1 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى المُتَوَكِّل رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عصام الكُلَيْنِيُّ وَأَبُو مُحَمَّد الحَسَن بْنِ أحْمَد المُؤَدِّبُ وَعَلِىِّ بْنِ عَبْد الوَرَّاقُ وَعَلِىِّ بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْران الدَّقَّاق - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ - قالُوا: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبِ الكُلَيْنِيُّ - رَحْمَةُ اللَّه - قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلىِّ بْنِ العَلَويّ الجوانِي عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ مُحَمَّد المحاربي عَنْ رَجُل ذكر اِسْمُهُ
43-1 Muhammad ibn Musa ibn al-Mutawakkil, Muhammad ibn Isam al-Kolayni, Abu Muhammad Al-Hassan ibn Ahmad al-Mo’addib, Ali ibn Abdullah al-Warraq, Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran al-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with them - narrated that Muhammad ibn Yaqoob al-Kolayni - may God forgive him - quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Ibrahim Al-Alawi Al-Jawani, on the authority of Musa ibn Muhammad
عَن أَبي الحَسَن الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ أَنَّ الْمَأْمُونَ قَالَ هَلْ رَوَيْتَ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ شَيْئاً فَقَالَ قَدْ رَوَيْتُ مِنْهُ الْكَثِيرَ فَقَالَ أَنْشِدْنِي أَحْسَنَ مَا رَوَيْتَهُ فِي الْحِلْمِ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ:
al-Moharibi, on the authority of a man whose name he had mentioned, on the authority of Abil Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (AS) that Al-Ma’mun asked the Imam (AS), “Have the people ever recited any poems for you?” He (AS) replied, “Yes. They have told me a lot.” He said, “Then recite to us the best poem that they have recited to you about patience.” He (AS) said,
إِذَا كَانَ دُونِي مَنْ بُلِيتُ بِجَهْلِهِ
Whenever I face someone lower than me
أَبَيْتُ لِنَفْسِي أَنْ تُقَابِلَ بِالْجَهْلِ
hurt me out of ignorance I honor myself and do not treat him out of ignorance, too.
وَإِنْ كَانَ مِثْلِي فِي مَحَلِّي مِنَ النُّهَى
If he equals me in terms of intelligence
أَخَذْتُ بِحِلْمِي كَيْ أُجَلَّ عَنِ الْمِثْلِ
I treat him with patience so as to be nobler than him.
وَإِنْ كُنْتُ أَدْنَى مِنْهُ فِي الْفَضْلِ وَالْحِجَى
And if he is higher than me in terms of nobility and sagacity
عَرَفْتُ لَهُ حَقَّ التَّقَدُّمِ وَالْفَضْلِ
Then I recognize his right of superiority and nobility.
قَالَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ: مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا هَذَا مَنْ قَالَهُ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ فِتْيَانِنَا قَالَ فَأَنْشِدْنِي أَحْسَنَ مَا رَوَيْتَهُ فِي السُّكُوتِ عَنِ الْجَاهِلِ وَتَرْكِ عِتَابِ الصَّدِيقِ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ:
Then Al-Ma’mun said, “How excellent! Who said it?” He (AS) replied, “One of our youth.” Al-Ma’mun said, “Please recite for us the best poem you have heard regarding remaining silent in the presence of the ignorant and not fighting with friends. He (AS) said,
إِنِّي لَيَهْجُرُنِي الصَّدِيقُ تَجَنُّباً
My friend stays away from me to break up
فَأُرِيهِ أَنَّ لِهَجْرِهِ أَسْبَابا
I show him that there are means to break up.
وَأَرَاهُ إِنْ عَاتَبْتُهُ أَغْرَيْتُهُ
I see that if I treat him with reproach I have pushed him to break up
فَأَرَى لَهُ تَرْكَ الْعِتَابِ عِتَابا
Then I consider to abandon reproach.
وَإِذَا بُلِيتُ بِجَاهِلٍ مُتَحَكِّمٍ
When I face an ignorant, selfish friend
يَجِدُ الْمُحَالَ مِنَ الأُمُورِ صَوَابا
Who believes in the feasibility of the unfeasible
أَوْلَيْتُهُ مِنِّي السُّكُوتَ وَرُبَّمَا
I prefer to remain silent, perhaps
كَانَ السُّكُوتُ عَنِ الْجَوَابِ جَوَابا
Silence is itself a form of response!
فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ: مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا هَذَا مَنْ قَالَهُ فَقَالَبَعْضُ فِتْيَانِنَا قَالَ فَأَنْشِدْنِي أَحْسَنَ مَا رَوَيْتَهُ فِي اسْتِجْلابِ الْعَدُوِّ حَتَّى يَكُونَ صَدِيقاً فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ:
Al-Ma’mun said, “How excellent! Who has said it?” The Imam (AS) replied, “One of our youth.” Al-Ma’mun said, “Please tell me the best poems about turning enemies into friends.” He (AS) said,
وَذِي غِلَّةٍ سَالَمْتُهُ فَقَهَرْتُهُ
Treating ogres with friendship I have overcome them
فَأَوْقَرْتُهُ مَنِّي لِعَفْوِ التَّجَمُّلِ
And have heavily burdened them under my debt by forgiving.
وَمَنْ لا يُدَافِعْ سَيِّئَاتِ عَدُوِّهِ
One who does not fend off the wicked deeds of his enemy with friendliness
بِإِحْسَانِهِ لَمْ يَأْخُذِ الطَّوْلَ مِنْ عَلُ
Has not learned toleration from the highest ranks.
وَلَمْ أَرَ فِي الأَشْيَاءِ أَسْرَعَ مَهْلَكاً
I have not seen any faster way to alleviate
لِغَمْرٍ قَدِيمٍ مِنْ وِدَادٍ مُعَجَّلٍ
Old grudges than with quick friendliness.
فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ: مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا هَذَا مَنْ قَالَهُ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ فِتْيَانِنَا فَقَالَ فَأَنْشِدْنِي أَحْسَنَ مَا رَوَيْتَهُ فِي كِتْمَانِ السِّرِّ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ:
Then Al-Ma’mun said, “How excellent! Who has said it?” The Imam (AS) replied, “One of our youth.” Al-Ma’mun said, “Please tell me the best poems about hiding secrets.” He (AS) said,
وَإِنِّي لأنْسَى السِّرَّ كَيْلا أُذِيعَهُ
I am used to forgetting secrets so that I do not spread them around.
فَيَا مَنْ رَأَى سِرّاً يُصَانُ بِأَنْ يُنْسَى
Then guard the secrets you know by forgetting them.
مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يَجْرِيَ بِبَالِي ذِكْرُهُ
I fear that I might remember it
فَيَنْبِذَهُ قَلْبِي إِلَى مُلْتَوَى حَشا
And my heart may spread it around.
فَيُوشِكُ مَنْ لَمْ يُفْشِ سِرّاً وَجَالَ فِي
It is probable that one does not divulge a secret, but so often
خَوَاطِرِهِ أَنْ لا يُطِيقَ لَهُ حَبْسا
It comes to his mind that he cannot bear to keep it imprisoned!
فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ: إِذَا أَمَرْتَ أَنْ تُتَرَّبَ [يُتَرَّبَ] الْكِتَابُ كَيْفَ تَقُولُ قَالَ تَرِّبْ قَالَ فَمِنَ السَّحَا قَالَ سَحِّ قَالَ فَمِنَ الطِّينِ قَالَ طَيِّنْ فَقَالَ يَا غُلامُ تَرِّبْ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ وَسَحِّهِ وَطَيِّنْهُ وَامْضِ بِهِ إِلَى الْفَضْلِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ وَخُذْ لابِي الْحَسَنِ ثَلاثَمِائَةِ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ.
Then Al-Ma’mun said, “What would you say if you want the people to throw dirt over a book?”1 The Imam (AS) replied, “I would say: ‘Tarrab.” Al-Ma’mun said, “What if it is from ‘al-Sahha?” He (AS) replied, “Sahe.” He asked, “What about ‘Tayn?” He (AS) replied, “‘Tayyan.” Then Al-Ma’mun told his servant, “Pour dirt over this writing and fold it. Place it in clay and seal it.2 Then send it to Al-Fadhl ibn Sahl. Take three hundred thousand Dirhams from him for Abil Hassan (AS).”
