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Imam ar-Ridha’s Insight and His Recognition of the Faithful Believers and the Hypocrites
Source: Uyun Akhbar ar-Ridha Volume 2
53-1 (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 Abdullah ibn Aamir ibn Sa’d, on the authority of Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Najran, “Abul Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) wrote a letter to some of his companions which he read to me. It said, ‘We know (all about) men when we see them. We recognize their true faithfulness or hypocrisy.’”
On Ar-Ridha’’s Knowledge of All the Languages
54-1 (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 Muhammad ibn Jazak, on the authority of Yasir - the servant, “There were servants in Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’’s (a.s.) home who were Slavic and Roman. Abul Hassan’s (a.s.) room was near theirs. One night Imam Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) heard them say in the Slavic and Roman languages, ‘We used to donate blood once a year when we were in our own towns. However, we have never donated any blood for the many years that we have been here.’ Then when the morning came, Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) called in some doctors and told them to take blood from each of those servants. He precisely instructed the doctors as to which of the veins to use for each of the servants. Then he (a.s.) told me, ‘O Yasir! You should not donate blood.’ However, I did not pay any attention to the Imam (a.s.) and donated blood. However, my hand swelled up and turned purple. Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) asked me, ‘What has happened to you?’ I answered, ‘I donated blood.” The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Did I not admonish you against donating blood? Please bring your hand forward.’ I put my hand forward. Then the Imam (a.s.) rubbed his hands on my hand and spit on it. Then the Imam (a.s.) ordered me not to eat dinner for a while. I tried not to eat dinner at night as much as I could. Whenever I failed to do so and ate something for dinner, that pain returned.”
54-2 (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 Ahmad ibn Abi Abdullah al-Barqi, on the authority of Abu Hashem Dawood ibn Al-Qasim al-Ja’fari, “I used to eat lunch with Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.). Sometimes he (a.s.) spoke to some of his servants in Slavic and Persian (Farsi) languages. Sometimes I sent my servant who spoke Persian to the Imam (a.s.) and Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) knew Persian. Sometimes it became difficult for the servants to understand Persian. Then the Imam (a.s.) used to explain things for them himself.
54-3 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 Aba Salt al-Harawi, “Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) spoke with people in their own languages. By God, he was the most eloquent and the most knowledgeable person in any language. One day I told him, ‘O son of the Prophet of God! I am amazed at your mastery over all these various languages.’ Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said, ‘O Aba Salt! I am the Proof of God for His creatures. God would not designate a Proof for Himself to any nation who does not know their language. Have you not heard that Ali - the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said?, ‘We have been granted elaborate speech.’ Then how can this be without mastery of all the languages?’”
On the Proof of Ar-Ridha’’s Rightfulness Due to His Replying to Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Vosha’s Questions Before he could ask them
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’, “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’ (a.s.), 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 (a.s.) 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 (a.s.) room talking with each other. Then as I was thinking about asking for permission to see him (a.s.), 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.”
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’, “Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) 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.’ 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’ (a.s.) 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’ (a.s.).”
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, “I was with Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) when Al-Husayn ibn Khalid al-Sayrafi entered and said, ‘May I be your ransom! I intend to go to A’wadh.’ The Imam (a.s.) 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.”
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