Ali al-Rida
Uyun al-Akhbar al-Rida by Ibn Babawayh is a comprehensive collection that includes his religious debates and sayings, biographical details, and even the miracles which have occurred at his tomb.
His death followed shortly after the assassination of al-Fadl ibn Sahl, the Persian vizier of al-Mamun, who was publicly seen as responsible for his pro-Shia policies.
Tus was later replaced with a new city, called Mashhad, which developed around the grave of al-Rida as the holiest site in Iran, to which millions of Shia Muslims flock annually for pilgrimage.
[5] His father was al-Kazim, the seventh Twelver Shia Imam, who was a descendant of Ali and Fatima, cousin and daughter of the Islamic prophet, respectively.
The period of Amin's caliphate is said to be the time of peace for al-Rida, during which he found the opportunity to fulfill his mission of spreading the Islamic teachings.
[8] Notably, he faced costly revolts in Kufa and Arabia by Alids[12][13] and Zaydis,[14] who intensified their campaign against the Abbasids around 815, seizing the cities of Mecca, Medina, Wasit, and Basra.
[1][4] In this period, al-Rida's only involvement in politics might have been to mediate between the Abbasid government and his uncle Muḥammad ibn Ja'far, who had revolted in Mecca.
[1][6] The sources seem to agree that al-Rida was reluctant to accept this nomination, ceding only to the insistence of the caliph,[19] with the condition that he would not interfere in governmental affairs or the appointment or dismissal of government agents.
When al-Rida was asked why he accepted the successorship, he is reported to have emphasized his unwillingness, responding, "The same thing which forced my grandfather the Commander of the Faithful [Ali ibn Abi Talib] to join the arbitration council [i.e., coercion].
[7] It also appears that this appointment did not alienate any of the followers of al-Rida which, according to Bayhom-Daou, might imply that they were convinced that he was a reluctant player who had no choice but to accept his designation as the heir apparent.
[17] Perhaps incorrectly,[1][17] the appointment of al-Rida was at the time largely attributed to the influence of al-Mamun's Persian vizier, al-Fadl ibn Sahl.
[1][16] Nevertheless, various Abbasid governors, with the exception of Ismail ibn Jafar in Basra, loyally carried out their orders and exacted the oath of allegiance to the new heir.
[1][21] Al-Mamun's decision did not carry the public opinion of the Iraqis, who declared him deposed and installed Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi, another Abbasid, as caliph in 817, while the popular militia roamed through Baghdad, demanding a return to the Quran and the Sunna.
[4] While the caliph evidently desired that al-Rida should immediately engage in all official ceremonies, the latter is reported to have refrained, stipulating that he would not participate in government affairs.
[4] The seriousness of the civil unrest in Iraq was apparently kept hidden from al-Mamun by his vizier until 818, and it was al-Rida who urged the caliph to return to Baghdad and restore peace.
[1][19] Before their return, his vizier offered his resignation, pointing out the hatred of the Abbasids in Baghdad for him personally, and requested the caliph to leave him as governor in Khorasan.
[34][8][33] Madelung writes that the sudden deaths of the vizier and the heir apparent, whose presence would have made any reconciliation with the powerful Abbasid opposition in Baghdad virtually impossible, strongly suggest that al-Mamun was responsible for them.
[17] Similarly, Rizvi writes that the sudden reversal of al-Mamun's pro-Shia policies and his attempt to eradicate the memory of al-Rida might support the accusations against the caliph.
[1][35] Madelung does not view these emotions as necessarily insincere, noting that on other occasions in the reign of al-Mamun, cold political calculation appears to have outweighed the personal sentiments and ideals.
Adjacent to the shrine is the Goharshad Mosque, one of the finest in Iran, named after the wife of the Timurid emperor Shah Rukh and completed in 1394 CE.
The ritual, dating back to governor Ali Shah of Khorasan in 1160 AH, involves the servants of the holy site walking from the nearest street to Inqilab yard with candles in their hands.
[13] He initially adopted a quiescent attitude and kept aloof from politics, similar to his predecessors, namely, the fourth through seventh Shia Imams;[13] and he refused to officially approve and accompany the uprisings of the Alids.
[7] Al-Rida, known for his piety and learning,[19][17] issued fatwas (legal rulings) at The Prophet's Mosque in Medina when he was still in his twenties and narrated hadith from his forefathers.
[1][19] Al-Kazim designated his son, Ali al-Rida, as his successor before his death in Harun al-Rashid's prison in 799 (183 AH),[4][40] following some years of imprisonment.
[7] After leaving Nishapur, Reza reached a village named Sanabad and went to the palace of Humayd ibn Qahtaba and entered the courtyard where Harun al-Rashid's grave was located.
[7] Donaldson includes the account of Reyyan ibn Salt who, when bidding farewell to his Imam, was so overcome with grief that he forgot to ask al-Rida for one of his shirts, to use as a shroud, and some coins, to make rings for his daughters.
[7] In addition to Shia authorities,[1][19] Sunni biographical sources also list al-Rida as one of the narrators of prophetic hadiths, and al-Waqidi considers him a reliable transmitter.
[17] It has been commonly held that Ma'ruf al-Karkhi, who converted to Islam at the hands of al-Rida, is a prominent figure in the golden chain of most Sufi orders.
[1] Uyun al-Akhbar al-Rida by Ibn Babawayh is a comprehensive collection that includes the religious debates, sayings, biographical details, and even the miracles which have occurred at his tomb.
[57] Al-Mamun showed interest in theological questions[27] and organized debates between the scholars of different sects and religions in which al-Rida participated.
