Why is Ali Ibn Musa (a.s.) called al-Reza?
Imam al-Jawad is reported to have said, ''God almighty the Sublime named him (his father) Al-Reza (a.s.) since he was accepted by God the Almighty in His Heavens, and he was accepted by his Prophets (s.a.w) and the Imams (a.s.) that followed the Prophet (s.a.w) on His Earth". Although this also applied to the other Imams (a.s.), it was only Imam Reza (a.s.) who was accepted by friends, followers and opponents.
Traditions about Imam al-Reza's mother and her name
His mother was Umm Walad, who was called Toktam. She was named Toktam when Abul Hassan Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s.) became her husband. 'Lady Hamideh told her son - Imam Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s.), "Oh my son! Toktam is a female slave. I have never seen any female slave better than her. I have no doubt that God will purify any generations from her offspring. Therefore I will bestow her on you. Treat her with kindness". When she gave birth to Imam al-Reza (a.s.), Imam al-Kazim (a.s.) called her Taherah. Some people have narrated that the name of Imam Reza's (a.s.) noble mother was Sakan an-Nawbiyeh. She was also called Arwa, Najma and Samayeh. Her nickname was Ummul Banin.
The birth date of Imam al-Reza (a.s.)
Al-Reza Ali ibn Musa (a.s.) was born in Medina on Thursday the 11th Rabi'ul Awwal in the year 153 A.H. (769 A.D.) - five years after the death of Imam As-Sadiq (a.s.).
Imam al-Kazim's (a.s.) appointment of Imam al-Reza (a.s.)
Muhammad ibn Isma'il ibn Al-Fadhl al-Hashemi says, "I went to see Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.) when he was seriously ill. I asked him, 'if God forbid something should happen to you, whom should we follow? He said, 'Follow my son Ali (Imam al-Reza a.s.) His writing is my writing. He is my Testamentary Trustee and my successor after me.
On the reward of visiting the Shrine of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (a.s.)
Chapter 66
66-1... quoted Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) sa saying on the authority of God's Prophet (s.a.w.), "One of my own flesh and blood will be buried in the land of Khorasan. God the Highest will surely remove the sorrows of any sorrowful person who goes on pilgrimage to his (Al-Reza's (a.s.)) shrine. God will surely forgive the sins of any sinful person who goes on pilgrimage to his shrine".
66-2...on the authority of Hamdan al-Diwani that Al Reza (a.s.) said, "Whoever visits me despite the far distance to my tomb, I will come to save him on the Resurrection Day on three occasions until I liberate him from his terrors: 1. When the Letters of Deeds are handed to his right and to his left hands, 2. At the moment of crossing the Bridge over Hell and 3. At the time when the Scale of Deeds (measuring the amount of good vs. bad deeds) is set up".
66-3...on the authority of Abdus-Salam ibn Saleh al-Harawi that he heard Al-Reza say, "I shall be killed by poison as a victim of injustice and I will be buried next to Harun. God will designate my grave as the place of visiting of my followers and those who love me. On the Resurrection Day, it will be incumbent upon me to visit whoever visits me in my loneliness. By Him who honoured Mushammad (s.a.w), with the Prophetic mission and chose him over all His creatures, whichever one of you says two units of prayer next to my tomb will deserve to be forgiven by God the Honourable, the Exalted on the Day you meet Him. And by Him who honoured us (the 12 Imams) with the Divine Leadership mission after Mushammad (s.a.w.) and made us special by granting us the Testamentary Trustee mission, whoever visits my shrine will be amongst the noblest ones who reach God on the Resurrection Day. God the Highest will prohibit the Fire from reaching the corpse of any believer who visits me, hits himself on the face and sheds a tear."
66-6...on the authority of Abi Hashem Dawood ibn Al-Qasim al-Ja-afri that he heard Aba Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali (al-Baqir) (a.s.) say, "Indeed there is a piece of land taken from Heaven, in between two mountains in Toos. Whoever enters it will be secure from the Fire on the Resurrection Day".
66-18...on the authority of Hamza ibn Homran that Abu Abdullah (as-Sadiq) (a.s.) said, "My grandson will be killed in the land of Khorasan in a town called Toos. On the Resurrection Day, I will grab the hands of whoever visits him there recognising his rightfulness, and I will take him into heaven even if he has committed major sins." I asked Abu Abdullah (a.s.), "May I be your ransom! What does recognising his rightfulness mean?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "It means to know he is the Divine Leader who must be obeyed and that he was martyred. Whoever visits him recognising his rightfulness shall be rewarded by God the Highest the reward of seventy thousand martyrs who were really martyred right in front of God's Prophet (s.a.w.).
This copy of the Qu'ran is attributed to Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Ridha. Reza Abbasi Museum.
to be continued...
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