قالَ مُصَنِّفُ هذا الْكِتاب رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ: كانَ سَبِيلِ ما يُقَبِّلُهُ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مِن الْمَأمُون سَبِيلِ ما كانَ يُقَبِّلُهُ النَّبِي صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مِنَ الملوك وَسَبِيلِ ما كانَ يَقبَلُهُ الحَسَن بْنِ عَلِىعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ مِن مُعاوِيَةَ وَسَبِيلِ ما كانَ يُقَبِّلُهُ الأَئِمَّةِ مِنْ آبائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مِنَ الخُلَفاءِ وَمَنْ كانَتْ الدُّنْيا كُلِّها لَهُ فَغُلِبَ عَلَيْها ثُمَّ اُعْطِيَ بَعْضَها فَجائِزٌ لَهُ أَن يَأْخُذُه.
The author of this book (Sheikh Sadooq) - may God be pleased with him - said, “What Ar-Ridha’ (AS) accepted from Al-Ma’mun is similar to what the Prophet (S) accepted from the kings, and is similar to what Al-Hassan ibn Ali (AS) accepted from Mo’awiya, and the other Immaculate Imams (AS) accepted from the Caliphs. It is proper for one to accept things when the whole world belongs to him and they confiscate it all, but return some of it to him.”
وَمِمَّا أَنشَدَهُ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَتَمَثَّلَ بِهِ:
Other Poems Which Ar-Ridha’ (AS) Used to Read and Draw Similitudes From
2 - حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْران الدَّقَّاق رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبيالكُوفِي عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِياد الأَدَمِي، عَن عَبْدِ العَظِيم بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه الحَسَنِيِّ، عَن عَبْد السَّلامُ بْنِ صالِح الهروي قالَ: حَدَّثَني معمر بْنِ خلاد وَجَماعَةِ قالُوا: دَخَلْنَا عَلَى الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُنَا جَعَلَنِيَ اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ مَا لِي أَرَاكَ مُتَغَيِّرَ الْوَجْهِ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ إِنِّي بَقِيتُ لَيْلَتِي سَاهِراً مُفَكِّراً فِي قَوْلِ مَرْوَانَ بْنِ أَبِي حَفْصَةَ
43-2 Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Imran al-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Sahl ibn Ziyad al-Adami, on the authority of Abdul Adheem ibn Abdullah Al-Hassani, on the authority of Mo’ammar ibn Khallad and others that they went to see Ar-Ridha’ (AS). One of them asked Ar-Ridha’ (AS), “May we be your ransom! Why do you look so pale?” The Imam (AS) replied, “I stayed up last night and was thinking about the following poem by Marvan ibn Abi Hafsat:
أَنَّى يَكُونُ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ بِكَائِنٍ
How come it could not be that
لِبَنِي الْبَنَاتِ وِرَاثَةُ الأَعْمَامِ
The children of the daughter inherit instead of paternal uncles.
ثُمَّ نِمْتُ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِقَائِلٍ قَدْ أَخَذَ بِعِضَادَتَيِ الْبَابِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ:
Then I went to sleep and saw someone holding onto the door frame and saying:
أَنَّى يَكُونُ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ بِكَائِنٍ
How come it could not be that
لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ دَعَائِمُ الإِسْلامِ
The pagans be the pillars of Islam?
لِبَنِي الْبَنَاتِ نَصِيبُهُمْ مِنْ جَدِّهِمْ
The children of the daughter inherit from their grandfather
وَالْعَمُّ مَتْرُوكٌ بِغَيْرِ سِهَام
While the uncle is abandoned without any share.
مَا لِلطَّلِيقِ وَلِلتُّرَاثِ وَإِنَّمَا
How could the one captured and freed inherit? (3)
سَجَدَ الطَّلِيقُ مَخَافَةَ الصَّمْصَامِ
Many of the captured confessed fearing the sword.
قَدْ كَانَ أَخْبَرَكَ الْقُرْآنُ بِفَضْلِهِ
And the Qur’an informed you about the nobility of the one
فَمَضَى الْقَضَاءُ بِهِ مِنَ الْحُكَّامِ
And has told you about all the relevant decrees.
