Summary:
Is there any benefit from reading the previous Holy Books (Torah, Psalms and the Injeel)? Allah-azwj Says in the Holy Quran:
نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَنْزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ {3} مِنْ قَبْلُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَأَنْزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ ۗ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ {4}
He Revealed unto you the Book with the Truth, verifying what came before it, and He Revealed the Torah and the Evangel [3:3] Beforehand, as Guidance for the people. And He Revealed ‘الْفُرْقَانَ’ the Criterion (Clear Verses of Quran); they who disbelieve in the Signs of Allah-azwj, for them would be severe Punishment; and Allah-azwj is Mighty with the Retribution [3:4]
The Divine Books which Allah-azwj Revealed to His-azwj Prophets-as were changed and distorted by the people to justify some of their or their ruler’s actions and policies. Allah-azwj then Sent the Holy Quran which verifies what was Sent before as well as what the people need up to the Day of resurrection. Therefore, what was important from the Message of Allah-azwj has been included in the Holy Quran, and the distortions made to earlier Books have been clarified and corrected in the Holy Quran. On the distortions of the previous Books, Abu Ibrahim-asws (7th Imam-asws) says:
مِنَ الْقَوْمِ أَصِفُ لَكَ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ نَسْلِهِ وَ إِنَّهُ عِنْدَكُمْ لَفِي الْكُتُبِ الَّتِي نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنْ لَمْ تُغَيِّرُوا وَ تُحَرِّفُوا وَ تُكَفِّرُوا وَ قَدِيماً مَا فَعَلْتُمْ
(The 7th Imam‑asws) said when asked by a scholar of the previous Books: I-asws shall describe to you, what came out from his-asws (Imam Ali-asws) lineage, and he-asws is with you all in the Books which were Revealed unto you, if you have not changed, altered and the rejected (these), and for long (this is) what you have been doing’.[1]
The three Divine Books that are mentioned by name in the Holy Quran are the Tawrat (Torah); the Zabur (Psalms); and the Injeel (Injeel). The Holy Quran also mentions Revealing of the Scrolls of Abraham-as and the Scrolls of Musa-as. In Ahadith, we find the Divine Books Allah-azwj Revealed to His-azwj Prophets-as to be: ‘The Psalms of Dawood-as, and Torah of Musa-as, and Evangel of Isa-as, and Parchment of Ibrahim‑as, and the Holy Quran to Prophet Mohammed-saww.[2]
Imam Ali Reza-asws described the lost and recompilation of the Bible as:
Al-Reza-asws asked him, “How little your knowledge of the Bible and its scholars is! If what you say is right, then why is there so much dispute amongst you with each other about the Bible? The reason is that there is controversy lies in the Bible which is in your hands today. Had it been the same as the first Bible, there would be no disputes over it.
However, I-asws will clarify this for you myself-asws. Know that when the first Bible was lost, the Christians gathered around their scholars and said to them, ‘’Isa-as: the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-as has been killed, and we have lost the Bible. You are the scholars. What do you have?’ Luke, Mark and John told them, ‘We have memorized the Bible. Do not worry about it. Do not forsake the churches. We will recite each Injeel of the Bible for you on each Sunday until we put it all together.’ Then Luke, Mark, John and Matthew gathered together and put together this Bible after you had lost the first one. These four students were of the first students. Did you know that?” (An extract, Hadith to follow in the article).
Some Examples of the Distortions to the previous Divine Books:
Below are some examples of the distortion of the previous Holy Books are presented from Ahadith, and underlined are where these changes are mentioned. In the book of ‘Ahtijaj e Tabrisy’ there are additional Ahadith where Masomeen-asws have pointed out to the changes to the previous Divine Books when debating with the Christian and Jew scholars.
