The Source of Traditions on Imam al-Riḍā (Vol 2) · Hadith 595 (#Ḥadīth #1)

1- حَدَّثَنا أَبُو طالب الحُسَين بن عَبدُ اللَّه بن بنان الطائي قالَسَمِعتُ مُحَمَّد بن عمر النوقاني يَقُولُ بَيْنَما أَنَا نَائِمٌ بِنُوقَانَ فِي عِلِّيَّةٍ لَنَا فِي لَيْلَةٍ ظَلْمَاءَ إِذَا انْتَبَهْتُ فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى النَّاحِيَةِ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَشْهَدُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضَا a.sُ بِسَنَابَادَ فَرَأَيْتُ نُوراً قَدْ عَلا حَتَّى امْتَلا مِنْهُ الْمَشْهَدُ وَصَارَ مُضِيئاً كَأَنَّهُ نَهَارٌ فَكُنْتُ شَاكّاً فِي أَمْرِ الرِّضَا a.sُ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ حَقٌّ فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي وَكَانَتْ مُخَالِفَةً مَا لَكَ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا رَأَيْتُ نُوراً سَاطِعاً قَدِ امْتَلأ مِنْهُ الْمَشْهَدُ بِسَنَابَادَ فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِشَيْءٍ وَإِنَّمَا هَذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ قَالَ فَرَأَيْتُ لَيْلَةً أُخْرَى مُظْلِمَةً أَشَدَّ ظُلْمَةً مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الأُولَى ومِثْلَ مَا كُنْتُ رَأَيْتُ مِنَ النُّورِ وَالْمَشْهَدُ قَدِ امْتَلأ بِهِ فَأَعْلَمْتُ أُمِّي ذَلِكَ وَجِئْتُ بِهَا إِلَى الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ حَتَّى رَأَتْ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنَ النُّورِ وَامْتَلأ الْمَشْهَدُ مِنْهُ فَاسْتَعْظَمَتْ ذَلِكَ وَأَخَذَتْ فِي الْحَمْدِ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلا أَنَّهَا لَمْ تُؤْمِنْ بِهِ كَإِيمَانِي فَقَصَدْتُ إِلَى الْمَشْهَدِ فَوَجَدْتُ الْبَابَ مُغْلَقاً فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ أَمْرُ الرِّضَا a.sُ حَقّاً فَافْتَحْ لِي هَذَا الْبَابَ ثُمَّ دَفَعْتُهُ بِيَدِي فَانْفَتَحَ فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي لَعَلَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ مُغْلَقاً عَلَى مَا وَجَبَ.فَغَلَّقْتُهُ حَتَّى عَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُمْكِنْ فَتْحُهُ إِلا بِمِفْتَاحٍ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ أَمْرُ الرِّضَا حَقّاً فَافْتَحْ لِي هَذَا الْبَابَ ثُمَّ دَفَعْتُهُ بِيَدِي فَانْفَتَحَ فَدَخَلْتُ وَزُرْتُ وَصَلَّيْتُ وَاسْتَبْصَرْتُ فِي أَمْرِ الرِّضَا a.sُ فَكُنْتُ أَقْصِدُهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّ جُمُعَةٍ زَائِراً مِنْ نُوقَانَ وَأُصَلِّي عِنْدَهُ إِلَى وَقْتِي هَذَا

69-1 Abu Talib Al-Husayn ibn Abdullah ibn Banan Al-Ta’ee narrated that he had heard Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Nowqani say, “One dark night while I was sleeping in the attic of my house in my hometown Nowqan, I woke up and looked towards the region in which the Shrine of Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ is located in Sanabad. Then I saw lights radiating from the Shrine towards the sky that had filled up the entire Shrine illuminating the whole area as if it was daytime. I was in doubt about the affairs of Ar-Ridha’ , and did not believe that he was right. My mother who opposed him too, told me, ‘O my son! What is the matter with you?’ Then I told her, ‘I see lights that are radiating from the Shrine towards the sky that have filled up the Shrine in Sanabad.’ Then my mother told me, ‘This is impossible. This is one of the acts of Satan.’”Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Nowqani also said, “On another night that was even darker than before, I saw a similar light and the Shrine was completely illuminated with that light. Then I informed my mother about this, and brought her to that place so that she could see the light with her own eyes which the Shrine was filled up. She glorified this, and started to praise God. She, however, did not believe as I did. Then I set out towards the Shrine, and found its door closed. Then I said to myself, ‘O my God! If the Divine Leadership of Ar-Ridha’ is genuine, then open this door.’ Then I pushed against the door with my hand and it opened up. Then I told myself, ‘Perhaps this door was not closed at all, and I have made a mistake.’Then I closed the door and made sure that it could only be opened with a key. Then I said, ‘O my God! If the Divine Leadership of Ar-Ridha’ is genuine, then open this door.’ Then I pushed against the door with my hand and it opened up again. I entered, visited the Shrine, said the pilgrimage prayers, and was enlightened about the Divine Leadership of Ar-Ridha’ . From then on, I went on pilgrimage to the Shrine from Nowqan (in the land of Khorasan) every Friday night and prayed near him (Ar-Ridha’’s tomb) up until the present.”

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