The Source of Traditions on Imam al-Riḍā (Vol 1) · Hadith 141 (#Ḥadīth #33)

33 - حَدَّثَنا تَمِيمُ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه بْنِ تَمِيمُ القُرَشِي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبي عَنْ أَحْمَدِ بن عَلِيِّ الأَنْصارِي، عَنْ أَبي الصَّلْتِ عَبْد السَّلامُ بْنِ صالِح الهَرَوِيِّ قالَ: سَأَلَ مَأْمُونٌ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى الرِّضَا a.sُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «وَهُوَالَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْماءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً» فَقَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى خَلَقَ الْعَرْشَ وَالْمَاءَ وَالْمَلائِكَةَ قَبْلَ خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ فَكَانَتِ الْمَلائِكَةُ تَسْتَدِلُّ بِأَنْفُسِهَا وَبِالْعَرْشِ وَالْمَاءِ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ عَرْشَهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ لِيُظْهِرَ بِذَلِكَ قُدْرَتَهُ لِلْمَلائِكَةِ فَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ الْعَرْشَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ وَنَقَلَهُ فَجَعَلَهُ فَوْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ ثُمَّ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَهُوَمُسْتَوْلٍ عَلَى عَرْشِهِ وَكَانَ قَادِراً عَلَى أَنْ يَخْلُقَهَا فِي طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ وَلَكِنَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَهَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ لِيُظْهِرَ لِلْمَلائِكَةِ مَا يَخْلُقُهُ مِنْهَا شَيْئاً بَعْدَ شَيْءٍ فَتَسْتَدِلَّ بِحُدُوثِ مَا يَحْدُثُ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ مَرَّةً بَعْدَ مَرَّةٍ وَلَمْ يَخْلُقِ اللَّهُ الْعَرْشَ لِحَاجَةٍ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ لانَّهُ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَرْشِ وَعَنْ جَمِيعِ مَا خَلَقَ لا يُوصَفُ بِالْكَوْنِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ لانَّهُ لَيْسَ بِجِسْمٍ تَعَالَى عَنْ صِفَةِ خَلْقِهِ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً.وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً» فَإِنَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ خَلْقَهُ لِيَبْلُوَهُمْ بِتَكْلِيفِ طَاعَتِهِ وَعِبَادَتِهِ، لا عَلَى سَبِيلِ الامْتِحَانِ وَالتَّجْرِبَةِ لانَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ عَلِيماً بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ فَرَّجْتَ عَنِّي يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ.ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَمَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ: «وَلَوْ شاءَ رَبُّكَ لآَمَنَ مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعاً أَفَأَنْتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ وَما كانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ إِلا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ» فَقَالَ الرِّضَا a.sُ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ: إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَالُوا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ لَوْ أَكْرَهْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ قَدَرْتَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ النَّاسِ عَلَى الإِسْلامِ لَكَثُرَ عَدَدُنَا وَقَوِينَا عَلَى عَدُوِّنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ لالْقَى اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِبِدْعَةٍ لَمْ يُحَدِّثْ إِلَيَّ فِيهَا شَيْئاً وَما أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ وَلَوْ شاءَ رَبُّكَ لآَمَنَ مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعاً عَلَى سَبِيلِ الإِلْجَاءِ وَالاضْطِرَارِ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَمَا يُؤْمِنُونَ عِنْدَ الْمُعَايَنَةِ وَرُؤْيَةِ الْبَأْسِ فِي الآْخِرَةِ وَلَوْ فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ بِهِمْ لَمْ يَسْتَحِقُّوا مِنِّي ثَوَاباً وَلا مَدْحاً وَلَكِنِّي أُرِيدُ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا مُخْتَارِينَ غَيْرَ مُضْطَرِّينَ لِيَسْتَحِقُّوا مِنِّي الزُّلْفَى وَالْكَرَامَةَ وَدَوَامَ الْخُلُودِ فِي جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ «أَ فَأَنْتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّـاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ» وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَجَـلَّ«وَما كانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ إِلا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ» فَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى سَبِيلِ تَحْرِيمِ الإِيمَانِ عَلَيْهَا وَلَكِنْ عَلَى مَعْنَى أَنَّهَا مَا كَانَتْ لِتُؤْمِنَ إِلا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَإِذْنُهُ أَمْرُهُ لَهَا بِالإِيمَانِ مَا كَانَتْ مُكَلَّفَةً مُتَعَبَّدَةً وَإِلْجَاؤُهُ إِيَّاهَا إِلَى الإِيمَانِ عِنْدَ زَوَالِ التَّكْلِيفِ وَالتَّعَبُّدِ عَنْهَا.فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: فَرَّجْتَ عَنِّي يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «الَّذِينَ كانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِي غِطاءٍ عَنْ ذِكْرِي وَكانُوا لا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعاً» فَقَالَ: إِنَّ غِطَاءَ الْعَيْنِ لا يَمْنَعُ مِنَ الذِّكْرِ الذِّكْرُ لا يُرَى بِالْعَيْنِ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شَبَّهَ الْكَافِرِينَ بِوَلايَةِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ a.sُ بِالْعُمْيَانِ لانَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَسْتَثْقِلُونَ قَوْلَ النَّبِيِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِيهِ وَلا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ لَهُ سَمْعاً فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: فَرَّجْتَ عَنِّي فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ.

