Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (Romanized: ʿAlī ibn Mūsā al-Riḍā) was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, and the eighth Imam in Twelver Shia Islam, succeeding his father, Musa al-Kazim. Ali al-Riḍa is also known as Abū al-Ḥasan al-Thānī, (lit. ’Abu al-Hasan, the second’) to distinguish him from his father, Musa al-Kazim, who is also known as Abu al-Hasan al-Awwal (lit. ’Abu al-Hasan, the first’)
According to historical reports, Imam Ali al-Riḍa was born in Medina in 11 Dhul al-Qa’da 148 AH/765 AD. He was born about a month after the martyrdom of his esteemed grandfather, Imam Jafar Sadiq which occurred in Shawwal of the same year. Therefore, the arrival of such a pious baby soon after such a great calamity must have given some solace to the entire household.
His father was Imam Musa al-Kazim, the seventh Twelver Shia Imam, who was a descendant of Hazrat Ali and Lady Fatimah (peace be upon them). There is a dispute regarding the name of his mother. Some say she was called al-Khayzaran; others say she was Arwi while others say she was Najma Khātūn who was a freed slave from North Africa.
Imam Riḍa (PBUH) was brought up under the benign shadow of his esteemed father Hazrat Imam Musa Kazim (peace be upon him). He successively passed his childhood and youthful stages in this very pious environment and thus he completed thirty-five years of his age. Although the last few years of this period were those when his father, Imam Musa Kazim (PBUH) was undergoing the hardships of captivity and persecution during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid. With this, his holy eminence (PBUH) had the privilege of passing twenty-eight or twenty-nine years of his life in the company of his father before this period. In essence, Imam Riḍa (PBUH) was thirty-five years old when his father died in the prison of Harun al-Rashid in Baghdad and the responsibilities of the Imamate devolved on him.
Generally speaking, a divine leader (an Imam) enjoys a unique personality and distinctive characteristics, as far as Shi’a followers of the Imams are concerned. Therefore, the Imam is considered to be an infallible personality who is free from errors, mistakes and sins. This infallibility is essential in him since he is a genuine Prophet’s vicegerent and conveys on behalf of the Messenger of Allah (PBUHH). On this basis, the character of Imam Riḍa (PBUH), who is one of these Twelve Imams, becomes clearly distinctive due to its merits.
Imam Riḍa (PBUH) is indeed an embodiment of all virtues, as he was endowed by Allah with all noble traits and outstanding qualities just as He had endowed his great ancestors. He endowed him with nobility and made him an eminent figure for the community of his grandfather (the noble Prophet of Allah). Ibrahim ibn al-‘Abbas al-Suli was reported to have said the following about the noble trait of Imam Riḍa: “I have never seen nor have I ever heard that there is a person more meritorious than Abu al-Hasan Imam Riḍa (PBUH). He never turned away from anyone; nor did he interrupt anyone; nor did he refuse to do someone a favour he was able to do; nor did he ever stretch out his leg before an audience; nor did he ever lean upon something while his companion did not; nor did he ever call any of his servants or attendants a bad name; nor did he ever spit or burst into laughter; rather, his laughter was just a smile. When he was ready to eat, he seated with him all his attendants, including the doorman and the groom. He slept little at night. He spent most of his nights begging to end (in praying or reciting the Qur’an). He did abundant charity, most of which was at dark nights.” (‘Uyoon Akhbar ar-Ridha’, Vol. 2, p. 184.)
In addition, Imam Riḍa (PBUH) inherited the knowledge of his grandfather the Messenger of Allah (PBUHH), thus becoming its pioneering fountainhead that quenched the thirst of those who were thirsty for knowledge. History narrates a great deal of his scholarly stances and intellectual discourses in which he achieved victory over those who opposed the Divine Message, excelling in various branches of scholarship with which he provided the seekers of knowledge and the thinkers of the time. In this regard, several works are attributed to him, including Al-Risala al-Dhahabia, Sahifa al-Riḍa, and Fiqh al-Riḍa. Uyun al-Akhbar al-Riḍa 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 Shrine, in Mashad, Iran.
After the martyrdom of Imam al-Kazim (a), most Shia accepted the Imamate of Imam al-Rida son of Imam al-Kazim because of his will and other reasons and evidence. The period of his imamate after his father was twenty years (183/799 – 203/818) which was contemporary with the Abbasid caliphs Harun al-Rashid and his sons, al-Amin and al-Ma’mun. Imam al-Rida lived 17 years of his Imamate in Medina (183 – 200/815-6 or 201/816-7) and had a great position among people.
After the assassination of Amin in 198 A.H., Ma’mun became the caliph. Ma’mun realized that the majority of Persians favoured the teachings of Ahl al-Bayt and if somehow, he could persuade the Imam of the Ahl al-Bayt in Medina to be by his side, he could confirm his rule there. Thus, Ma’mun sent some of his special agents to Imam Riḍā (PBUH) in Medina to force him to leave his home in Medina and go to the Abbasid ruler in faraway Tus. 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 visited annually for pilgrimage.
Meanwhile, this appointment of Ali al- Riḍa by Ma’mun immediately invoked strong opposition, particularly among the Abbasids and Arab Sunni nationalists, who revolted and installed Ibrahim al-Mubarak, a half-brother of Harun al-Rashid, as the anti-caliph in Baghdad.
According to reports, Imam Ali al-Riḍa was martyred by the Abbasid caliph al-Ma’mun (ruled 813–833) on the last day of Safar 203 at the age of 55. Other historians mentioned his martyrdom dates range from Safar 202 (September 817) to Dhu al-Qa’da 203 (May 819) and he was buried in Tūs (presently known as Mashhad). By the end of the 9th century, a dome was built on the grave and many buildings and bazaars sprang up around it. For the next thousand years, it has been devastated and reconstructed several times.
Every year on this day, millions of Shias around the globe attend mourning processions to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Riḍa. Mourners from different social classes and age groups gather at mosques and religious sites across Iran and other parts of the world dressed in black. During these ceremonies, eulogies and sermons are given in honour of the revered Shia Imam.
Shia sources quoted several hadiths from the Shia Imams and Prophet Muhammad that highlight the significance of pilgrimage to the shrine. A hadith from the Holy Prophet reads thus: “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 a pilgrimage to his shrine. God will surely forgive the sins of any sinful person who goes on pilgrimage to his shrine.”
