Imam Reza (as) describes his death
Abi Al-Salt Al-Harawi reported: “As I was standing with Imam Al-Al-Reza (as), he told me: “O Aba Al-Salt, enter this dome to the grave of Harun and bring me soil from its four sides.” I went and brought him what he asked for. When I came back to him, he said: “Give me some of that soil.”, as he was standing on the door. I gave it to him. He (as) took it and smelled it, then he threw it. He then said: “A grave for me will be dug here, and there will be a rock, by which if all of the mattocks of Khurasan gathered to take it out, it wouldn’t come out. At the legs and at the head there similar rocks.” Then he (as) said: “Give me this soil as it is from my soil. In this place, a grave will be dug for me. Command them to dig for me the distance of seven steps downstairs, and to place a tomb on it. If they insisted to bury me, command them to widen my grave two arms and a span, by which Allah will widen it for me as much as He wants. When they do that, you’ll will notice a dampness at my head. Then, speak the words that I will teach you. Water will flow out till it fills my grave. Then, you will see baby fish. You will feed them the bread that I will give you and it will eat it. When they eat all of it, a big fish will come out and eat all of the baby fish till none of them remains, and then it will disappear. When it disappears, put your hand on the water and speak the words that I will teach you. It will drain away. Do that only in the presence of Al-Ma’mun.”
Then he (as) said: “O Aba Al-Salt, tomorrow I will visit this obscene one. If I come out with a bare head, talk to me and I will talk to you. If I come out with a covered head, do not talk to me.” On the other day, he (as) put on his clothes and sat in his prayer niche waiting. As he was waiting, Al-Ma’mun’s servant came in and told him: “Answer the prince.” He (as) put on his shoes and cloak and he walked to him. I was following him from behind. He came in to Al-Ma’mun who had a plate of grapes and a plate of fruits in front of him. He was holding a half-eaten bunch of grapes. When he saw Al-Reza (as), he approached him and hugged him, then kissed between his eyes, and asked him to sit with him. Then he gave him the bunch of grapes, and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, have you seen grapes better than these?” Al-Reza (as) said: “Maybe it was good grapes from heaven.” He said to him: “Eat from it.” Al-Reza (as) said: “Can you spare me from that?” He said: “You have to. Why don’t you want? Are you accusing us of anything?” So he took the bunch of grapes and ate the grapes, then he gave it to Al-Reza (as) who ate three grapes from it. Then he (as) left it and stood up. Al-Ma’mun said: “Where are you going?” He (as) said: “To where you sent me.” He came out with his head covered, thus I did not speak to him till he entered his house. He commanded the door to be closed, so it was closed. Then he slept on his bed. I stayed standing in the body of the house in distress and grief. As I was standing, a good-looking young man with a curly hair that looked the most like Al-Reza (as) came to me. I asked him first: “From where did you enter when the door is closed?” He (as) responded: “The One who brought me from Al-Madina at this time is the one who allowed me to enter the house when the door is closed.” I told him: “Who are you?” He (as) said: “I’m the argument of Allah over you O Aba Al-Salt. I’m Mohammad son of Ali.” Then he went to his father (as), and commanded me to come in with him. When Al-Rrza (as) looked at him, he leaned to him and hugged him to his chest, then kissed between his eyes. Then he pulled him to his bed. Mohammad son of Ali (as) threw himself to him kissing him. He told him something that I did not understand. I saw on Al-Reza (as) lips foam that is whiter than snow. I saw Imam Abu Jafar licking it with his tongue. Then he put his hand between his cloak and chest, and brought out something that looked like a bird. Imam Abu Jafar (as) swallowed it, and Al-Reza (as) passed away. Imam Abu Jafar (as) said: “Get up O Aba Al-Salt, bring me the bath tub and water from the closet.” I said: “There is neither bath tub nor water in the closet!” He (as) said: “Do what I’m commanding you to do.” I went to the closet and I found a bath tub and water. I brought and it rolled my sleeves to help wash him (as) with him (as). He (as) told me: “Step aside O Aba Al-Salt, there is whom who will help me besides you.” He washed him and then told me: “Go to the closet and bring the basket that has his shroud and scent for embalming him.” I went and I saw a basket that I never saw in the closet before. I carried it to him. He put the shroud on him and prayed on him. Then he (as) said: “Bring me the coffin.” I said: “Do I got to the carpenter to bring a coffin?” He (as) said: “Go to the closet. There’s a coffin there.” I went to the closet and I found a coffin that I never saw before. I brought it to him. He (as) carried Al-Reza (as) after he prayed on him and put him inside the coffin and straightened his feet. Then he (as) prayed two Rak’as. He did not finish praying till the coffin rose and the ceiling cracked. The coffin went out of the crack and left. I said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, now Al-Ma’moun will come and ask me about Al-Reza (as), what should I do?” He (as) said: “Be silenced. He will come back. O Aba Al-Salt, no prophet dies in the east and his custodian is at the west, but Allah gathers their souls and bodies.” As soon as we stopped talking, the ceiling cracked and the coffin came down. He (as) brought Al-Reza (as) out of the coffin and put him on his bed as if he was not washed nor had his shroud put on him. He (as) then said: “O Aba Al-Salt, open the door for Al-Ma’mun.” So I opened the door. It was Al-Ma’mon and his servants. He came in crying and grieving, as he was mourning and beating at his face, saying: “O my master, I’m grieved by you O my master.” Then he came in and sat at his head and said: “Let’s prepare him. He commanded to dig the grave. I went to the position and everything was like Al-Reza (as) described for me. Some of his companions said: “Don’t you claim that he is an Imam?” He said: “Yes.” They said: “The Imam is only buried with his head to the front.” He commanded to dig his grave with the direction of Al-Qibla. I told him: “He commanded me to dig for him the distance of seven arms and place a tomb for him.” He said: “Do whatever Abo Al-Salt commands you to do, except for the tomb. Dig a grave for him and bury him.” When he saw the dampness that came out and the fish and other than that, Al-Ma’mun said: “Al-Reza (as) showed us his wonders in his lifetime and at his death.” One of his ministers told him: “Do you understand what did Al-Reza tell you?” He said: “No.” He said: “He told you that with your numerous numbers and your long duration, your domination Abbasids is like these fish. When you pass away, and your domination ends, Allah will empower a man of us over you to annihilate you.” He told him: “You are right.” Then he told me: “O Aba Al-Salt, teach me the words that you spoke.” I told him: “I forgot the words once I spoke them.” I was honest. He commanded to imprison me. Al-Reza (as) was buried and I was imprisoned for a year. The prison distressed me. So I stayed awake during one night supplicating to Allah with a supplication in which I mentioned Mohammad and the household of Mohammad, and I asked Him by their right to relieve me. Once I finished supplicating, Mohammad son of Ali (as) came to me and said: “O Aba Al-Salt, are you distressed?” I said: “Yes, I swear by Allah.” He (as) said: “Get up and leave.” He hit with his hand the chains that were tightening me and he set me free. He took by my hand and led me out of the prison. The guards and servants saw me but they could not talk to me. I left the prison. He (as) said: “Leave in Allah’s trust. You shall never meet him and he shall never reach you.” I never met Al-Ma’mun up till now.”
----------- عيون أخبار الرضا (ع) ج 2 ص 242، الأمالي الصدوق ص 661، روضة الواعظين ج 1 ص 229، إعلام الورى ص 340, مدينة المعاجز ج 7 ص 158، بحار الأنوار ج 49 ص 300، العوالم ج 22 ص 494
