The Great Imam Raza (as): Wiladat
Wiladat Imam Raza
The eighth Imam, Imam Raza (A.S.), was born on Thursday, 11 zed al qadah, 148 A.H., or December 29, 765 B.C., in Madinah. His holy father, Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.), the seventh Imam, gave him the name Ali. He was called “Raza” by God, and people called him “Abul Hasan.”
Imam Musa al-Kazem (A.S.) said many times that his oldest son “Ali” would take over the divine post of Imamat as soon as He will leave the world. After His father was martyred in Baghdad on the 25th of Rajab in the year 183 A.H., on September 1, 799 B.C., at the jail of the Abbasi caliph Harun-al-Rashid, Imam e Raza was 35 when He got the holy position of Imamat. He held this divine position for twenty years.
Three Abbasid caliphs lived at the same time as him: during the first ten years, Harun al-Rashid was the caliph; for the next five years, Amin; and then Ma’mun for the last five years.
Amaal for the wiladat Imam Raza (A.S.)
Arbaeen-e-Kalimiyyah
From the 1st of Zilqada to 10th of Zilhijja are the days of Arbaeen-e-Kalimiyyah. These are possibly the forty days when Nabi Musa (as) went on Mount Tur for Munajat from Allah (swt). Initially it was to be for 30 days, another 10 days were added to make it 40 days as mentioned in Sura A�araaf – Aayat 143.
Fasting for 3 Consecutive days Thursday Friday & Saturday has immense rewards in months of Zilqad, Zilhajj, Moharram & Rajab.
Imam Raza (A.S.) and Mamun meeting :
After Harun (born in 766 A.D. and ruler from 786 to 809 A.D.) died in 193 A.H./809 A.D., Ma’mun and his brother Amin (born in 787 A.D. and ruler from 809 to 813 A.D.) fought these bloody wars until Amin’s death in 198 A.H./813 A.D., after which Ma’mun became caliph. The Umayyad and Abbasi caliphs were afraid of the Holy Imams (A.S.), who were seen as the true and worthy successors of the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.). The Holy Imams (A.S.) were continuously persecuted and tortured by the caliphs in power at that time.
Ma’mun thought about how to solve these problems in a way that his Abbasi ancestors hadn’t been able to. Ma’mun came up with a plan to get Imam Raza (A.S.) to come to Marw, the place where Ma’mun’s caliphate was based, so that he could make a fake friend out of His Holiness. So, the evil Caliph wanted to keep an eye on His Holiness directly.
To make this choice happen, Ma’mun sent Imam e Raza (A.S.) from Madinah to Marw against His will. On the day he left Madinah, Imam Raza (A.S.) called his family together and asked them to shed tears for his last trip, from which he would never return. The Holy Imam (AS) didn’t bring any of his family members with him to Marw. His Holiness wanted to let the people know that Ma’mun had planned for him to be sent away.
Imam Raza (AS) Departure from Khurasan:
Ma’mun told Imam e Raza’s (A.S.) caravan that it had to go from Madinah to Marw in a certain way. In the year 201 A.H., on the 10th of Shawwal, he arrived in Marw (May 1, 817 A.D.), via Basrah, Khorramshahr, Ahwaz, Rey, Neyshapur, Sanabad, and Sarakhs.
The Holy Imam (A.S.) was welcomed warmly by the people who lived in the cities and towns that he passed through on his long trip. When His Holiness got to Neyshapur, he delivered a Hadith Qudsi to a crowd of about 120,000 people, many of whom were well-known researchers and traditionalists.
This historical and most famous Hadith Qudsi is called “Silsilat al-Dhahab.” Imam Raza (A.S.) stated that praising God will be determined as a perfect method when it depends on the obedience of the Immaculate Holy Imams (A.S.).