11-33 Tamim ibn Abdullah ibn Tamim al-Qurashi - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his father quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Ali Al-Ansari, on the authority of Abi Salt Abdul Salam ibn Salih al-Harawi , “Al-Ma’mun asked Abul Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Ridha (s) about what the Sublime God said, ‘He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days - and His Throne was over the waters - that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct…’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘The Blessed the Sublime God created the Throne, the water, and the angels before the Creation of the heavens and the Earth. The angels used their own Creation, and the Throne and the water as means by which they proved the existence of the Honorable the Exalted God for themselves. Then He established His Throne over the water in order to manifest His Might to the angels so that they would know that He is capable of doing whatever He pleases. He then raised the Throne through His Might, moved it and established it above the seven heavens. Then He created the heavens and the Earth in six days while He was Omnipotent on His Throne. He was capable of creating them in the twinkle of an eye, but the Sublime One created them in six days in order to show the angels what He was creating one thing after the other so that they would know over and over that God is the Originator of each and every thing. God did not create the Throne because He was in need of it. He is independent of the Throne and of everything He has created. He cannot be described by saying that He is sitting on the Throne since Hehas no physical body. Exalted He is above the characteristics of what He created. High indeed is He Exalted. And regarding what the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘…that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct…’ This means that the Honorable the Exalted God created them so that He tries them through their acts of obedience and worship. Not in the form of an examination and experimentation since He has always known everything.’ Then Al-Ma’mun said, ‘How Excellent! O Abul Hassan! You have relieved me. May God grant you relief.’Then Al-Ma’mun asked again, ‘O son of God’s Prophet! What is the meaning of the following Words of the Honorable the Exalted God, ‘If it had been thy Lord’s will, they would all have believed - all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe! No soul can believe, except by the will of Allah, and He will place doubt (or obscurity) on those who will not understand.?” Al-Ridha (s) replied, ‘My father Musa ibn Ja’far (s) narrated that his father Ja’far ibn Muhammad (s) quoted on the authority of his father Muhammad ibn Ali (s), on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hussein (s), on the authority of his father Al-Hussein ibn Ali (s), on the authority of his father Ali ibn Abi Talib (s), ‘The Muslims told the Messenger of God (s), ‘O Messenger of God! We wished that you would force those whom you have conquered to accept Islam so that our numbers would increase, and we would become stronger in the face of our enemies.’The Messenger of God (s) replied, ‘I do not want to meet the Honorable the Exalted God having invented an innovation which He did not command me to do. I am not the type of person who forces others to do anything at all.’It was then that the Sublime God revealed, ‘O Muhammad! If it had been thy Lord’s will, they would all have believed - all who are on earth!…’ by means of forcing them, or when they find no other choice while in this world just as those who believe only after seeing God’s Might and Retribution in the Hereafter. If I do such a thing to them, they would not deserve any reward from me. Nor would they deserve any praise. But I wish they would accept it out of their own choice, rather than being forced to do so in order that they will deserve to be close to me and be honored and reside in Paradise forever.’ God’s words continue with ‘…wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!’And regarding the Sublime God’s words, ‘No soul can believe, except by the will of Allah…’ It does not mean that men are deprived of believing (without the prior consent of God); it simply means that they cannot believe without God’s Will. God’s Will consists of His ordering us to believe which is a form of obligation and worshipping. Forcing the people to believe would only apply if this obligation is removed. ’’’Then Al-Ma’mun said, ‘How Excellent! O Abul Hassan! You have relieved me. May God grant you relief.’Then Al-Ma’mun asked again, ‘Let me know about the meaning of the following Words of the Sublime God: ‘(Unbelievers) whose eyes had been under a veil from remembrance of Me, and who had been unable even to hear. ’’The Imam (s) replied, ’A veil in front of the eyes will not prevent one from remembering. God’s remembrance is not done by the eyes. However, the Honorable the Exalted God has likened those who refute the Mastery of Ali ibn Abi Talib (s) to the blind since the words of the Prophet (s) were hard for them to bear and they could not listen to them.’Then Al-Ma’mun said, ‘How Excellent! You have relieved me. May God grant you relief.’”

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).