Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Chapter 56: On Ar-Ridha’’s Answer to Abi Qorrah - a friend of the Catholic Archbishop

56-1 Ahmad ibn Ziyad al-Hamadani, Al-Husayn ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmad ibn Hashem al-Mokattib and Ali ibn Abdullah al-Warraq - may God be pleased with them - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of Safwan ibn Yahya - Al-Saberi’s friend, “Abu Qorrah - a friend of al-Jaseliq - asked me to take him to the meeting held by Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.). I requested permission to do so. Then the Imam (a.s.) (granted permission and) said, ‘Bring him in.’ Then when Abu Qor’rah entered, he kissed the rug beneath the Imam’s (a.s.) feet and said, ‘This is how our religion has instructed us to treat the noble ones of our era. May God keep you healthy. What is your opinion about one group who has a claim and another group that are known to be just and acknowledge their claim?’ The Imam (a.s.) said, ‘Their claim is right.’ Then Abu Qorrah asked, ‘What about another group who have a claim, but they cannot find any witnesses to prove their claim other than themselves?’

The Imam (a.s.) replied, ‘Their claim is rejected.’ Abu Qorrah man said, ‘Now we claim that Jesus is the Spirit of God and His Word which He induced into (the Blessed Lady) Mary (a.s.). The Muslims agree with us regarding this claim. However, the Muslims claim that Muhammad is a Prophet of God, but we do not acknowledge their claim. Therefore what both groups agree upon is better than what they disagree upon.’ Then Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘John.’ The Imam (a.s.) replied, ‘O John! We believe in Jesus (a.s.) - the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary (a.s.) and the Spirit of God - and His Word who believed in Muhammad (a.s.). Jesus (a.s.) gave the glad tidings of Muhammad’s (a.s.) coming, and Jesus (a.s.) himself confessed that he was a servant who has a Lord. Then if the Jesus in whom you believe is not so, and he does not believe in Muhammad (a.s.) and does not believe in being a servant of God and does not accept God the Honorable the Exalted to be his Lord, then we reject such a Jesus. Then how could we reject him and you claim that we agree with each other?’ Then (John) Abu Qorrah stood up and told me (i.e. Safwan ibn Yahya), ‘Stand up. This meeting was not beneficial for us.’”

56- بابُ جَواب الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ سُؤالِ أَبي قرّةً صاحِبَ الجاثليقِ‏

1- حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ زِيادِ بْنِ جَعْفَر الهَمْدانِيَّ وَالحُسَيْنِ بْنِ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ هاشِم المكتب وَعَلِىِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه الوَرَّاقُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ قالُوا حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِم‏عَنْ صَفْوانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى صاحِبَ السابري قالَ سَأَلَنِي أَبُو قُرَّةَ صَاحِبُ الْجَاثَلِيقِ أَنْ أُوصِلَهُ إِلَى الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ أَدْخِلْهُ عَلَيَّ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ قَبَّلَ بِسَاطَهُ وَقَالَ هَكَذَا عَلَيْنَا فِي دِينِنَا أَنْ نَفْعَلَ بِأَشْرَافِ أَهْلِ زَمَانِنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقُولُ فِي فِرْقَةٍ ادَّعَتْ دَعْوَى فَشَهِدَتْ لَهُمْ فِرْقَةٌ أُخْرَى مُعَدِّلُونَ قَالَ الدَّعْوَى لَهُمْ قَالَ فَادَّعَتْ فِرْقَةٌ أُخْرَى دَعْوَى فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا شُهُوداً مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ قَالَ لا شَيْ‏ءَ لَهُمْ قَالَ فَإِنَّا نَحْنُ ادَّعَيْنَا أَنَّ عِيسَى رُوحُ اللَّهِ.

وَكَلِمَتُهُ فَوَافَقَنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَادَّعَى الْمُسْلِمُونَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً نَبِيٌّ فَلَمْ نُتَابِعْهُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَا أَجْمَعْنَا عَلَيْهِ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا افْتَرَقْنَا فِيهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مَا اسْمُكَ قَالَ يُوحَنَّا قَالَ يَا يُوحَنَّا إِنَّا آمَنَّا بِعِيسَى رُوحِ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتِهِ الَّذِي كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَيُبَشِّرُ بِهِ وَيُقِرُّ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ عَبْدٌ مَرْبُوبٌ فَإِنْ كَانَ عِيسَى الَّذِي هُوَ عِنْدَكَ رُوحُ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ لَيْسَ هُوَ الَّذِي آمَنَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَبَشَّرَ بِهِ وَلا هُوَ الَّذِي أَقَرَّ لِلَّهِ بِالْعُبُودِيَّةِ وَالرُّبُوبِيَّةِ فَنَحْنُ مِنْهُ بِرَاءٌ فَأَيْنَ اجْتَمَعْنَا فَقَامَ فَقَالَ لِصَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى قُمْ فَمَا كَانَ أَغْنَانَا عَنْ هَذَا الْمجْلِسِ.

Chapter 57: On What Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said on the Subject of Divine Leadership to Yahya ibn ad-Dhahhak al-Samarqandi in the Presence of Al-Ma’mun

57-1 Al-Hakim Abu Ali Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad al-Bayhaqi narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowli said that there have been various forms of narration transmitted from Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) in various wordings for which I have not found any authentic document. I have seen the various forms. I will include the meaning of this narration here, even though it has been narrated in different words.