إِنَّ ابْنَ فَاطِمَةَ الْمُنَوَّهَ بِاسْمِهِ
Indeed the son of Fatima, well-known by his name
حَازَ الْوِرَاثَةَ عَنْ بَنِي الأَعْمَامِ
Is the one to inherit from the Prophet from his paternal uncles.
وَبَقِيَ ابْنُ نَثْلَةَ وَاقِفاً مُتَرَدِّداً
But the son of Notayla4 will stand wondering on the side
يَرْثِي وَيُسْعِدُهُ ذَوُو الأَرْحَام
Crying while the relatives sympathize.
3 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه، عَن إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ هاشِم، عَن عَبْدِ اللَّه بْنِ المغيرة قالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الحَسَن الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَقُولُ:
43-3 (The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Hashem, on the authority of Abdullah ibn Mogheera that he had heard Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (AS) say:
إنّكَ فِي دَارٍ لَهَا مُدَّةٌ
Now you live in a residence short-lived
أَلا تَرَى الْمَوْتَ مُحِيطاً بِهَا
In which your deeds are accepted indeed.
تُعَجِّلُ الْذَّنْبَ لِمَا تَشْتَهِي
See you not how death encompasses us all
وَالْمَوْتُ يَأْتِي أَهْلَهُ بَغْتَةً
And destroys our aspirations all.
يُقْبَلُ فِيهَا عَمَلُ العَامِلِ
There you rush to fulfill your lustful desires
يَكْذِبُ فِيهَا أَمَلُ الآمِلِ
And procrastinate your repentance
وَتَأْمَلُ التَّوْبَةَ فِي قَابِلِ
But death will overcome you by surprise
مَا ذَاكَ فِعْلُ الْحَازِمِ الْعَاقِلِ
But what will the intelligent learn from this?
4 - حَدَّثَنا الحَسَن بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه بْنِ سَعِيدُ العسكري قالَ أَخْبَرنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ أحْمَد بْنِالفَضْلِ المَعْرُوف بِإِبْنِ الخَبّاز سِنَةَ أَرْبَعَ عَشَرة وَثَلاثِمائَةٍ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ أحْمَد الكاتب قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ الحُسَيْن كاتب أَبي الفياض، عَن أَبيهِ قالَ: حَضَرْنَا مَجْلِسَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَشَكَا رَجُلٌ أَخَاهُ فَأَنْشَأَ يَقُولُ:
43-4 In the year 314 A.H. (925 A.D.) Al-Hassan ibn Abdullah ibn Sa’eed Al-Askari narrated that Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Al-Fadhl - known as ibn al-Khabbaz - quoted on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Ahmad al-Katib, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Al-Husayn - Abil Fay’yaz’s secretary, on the authority of his father, “We were present in the meeting held by Ali ibn Musa (AS). A man complained about his brother. Then the Imam (AS) said,
اعْذُرْ أَخَاكَ عَلَى ذُنُوبِهِ
Forgive your brother for his sins.
وَاسْتُرْ وَغَطِّ عَلَى عُيُوبِهِ
Cover up and hide his imperfections.
وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى بَهَتِ السَّفِيهِ
Calmly bear the accusations of the fools
وَلِلزَّمَانِ عَلَى خُطُوبِهِ
And leave to time their declamations.
وَدَعِ الْجَوَابَ تَفَضُّلاً
Be noble and do not respond
وَكِلِ الظَّلُومَ إِلَى حَسِيبِه
And entrust all oppressors to the Reckoner!”
5 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ المُتَوَكِّل قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِم، عَن أَبيهِ، عَن الرَّيانِ بْنِ الصَّلْتِ قالَ: أَنْشَدَنِي الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لِعَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ:
43-5 Muhammad ibn Musa al-Mutawakkil narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rayyan ibn al-Salt, “Ar-Ridha’ (AS) recited the following poem about Abdul Muttalib for me.
يَعِيبُ النَّاسُ كُلّهُمُ الزَّمانا
The people all find fault with time
نَعِيبُ زَمانَنَا وَالْعَيْبُ فِينَا
But we ourselves are the fault of the time.