A Jew asks Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws some Questions referring to previous Books:
وَ مِنْهُ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ السُّلَمِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْأَزْدِيِّ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي هَارُونَ الْعَبْدِيِّ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ قَالَ: شَهِدْتُ مَشْهَداً مَا شَهِدْتُ مِثْلَهُ كَانَ أَعْجَبَ عِنْدِي وَ لَا أَوْقَعَ عَلَى قَلْبِي مِنْهُ قَالَ فَقِيلَ يَا أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ وَ مَا ذَاكَ قَالَ لَمَّا مَاتَ أَبُو بِكْرٍ أَقْبَلَ النَّاسُ يُبَايِعُونَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ إِذْ أَقْبَلَ يَهُودِيٌّ قَدْ أَقَرَّ لَهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ يَهُودُهَا أَنَّهُ أَعْلَمُهُمْ وَ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ أَبُوهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ فِيهِمْ
And from him, from Al-Hassan Bin Ali Al Sulamy, from Ahmad Bin Ayoub, from Muhammad Bin Yahya Al Azdy, from Saeed Bin Aamir, from Ja’far Bin Suleyman, from Abu Haroun Al Abdy, from Umar Bin Salamah who said,
‘I witnessed an event I have not witnessed similar to it. There was none more wondrous in my view nor more occurring upon my heart, than it’. It was said, ‘O Abu Ja’far-asws! And what is that?’ He said, ‘When Abu Bakr died, the people came pledging allegiance to Umar Bin Al-Khattab, when a Jew came. The Jews at Al-Medina had acknowledged him (the Jew) that he is their most learned, and like that was his father from before, among them.
فَقَالَ يَا عُمَرُ مَنْ أَعْلَمُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِ فَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع قَالَ فَأَتَاهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ أَنْتَ كَمَا زَعَمَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فَقَالَ لَهُ وَ مَا زَعَمَ قَالَ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّكَ أَعْلَمُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِ
He said, ‘O Umar! Who is most learned in this community of the Book of Allah-azwj and Sunnah of His-azwj Rasool-saww?’ He indicated by his hand towards Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws. The Jew came to him-asws and said, ‘O Ali-asws! Are you-asws like what Umar Bin Al-Khattab has alleged?’ He‑asws said to him: ‘And what has he alleged?’ He said, ‘He claimed that you-asws are the most learned of this community with the Book of Allah-azwj and Sunnah of His-azwj Prophet-saww’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا يَهُودِيُّ سَلْ عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ تُخْبَرْ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَائِلُكَ عَنْ ثَلَاثٍ وَ ثَلَاثٍ وَ وَاحِدَةٍ فَقَالَ ع وَ لِمَ لَا تَقُولُ سَبْعاً فَقَالَ لَهُ لَا أَقُولُ سَبْعاً وَ لَكِنْ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ ثَلَاثٍ فَإِنْ أَجَبْتَنِي فِيهِنَّ سَأَلْتُكَ عَمَّا بَعْدَهُنَّ وَ إِلَّا عَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ فِيكُمْ عَالِمٌ وَ مَضَيْتُ
He-asws said to him: ‘O Jew! Ask about whatever comes to you, you will be informed if Allah-azwj the Exalted so Desires!’ He said, ‘I ask you-asws about three, and three and one’. He-asws said: ‘And why are you not saying, seven?’ He said to him-asws, ‘I am not saying seven, but I shall ask you-asws about three, so if you-asws were to answer me about these, I shall ask you-asws about what is after these, or else I shall know that there isn’t any learned one among you all, and I shall go’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع فَإِنِّي سَائِلُكَ بِإِلَهِكَ الَّذِي تَعْبُدُهُ إِنْ أَجَبْتُكَ فِي كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتَنِي عَنْهُ لَتَدَعَنَّ دِينَكَ وَ لَتَدْخُلَنَّ فِي دِينِي فَقَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ مَا جِئْتُ إِلَّا لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع سَلْ عَمَّا شِئْتَ
Ali-asws said to him: ‘So, I-asws hereby ask you by your Allah-azwj which you worship! If I-asws were to answer you regarding all what you ask me-asws about, you will leave your religion and enter into my-asws religion’. The Jew said to him, ‘I have not come except for Al-Islam’. Ali-asws said to him: ‘Ask whatever you so desire’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَوَّلِ قَطْرَةِ دَمٍ قَطَرَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ هُوَ وَ عَنْ أَوَّلِ عَيْنٍ فَاضَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ أَيُّ عَيْنٍ هِيَ وَ أَوَّلِ شَجَرَةٍ اهْتَزَّتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ أَيُّ شَجَرَةٍ هِيَ
He said to him-asws, ‘Inform me about the first drop of blood dripping upon the surface of the earth, which thing is it? And about the first spring to burst out upon the surface of the earth, which spring is it? And the first tree planted upon the surface of the earth, which tree is it?’
فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع يَا هَارُونِيُّ أَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فَتَقُولُونَ أَوَّلُ قَطْرَةِ دَمٍ قَطَرَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ حَيْثُ قَتَلَ ابْنُ آدَمَ أَخَاهُ وَ لَيْسَ هُوَ كَمَا تَقُولُونَ وَ لَكِنْ أَقُولُ أَوَّلُ قَطْرَةٍ قَطَرَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ حَيْثُ طَمِثَتْ حَوَّاءُ وَ ذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَلِدَ ابْنَهَا شَيْثاً قَالَ صَدَقْتَ
Ali-asws said to him: ‘O (descendant of) Haroun-as! As for you (Jews), you are saying the first drop of blood to drip upon the surface of the earth was when the son-la of Adam-as killed his‑la brother-as, and it isn’t as what you are saying. But, I-asws say that the first drop to drip upon the surface of the earth was when Hawwa-as menstruated, and that was before she-as gave birth to her-as son-as Shees-as’. He said, ‘You-asws speak the truth’.
قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع أَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فَتَقُولُونَ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ شَجَرَةٍ اهْتَزَّتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ الشَّجَرَةُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ مِنْهَا سَفِينَةُ نُوحٍ وَ هِيَ الزَّيْتُونَةُ وَ لَيْسَ هُوَ كَمَا تَقُولُونَ وَ لَكِنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ الَّتِي نَزَلَتْ مَعَ آدَمَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَ هِيَ الْعَجْوَةُ وَ مِنْهَا يَتَفَرَّقُ مَا تَرَى مِنْ أَنْوَاعِ النَّخْلِ قَالَ صَدَقْتَ
Ali-asws said to him: ‘As for you (Jews), you are saying that the first tree planted upon the surface of the earth is the tree from which was (built) the ship of Noah-as, and it is the olive, and it isn’t as what you are saying. But, it was the palm tree which had come down with Adam‑as from the Garden, and it is the Ajwa (date), and from it separate what you can (now) see from the varieties of the date trees’. He said, ‘You-asws speak the truth’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع أَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فَتَقُولُونَ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ عَيْنٍ فَاضَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ عَيْنُ الْيَقُودِ وَ هِيَ الْعَيْنُ الَّتِي تَكُونُ فِي الْبَيْتِ الْمُقَدَّسِ وَ لَيْسَ هُوَ كَمَا تَقُولُونَ وَ لَكِنَّهَا عَيْنُ الْحَيَاةِ الَّتِي وَقَفَ عَلَيْهَا مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَ فَتَاهُ وَ مَعَهُمُ النُّونُ الْمَالِحَةُ فَسَقَطَتْ فِيهَا فَحَيِيَتْ وَ كَذَلِكَ مَاءُ تِلْكَ الْعَيْنِ لَا يُصِيبُ شَيْءٌ مِنْهَا إِلَّا حَيِيَ
Ali-asws said to him: ‘As for you (Jews), you are saying that the first spring to burst out upon the surface of the earth is the spring Al-Yaqoud (Al-Baqour), and it is the spring which happens to be in Bayt Al-Maqdis, and it isn’t as what you are saying. But it is the spring of like at which Musa-as Bin Imran-as and his-as youth had paused upon, and with them was the dead fish. It fell into it and was revived, and like that is the weather which is the spring. Nothing would attain from it except it would live.
