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• 9 Thul Qida 1447

The Representative of the Supreme Religious Authority in Europe commemorates the birth anniversary of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (P) and states:
• We stand before a life rich in giving, filled with moments in which the meanings of knowledge, worship, patience, and wisdom are vividly manifested.
• The life of Imam al-Rida (P) was not merely an individual biography; rather, it was a comprehensive school in shaping the mission-oriented human being—one who combines deep awareness with responsible engagement with reality—thus requiring us to take it as a model to emulate.

Wednesday, 11 Dhu al-Qa‘dah, corresponding to 29 April 2026, marks the birth anniversary of Imam al-Rida (P). On this blessed occasion, the believers celebrate his auspicious birth and call upon Allah, through his lofty and esteemed status, to protect people and lands from the evil of the wicked, the schemes of the immoral, and the perils of night and day. This is the least that can be done in supporting the believers and consoling them in the hardships that afflict them. We ask the Almighty to remove this distress from the Umma and to grant security, safety, and stability to their lands.
My dear ones: when we speak about the life of the Scholar of the Family of Muhammad (P), we cannot fully encompass it due to its many dimensions and horizons. However, this does not prevent us from highlighting some of the mission-oriented roles undertaken by the Imam (P) within the line of the Imams (P). The Imam (P) assumed the responsibility of deepening the concept of Imamah as a divine station that is not subject to human or political selection, especially in a time when claims had multiplied and concepts had become confused. He affirmed—through his positions and debates—that Imamah is a divinely designated appointment, founded upon knowledge and infallibility, and not subject to the will of rulers. This was clearly demonstrated in his debates convened by the Abbasid caliph al-Ma’mun, where those gatherings became platforms to articulate the status of the School of Ahl al-Bayt (P) and to establish their rightful claim to the intellectual and spiritual leadership of the Umma.
In addition, the Imam (P) contributed to shifting the center of Ahl al-Bayt’s presence from the Hijaz to broader regions of the Islamic world, particularly Khurasan. After his forced relocation there, the region transformed into a center of intellectual and spiritual illumination, and the connection to Ahl al-Bayt (P) began to expand geographically. This had a profound impact on the later spread of Shi‘ism, to the extent that the students of the School of Ahl al-Bayt (P) reached four thousand scholars.
The role of the Imam (P) was not limited to his time; rather, he played a clear role in preparing the subsequent phase in the course of Imamah by consolidating intellectual foundations, expanding its base, and cultivating a conscious elite. This paved the way for Imam al-Jawad (P) after him, who assumed the position of Imamah at a young age under circumstances that required a firmly established foundation of awareness and trust.
The role of Imam al-Rida (P) within the line of the Imams (P) was also distinguished by his ability to combine political presence with scholarly authority. On the political level, he dealt wisely with the imposition of the crown-princeship, without granting legitimacy to the Abbasid regime; rather, he exposed its contradictions. On the scholarly level, he became a major authority sought by scholars of various religions, thereby reinforcing the position of Ahl al-Bayt (P) as an intellectual and spiritual authority for the Umma. This balance between the two dimensions represents a complete model of the Imam’s role in preserving the religion and managing reality.
If we examine the roles of our Imams (P) analytically, Imam al-Rida (P) represents a pivotal link between two phases: the phase of intellectual and educational foundation and the phase of intense restriction and preparation for the Occultation. His role was akin to a bridge connecting these two stages, preserving the continuity of the Imami project and paving the way for major transformations to come. In this, the Imam (P) fulfilled his role with the highest degree of wisdom and insight, solidifying the foundations of Imamah, expanding its intellectual scope, and preparing the ground for what followed—so that the light of Ahl al-Bayt (P) remains extended through time, guiding humanity until the Day of Resurrection.
We ask Allah, the Exalted, to grant us true understanding of him (P), to follow his guidance, and to remain steadfast upon his wilayah and the wilayah of his forefathers and descendants. Indeed, He is All-Hearing, Responsive.
O Allah, send Your blessings upon Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, the chosen, the pious, the pure Imam, Your proof over those above the earth and beneath the soil, the truthful martyr—abundant, complete, pure, continuous, and successive blessings, the best You have bestowed upon any of Your close servants.