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‘Ali al-Rida
‘Ali al-Rida ('Ali ibn Musa al-Rida) ('Ali ar-Ridha) (Ali Reza) (b. c. 11 Dhu al-Qa'dah 148 AH [January 1, 766 CC], Medina, Hijaz, Abbasid Caliphate [now Saudi Arabia] - d. 17 Safar 202 AH [June 6, 818 CC], Tus, Persia, Abbasid Caliphate [now Iran]). Eighth Imam of the Twelver Shi‘a (r. 799-818).'Ali was born in Medina and was summoned from a quiet, scholarly life by the reigning Abbasid caliph al-Ma’mun to accept appointment as heir apparent, with the title al-Rida.
‘Ali al-Rida’s imamate coincided with a great reversal of fortune for the Shi‘a. He attained the imamate at the age of 35 after the brutal persecution and martyrdom of this father, Musa al-Kadim, at the hands of the Caliph Harun ar-Rashid. After Harun’s death, however, events rapidly evolved. After a civil war between Harun’s sons Amin and Ma’mun ended in Ma’mun’s victory, ‘Ali al-Rida was summoned to Ma’mun’s capital at Merv (Marv) in northeastern Iran.
‘Ali al-Rida, as the head of the house of 'Ali and, therefore, leader of the Shi‘a, could bring a vast claim of potential support for the cause of whoever made an alliance with him. The caliph brought him to Transoxiana, named him the heir apparent, and replaced the black insignias of the ruling 'Abbasids with those of 'Alid green. This strange episode ended soon, however, when ‘Ali al-Rida died while traveling with Ma’mun from Merv back to Baghdad. The Shi‘a, doubting the honesty of the caliph’s motives in the first place, believe that he had had ‘Ali al-Rida poisoned. ‘Ali al-Rida was interred at Tus by Ma’mun in a mausoleum already containing the remains of Ma’mun’s father Harun al-Rashid, the Abbasid caliph of Arabian Nights fame. The spot soon grew in significance because of the presence there of the 'Alid imam. Its name was changed to Mashhad (literally, “shrine” or “sanctuary”). It became one of the most important centers for Shi‘a pilgrimage and is now at the center of Iran’s third largest city, to which it gives its name.
'Ali ibn Musa al-Rida was a seventh generation descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and the eighth of the Twelve Shi'a Imams. His given name was ‘Alī ibn Mūsā ibn Ja‘far.
On the eleventh of Dhu al-Qi'dah, 148 AH (December 29, 765), 'Ali ibn Musa al-Rida was born in the house of Imam Musa al-Kadim (the seventh Imam of Shi'a Islam) in Medina. He was named 'Ali and was titled al-Rida. He was born one month after the death of his grandfather, Ja'far al-Sādiq. The mother of 'Ali al-Rida was Najmah, a former slave purchased and freed by Hamidah Khatun, wife of the sixth Shi'a Imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq.
‘Ali al-Rida’s imamate coincided with a great reversal of fortune for the Shi‘a. He attained the imamate at the age of 35 after the brutal persecution and martyrdom of this father, Musa al-Kadim, at the hands of the Caliph Harun ar-Rashid. After Harun’s death, however, events rapidly evolved. After a civil war between Harun’s sons Amin and Ma’mun ended in Ma’mun’s victory, ‘Ali al-Rida was summoned to Ma’mun’s capital at Merv (Marv) in northeastern Iran.
‘Ali al-Rida, as the head of the house of 'Ali and, therefore, leader of the Shi‘a, could bring a vast claim of potential support for the cause of whoever made an alliance with him. The caliph brought him to Transoxiana, named him the heir apparent, and replaced the black insignias of the ruling 'Abbasids with those of 'Alid green. This strange episode ended soon, however, when ‘Ali al-Rida died while traveling with Ma’mun from Merv back to Baghdad. The Shi‘a, doubting the honesty of the caliph’s motives in the first place, believe that he had had ‘Ali al-Rida poisoned. ‘Ali al-Rida was interred at Tus by Ma’mun in a mausoleum already containing the remains of Ma’mun’s father Harun al-Rashid, the Abbasid caliph of Arabian Nights fame. The spot soon grew in significance because of the presence there of the 'Alid imam. Its name was changed to Mashhad (literally, “shrine” or “sanctuary”). It became one of the most important centers for Shi‘a pilgrimage and is now at the center of Iran’s third largest city, to which it gives its name.