وَ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ الْخَضِرُ ع عَلَى مُقَدِّمَةِ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ فِي طَلَبِ عَيْنِ الْحَيَاةِ فَأَصَابَهَا الْخَضِرُ ع فَشَرِبَ مِنْهَا وَ جَاءَ ذُو الْقَرْنَيْنِ يَطْلُبُهَا فَعَدَلَ عَنْهَا
And like that was Al-Khizr-as in the forefront of Zulqarnayn-as in seeking the spring of life. Al-Khizr-as achieved it and drank from it, and Zulqarnayn came seeking it, but deviated away from it’.
قَالَ صَدَقْتَ وَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ إِنِّي لَأَجِدُهَا فِي كِتَابِ أَبِي هَارُونَ بْنِ عِمْرَانَ كَتَبَهُ بِيَدِهِ وَ إِمْلَاءِ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ-
He said, ‘You-asws speak the truth. By the One-azwj, there is no Allah-azwj except He-azwj! I do find it (as such) in the Book of my (fore) father-as Haroun Bin Imran-as. He-asws had written it by his-as hand and it was dictated by Musa Bin Imran-as’.
قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الثَّلَاثِ الْأُخَرِ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمْ لَهُ مِنْ إِمَامٍ وَ أَيَّ جَنَّةٍ يَسْكُنُ وَ مَنْ سَاكِنُهَا مَعَهُ فِي جَنَّتِهِ وَ عَنْ أَوَّلِ حَجَرٍ هَبَطَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ
He said, ‘Inform me about another three. Inform me about Muhammad-saww, how many Imams-asws would there be for him-saww, and which Garden will he-saww be dwelling it, and who would be dwelling with him-saww in his-saww Garden, and about the first stone to descend to the earth’.
فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع يَا هَارُونِيُّ إِنَّ لِمُحَمَّدٍ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ إِمَاماً عَدْلًا- لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ خِذْلَانُ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ وَ لَا يَسْتَوْحِشُونَ لِخِلَافِ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ أَرْسَبُ فِي الدِّينِ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ الرَّاسِيَاتِ فِي الْأَرْضِ
Ali-asws said: ‘O (descendant of) Haroun-as! For Muhammad-saww there are Twelve Just Imams‑asws. They-asws will neither be harmed by the abandonment of the ones abandoning them-asws, nor would they-asws be lonely due to the opposition of the ones opposing them-asws. They-asws will be immersed in the religion from the lofty mountains in the earth.
وَ إِنَّ مَسْكَنَ مُحَمَّدٍ فِي جَنَّةِ عَدْنٍ الَّتِي قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ كُنْ فِيهَا فَكَانَ وَ فِيهَا انْفَجَرَتْ أَنْهَارُ الْجَنَّةِ وَ سُكَّانُ مُحَمَّدٍ فِي جَنَّتِهِ أُولَئِكَ الِاثْنَا عَشَرَ إِمَامَ عَدْلٍ
And the dwelling of Muhammad-saww would be in the Garden of Aden which Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said regard it: “Be!” So, it came into being, and therein are flowing the rivers of Paradise. And the co-dwellers of Muhammad-saww in his-saww Garden would be those twelve just Imams-asws.
