[1] Acronyms of Alaihis Salam (peace be upon him).

[2] Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 4, p. 375. He said: 'Al-Mansour Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Hassan was brought in, and he was the most handsome man people ever saw. He asked him, `Are you the one nicknamed the yellow silk?' He answered, `Yes.' He said, `I shall certainly kill you in a manner which I have not employed to anyone else,' then he ordered him to be placed in a cylinder and it was built up on him while he was still alive; thus, he died inside it." Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p. 136, indicates likewise.

3 Acronyms of Salallaho Alaihi Wasallam (Peace and Greetings of God be upon him).

  4 Aamali of Sayyid al-Murtada, Vol. 1, p. 151.

  5 Kanz al-'Ummal, Vol. 6, p. 217. Also hadith number 3819 recorded down by al-Hafiz Abu Na'eem in Hilyat al-Awliyaa, and he is quoted by Ibn Abul Hadeed in his commentary, quoting similar ahadith recorded in Ahmed ibn Hanbal's Musnad.

  6 Kanz al-'Ummal, Vol. 6, p. 396. It is also narrated from al-Mamoon and recorded in Vol. 1, p. 204, of Akhbar al-Rida with the addition of "So do not teach them, for they are more learned than you, and they do not take you out of guidance, nor do they let you enter into misguidance," and al-Mamoon attributed this statement to the Messenger of God (S.A.W.).

  7 Tahtheeb al-Tahtheeb, Vol. 2, p. 103.

  8 This hadith of the two weighty things is recorded by a large number of pioneers of hadith: It is recorded by both al-Tirmithi and al-Nisai from Jabir, by al-Tirmithi from Zayd ibn al-Arqam, by al-Tabrani from Zayd ibn Thabit, and they are all quoted by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi in Vol. 1, p. 44, of his Kanzul 'Ummal. It is also recorded by Imam Ahmed [ibn Hanbal] from the hadith narrated by Zayd ibn Thabit through two authentic avenues in Vol. 5, pp. 182-189 of his Musnad. It is also narrated by Sa'eed al-Khudri from two avenues and recorded in Vol. 3, pp. 17-26. Al-Hakim, in Vol. 3, p. 873, of his Mustadrak, says, "This is an authentic hadith through consecutive narration according to both Shaikhs [Bukhari and Muslim] who did not record it down, while al-Thahbi admitted in his Talkhees al-Mustadrak its authenticity according to their own standards of authenticity." Ibn Abu Shayba, Abu Ya'li, Ibn Sa'd, all record it from Abu Sa'eed as is recorded in Vol. 1, p. 47, tradition number 945, of Kanzul 'Ummal. Ibn Hajar quotes it on p. 75 of his Al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, and so do others who learned hadith by heart and by traditionists with an insignificant variation in their texts. Having quoted this hadith in his Al-Sawa'iq, Ibn Hajar says, "Be informed that the hadith enjoining us to uphold to them both is plentiful and is narrated in numerous ways by more than twenty companions of the Prophet (S.A.W.)." This hadith enjoys a many testimonies which agree with each other, and Dar al-Taqreeb Baynal Mathahib al-Islamiyya in Cairo published a graduate thesis dealing with its Sunni sources and authored by some virtuous contemporaries.

  9 Al Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, p. 135, by Ibn Hajar, chapter titled "Recommendation of the Prophet (SAW) in Their Regard."

  10 Al Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, p. 148. The same may be read in Hadith al-Thaqalayn which was published by Dar al-Taqreeb Baynal Mathahib al-Islamiyya of Cairo.

  11 Mukhtasar al-Tuhfa al-Ithnai 'Ashariyya by al-Aloosi, p. 8.

  12 Tahtheeb al-Tahtheeb, Vol. 2, p. 103.

  13 Al Laali al-Masnoo'a fil Ahadith al-Mawdooa by al-Sayyuti, Vol. 1, p. 396.

  14 Al-Tabrani has recorded it relying on the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari on p. 151 of Vol. 3 of his Al Sahih al-Mustadrak.

  15 Al-Tabrani has recorded it in his Al Awsat from Abu Sa'eed. It is hadith number 18 of the fifth section of the forty traditions recorded on p. 216 of al-Nabahani's book Al Arba'een Hadith.

  16 Al-Hakim records it in Vol. 3, p. 149, of his Mustadrak, quoting Ibn Abbas, then adding, "This hadith is authentic in its consecutiveness, and they [Bukhari and Muslim] did not record it."

  17 Al Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, p. 91.

18 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rata, Vol. 2, pp. 180-183. 19 Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 49, p. 211, as quoted by Ibn Maskawayhi's book Nadeem al-Tareef.

20 Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 49, p. 100. It is narrated from al-Hakim by Abu Abdullah, the hafiz of Naishapur.

21 Ibid.

22 Al Irshad by al-Mufid, p. 291.

23 Manaqib Aali Abi Talib, Vol. 4, p. 300.

24 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 203.

25 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, p. 183.

26 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 184.

