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Imam al-Reza's (A.S.) Scholarly Status and Personality
Every conscious Shi‘a know that the Ahl al-Bayt’s (A.S.) knowledge originates from boundless Divine Knowledge, and the Almighty God has given them such knowledge that He has not given to anyone else except the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.).
The purified Imams (A.S.) possess all the knowledge of the Holy Prophetic messengers and archangels. They are most learned about heavens and the earth and all in all they are the treasurers of Divine Sciences; there is nothing needed by people that is hidden from them. However, the special conditions of any Imam and the instructions given to them by God according to the demands of the time, caused some of them to have more chances to expound religious issues and express their own widespread knowledge, such as Imam ‘Alī (A.S.), Imam al-Bāqir (A.S.), Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.), and of course, Imam al-Reza(A.S.), in whose era three important events unfolded in such a way as to cause him to overflow his knowledge into the Islamic society.
First: the Wāqifiyya sedition and the misconceptions they raised concerning the Imamate of Imam al-Reza(A.S.) prompting the Imam to guide people in this respect with his profound answers.
Second: destruction of the Barmakids in the fourth year of the Imam al-Reza (A.S.) Imamate, leading to the elimination of one of the most important enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) in Hārūn’s regime at the hands of Hārūn, after which a relatively good chance was provided for the dissemination of the Ahl al-Bayt’s (A.S.) teachings.
Third: the issue of Imam al-Reza (A.S.) heir apparency, which drew attention toward him, and the Abbasid Ma’mūn who tried to humiliate his holiness before dignitaries of other religions and the scholars of religious schools by holding scientific gatherings and debate sessions; however, as the God Almighty manages the intrigue of the plotters and turns it against themselves, the very same debate sessions and circles led to familiarization with the scholarly eminence of Imam al-Reza(A.S.) in such a way that great scholars of the time acknowledged his widespread knowledge and erudition.
Imam al-Reza (A.S.) personality from the scholarly point of view is so sublime that Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (A.S), the chief of Ja‘farī School, has told his son Mūsā b. Ja‘far about Imam al-Reza(A.S.) before being born: “The learned one of the Holy Prophet’s household (‘Ālim Āl-i Muhammad– S.A.W.) is from your progeny; I wish I would meet him.”
Muhammadb. Musa Yaqṭini said, “I have gathered fifteen thousand [topical] issues from among the answers that Imam al-Reza(A.S.) gave to people.”
Aba Salt Hirawi, one of the notables of his time, said, “I have not seen anyone more learned than ‘Alī b. Mūsā al-Riḍā; no scholar saw his holiness unless he would confirm this same witness of mine. In numerous sessions, Ma’mūn would gather a number of scholars of (various) religions, jurists of (Islamic) law, and theologians – who debated with the Imam (A.S.) – and the holy Imam defeated all of them in such a way that all of them acknowledged his moral excellence and their own helplessness. And I heard him (Imam al-Reza– A.S.) saying: ‘I would sit in the mosque (of the Holy Prophet – S.A.W. – in Medina) while there were many scholars there, whenever one of them was unable to answer a question, all of them would point at me and refer the problem to me to answer, and I would answer.”
Ibrahim b. ‘Abbās said, “I never heard anyone asking something from Imam al-Reza(A.S.) and he would not know the answer. I saw no one more aware than him of the history of the past up to his own time. Ma’mūn would constantly test him with various questions and he would give him full answers.”
Hasan b. ‘Ali al-Washsha’, who, due to the misconceptions raised by the opponents converted to the school of waqf (or Wāqifiyya) , said, “I wrote some questions in a scroll by which to test Imam al-Reza(A.S.). There was such a big crowd gathering at the door of the Imam’s house that I did not manage to meet him. All of a sudden I noticed that the Imam’s retainer is looking for me, asking: ‘Who is Hasan b. ‘Ali al-Washsha’, the grandson of Ilyas al-Baghdadi?’ I said, ‘That is me.’ He gave me a letter and said, ‘Here are the answers to the questions you have with you (and have not shown them to the Imam yet)!’ This way I became certain of his Imamate and gave up the school of waqf.”
Some of the sessions that Ma’mūn had arranged were so magnificent and pompous and so many scholars of various nationalities from among the Jews, Christians, Sabaeans, Zoroastrians, and theologians had gathered that Hasan b. MuhammadNawfilī got terrified and advised the holy Imam and said, “They are people of fallacy and misconceptions; beware of them!” Imam al-Reza(A.S.) smiled and said, “Are you afraid of their defeating me? O Nawfili! Do you know when Ma’mūn will repent this? When he hears my reasoning with the people of Torah with reference to their Torah, with the people of Bible with reference to their Bible, with the people of Psalms with reference to their Psalms, with Sabaeans in their Hebrew language, with Hirbads (Zoroastrians) in their Persian language, with the Romans in their Roman language, and with (other) eloquent orators in their own languages.
