On Indications of the Divine Leadership of Ar-Ridha عليه السلام

47-20 Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran ad-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abi Abdullah al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Jareer ibn Hazim, on the authority of Abi Masrooq, “A group of the waqafites went to see Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام. Ali ibn Hamza al-Bata’ini, Ibn Ishaq ibn Ammar, Al-Husayn ibn Mihran, Al-Hassan ibn Abi Sa’eed al-Mokari were amongst them. Ali ibn Hamza asked the Imam عليه السلام, ‘May I be your ransom! What do you know about your father? How is his health?’ The Imam عليه السلام said, ‘In fact, he عليه السلام has died.’ Ali ibn Hamza asked, ‘Who has your father عليه السلام introduced to succeed him?’ The Imam عليه السلام replied, ‘Me.’ Ali ibn Hamza said, ‘You aresaying what none of your forefathers starting with Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام and those who came after him have said.’ The Imam عليه السلام said, ‘But the best and the noblest of my forefathers who is the Prophet of God عليه السلام has said that.’ Ali ibn Hamza said, ‘Don’t you feel threatened by this tribe (the Abbasids) and aren’t you afraid of them?’ The Imam عليه السلام said, ‘If I fear them, I have assisted them against me. Abu Lahab went to the Prophet of God عليه السلام and threatened him. God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم told him, ‘If I should fear you in the least, I have lied. I have lied about my Prophethood.’ This was the first sign of the Prophet of God عليه السلام. This is also my first sign for you. I have lied if Harun harms me in the least.’ Al-Husayn ibn Mihran said, ‘You have done what we want when you publicly announce your Divine Leadership.’ The Imam عليه السلام asked that man, ‘Do you want me to go to Harun in person and tell him that I am the do this in the beginning of his call. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم only Divine Leader and he is nothing? The Prophet of God عليه السلام did not inform his near relatives, friends and trusted friends about his Prophethood, and invited them to accept Islam. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم did not invite all the people. You have accepted the Divine Leadership of my forefathers and think that Ali ibn Musa عليه السلام is denying his father being alive due to the concealment of faith. But how is it that I announce my Divine Leadership to you without any concealment of faith, and openly declare that I am the Divine Leader? If my father عليه السلام was alive, how could I hide it from you and tell you that he عليه السلام has passed away?’”The author of this book (a.s.heikh Sadooq) - may God have Mercy upon him - said, “The reason why the Imam عليه السلام did not fear (Harun) Ar-Rashid was due to the Covenant he had in which his murderer was declared to be Al-Ma’mun and no one else.”