Hadith 44-4

حَدَّثَنا الْحاكِم أَبُو عَلِي الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أحْمَد الْبِيْهَقِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الصُّوْليُّ حَدَّثَنا أَبُو ذكوان قالَ سَمِعْتُ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ العَبَّاسِ يَقُولُ: مَا رَأَيْتُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ سُئِلَ عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَطُّ إِلا عَلِمَهُ وَلا رَأَيْتُ أَعْلَمَ مِنْهُ بِمَا كَانَ فِي الزَّمَانِ إِلَى وَقْتِهِ وَعَصْرِهِ وَكَانَ الْمَأْمُونُ يَمْتَحِنُهُ بِالسُّؤَالِ عَنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَيُجِيبُ فِيهِ وَكَانَ كَلامُهُ كُلُّهُ وَجَوَابُهُ وَتَمَثُّلُهُ انْتِزَاعَاتٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَكَانَ يَخْتِمُهُ فِي كُلِّ ثَلاثٍ وَيَقُولُ لَوْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَخْتِمَهُ فِي أَقْرَبَ مِنْ ثَلاثَةٍ لَخَتَمْتُ وَلَكِنِّي مَا مَرَرْتُ بِ‏آيَةٍ قَطُّ إِلا فَكَّرْتُ فِيهَا وَفِي أَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ أُنْزِلَتْ وَفِي أَيِّ وَقْتٍ فَلِذَلِكَ صِرْتُ أَخْتِمُ فِي كُلِّ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ. وَمِن كَلامِهِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ المَشهُورِ قَولُهُ: الصَّغَائِرُ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ طُرُقٌ إِلَى الْكَبَائِرِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَخَفِ اللَّهَ فِي الْقَلِيلِ لَمْ يَخَفْهُ فِي الْكَثِيرِ وَلَوْ لَمْ يُخَوِّفِ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِجَنَّةٍ وَنَارٍ لَكَانَ الْوَاجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُطِيعُوهُ وَلا يَعْصُوهُ لِتَفَضُّلِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَإِحْسَانِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ وَمَا بَدَأَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ إِنْعَامِهِ الَّذِي مَا اسْتَحَقُّوهُ.

Al-Hakim Abu Ali Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad al-Bayhaqi narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowli quoted on the authority of Abu Thakwan that Ibrahim ibn Al-Abbas said, “I never saw that Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) be asked a question and he did not know the answer. I have never seen anyone more knowledgeable than him (a.s.) from the beginning of history up until his time. Al-Ma’mun constantly tested him (a.s.) by questioning and he (a.s.) always responded. He cited all his words, answers and similitude from the Qur’an. He read the Qur’an completely once every three days. He (a.s.) used to say, “I can read all the way through the Qur’an even faster if I wish. But in the way I read it now, I ponder over the meanings and on the occasions in which the verses have been revealed, and the time of their revelation. That is why it takes three whole days and nights.” One of his famous sayings is, “Minor sins are the road to major sins. Whoever does not fear God when he commits a minor sin will not fear Him when committing a major sin. Even if God had not admonished the people regarding Heaven and Hell, it was obligatory for the people to obey Him and stay away from disobeying Him. This is due to the nobility and kindness that He has bestowed upon them and having brought them into existence from being non-existent which they did not deserve!”