's (a.s.) popularity. Thus he decided to eliminate the Holy Imam (a.s.). In 203 A.H./ 818 A.D., Ma'mun first imprisoned Imam Riza(a.s.) in Sarakhs.
Then the Imam Riza(a.s.) was taken to Sanabad and confined in the palace of Humaid bin Qahtabah. During the morning of the last day of the month of Safar 203 A.H./ 818 A.D., the Holy Imam (a.s.) was poisoned by Ma'mun in that palace.
The Holy Imam (a.s.) was seized with intensive pain and languor and in the evening of the same day, the holy soul of the innocent Holy Imam (a.s.) departed to heaven. The Holy Imam (a.s.) was buried in the solitude of night at the same place of the palace which His Holiness had prophesied during his first visit to Humaid bin Qahtabah's palace at Sanabad in 201 A.H. / 817 A.D.
Mashhad: The Land of Miracles
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Once a small village called Sanabad soon transformed into a great metropolis by the presence of the holy shrine of Imam Riza(a.s.) called as Mashhad al-Riza (tomb sanctuary of Imam Riza(a.s.)., also briefly called Mashhad which is also one of the most extensively visited pilgrimage centers in the world. Miracles regularly occur at the holy shrine of Imam Riza(a.s.) and hence the holy city of Mashhad is also famous as "The Land of Miracles"
The Holy Shrine of Imam Riza(a.s.)
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The magnificent and marvelous buildings and structures in the holy shrine of Imam Riza(a.s.), comprises one of the oldest and most beautiful religious and historical monuments in the world.
The grand complex of the holy shrine is round in structure which includes six courtyards (Sahn), twenty - three porches (Riwaq), the Gowharshad Mosque, Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, Islamic Research Foundation, Museums, the Central Library Complex, Offices, Hospital, Inn and the buildings for performing ablutions. The present surface area of the holy shrine is 267079 square meters.
Merits of Imam Riza's(a.s.) Ziyarah
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There are many traditions concerning the merit of Imam Riza's (a.s.) ziyarah (pilgrimage) in general, and in some its thawab (spiritual reward) is concerned to be equal to that of the martyrdom of the martyrs of Badr, and in still other traditions its thawab is considered equal to that of a hajj pilgrimage.
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