No Tongue Can Praise Him.

The guardian scholar Abi Abdillah Mohammad bin Ahmad bin Shahryar Al-Khazen, narrated from Abu Abdillah Jaafar bin Mohammad bin Ahmad bin Abbas, from his father, from the blessed scholar Abu Jaafar Mohammad bin Ali (a.s.) bin Husain bin Babeweyh, from his father, from Ali bin Ibrahim, from Ibrahim bin Hashim, from Yasir Al-Khadem, who said:

When Ma’moun (la) appointed Ali bin Musa Al-Redha (a.s.) as his Prime Minister, he ordered that Ali bin Musa Al-Redha’s (as) name be embossed on the currency of the time. He ordered the speakers to praise Ali bin Musa Al-Redha (a.s.) on the Minbars and he invited all of the poets to come and praise him.

All of the poets came, and Abu No’aas Al-Hasan bin Hani was amongst them. Every poet said something and praised Ali bin Musa Al-Redha (a.s.) except Abu No’aas.

Ma’moun complained and said to him, “O Abu No’aas! You are a Shia and you love this family. Why are you quiet? Why have you not recited a poem about Ali bin Musa?” Abu No’aas replied with the following poem:

They say that I am the most skillful poet and that my words are like a beautiful treasure.

And they ask me, ‘Why have you not recited a poem about Ali bin Musa (a.s.) and his virtues?’

And I reply, ‘Jibraeel was the servant of this Imam’s father. How can I praise such an Imam?’

No tongue can praise him and no one can give justice to his status.

So Ma’moun filled his mouth with pearls.

Yasir continued narrating in this same Hadith:

Ali bin Musa Al-Redha (a.s.) looked exactly like the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Those who had seen the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in their dreams would say that they could see the face of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in Ali bin Musa’s (as) face.

One day Ali bin Musa (a.s.) left the house of Ma’moun (la) riding a very swift mule. He was wearing beautiful clothes. Abu No’aas stopped him along his way and read the following poem:

They are pure from any sin, and praise is due to them whenever they are mentioned.

If a person is not related to this family, he has nothing of which to be proud.

Allah (swt) has chosen you from among His creation and He has made you pure.

You are from the higher world and you have the knowledge of the Qur’an and its chapters.

So Ali bin Musa Al-Redha (a.s.) told Abu No’aas, “You have never recited a poem as beautiful as this. May Allah (swt) reward you for it.” Then Ali bin Musa Al-Redha (a.s.) asked his servant, “How much money do we have?”

The servant replied. “Three hundred DINARS (gold coins).”

Ali bin Musa (a.s.) ordered the servant to take the money to Abu No’aas. When the servant came back, Ali bin Musa (a.s.) said to him, “I am afraid that Abu No’aas may think that this reward was insufficient. So take this mule to him as well.”