Ali al-Rida
Ali al-Rida عَلِيُّ الرِّضَا Eighth Imam of Twelver Shi'ism | |
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 16th‑century Ottoman iconographic depiction of Ali al-Rida | |
| 8th Shia Imam | |
| In office 148 AH (765/766 CE) – 203 AH (818/819 CE) | |
| Preceded by | Musa al-Kazim |
| Succeeded by | Muhammad al-Jawad |
| Heir apparent of the Abbasid Caliphate | |
| In office 201 AH (817 CE) – 203 AH (818 CE) | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | c. 29 December 765 (11 Dhu al-Qa'da 148 AH) |
| Died | c. 5 September 818 (17 Safar 203 AH) (aged 53–55) |
| Cause of death | Poisoned by Al-Ma'mun |
| Resting place | Imam Reza Shrine, Mashhad, Iran 36°17′13″N 59°36′56″E / 36.28694°N 59.61556°E |
| Home town | Medina |
| Spouse |
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| Children | Muhammad al-Jawad |
| Parents |
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| Other name | Abu al-Hasan |
| Relatives | |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Lineage | Ahl al-Bayt, Alid, Fatimid, Husaynid, Banu Hashim |
| Sect | Shia |
| Part of a series on Shia Islam |
| Twelver Shi'ism |
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 Shia Islam portal |
Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (Arabic: علي بن موسى الرضا, romanized: ʿAlī ibn Mūsā al-Riḍā, c. 29 December 765 – c. 5 September 818) was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the eighth of the Twelve Imams, succeeding his father Musa al-Kazim and his grandfather Ja'far al-Sadiq. His lineage traces through Ali and Fatima, via the line of Husayn. He is also part of the chain of mystical authority in Sunni Sufism. A number of works are attributed to him, including Sahifah al-Rida, Fiqh al-Rida, and Al-Risala al-Dhahabiyya, the most precious Islamic work in the Science of Medicine. Uyoun Akhbar Al-Rida includes his debates with scholars of various religions, biographical details, and even the miracles which have occurred at his shrine.
Al-Rida was born in Medina into Muhammad's household in 765 CE. He was contemporary with the Abbasid caliphs Harun al-Rashid, al-Amin, and al-Ma'mun. Both Shia and Sunni sources describe him as exceptionally knowledgeable in youth, engaging in scholarly discussions with the greatest scholars of his time. By the age of twenty, al-Rida was issuing fatwas at the Prophet's Mosque, with his reputation spreading throughout the Islamic world. His father designated him as his successor during his lifetime. After his father's death, al-Rida adopted a quiescent life in Medina and focused on teaching, but his growing reputation drew the attention of the Abbasid caliph al-Maʾmun. Following the Fourth Fitna, the caliph faced Shia uprisings. To legitimize his rule, al-Ma'mun summoned al-Rida to Khorasan and coerced him into accepting the position of heir apparent. Despite the reluctance, al-Rida accepted the offer on the condition that he would not interfere in governmental affairs. His forced journey from Medina to Khorasan is the most significant episode of his lifetime. Among the events that were recorded, the most notable is the Hadith of the Golden Chain.
Upon arriving in Khorasan, al-Ma'mun offered the throne to al-Rida, which the Imam refused. After al-Rida's appointment, the Abbasids in Baghdad opposed al-Mamun's decision. The caliph was briefly deposed in favor of Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi, prompting him to march with al-Rida toward Baghdad. The Imam, however, fell ill and died mysteriously when the party reached Tus in 818 CE. His sudden death followed shortly after the assassination of Fadl ibn Sahl, the Persian vizier of al-Mamun who was close to the Imam. al-Mamun is widely seen as responsible for both deaths, as he made concessions to the Arab party to smooth his return to Baghdad. Tus declined over time, and the nearby village of Sanabad rose to prominence due to it being developed around the tomb of al-Rida, changing its name to Mashhad ("place of martyrdom"). The Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, Iran, is one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, where 30 million of Muslims making pilgrimage annually. It is the world's largest mosque after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.