Chapter 55: On the Proof of Ar-Ridha’s Rightfulness Due to His Replying to Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Vosha’s Questions Before he could

Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha The Source of Traditions on Imam Ridha (AS) by Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn ibn Musa ibn Babawayh al-Qummi Known as Sheikh Sadooq Research and Translation by: Ali Peiravi, Ph.D. Edited by: Lisa Zaynab Morgan, M.A. Publisher: Ansariyan Publications

1 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه قالَ حَدَّثَنا أَبُو الخَيْر صالِح بْنِ أَبي حَمَّادٍ عَنْ الحَسَن بْنِ عَلِى الوَشَّاء قالَ

55-1 (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 Abul Khayr Salih ibn Abi Hammad, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’,

كُنْتُ كَتَبْتُ مَعِي مَسَائِلَ كَثِيرَةً قَبْلَ أَنْ أَقْطَعَ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَجَمَعْتُهَا فِي كِتَابٍ مِمَّا رُوِيَ عَنْ آبَائِهِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ وَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَتَثَبَّتَ فِي أَمْرِهِ وَأَخْتَبِرَهُ فَحَمَلْتُ الْكِتَابَ فِي كُمِّي وَصِرْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ وَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ آخُذَ مِنْهُ خَلْوَةً فَأُنَاوِلَهُ الْكِتَابَ فَجَلَسْتُ نَاحِيَةً وَأَنَـا مُتَفَكـِّرٌ فِي طَـلَبِ الإِذْنِ عَلَيْهِ وَبِالْبَابِ جَمَاعَةٌ جُلُوسٌ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا كَذَلِكَ فِي الْفِكْرَةِ وَالاحْتِيَالِ فِي الدُّخُولِ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا أَنَا بِغُلامٍ قَدْ خَرَجَ مِنَ الدَّارِ فِي يَدِهِ كِتَابٌ فَنَادَى أَيُّكُمُ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءُ ابْنُ ابْنَةِ إِلْيَاسَ الْبَغْدَادِيِّ فَقُمْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَقُلْتَ أَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءُ فَمَا حَاجَتُكَ قَالَ هَذَا الْكِتَابُ أُمِرْتُ بِدَفْعِهِ إِلَيْكَ فَهَاكَ خُذْهُ فَأَخَذْتُهُ وَتَنَحَّيْتُ نَاحِيَةً فَقَرَأْتُهُ فَإِذَا وَاللَّهِ فِيهِ جَوَابُ مَسْأَلَةٍ مَسْأَلَةٍ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ قَطَعْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَتَرَكْتُ الْوَقْفَ.

 “I had written down many questions and I used to have them with me all the time. Before becoming certain about the Divine Leadership of Abil Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (AS), I had compiled those questions in the form of a book that contained narrations from his forefathers, etc. I wanted to test him concerning his Divine Leadership. I picked up that book, hid it in my sleeves, and went to his house. I wanted to hand him the book when I was alone with him and ask him what he (AS) thought about it in order to find out about the degree of his scientific mastery. Therefore I sat in a corner of the house thinking about seeking permission. There were some people sitting near the door of Ar-Ridha’’s (AS) room talking with each other. Then as I was thinking about asking for permission to see him (AS), one of the servants came out with a book in his hand and loudly announced, ‘Who is Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ - the son of the daughter of Elias from Baghdad?’ I stood up and said, ‘That’s me. What do you want?’ The servant said, ‘I have been told to hand you this book. Take it.’ I took the book, went out and sat in a corner to read it. I swear by God that he had posed all the questions which I had recorded in my book to ask him, and had answered all of them. Then I became certain that he was the Divine Leader and stopped being one of the Waqafites.”

2 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه قالَ حَدَّثَنا أَبُو الخَيْر صالِح بْنِ أَبي حَمَّادٍ عَنْ الحَسَن بْنِ عَلِى الوَشَّاء

55-2 (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 Abul Khayr Salih ibn Abi Hammad, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’,

بَعَثَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ غُلامَهُ وَمَعَهُ رُقْعَةٌ فِيهَا ابْعَثْ إِلَيَّ بِثَوْبٍ مِنْ ثِيَابِ مَوْضِعِ كَذَا وَكَذَا مِنْ ضَرْبِ كَذَا.

 “Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (AS) sent his servant to me with a note on which it was written, ‘Please send me a robe of such and such a color and made in such and such a place.’

فَكَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَقُلْتُ لِلرَّسُولِ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي ثَوْبٌ بِهَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ وَمَا أَعْرِفُ هَذَا الضَّرْبَ مِنَ الثِّيَابِ فَأَعَادَ الرَّسُولَ إِلَيَّ بَلْ فَاطْلُبْهُ فَأَعَدْتُ إِلَيْهِ الرَّسُولَ وَقُلْتُ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي مِنْ هَذَا الضَّرْبِ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَأَعَادَ إِلَيَّ الرَّسُولَ اطْلُبْ فَإِنَّ عِنْدَكَ مِنْهُ. قَالَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءُ وَقَدْ كَانَ أَبْضَعَ مَعِي رَجُلٌ ثَوْباً مِنْهَا وَأَمَرَنِي بِبَيْعِهِ وَكُنْتُ قَدْ نَسِيتُهُ فَطَلَبْتُ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ كَانَ مَعِي فَوَجَدْتُهُ فِي سَفَطٍ تَحْتَ الثِّيَابِ كُلِّهَا فَحَمَلْتُهُ إِلَيْهِ.

I wrote him back a letter and told the messenger, ‘Tell him that I do not have such a robe. I do not know about any such robe and do not have one.’ Then the messenger left, returned again and said, ‘Ar-Ridha’ (AS) says that you have one. Please search some more. You will find it.’ I replied, ‘I have searched for it. I do not have such a robe.’ The messenger left, came back again and said, ‘Search some more. You will find it.’ Someone had left such a robe with me for sale, but I had totally forgotten about it. I searched some more and found it in a closed bag under all the other clothes. Then I sent it for Ar-Ridha’ (AS).”

3 - حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ زِيادِ بْنِ جَعْفَر الهَمْدانِيَّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِم‏عَنْ صَفْوانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى قالَ

55-3 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 Safwan ibn Yahya,

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الصَّيْرَفِيُّ فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ الْخُرُوجَ إِلَى الأَعْوَضِ فَقَالَ حَيْثُمَا ظَفِرْتَ بِالْعَافِيَةِ فَالْزَمْهُ فَلَمْ يُقْنِعْهُ ذَلِكَ فَخَرَجَ يُرِيدُ الأَعْوَضَ فَقُطِعَ عَلَيْهِ الطَّرِيقُ وَأُخِذَ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْمَالِ.

 “I was with Ar-Ridha’ (AS) when Al-Husayn ibn Khalid al-Sayrafi entered and said, ‘May I be your ransom! I intend to go to A’wadh.’ The Imam (AS) told him, ‘Stay wherever you have found health and security.’ He did not pay any attention to this recommendation and traveled towards there. Some highway robbers attacked him along the way and stole whatever he had.”