When I win them all and each group is defeated by my proofs and arguments and gives up their words and acknowledges the truth of my words, then Ma’mūn will repent (holding a session), … La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi'Allāh al-‘Alī al-‘Azim (There is no power and no strength save in Allāh, the All-Exalted, the Almighty).”
The Greatness of Imam al-Reza's (A.S.) Personality in the Words of Dignitaries
Although the status of Imam al-Reza (A.S.) Imamate suffices to become aware of his sublime position, stating part of the words related in this respect would make a great impression on the public minds.
Despite his enmity with Imam al-Reza (A.S.), the Abbasid Ma’mūn, who enjoyed a high status in knowledge and scholarship, has said about Imam al-Reza(A.S.): “I do not know anyone superior to this man – meaning Imam al-Reza(A.S.) – on the face of the earth.”
Jamāl al-Dīn Aḥmad b. Nassaba, also known as Ibn ‘Inaba, said, “Imam al-Reza(A.S.), whose nickname is Aba al-Ḥasan, was matchless in his own time among the sons of Abū Ṭālib.” And Dhahabī, who is famous for his deviation from Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.), said about Imam al-Reza(A.S.): “He was chief of Banī Hāshim in his own time and the most forbearing and the wisest of them all…”
As one of the notables of his time, Aba Salt Hirawi said, “I have not seen anyone more knowledgeable than ‘Alī b. Mūsā al-Reza(A.S.); no scholar saw his holiness unless he would confirm this same witness of mine…”
Abū Nawās was one of the celebrated poets in Imam al-Reza's (A.S.) era. One day one of his friends protested to him why he had not written anything about such a personality as Imam ‘Alī b. Mūsā al-Reza(A.S.), despite knowing him. Abū Nawās replied: “I swear by God that his greatness prevented me from this; someone like me is not able to eulogize the like of him.”
Then he wrote a poem, the brief rendering of which is as follows: “They tell me: How come you, who are a matchless orator, fail to eulogize Imam al-Reza(A.S.) despite his sublime character? I said, “I cannot eulogize the Imam to whose father Gabriel was a servant.”
One day Imam al-Reza(A.S.) came out while riding a nimble mule. Abu Nawas approached him, greeted, and said, “O son of the Holy Prophet! I have composed some poetry; I would like you to hear it.” The Imam said, “Recite it!” Abū Nawās recited three lines of his poetry, including this one: “Whoever is not ‘Alawī in his lineage, Does not have any honor from his past.”
The Imam (A.S.) said to his retainer: “How much is remained of our expenditure?” He replied: “Three hundred dinars (every dinar costing a mithqāl – equivalent to 5 grams).” His holiness told him to give it to Abu Nawas. When the Imam returned home, he said to his retainer: “Maybe he would regard that amount as little, take this mule to him, as well.”
Some Examples of Imam al-Reza's(A.S.) Wise Answers
Although the holy Imam's wise sayings and decisive responses are quite many, we mention some of them here as examples.
Ibrāhīm b. Muhammadasked the holy Imam: “Why did God drown Pharaoh, although he came to faith?” The holy Imam answered: “Because he came to faith upon seeing punishment; coming to faith at that moment is not acceptable.”
asked: “Why did God drown all people in the time of Noah, although there were innocents and children among them, too?” His holiness answered: “There were no children among them, as for forty years their progeny had discontinued; some perished for their denial and some for their consent to denial. Whoever is absent from an event but consents to it, is like someone present perpetrating it.”
Ibn Sikkīt (Ya‘qūb b. Ishaq) asked his holiness: “Why did God send down Moses (A.S.) with a staff and white hand and magic, Jesus (A.S.) with medicine, and Muhammad(S.A.W.) with speech?” His holiness answered: “In the time of Moses (A.S.) magic prevailed, in the time of Jesus medical needs, and in the time of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) sermons and speeches.” He went on to ask: “By God, I have never seen the like of you; what is Allāh’s Authority over people now?” The Imam answered: “Intellect, by means of which the veracious-to-God will be distinguished from the liar.” Ibn Sikkit said, “By God, this is the true answer to my question.”
Hasan b. Ali b. Faddal asked the Imam: “Why did the people distanced from Commander of the Faithful ‘Alī (A.S.) while they knew his excellence and achievement as well as his relation to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)?” His holiness replied: “Because ‘Alī (A.S.) had killed their fathers, forefathers, brothers, uncles, and their near of kin, who battled against Allāh and His Apostle and they were many in number, so they were vindictive to him and unwilling to be under his guardianship; but others did not do this in the holy wars (jihād), therefore the people distanced from ‘Alī (A.S.) and inclined toward them.”
Haytham b. ‘Abd Allah asked his holiness: “Why didn’t [Imam] ‘Alī fight with his enemies twenty five years after the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) but he fought during his ruling days?” Imam al-Reza(A.S.) said, “He followed the example of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) who did not fight with the unbelievers for thirteen years in Mecca and nineteen years in Medina and the reason was lack of enough helpers; similarly, ‘Alī (A.S.) gave up fighting with the enemy because his helpers were few.”