Imam-e-Zaamin (A.S.):
The Eighth Shia Imam, Imam Ali ibn e Musa al-Raza (A.S.), is also known as Imam-e-Zaamin (A.S.). When Muslims travel, they bring with them a thing called “Imam-e-Zaamin,” which is some money wrapped in a cloth and named after Imam Raza (A.S.). People likely started doing this back in the time of Imam e Raza (A.S.), when they carried money with the name of the Holy Imam (A.S.) on it. Since Ma’mun, an Abbasi caliph who lived at the same time as Imam Raza (A.S.), had coins made with Imam Raza’s (A.S.) name on them, it was easy for Muslims to take the name of the Holy Imam (A.S.) with them, especially when they travelled.
Zaamin e Ahoo (a.s.):
Imam e Raza (A.S.) is also known as Zaamin e Ahoo (A.S.), which means The Guardian of the Deer. When Imam e Raza (A.S.) was on his historic trip from Madinah to Marw (Khurasan), he came across a hunter about to kill a deer in the middle of a jungle. The deer was trying to get away, and when she saw the Holy Imam (A.S.), she spoke to him.
The Holy Imam (A.S.) told the shooter to set the deer free so that she could go feed her hungry babies. Imam e Raza (A.S.) further assured the shooter that the deer would come back after feeding her young. The Holy Imam (A.S.) told the hunter to let the deer go, but the hunter didn’t think the deer would ever return. But Imam e Raza (A.S.) stayed with the shooter until the mother deer came back with her babies. The shooter was amazed to see this miracle happen, and out of respect for Imam Reza (A.S.), he let the deer go.
After this significant occurrence, Imam e Raza (A.S.) became known as Zaamin e Ahoo (A.S.). The most famous artist in the world today, Ustad Mahmud Farshchiyan, has shown this historical event in this beautiful work of iconography called “Zaamin-e-Aahu” (The Guardian of the Deer).
Who will be the next Caliph?
Imam e Raza (A.S.) was met at Marw by the caliph, his Prime Minister Fazl ibn Sahl, and some notable Abbasi nobles. Marw is a few leagues outside of the city. After a few days, Ma’mun first offered the kingship to Imam e Raza (A.S.), but His Holiness turned down Ma’mun’s offer.
Then Ma’mun asked the Imam to accept the caliphate. Imam Raza (A.S.) said no, but he was forced to accept the caliphate. The Holy Imam (A.S.) set some rules for himself so that he wouldn’t get involved in government business or choose who gets hired or fired.
Fitr Prayer Ritual:
In late Ramadan 202 A.H./March 817 A.D., Ma’mun asked Imam Raza (A.S.) to lead the holy service for the “Fitr Prayers” festival in Marw. The Holy Imam (A.S.) agreed, but only on the condition that the process be done exactly the way the Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) did it.
Early in the morning on the day of the “Fitr” celebration, the Holy Imam (A.S.) stood in front of the crowd in simple clothes and bare feet and praised God loudly, shouting “Allah Akbar” (God is the Greatest of All).
From every part of the city, the call “Allah Akbar” could be heard because everyone there was following His Holiness and shouting “Allah Akbar.” Ma’mun was very scared by how beautiful and grand the rendition was, so he asked the Holy Imam (A.S.) to stop doing the act.
Scholarly Talks of the Holy Imam (A.S.):
Ma’mun frequently started debates in his own royal palace. Renowned scholars from different religions were invited to share and discuss their distinct points of view on religious issues. Imam e Raza (A.S.) always won these debates, and his opponents soon acknowledged His Holiness’ scientific status.
Imam e Raza (A.S.) led Muslims in the right direction and corrected the wrong ideas of those who tried to change Islam. In this way, the Holy Imam (A.S.) kept and spread Islamic ideals.
The Most Valuable Contribution of Islam to Medicine:
Al-Risala al-Dahabiyya fil Tibb (the Golden Dissertation in Medicine) is one of Imam e Raza’s (A.S.) books. Its sources include Muhammad ibn Jumhoor and al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Nawfali, whom al-Najjashi called “highly esteemed and trustworthy; he narrated one text about Imam Raza (A.S.),” which could be “the golden dissertation in medicine.”
