Sunnis’ Perspectives regarding the Demise or Martyrdom of His Highness Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Riḍā (P.B.U.H)

The present study is seeking to figure out the selected idea indicating his highness’s being poisoned based on a descriptive-analytical research method and through investigating and scrutinizing the various ideas mentioned in the resources and references of Sunni scholars and fellows.

The accounts on the demise or martyrdom of Imam Ali Ibn Musa (PBUH) by various historians are different and sometimes contradictory. The prevalent and popular idea amongst the scholars from Imamiyyeh Jurisprudence School is that his highness has been poisoned and martyred by Ma’amun, Abbasids’ caliph. But, the Sunni historians and scientists have expressed different and conflicting notions in this regard. Some have proposed his highness’s extreme use of grape and some have opined his highness’s being poisoned by grape or pomegranate or pomegranate juice and some others have posited that his highness has been poisoned by Abbasids proponents and there are these others who speak of his highness’s natural death and there are still many others who state that his highness has been poisoned by Ma’amun. The present study is seeking to figure out the selected idea indicating his highness’s being poisoned based on a descriptive-analytical research method and through investigating and scrutinizing the various ideas mentioned in the resources and references of Sunni scholars and fellows.

Introduction

The major concern of every history researcher is the attainment of precise information and finding out the most accurate response to the study subject of interest and it is necessary to explore political, economic, ethical, intellectual and social statuses of the intended period in a wise manner and through resorting to fairness and study the factors influencing the event of choice as well as its effects and outcomes so that the judgements could be closest to the reality.
The demise of his highness Imam Ali Ibn Musa Al-Reza (PBUH) is amongst the controversial historical issues. Generally, the debates are pertinent to whether his highness has died a natural death or has he been poisoned and, in case of the latter being true, there are yet discrepancies as to with what poison has he been martyred: has Ma’amun perpetrated such a catastrophic act or has it been another person who committed such a crime? There are conflicts, as well, regarding the martyrdom cause in such a way that some have pointed to his highness’s use of a drink and some others have posited his highness’s use of grape and there is yet a large group who have proposed his highness’s concomitant use of grape and pomegranate, though there are still these others who have sufficed to the sole mentioning of his highness’s being murdered and martyred.
Through exploring the preliminary sources and investigation of the late-coming references and making just narrations and criticisms from the historians and researchers’ reports, the authors of the present study are seeking to achieve the most acceptable and the most logical result. One should not disregard the idea that the historical data have been approached by historians who could have never offer the entire aspects and peripheries of the incidents in an accurate and perfect way, let alone those who might have even attempted the inverse reflection of them for a motivation or another; due to the same reason, judgement cannot be made exclusively based on what they have provided. In the meanwhile, it has to be emphasized that any analysis or expression of thought unlike the image portrayed in the history has to necessarily have traces in the ancient resources or the then literature otherwise it will be nothing more than a claim and guess that can be of use only to the supporters of a school of thought and the ones believing therein.

Bibliographic Information

Title: Sunnis’ Perspectives regarding the Demise or Martyrdom of His Highness Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Riḍā (P.B.U.H)

Author(s): Ayatollah ZarMuhammadi

Published in: Örgütsel Davranış Araş tırmaları Dergisi, Journal of Organizational Behavior Research, ol.: 3, Sayı / Is.: S2, Yıl/Year: 2018

 Language: English

Length: 14 Pages

Sunnis’ Perspectives regarding the Demise or Martyrdom of His Highness Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Riḍā (P.B.U.H)