Among the works of Imam al-Reza, peace be on him, is this excellent dissertation called Sahïfat al-Reza; a group of narrators has called it Musnad al-Ima`m al-Reza, and this name is closer to the composition of the dissertation, for it contains the traditions which Ima`m al-Reza` has narrated on the authority of his grandfather, may Allah bless him and his family, and on the authority of his pure fathers, peace be on them. A group of researchers has stated that this dissertation is one of the works of Ima`m al-Reza`, peace be on him.
Any how, this dissertation is among the treasures of Prophet and of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, and of the Ima`ms; it has reached the top of honor and glory in the chain of authorities, as Dr. Husayn 'Ali Mahfuz said.
As for us, we have quoted this dissertation from a version printed in Cairo by al-Ma'a`hid Press, near al-Azhar, in the year 1340 A. H., and then it was printed by al-'Alla`ma 'Abd al-Wa`si', who classified it into ten chapters, which are as follows: ?
Chapter One
ON INVOCATION OF ALLAH
Having mentioned a preface concerning the necessity of mentioning the chain of the authorities, Shaykh 'Abd al-Wa`si' said: "I have narrated this Sahïfa through the authentic chain of authorities connected with Imam al-Qa`sim b. Mohammed, peace be on him, on the authority of his Shaykh al-Sayyid Amïr al-Dïn b. 'Abd Allah, on the authority of al-Sayyid Ahmed b. 'Abd Allah al-Wazïr, on the authority of Ima`m al-Mutahhar b. Mohammed b. Sulayman, on the authority of Ima`m al-Mahdi Ahmed b. Yahya, on the authority of Sulayman b. Ibrahïm b. 'Umar al-'Alawi, on the authority of his father Ibrahïm, on the authority of Rida' al-Dïn Ibrahïm b. Mohammed al-Tabari, on the authority of Ima`m Najm al-Dïn al-Tabrïzi, on the authority of al-Hafiz Ibn 'Asakir, on the authority of Zahir al-Sinjani, on the authority of al-Hafiz al-Bayhaqi:
1. On the authority of Abu al-Qasim al-Mufassir, on the authority of Ibrahïm b. Ju'da, on the authority of Abu al-Qasim 'Abd Allah b. Ahmed b. 'Amir al-Ta'i (in Basrah), who said: ['Ali b. Musa al-Reza, peace be on him, related to me in the year 194 A. H. He said: My father Musa` b. Ja'far related to me. He said: My father Ja'far b. Mohammed related to me. He said: My father Mohammed b. 'Ali related to me. He said: My father 'Ali b. al-Husayn related to me. He said: My father al-Husayn b. 'Ali related to me. He said: My father 'Ali b. Abu` Ta`lib, the peace of Allah be on them all, amen to the Day of Resurrection, related to me. He said: Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: Allah, the Most High, said:] "There is no god but Allah is My fort, so he who enters My fort is safe from My chastisement."
Surely these brilliant words are the secret of existence, lamp of the Allah-fearing, and guide of the knowledgeable. He who says them out of knowledge and belief enters the fort of Allah, which whoever enters wins the good pleasure of Allah, the Exalted, and is safe from His chastisement.
2. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "He upon whom Allah bestows a favor should praise Allah for it; he who finds slow daily bread should ask Allah's forgiveness; and he whom a certain matter saddens should say:
There is neither might nor strength save in Allah, the Exalted, the Almighty."
Surely the invocation of Allah and devotion to Him deserve more of His blessings and favors; he who says these words during these situations, Allah's mercy includes him, and he attains general good.
3. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "Belief is profession with the tongue, knowledge through the heart, and action by the limbs."
Belief is a flame of light which lightens the heart, flows as life does in the souls of the Allah-fearing and the knowledgeable, dominates their sentiments and feelings.
4. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said: Allah says:] "If a creature takes refuge in a creature other than Me, I will cut him off from the means of the heavens and the earth, so if he asks Me, I will not give him; and if he supplicates Me, I will not answer him; and if a creature seeks refuge in Me other than My creatures, I will guarantee the heaven and the earth in respect of his daily bread; so if he asks Me,
I will give him; and if he supplicates Me, I will respond to him; and if he asks Me for forgiveness, I will forgive him."
