Condolences to all mu'mineen on the Shahadat anniversary of our 8th Imam Ali ar-Ridha ('a.s)
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Name: Ali |
Imam Ali ar-Ridha(A.S.) the eighth Holy Imam was poisoned by Mamun,the Abbasid caliph in Sanabad in Toos region(Khurasan,Iran). Imam Ridha (A.S.) attained martyrdom on the last day of the month of Safar 203 A.H./ 818 A.D. and was buried in Sanabad. After the burial of Imam Ali ar-Ridha (A.S.) in this place, Sanabad was soon transformed into a metropolis and the sacred shrine of Imam Ali ar-Ridha(A.S.) in the holy city of Mashhad is also one of the most extensively visited pilgrimage centre in the world.
The time that Imam al-Ridha spent in Mashad were perhaps the most fulfilling as he was given freedom to preach to and teach the masses – obviously within limits set down by the caliphate. The historians narrate numerous incidents of discussions and debates that took place between the Imam and people of other faiths. In one such gathering, one of the prime minister of Mamun, Fadl Ibn Sahl, arranged a conference on religions for which he invited the leaders of different Muslim traditions and scholars of the others faiths – namely the Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians. This was done so that the scholars may hear what the Imam of the Ahlul Bayt had to say about the various traditions and impress them with the abilities and excellences of the Ahlul Bayt (which Mamun also claimed to be from). In addition to clarifying the position of the Prophets, the 8th Imam also elucidated the infallibility of the Prophets – particularly the final Prophet and his legitimate successors – the Imams.
Such forms of dialogue (which are recorded in books such as `Uyoon al-Akhbar al-Ridha' compiled by the late Shaykh Saduq in Arabic with summaries of these discussions translated and published in English) were so successful that, fearing the increasing influence of the Imam on the people as a whole, Mamun decided to put an end to these just as quick as he had initiated them. Had he only decided to put an end to the debates, it would have been enough, but the ruthless caliph went a step further and ordered for the Imam to be killed – the same method used by all previous rulers and even contemporary rulers when they can not politically silence an individual. Using the traditional method of poison, Mamun ended up silencing the Imam in name, not in spirit, as the teachings of the true members of the Ahlul Bayt were cemented into the hearts and minds of the people of Iran.
The vicious caliph of the time, Ma'mun was scared of the ever-increasing Holy Imam's (A.S.) popularity. Thus he decided to eliminate the Holy Imam (A.S.).
In 203 A.H./ 818 A.D., Ma'mun first imprisoned Imam Ali ar-Ridha (A.S.) in Sarakhs. Then the Holy Imam (A.S.) was taken to Sanabad and confined in the palace of Humaid bin Qahtabah. During the morning of the last day of the month of Safar 203 A.H./ 818 A.D., the Holy Imam(A.S.) was poisoned by Ma'mun in that palace. The Holy Imam (A.S.) was seized with intensive pain and languor and in the evening of the same day the holy soul of the innocent Holy Imam (A.S.) departed to heaven.
The Holy Imam (A.S.) was buried in the solitude of night at the same place of the palace which His Holiness had prophesied during his first visit to Humaid bin Qahtabah's palace at Sanabad in 201 A.H. / 817 A.D.
On this tragic and sad occasion we extend our Heartfelt Condolences to all the lovers of Holy Ahlul Bayt(A.S.) and to our present Imam Al-Mahdi (May Allah Hasten His Appearance).
And May Allah bless us all with the honour of the Ziyarat of our beloved 8th Imam Ali Ar-Ridha (A.S.)