Hasan b. Ali b. Faddal asked his holiness: “Why is the Holy Prophet’s nickname Abū al-Qāsim?” He answered: “Because he had a son named Qāsim.” The narrator said, “Do you deem me worthy of telling me more?” The Imam said, “Yes.” He said, “Do you know that ‘Alī is the distributor of the Paradise and the Hell?” The man said, “Yes.” His holiness said, “The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) is called Abū al-Qāsim (the father of the distributor) because he is [the spiritual] father of (‘Alī, who is) the distributor of Paradise and Hell.”
Someone asked Imam al-Reza (A.S.): “Is it (the ḥadīth) true that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said, “My companions are like stars, whichever you follow, you will be guided?” The Imam said, “Yes, what the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) means are those who did not change or transform the way.” He asked: “How would it become known?” His holiness said, “By means of the ḥadīth related – by the Sunnīs – from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) saying: “On the Resurrection Day some men will distance my companions from my Fountain just like they distance strange camels from the water. I say: O Lord! My companions, my companions! I am told: You do not know what they did after you! And take them to the left. I say: May they be far! May they be perished!” Then Imam al-Reza(A.S.) said, “Do you think this would be for those who remained unchanged and unvaried?”
Imam al-Reza's (A.S.) Knowledge of Various Languages
Imam al-Reza (A.S.) scholarly character is not restricted to religious and intellectual issues and the common sciences; rather, some manifestations of his Divine knowledge was revealed to the people that indicated his connection to the unseen world, some examples of which are pointed out as follows.
1. Imam al-Reza (A.S.) Familiarity with Various Current Languages of the Time
“Imam al-Reza(A.S.) used to speak with people whose languages were different in their own languages. By God, he was the most fluent and knowledgeable of all people in any language.”
One day he said to Imam al-Reza (A.S.): “O son of the Apostle of Allāh! I am astonished of your mastery of different languages.” His holiness answered: “O Aba Salt!” I am Allāh’s authority #7716;ujja) over His creatures and Allāh never assigns a Ḥujja over a folk whose language he does not know. Have you not heard Commander of the Faithful (A.S.) saying that we are given the clear proof (fasl al-khitab) and this is nothing but knowledge of languages?”
Someone by the name of Ismā'īl Sindī had come from India to see Allāh’s authority (Hujjat Allāh). He was guided to Imam al-Reza (A.S.) presence. He said, “I went to the Imam but I did not know Arabic, so I greeted him in Sindī language, his holiness answered my greeting in my own language. I talked to him in my language and he talked back to me in my language. I told him: ‘I have come to see Allāh’s authority in Arabia.’ He answered: ‘That is me (Allāh’s authority) ask whatever you like.’ I asked my questions and the Imam answered in my own language. When I wanted to leave, I said, ‘I do not know Arabic; ask God to inspire Arabic language to me! His holiness rubbed his blessed hand on my lips, just then I was able to speak Arabic!”
In Baṣra, when one of his opponents called ‘Amr b. Haddāb wanted him to prove his claim of knowing any language and speak with the Romans, Hindus, Persians, and Turks who were in town, the holy Imam said, “Call them in.” A number of the speakers of various languages were brought to the presence of his holiness and he talked to all of them in such fluency that all admitted to the Imam’s mastery and the people were astonished at seeing this happening, because Imam al-Reza(A.S.) had never had a teacher in this regard and had never learned various languages with anyone, nor had he associated with these individuals in Medina so as to learn to speak so many languages with such fluency.
2. Imam al-Reza (A.S.) Familiarity with the Language of the Birds and Animals
Various manifestations of Imam al-Reza (A.S.) knowledge of the animals’ language is recorded, some of which are pointed out here. Sulaymān b. Ja‘far said, “I was with Imam al-Reza(A.S.) in the garden when all of a sudden a sparrow came to his holiness and began to chirp. His holiness said, ‘Do you know what it is saying?’ I said, ‘No, Allāh and His messenger and his son know best.’ His holiness said, ‘She says a snake wants to eat her chicks. Take this stick, go to that house and kill the snake.’ He said, ‘When I entered the house, I saw a snake was moving around and I killed it.”
A person called Hārūn b. Mūsā says: “I was in a desert with Imam al-Reza(A.S.) when his horse neighed and the Imam let go of (the rein of) the horse; it went away (to a corner) and relieved itself and came back. Imam al-Reza(A.S.) – who had noticed my surprise – looked at me and said, ‘Nothing has been granted to the Holy Prophet David (A.S.) except that more also has been granted to Muhammad(S.A.W.) and his Household (A.S.).” [Implying that the Holy Prophet David knew the animals’ language; so, no wonder we know it, too.]
Reference:
Story of the Sun
A Look at Imam al-Reza's Life
Author: Sayyid Muhammad Najafi Yazdi
Translated by: Ahmad Rezwani
Published by: Islamic Research Foundation, Astan Quds Razavi, Mashhad - I.R. Iran
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