'Ali ibn Musa al-Rida was a seventh generation descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and the eighth of the Twelve Shi'a Imams. His given name was ‘Alī ibn Mūsā ibn Ja‘far.
On the eleventh of Dhu al-Qi'dah, 148 AH (December 29, 765), 'Ali ibn Musa al-Rida was born in the house of Imam Musa al-Kadim (the seventh Imam of Shi'a Islam) in Medina. He was named 'Ali and was titled al-Rida. He was born one month after the death of his grandfather, Ja'far al-Sādiq. The mother of 'Ali al-Rida was Najmah, a former slave purchased and freed by Hamidah Khatun, wife of the sixth Shi'a Imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq.
During his childhood, 'Ali al-Rida accompanied his father, Musa al-Kadim, who repeatedly would tell his friends, " 'Ali al-Rida shall be the Imam after me." Since extreme oppressive atmosphere and political pressure prevailed in the period of Musa al-Kadim, he added, "What I said must remain (restricted) to you. Do not repeat it to anybody unless you know that he is one of our friends and companions."
'Ali al-Rida’s father was martyred in 799, when 'Ali al-Rida was 35. It was then that the responsibility of the Imamate was conveyed to 'Ali.
'Ali al-Rida was not looked upon favorably by Harun al-Rashid, and the people of Medina were disallowed from visiting 'Ali al-Rida and learning from him. Harun attempted to kill him but was unsuccessful.
After the death of Harun Rashid, Harun's two sons began fighting for control of the Abbasid Empire. One son, Al-Amin, had an Arab mother and thus had the support of Arabs, while his half-brother Al-Ma'mun had a Persian mother and the support of Persia. Al-Ma'mun believed that Persia was sympathetic to the Hashemites and asked for 'Ali al-Rida to meet him in Persia. 'Ali al-Rida left his only son, Muhammad at-Taqi, and his wife and set out for Merv.
After defeating his brother, al-Ma'mun named 'Ali al-Rida his successor. He hoped to win Shi'a support through this move, but the passage of the caliphate would occur only if 'Ali al-Rida outlived al-Ma'mun (as with all promises of succession). Al-Ma'mun even changed the black Abbasid flags to green, the traditional color of the house of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shi'a imam.
'Ali al-Rida did not outlive al-Ma'mun. He was killed in Persia while accompanying al-Ma'mun at Tus. Most scholars agree he was poisoned by al-Ma'mun but it's impossible to verify it. 'Ali al-Rida is buried within Imam Rida Mosque, in Mashhad, Iran.
After the death of Harun Rashid, Harun's two sons began fighting for control of the Abbasid Empire. One son, Al-Amin, had an Arab mother and thus had the support of Arabs, while his half-brother Al-Ma'mun had a Persian mother and the support of Persia. Al-Ma'mun believed that Persia was sympathetic to the Hashemites and asked for 'Ali al-Rida to meet him in Persia. 'Ali al-Rida left his only son, Muhammad at-Taqi, and his wife and set out for Merv.
After defeating his brother, al-Ma'mun named 'Ali al-Rida his successor. He hoped to win Shi'a support through this move, but the passage of the caliphate would occur only if 'Ali al-Rida outlived al-Ma'mun (as with all promises of succession). Al-Ma'mun even changed the black Abbasid flags to green, the traditional color of the house of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shi'a imam.
'Ali al-Rida did not outlive al-Ma'mun. He was killed in Persia while accompanying al-Ma'mun at Tus. Most scholars agree he was poisoned by al-Ma'mun but it's impossible to verify it. 'Ali al-Rida is buried within Imam Rida Mosque, in Mashhad, Iran.
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