Hadith 40-9

حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى المكتب قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو الطَّيِّبِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد الوَرَّاقُ قالَ‏عَلِىِّ بْنِ هارُونَ الحِمْيَريُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمان النُّوفَلِيِّ قالَ إِنَّ الْمَأْمُونَ لَمَّا جَعَلَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَلِيَّ عَهْدِهِ وَإِنَّ الشُّعَرَاءَ قَصَدُوا الْمَأْمُونَ وَوَصَلَهُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ جَمَّةٍ حِينَ مَدَحُوا الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَصَوَّبُوا رَأْيَ الْمَأْمُونِ فِي الأَشْعَارِ دُونَ أَبِي نُوَاسٍ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَقْصِدْهُ وَلَمْ يَمْدَحْهُ وَدَخَلَ إِلَى الْمَأْمُونِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَبَا نُوَاسٍ قَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَكَانَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضَا مِنِّي وَمَا أَكْرَمْتُهُ بِهِ فَلِمَاذَا أَخَّرْتَ مَدْحَهُ وَأَنْتَ شَاعِرُ زَمَانِكَ وَقَرِيعُ دَهْرِكَ فَأَنْشَأَ يَقُولُ: قِيلَ لِي أَنْتَ أَوْحَدُ النَّاسِ طُرّاً لَكَ مِنْ جَوْهَرِ الْكَلامِ بَدِيعٌ فَعَلَى مَا تَرَكْتَ مَدْحَ ابْنِ مُوسَى قُلْتُ لا أَهْتَدِي لِمَدْحِ إمَامٍ فِي فُنُونٍ مِنَ الْكَلامِ النَّبِيهِ يُثْمِرَ الدُّرَّ فِي يَدَيْ مُجْتَنِيهِ وَالخِصَالَ الَّتِي تَجَمَّعْنَ فِيهِ كَانَ جِبْرِيلُ خَادِماً لأَبِيهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ أَحْسَنْتَ وَوَصَلَهُ مِنَ الْمَالِ بِمِثْلِ الَّذِي وَصَلَ بِهِ كَافَّةَ الشُّعَرَاءِ وَفَضَّلَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ.

Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Mokattib narrated that Abul Tayyeb Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Warraq quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Harun al-Hemayri, on the authority of Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Soleiman al-Nowafali, “When Al-Ma’mun established Ali ibn Musa (a.s.) as his successor to the throne, the poets came to Al-Ma’mun and praised Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.). Al-Ma’mun gave them rewards since the poems that they uttered were in line with Al-Ma’mun’s viewpoints. All the famous poets came except Abu Nuwas. He did not come and did not praise Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.). When he visited Al-Ma’mun, Al-Ma’mun said, ‘O Abu Nuwas! You know the position that Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) has in my sight, and how much I respect him. Then why did you procrastinate in praising him for this position while you are the best poet of the time?’ Then Abu Nuwas said, Al-Ma’mun said, “Very well said.” He granted him as much reward as he had granted the other poets altogether and considered him to be high above them all.