Another Tradition From the Shiites on the Death of Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.)

Ahmad ibn Ziyad ibn Ja’far al-Hamadani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of Yasir - the servant, “When there were seven way-stations between us and Toos, Abul Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) fell ill. We reached Toos and by then his illness had got worse. We stayed in Toos for several days. Al-Ma’mun went to visit him twice daily. On the last day - the day on which he died - Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) had become much weaker. After saying his noon prayer, Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) asked, ‘O Yasir! Do these people not eat anything?’ I asked, ’O my master! How can they eat anything seeing the way you are?’ Then Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) sat up and said, ‘Spread out the tablecloth.’ Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) called in all his workers and had them all sit at the tablecloth. Ar-Ridha’ asked each one of them about his health. Then after they all had eaten, Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) ordered that they take food for the women, too, and feed all of them. When this was done he got really weak and became unconscious. Everyone present started to cry. All of Al-Ma’mun’s maids and wives rushed in without wearing any veils. Crying and mourning filled up all of Toos. Al-Ma’mun himself was in bare feet and head and was hitting himself on the head and trying to cover the hair of his wives with his long beard. He was expressing his sorrow by crying and tears were flowing down his face. He went and stopped at the side of Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.). Then Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) regained his consciousness. Al-Ma’mun said, ‘O my Master! By God! I do not know which calamity is worse for me: losing you and being away from you, or the people’s accusing me of poisoning and killing you.’” Yasir adedd, “Then the Imam (a.s.) opened his eyes a little, looked at Al-Ma’mun and said, “O Commander of the Faithful! Treat Abi Ja’far (Imam Ridha’’s son) (a.s.) with kindness since your life and his life are like this” While he (a.s.) brought his forefingers together.” Yasir added, “When the night came and some time had passed by, Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) passed away. Then when the morning came the people gathered there and said, ‘This man (referring to Al-Ma’mun) killed him. This man martyred him.’ They meant Al-Ma’mun. They kept on saying, ‘The son of God’s Prophet (S) was killed.’ There was a lot of turmoil there. Muhammad ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad (Imam Ridha’’s uncle) who had sought refuge from Al-Ma’mun and had come from Medina to Khorasan was there. He was Abil Hassan Ar-Ridha’’s uncle. Then Al-Ma’mun told him, ‘O Aba Ja’far (Muhammad ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad)! Go out to the people and tell them that they will not bring out Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’’s (a.s.) corpse today. Tell them to go about doing their own business.’ Al-Ma’mun did not wish the body to be taken out fearing that it might result in sedition. Then Muhammad ibn Ja’far went out and told the people, ‘O people! Disperse! Indeed today Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) will not be brought out.’ Then the people dispersed. Then they performed the ritual ablution for death for Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) at night and buried him.” Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem added, “In fact, Ali ibn Ibrahim said that Yasir has told him something which I do not like to mention here.”

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