Question:

An innovator claimed that a man told Imam Ar-Rida (a.) about people standing in front of the grave of his father (a.) and believing that he had not passed away, whereupon he called them liars and expressed that no one was entitled to a long life except the Prophet (s.). He gave Rijal-ul-Kashi on page 485 as the source. The intention is to reject the long life of the twelfth Imam (a.), may his arrival be hastened. Is this the actual wording of the report?

Response:

The servant of Umar lied!

Ya’qub Ibn Yazid reported that Muhammad Ibn Abi Umair said: “A man from our companions said to Imam Ali Ar-Rida (a.): “My life be sacrificed for you! A group stopped at your father (a.). They claim that he did not die.” He said: “They have lied and disbelieved in what God has revealed upon Prophet Muhammad (s.) and if God would extend the term of any among the children of Adam (a.) due to the need that the creation has for him, then God would have extended the term of the Messenger (s.).” [Rijal Al-Kashi, page 485]

محمد بن الحسن البراثي، عن أبي علي، عن يعقوب بن يزيد عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن رجل من أصحابنا قال: قلت للرضا عليه السلام: جعلت فداك قوم قد وقفوا على أبيك يزعمون أنه لم يمت قال: كذبوا وهم كفار بما أنزل الله عز وجل على محمد صلى الله عليه وآله، ولو كان الله يمد في أجل أحد من بني آدم لحاجة الخلق إليه لمد الله في أجل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله

The Qur’an states:

“The term of God, when it arrives, cannot be postponed, if only you knew it!” [Nuh 71:4]

إن أجل الله إذا جاء لا يؤخر لو كنتم تعلمون

That group denied the death of Imam Musa Al-Kazim (a.) and claimed that it had been postponed to another period. However, if God had ever postponed the time limit set by Him, it would have been at most in the case of Prophet Muhammad (s.), who stayed on earth for at least 60 years.

The Infallible (a.) neither rejected the long life of Noah (a.):

“And We sent Noah to his people. He dwelt among them a thousand years minus fifty years. Then the flood seized them while they were doing wrong.” [Al-Ankabut 29:14]

ولقد أرسلنا نوحا إلى قومه فلبث فيهم ألف سنة إلا خمسين عاما فأخذهم الطوفان وهم ظالمون

Nor did the Infallible One (a.) reject the long life of Jesus (a.):

“God has raised him unto Himself. God is almighty and His wisdom knows no limits. And there is no one among the People of the Book who would not believe in him even before his death. On the Day of Resurrection, He will be a witness over them.” [An-Nisa’ 4:158-159]

بل رفعه الله إليه وكان الله عزيزا حكيما وإن من أهل الكتاب إلا ليؤمنن به قبل موته ويوم القيامة يكون عليهم شهيدا

Al-Harawi reported that he asked Imam Ali Ar-Rida (a.): “What is the miracle of the Riser (Qaim ajf) from among you when he appears?” He said: “His miracle is that he is an aged man in old age while he appears young outwardly, so that whoever looks at him would estimate his age to be forty years or less and his miracle also includes that old age does not overcome him through the change of days and nights until God makes his term come.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, Volume 52 Page 285 Hadith 16]

 الطالقاني، عن أحمد بن علي الأنصاري، عن الهروي قال: قلت للرضا عليه السلام: ما علامة القائم عليه السلام منكم إذا خرج؟ قال: علامته أن يكون شيخ السن شاب المنظر، حتى أن الناظر إليه ليحسبه ابن أربعين سنة أو دونها وإن من علامته أن لا يهرم بمرور الأيام والليالي عليه حتى يأتي أجله