وَإنَّ الذِّئْبَ يَتْرُكُ لَحْمَ ذِئْبٍ
We blame the time, but the fault is in us.
لَبِسْنَا لِلْخِدَاعِ مُسُوكَ طِيبٍ
If the time could talk, it would make fun of us.
وَما لِزَمَانِنَا عَيْبٌ سِوانَا
In fact, wolves tear down their enemies, but do not eat their meat.
وَلَوْ نَطَقَ الزَّمَانُ بِنَا هَجَانَا
But some of us clearly eat other people’s meat (gossiping).
وَيَأْكُلُ بَعْضُنا بَعْضاً عَيانَا
We dress nice to fool the people well
وَوَيْلٌ لِلْغَرِيبِ إذَا أتَانَا
Woe be to those who are strange and know us not well.”
6 - حَدَّثَنا أَبُو العَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ إِسْحاق الطَّالِقانِيُرحمه الله قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَعِيدُ الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِى العدوي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الهِيْثَم بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه الرمانِي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلاىِّ بْنِِلرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن أَبِيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَر عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن أَبيهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن أَبيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن الحُسيْن عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَقُولُ:
43-6 Abul Abbas Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taleqani - may God forgive him - narrated that Abu Sa’eed Al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Adawi quoted on the authority of al-Haytham ibn Abdullah al-Romani that Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (AS) quoted on the authority of his father Musa ibn Ja’far (AS), on the authority of his father Ja’far ibn Muhammad (AS), on the authority of his father Muhammad ibn Ali (AS), on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Husayn (AS), on the authority of his father (AS), “The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said,
خَلَقْتَ الْخَلائِقَ فِي قُدْرَةٍ
He created the creatures with His Ability.
فَأَمّا السَّخِيُّ فَفِي رَاحَةٍ
Some are generous and some are miserly
فَمِنْهُمْ سَخِيٌّ وَمِنْهُمْ بَخِيلْ
But the generous ones are in comfort
وَأَمّا الْبَخِيلُ فَشُؤْمٌ طَوِيلْ
But the miserly has long misery.”
7 - حَدَّثَنا الْحاكِم أَبُو عَلِي الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أحْمَد الْبِيْهَقِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الصُّوْليُحَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبي عباد قالَ: حَدَّثَني عَمِّي قالَ: سَمِعْتُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَوْماً يُنْشِدُ شِعْراً وَقَلِيلاً مَا كَانَ يُنْشِدُ شِعْراً:
43-7 Al-Hakim Abu Ali Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad al-Bayhaqi narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowli quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Abi Ebad, on the authority of his uncle, “Although Ar-Ridha’ (AS) rarely recited poems, one day I heard him (AS) recite the following poem:
كُلُّنَا نَأْمَلُ مَدّاً فِي الأَجَلْ
We all hope death to grant us more time
لا تَغُرَّنْكَ أَبَاطِيلُ الْمُنَى
Let not false hopes fool you.
إِنَّمَا الدُّنْيَا كَظِلٍّ زَائِلٍ
This world is like a vanishing shade
وَالْمَنَايَا هُنَّ آفَاتُ الأَمَلْ
While death itself destroys all hopes.
وَالْزَمِ الْقَصْدَ وَدَعْ عَنْكَ الْعِلَلْ
Be moderate and abandon falsehood.
حَلَّ فِيهِ رَاكِبٌ ثُمَّ رَحَلْ
A temporary resting place for riders Who shall depart it shortly later.
فَقُلْتُ: لِمَنْ هَذَا أَعَزَّ اللَّهُ الأَمِيرَ فَقَالَ لِعِرَاقِيٍّ لَكُمْ قُلْتُ أَنْشَدَنِيهِ أَبُو الْعَتَاهِيَةِ لِنَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ هَاتِ اسْمَهُ وَدَعْ عَنْكَ هَذَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى يَقُولُ وَلا تَنابَزُوا بِالأَلْقابِ وَلَعَلَّ الرَّجُلَ يَكْرَهُ هَذَا.