27 Al Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 203.

28 Al Manaqib, Vol. 4, p. 362.

29 Al Kafi, Vol. 4, p. 81.

30 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 226.

31 Al Hujurat:13.

32 Ibid., Vol. 2, p. 174.

33 Al Kafi, Vol. 4, p. 23.

34 Al Hujurat:13.

35 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 237.

36 Al Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 298.

37 Kashf al-Ghumma, Vol. 3, p. 147; Surat Al A'raaf:32.

38 Al Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 516.

39 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 178.

40 Al Kafi, Vol. 1, pp. 316-319.

41 Kashf al-Ghumma, Vol. 3, p. 143.

42 Al Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 502.

43 Al Kafi, Vol. 4, p. 24.

44 Al Manaqib, Vol. 4, p. 361.

45 Ibid., Vol. 2, p. 360.

46 Al Balad:11.

47 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 264.

48 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 8.

49 Al Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 297.

50 Al Kafi, Vol. 5, p. 288.

51 Qurb al-Isnad, p. 222, and Al Kharaij wal Jaraih, p. 237, with a slight textual variation.

52 Al Kafi, Vol. 5, p. 111.

53 Al Ghayba by Shaikh al-Toosi, p. 29.

54 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 28.

55 Ibid., p. 27.

56 Ibid., p. 28.

57 Al Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 381; also al-Mufid's Irthaa, p. 286.

58 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 20.

59 Al-Kashi's Rijal, p. 398.

60 Al-'Ayyashi's Tafsir, Vol. 2, p. 115 of Surat al Tawba, verse 115.

61 Ibrahim:27.

62 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 32.

63 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 113 and also Shaikh al-Toosi's Al Ghayba, p. 47.

64 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 112.

65 Qurb al-Irshad, p. 206.

66 Shaikh al-Toosi's Al Ghayba, p. 48.

67 Shaikh al-Toosi's Al Ghayba, p. 50.

68 Al-Kashi's Rijal, p. 400.

69 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 226.

70 'Umdat al-Talib, p. 185, 1st edition (Najaf, Iraq).

71 Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 48, p. 249, quoting Al Kafi.

72 Shaikh al-Toosi's Al Ghayba, p. 22.

73 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 226.

74 Al Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 487. It is also mentioned in Al 'Uyoon, Al Manaqib and Al Irshad.

75 Rawdat al-Kafi, p. 257.

76 A'yan al-Shi'a, Vol. 4, Part I, p. 138.

77 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, p. 130.

78 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, p. 138.

79 Tarikh al-Khulafa by al-Sayyuti, p. 284.

80 Ibid., p. 308.

81 Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 49, p. 210 as quoted in Ibn Maskawayhi's book Nadeem al-Farid.

82 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 88.

83 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, p. 162.

84 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, p. 134.

85 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, pp. 134-135.

86 Ibid., p. 112.

87 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, p. 113.

88 Tarikh al-Khulafaa by al-Sayyuti, p. 290.

89 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, p. 138.

90 Uyoon al-Akhbar, chapter on al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 141

91 Al-Irshad, p. 290. Also Maqatil al-Talibiyyin by Abul-Faraj al-Asbahani, p. 375

92 Al-Maqatil, p. 375

93 Ilal al-Sharai', p. 266

94 Al-Bihar, Vol. 49, p. 208 quoting Ibn Maskawayh's book Nadeem al-Fareed

95 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, P. 148

96 Ilal al-Sharai', Vol. 1, p. 226

97 It appears that al-Hassan ibn Sahl was al-Mamoon's ruler over Iraq at that time, and we cannot explain why the name of al-Hassan is mentioned in this story except in the case al-Mamoon had called him to meet with him to consult him regarding the issue of selecting Imam al-Rida (A.S.) as the regent as presumes Sayyid al-Amin in his work A'yaan al-Shi'a, But al-Fadl's letter to his brother al-Hassan regarding regency, as Ibn al-Athir and Tabari and other historians indicate, negates all that, and the addition may have been the action of the narrator who was ignorant of all of that which constitutes a major problem inflicting narratives.

98 Al-Irshad, p. 291

99 Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p. 375

100 Al-Irshad, p. 291

101 Al-Mahdi and the Mahdis, "Iqra" series, pp. 61 & 62, by Ahmed Amin

102 Uyoon al-Akhbar, Vol. 3, p. 141

103 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 167

104 Al-Ayyashi's Tafsir, Vol. 2, p. 180 of Surat Yousuf, verse 55

105 Al-Sadooq's Amaali, p. 72

106 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, p. 193

107 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 153

108 Qurb al-Isnad, p. 200

109 Ibid.

110 As quoted in Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 165

111 Ibid., p. 147

112 Ibid., p. 147

113 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 151

114 Tabari, Vol. 8, p. 555, under the heading "Events of the Year 201."

115 'Ilal al-Sharai', Vol. 1, p. 226

116 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 167

117 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 139

118 Ibid., Vol. 2, p. 140

119 Al-Irshad, p. 291, and Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, pp. 375-376

120 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 143. Some may doubt that these verses were actually composed by Abu Nuwas since he died at least three years before Imam al-Rida (A.S.) was named as the regent, for it is said that he died in 195, or in 198, whereas others put the year of his death quite differently from either. The regency event is supposed to have taken place in the year 201. If this is accepted, then he could not have been present there nor could he have composed verses on the occasion. There are two possibilities here:

1. The first is that the poet was indeed Abu Nuwas, the renown poet, but he composed them at a different time, which is quite possible since he is known to have composed verses in praise of the Imam;
2. The second is that it was said by another Abu Nuwas who was known as Abu Nuwas al-Haqq who was a follower of Imam al-Hadi (A.S.), and his name was Abu al-Sari Sahl ibn Ya'qub, and he used to behave in a morally loose manner and flatter people and even pretend that he was a Shi'a in order to save his skin. When Imam al-Hadi (A.S.) heard that about him, he called him the true (al-Haqq) Abu Nuwas, according to Al-Kuna wal Alqab (nicknames and titles) by al-Qummi, Vol. 1, p. 170.

What ought to be verified is the claim that the "true" Abu Nuwas lived long enough to be contemporary to Imam al-Rida (A.S.), and we have no evidence that that was the case. It is possible that he was counted among the followers of Imam al-Hadi (A.S.) by someone who did not actually live during the time of the Imam (A.S.) which proves the contrary; therefore, the first possibility seems to be more likely, and God knows best.

121 Al-Aghani, Vol. 2, pp. 69-81

122 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 264

123 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol 2, pp. 159-164

124 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, p. 197

125 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 44

126 Ibn Khaldun, Vol. 3, p. 245

127 Ibn Khaldun, Vol. 3, p. 249

128 Tabari, Vol. 8, p. 564

129 Tabari, Vol. 8, p. 565

130 Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 491, and Al-Irshad, p. 294

131 Tabari, Vol. 8, p. 565. Ibn Khaldun mentions a similar story in Vol. 3, p. 250, of his work

132 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 6, p. 159

133 Tabari, Vol. 8, p. 558, "Events of the Year 203 A.H."

134 Ibn Khaldun, Vol. 3, p. 250

135 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 242

136 Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p. 380

137 Al-Irshad, p. 297. A similar narrative is mentioned in Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, pp. 377-378

138 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 18

139 Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p. 378

140 Ibid., p. 380

141 Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, pp. 378-380

142 Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 5, pp. 175-177

143 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 233

144 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 233

145 Ibid., Vol. 2, p. 234

146 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 208

147 Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p. 443

148 Al-Muhadarat fi al-Fiqh al-Ja'feri by al-Sayyid al-Shahroodi, "Report on Imam al-Khoi's Lecture," Vol. 1, p. 7

149 Tibb al-Rida ("Medicine of al-Rida"), "Multaqa al-'Asrayn" series, issue number 2, p. 130

150 Ibid., pp. 19-20

151 A'yan al-Shi'a, Vol. 4, pp. 2, 143 and 144

152 Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, p. 121

153 Al-Thariya:54

154 Al Thariyat:55

155 Aali Imran:7

156 Aali Imran:33

157 Al Anbiyaa:87

158 Yousuf:24

159 Al Ahzab:37

160 Al Ahzab:37

161 Al-'Iqd al-Farid, Vol. 2, p. 285 and also Vol. 5, p. 103

162 Al Jathiya:29

163 Al An'aam:28

164 Al Baqara:30

165 Al Baqara:15

166 Al Tawba:79

167 Aali 'Imran:54

168 Al Nisaa:142

169 Fatir:43

170 Al Naml:50-51

171 Al Tawba:67

172 Al A'raaf:51

173 Maryam:64

174 Al Baqara:17

175 Al Qiyama:22-23

176 Al Mutaffifin (or Tatfif):15

177 Al Fajr:22

178 Al Zumar:62

179 Al Rum:40

180 Al Baqara:124

181 Al Anbiyaa:72-73

182 Aaali 'Imran:68

183 Al Baqara:247

184 Al Nisaa:54

185 Al Hijr:75

186 Hud:7

187 Younus:99-100

188 Al Baqara:22

189 Al Baqara:22

190 Ibid

191 Al An'aam:76-79

192 Al An'aam:83

193 Yousuf:110

194 Yousuf:87

195 Al Baqarah:229

196 Al Nissa':34

197 Bukhari, Vol. 8, p. 119, Amiri edition

198 Al Mumin (or Ghafir):84-85

199 Al An'aam:158

200 Younus:90-92

201 Taha:66

202 Aali 'Imran:49

203 Al Ra'd:38

204 Al Jinn:26-27

205 Al A'raf:199

206 Al Baqara:177

207 Al Kahaf:62

208 Al Baqara:23

209 Aali 'Imran:110

210 Al Anfal:42

211 Saad:26

212 Al Hijr (The Rocky Tract):92-93

213 Bani Israil:34

214 Al Ahqaf:9

215 Al An'am:57

216 Aali 'Imran:179