Failing and unsuccessful is he who hopes for those other than Allah, the Exalted, at whose hand is the course of events. A poet said:
May the hand which asks those other than You become poor; may the land which sees promising signs in other than the clouds of Your munificence become barren!
So glory is forbidden except from You; money is forbidden except from You!
If the servant devotes himself to Allah and seeks refuge in Him, he will win good and gain bless in this world and the next.
5. Through his chain of authorities, he said: ['Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, related to me that a Jew asked 'Ali b. Abu` Ta`lib, peace be on him, saying:] "Tell me about that which does not belong to Allah, that which is not with Allah, and that which Allah does not know?"
'Ali, peace be on him, replied: "As for that which Allah does not know, it is your, people of Jews, statement that 'Uzayr is the son of Allah, and Allah does not know that He has a son; as for that which is not with Allah, it is that Allah has no oppression toward the servants; as for that which does not belong to Allah, it is that Allah has no partner."
The Jew said: "I witness that there is no god except Allah, and that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah."
Surely, Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, is the gate of the city of knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. He is the leading figure of this community, the pioneer of its intellectual and scientific renaissance. It is certain that if the cushion had been folded for him and he had undertaken the leadership of the reign after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, the Jews, the Christians, and the Magians would have adopted Islam.
6. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "The best deeds with Allah are: belief without doubt, invasion without stealing from war booty before it is distributed (ghulul), and proper hajj. The first to enter the Garden will be a martyr; a slave who worships his Lord well and is sincere to his master; and a chaste man who abstains from what is forbidden, has a family, and strives to secure the daily bread of his own family. The first to enter the Fire will be a domineering Imam (leader) who does not treat (his subjects) with justice; a possessor of wealth of property who does not pay the right against it; and a boastful, poor (person)."
This tradition includes the best actions in reward and repayment with Allah, the Most High; the actions are: belief in Allah without any doubt, invasion without stealing from war booty before it is distributed (ghulul); for it is spent on spreading Allah's words on earth; and making a pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allah.
This tradition also gives an account of the best men in the view of Allah, the Exalted, and the most honorable before Him, and they are: the martyrs in the path of Allah, not in the path of booty or worldly pleasures; the slave who believes in his Lord and is sincere to his master; and the chaste man who strives to secure the daily bread of his family.
Moreover the tradition gives an account of the most hateful person in the view of Allah and who deserves the Hellfire. The first to enter it are: the disobedient criminal ruler who wrongs the servants of Allah and does not treat them with fairness and justice; the possessor of a plentiful wealth who is miserly toward the rights of Allah (against him) and does not help the poor; the boastful, poor (person) who boasts of his own person and his family, shows arrogance and vainglory toward the creatures of Allah.
7. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "He who makes my community learn by heart forty traditions and it makes use of them, Allah will raise him from the dead a jurist and scholar on the Day of the Resurrection."
Surely, the Prophetic traditions are a flame of light which guides the perplexed and the errant and brighten the road (to them), for they are some springs of wisdom. So he who circulates them among the Muslims surely takes part in building Islamic thought; and Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, had promised him that Allah would raise him from the dead a jurist and scholar on the Day of Resurrection.
8. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "He who gives a religious opinion to men without knowledge, the heavens and the earth curse him."
The ugliest and most sinful crime is giving a religious opinion to men without knowledge, for such a religious opinion misleads men, spreads lying among them, and ascribes falsehood to Allah.
9. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "Reliance (on Allah) and monotheism are the half of religion; make livelihood come down from Allah through alms."
Surely, reliance on Allah and professing His Oneness are part of core of religion and are basic elements of its entity. The Ima`m has urged (the Muslims) to give alms, for it aids the poor and the deprived. Allah has promised that He will bestow upon those who give alms.
10. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "Verily Mu`sa` b. 'Umra`n asked his Lord, saying: 'O Lord, are You far, so I will call out to You? Or are You near, so I will whisper to You?' So Allah revealed to him: O Musa, I am the friend of him who invoke Me!"
11. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "The supplication of the children of my community is accepted unless they commit sins."
Certainly, the supplication of the children of the faithful is accepted, for Allah does not refuse a supplication of theirs on the condition that they shou
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