Then I asked the Imam (AS), “May God honor you! Who recited this?” He (AS) replied, “An Iraqi has said it for you.” I said, “Abul al-Atahiya recited this to me regarding himself.” The Imam (AS) said, “Call him by his own name. Abandon calling people by names that are a form of a put down. Indeed God the Glorified the Highest said, ‘…nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames…’5 Perhaps the man detests this.”
8 - حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ زِيادِ بْنِ جَعْفَر الْهَمَذانيّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِم قالَ: حَدَّثَني إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد الحَسَنِيِّ قالَ:
43-8 Ahmad ibn Ziyad al-Hamadani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Al-Hassani,
بَعَثَ الْمَأْمُونُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ جَارِيَةً فَلَمَّا أُدْخِلَتْ إِلَيْهِ اشْمَأَزَّتْ مِنَ الشَّيْبِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى كَرَاهَتَهَا رَدَّهَا إِلَى الْمَأْمُونِ وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ بِهَذِهِ الأَبْيَاتِ:
“Al-Ma’mun sent a young girl to Abil Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (AS). Upon entering, she expressed her dislike of his white hair. When the Imam (AS) noticed this he returned her to Al-Ma’mun with the following poem that he (AS) himself composed:
نَعَى نَفْسِي إلَى نَفْسِي الْمَشِيبُ
My white hair informs me of the approach of my death
فَقَدْ وَلَّى الشَّبَابُ إلَى مَدَاهُ
At old age one accepts advice
سَأَبْكِيهِ وَأَنْدُبُهُ طَوِيلاً
Yes, indeed youth passed and has ended now
وَهَيْهَاتَ الَّذِي قَدْ فَاتَ عَنِّي
And I will never experience its return
وَرَاعَ الغَانِيَاتِ بَيَاضُ رَأْسِي
I cry and weep over it having gone by
أَرَى الِبيضَ الْحِسَانَ يَجِدْنَ عَنِّي
And keep on calling it perhaps it hears my call
فَإِنْ يَكُنِ الشَّبَابُ مَضَى حَبِيباً
Ah! What I have lost
سَأَصْحَبُهُ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ حَتَّى
My lying self forces me to want it back
وَعِندَ الشَّيْبِ يَتَّعِظُ اللَّبِيبُ
Beautiful women fear my white hair
فَلَسْتُ أَرَى مَوَاضِعَهُ يَئُوبُ
But whoever stays too long will get old
وَأَدْعُوهُ إِلَيَّ عَسَى يُجِيبُ
I see the beautiful silver-colored women running away from me.
تُمَنِّينِي بِهِ النَّفْسُ الْكَذُوبُ
Now my share is their separation from me
وَمَنْ مُدَّ البَقَاءُ لَهُ يَشِيبُ
If youth which has now gone by was my beloved friend
وَفِي هِجْرَانِهِنَّ لَنَا نَصِيبُ
Now it is old age that is my friend
فَإنَّ الشَّيْبَ أيْضاً لِي حَبِيبُ
I will be in its company with piety until
يُفَرِّقَ بَيْنَنا الأَجَلُ القَرِيبُ
The soon to arrive death separates us!
9 - حَدَّثَنا الْحاكِم أَبُو عَلِي الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أحْمَد الْبِيْهَقِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَني مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الصُّوليُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو ذَكوانُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ العَبَّاسِ قالَ: كَانَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يُنْشِدُ كَثِيراً:
43-9 Al-Hakim Abu Ali Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad al-Bayhaqi narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowli quoted on the authority of Abu Thakwan, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Al-Abbas that Ar-Ridha’ (AS) often recited the following:
إِذَا كُنْتَ فِي خَيْرٍ فَلا تَغْتَرِرْ بِهِ
When you are blessed by goodness do not get dazzled by that,
وَلَكِنْ قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْ وَتَمِّم
but keep on asking God to keep you healthy and perfect the blessings.
1. They used to pour some soft dirt over what they wrote in ink so that it would dry.
2. They used to place letters in clay and seal them so that no one could see the contents except for the one to whom it was addressed.
3. Referring to Abbas ibn Abdul Mottalib who was amongst the enemy troops and was enslaved by the Muslims and was later freed.
4. Bint Jinab – the mother of Abbas ibn Mottalib
5. Qur’an, 49:11