“Al-Ma’mun wished in his heart that Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) would fail in the arguments and be overcome by the opposing sides. However, Al-Ma’mun acted differently on the surface. Then Al-Ma’mun gathered together the jurisprudents and the masters of eloquent speech, and privately told them to argue with the Imam (a.s.) on the subject of Divine Leadership. Then Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) told them, ‘Please choose one person from among yourselves to argue with me on your behalf. Then whatever becomes imperative for him is going to be imperative for all of you.’ Then they chose a man known as Yahya ibn adh-Dhahhak al-Samarqandi for whom there was no man in Khorasan (in Persia) to challenge. Then Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) told him, ‘O Yahya! Ask me about anything you wish.’ Yahya said, ‘I will ask about Divine Leadership. How do you claim one to be a Divine Leader who did not lead the people (perhaps he was referring to Imam Ali (a.s.)), and abandon one who has led the people and the people are content with his Divine Leadership?’ Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) told him, ‘O Yahya! Tell me, which of the following two people are right: One who acknowledges a person who denounces himself, and one who acknowledges a person who considers himself to be honest! Which of the two are right, and which one is wrong?’ Then Yahya remained silent. Al-Ma’mun told him, ‘Answer him.’ Yahya said, ‘O the Commander of the Faithful (i.e. Al-Ma’mun)! Please excuse me from answering.’ Al-Ma’mun said, ‘O Abal Hassan (Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.))! We understand your intentions behind asking this question.’ Then the Imam (a.s.) said, ‘Now Yahya must inform us about which of his leaders have denounced themselves and which ones have acknowledged themselves. If he thinks that they have denounced themselves, then they do not deserve to be Divine Leaders. And if he

57- بابُ ذِكرَ ما كَلَّمَ بِهِ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَحْيَى بْنِ الضَّحّاكِ السَمَرْقَنْدِيُ‏

فِي الإِمامَة عِنْدَ الْمَأمُونِ‏

1- حَدَّثَنا الْحاكِم أَبُو عَلِي الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أحْمَد الْبِيْهَقِيُّ قالَ حَدَّثَني مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الصُّوليُّ قالَ يُحْكَى لِلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ خَبَرٌ مُخْتَلِفُ الأَلْفَاظِ لَمْ تَقَعْ لِي رِوَايَتُهُ بِإِسْنَادٍ أَعْمَلُ عَلَيْهِ وَقَدِ اخْتُلِفَ أَلْفَاظُ مَنْ رَوَاهُ إِلا أَنِّي سَ‏آتِي بِهِ وَبِمَعَانِيهِ وَإِنِ اخْتَلَفَتْ أَلْفَاظُهُ كَانَ الْمَأْمُونُ فِي بَاطِنِهِ يُحِبُّ سَقَطَاتِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَأَنْ يَعْلُوَهُ الْمحْتَجُّ وَإِنْ أَظْهَرَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ عِنْدَهُ الْفُقَهَاءُ وَالْمُتَكَلِّمُونَ فَدَسَّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنْ نَاظِرُوهُ فِي الإِمَامَةِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ اقْتَصِرُوا عَلَى وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ يَلْزَمُكُمْ مَا لَزِمَهُ فَرَضُوا بِرَجُلٍ يُعْرَفُ بِيَحْيَى بْنِ الضَّحَّاكِ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيِّ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ بِخُرَاسَانَ مِثْلُهُ فَقَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَا يَحْيَى سَلْ مَا شِئْتَ فَقَالَ نَتَكَلَّمُ فِي الإِمَامَةِ كَيْفَ ادَّعَيْتَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَؤُمَّ وَتَرَكْتَ مَنْ أَمَّ وَوَقَعَ الرِّضَا بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا يَحْيَى أَخْبِرْنِي عَمَّنْ صَدَقَ كَاذِباً عَلَى نَفْسِهِ أَوْ كَذَبَ صَادِقاً عَنْ نَفْسِهِ أَيَكُونُ مُحِقّاً مُصِيباً أَمْ مُبْطِلاً مُخْطِئاً فَسَكَتَ يَحْيَى.

فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ أَجِبْهُ فَقَالَ يُعْفِينِي أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ جَوَابِهِ فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ عَرِّفْنَا الْغَرَضَ فِي هَذِهِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ فَقَالَ لا بُدَّ لِيَحْيَى مِنْ أَنْ يُخْبِرَ عَنْ أَئِمَّتِهِ أَنَّهُمْ كَذَبُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَوْ صَدَقُوا فَإِنْ زَعَمُوا أَنَّهُمْ كَذَبُوا فَلا إِمَامَةَ لِكَذَّابٍ وَإِنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُمْ صَدَقُوا فَقَدْ قَالَ

thinks that they have acknowledged themselves, then the first one said, ‘I have attained mastery over you but I am not the best of you.’ And the one who comes next will say, ‘It was a mistake to pledge allegiance to the first one. Kill anyone who does this again.’ Then, by God, he was not pleased with anything but killing those who repeated that. Then when someone is not the best of the people - given that to be the best is only possible by having such characteristics as knowledge, struggling in the way of God, and possessing other nobilities - none of which he possessed; then how can the pledge of allegiance to someone be proper if the pledge of allegiance to one has made such a mistake which deserves that anyone doing such an act (pledge of allegiance) be killed. How can his leadership be acceptable for others while he is as such? Then he himself said the following on the pulpit, ‘Indeed there is a Satan within me which may overcome me. Please direct me to the straight way whenever he (the Satan within me) makes me go astray. And please advise me whenever I make a mistake.’ Therefore, they themselves declare that they are not Divine Leaders whether they are telling the truth or lying.’ Then Yahya had no answer to give. Then Al-Ma’mun got surprised about what the Imam (a.s.) had said and said, ‘O Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.)! There exists no one else but you on the Earth who can speak so eloquently.’”