وَ أَوَّلُ حَجَرٍ هَبَطَ فَأَنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ هِيَ الصَّخْرَةُ الَّتِي فِي بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ وَ لَيْسَ كَمَا تَقُولُونَ وَ لَكِنَّهُ الَّذِي فِي بَيْتِ اللَّهِ الْحَرَامِ هَبَطَ بِهِ جَبْرَئِيلُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ هُوَ أَشَدُّ بَيَاضاً مِنَ الثَّلْجِ فَاسْوَدَّ مِنْ خَطَايَا بَنِي آدَمَ
And the first stone to descend, so you (Jews) are saying it is the rock which it in Bayt Al-Maqdis, and it isn’t as what you are saying. But it is which is in the Sacred House of Allah-azwj (Kabah). Jibraeel-as had descended with it to the earth, and it is intensely whiter than the snow, but it darkened from the sins of the children of Adam-as’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ صَدَقْتَ وَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ إِنِّي لَأَجِدُهَا فِي كِتَابِ أَبِي هَارُونَ وَ إِمْلَاءِ مُوسَى
The Jew said to him-asws, ‘You-asws speak the truth. By the One-azwj, there is no Allah-azwj except He-azwj! I do find it as such in the Book of my (forefather) father-as Haroun-as, and (it was) dictated by Musa-as’.
فَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ وَ بَقِيَتْ وَاحِدَةٌ وَ هِيَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ وَصِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمْ يَعِيشُ وَ هَلْ يَمُوتُ أَوْ يُقْتَلُ
The Jew said, ‘And there remains one, and it is – Inform me about the successor-asws of Muhammad-saww, how long would he-asws live for, and will he-asws be dying (a natural death) or be killed?’
فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع يَا يَهُودِيُّ وَصِيُّ مُحَمَّدٍ أَنَا أَعِيشُ بَعْدَهُ ثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً- لَا أَزِيدُ يَوْماً وَاحِداً وَ لَا أَنْقُصُ يَوْماً وَاحِداً ثُمَّ يَنْبَعِثُ أَشْقَاهَا شَقِيقُ عَاقِرِ نَاقَةِ ثَمُودَ فَيَضْرِبُنِي ضَرْبَةً هَاهُنَا فِي قَرْنِي فَيَخْضِبُ لِحْيَتِي
Ali-asws said to him: ‘O Jew! I-asws am the successor-asws of Muhammad-saww. I-asws shall live for thirty years after him-saww, neither increasing by one day nor reducing one day. Then its most wretched one would be sent, being more wretched than the slayer of the she-camel of (people of) Samood. He will strike me-asws a strike over here, in my-asws head, and my-asws beard would be dyed (with blood)’.
قَالَ وَ بَكَى عَلِيٌّ ع بُكَاءً شَدِيداً قَالَ فَصَاحَ الْيَهُودِيُّ وَ أَقْبَلَ يَقُولُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ
He (the narrator) said, ‘And Ali-asws cried with intense crying. The Jew turned back saying, ‘I testify that there is no Allah-azwj except Allah-azwj Alone, there being no associate for Him-azwj, and I testify that Muhammad-saww is His-azwj servant and His-azwj Rasool-saww.
وَ أَشْهَدُ يَا عَلِيُّ أَنَّكَ وَصِيُّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي لَكَ أَنْ تَفُوقَ وَ لَا تُفَاقَ وَ أَنْ تُعَظَّمَ وَ لَا تُسْتَضْعَفَ وَ أَنْ تُقَدَّمَ وَ لَا يُتَقَدَّمَ عَلَيْكَ وَ أَنْ تُطَاعَ فَلَا تُعْصَى وَ إِنَّكَ لَأَحَقُّ بِهَذَا الْمَجْلِسِ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ وَ أَمَّا أَنْتَ يَا عُمَرُ فَلَا صَلَّيْتُ خَلْفَكَ أَبَداً
And I testify, O Ali-asws, you-asws are a successor of Muhammad-saww, and it is befitting for you‑asws that you-asws are neither excelled nor surpassed, and that you-asws are magnified and not weakened, and that you-asws are advanced and not advanced upon, and that you-asws are obeyed and not disobeyed, and you-asws are more rightful of this gathering than others. As for you, O Umar, so I will not pray Salat behind you, ever!’
فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع كُفَّ يَا هَارُونِيُّ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ: ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَ الْهَارُونِيُّ مِنْ كُمِّهِ كِتَاباً مَكْتُوباً بِالْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ فَأَعْطَاهُ عَلِيّاً ع فَنَظَرَ فِيهِ عَلِيٌّ ع فَبَكَى فَقَالَ لَهُ الْهَارُونِيُّ مَا يُبْكِيكَ
Ali-asws said to him: ‘Restrain, O (descendant) of Haroun-as, from your voice!’ Then the (descendant) of Haroun-as brought out a letter from his sleeve written in Hebrew, and gave it to Ali-asws. Ali-asws looked into it and wept. The (descendant) of Haroun-as said, ‘What makes you‑asws weep?’
فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ يَا هَارُونِيُّ هَذَا فِيهِ اسْمِي مَكْتُوباً فَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ إِنَّهُ كِتَابٌ بِالْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ وَ أَنْتَ رَجُلٌ عَرَبِيٌّ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع وَيْحَكَ يَا هَارُونِيُّ هَذَا اسْمِي أَمَّا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ اسْمِي هَابِيلُ وَ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ حبدار
Ali-asws said to him: ‘O (descendant) of Haroun-as! This here is written my-asws name’. The Jew said, ‘It is Hebrew writing and you-asws are an Arab man!’ Ali-asws said to him: ‘Woe be unto you, O (descendant) of Haroun-as! This is my-asws name. As for in the Torah, my-asws name is ‘Habeel’, and in the Evangel is it ‘Habdar’’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ صَدَقْتَ وَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ إِنَّهُ لَخَطُّ أَبِي هَارُونَ وَ إِمْلَاءُ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ تَوَارَثَتْهُ الْآبَاءُ حَتَّى صَارَ إِلَيَّ
The Jew said, ‘You-asws speak the truth. By the One-azwj, there is no Allah-azwj except He-azwj! It is in the handwriting of my (fore) father-as Haroun-as, and dictated by Musa-as Bin Imran-as, being inherited by the forefathers until it came to me’.
قَالَ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلِيٌّ ع يَبْكِي وَ يَقُولُ- الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي عِنْدَهُ مَنْسِيّاً الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَثْبَتَنِي فِي صُحُفِ الْأَبْرَارِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ عَلِيٌّ ع بِيَدِ الرَّجُلِ فَمَضَى إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ فَعَلَّمَهُ مَعَالِمَ الْخَيْرِ وَ شَرَائِعَ الْإِسْلَامِ.
He (the narrator) said, ‘Ali-asws accepted (it) weeping and saying: ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj Who did not Make me-asws to be forgotten in His-azwj Presence. The Praise is for Allah-azwj Who Affirmed me-asws in the Parchments of the righteous’. Then Ali-asws grabbed a hand of the man and went with him to his-asws house. He-asws taught him good teaching and Laws of Al-Islam’’.[3]
Imam Ali Al-Reza-asws Points out to the changes in previous Books
When Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza-asws went to see Al-Ma’mun, Al-Ma’mun ordered Al-Fadhl ibn Sahl to summon the prominent theologians from among the rhetoricians and the religions such as Al-Jaseliq (the Catholic Archbishop), the High Rabbi to debate with Imam Al-Reza-asws:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْفَقِيهُ الْقُمِّيُّ ثُمَّ الْإِيلَاقِيُّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ الْقُمِّيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَمْرٍو مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ الْكَجِّيُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَنْ سَمِعَ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّوْفَلِيَ ثُمَّ الْهَاشِمِيَّ يَقُولُ لَمَّا قَدِمَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى الرِّضَا ع عَلَى الْمَأْمُونِ أَمَرَ الْفَضْلَ بْنَ سَهْلٍ أَنْ يَجْمَعَ لَهُ أَصْحَابَ الْمَقَالاتِ مِثْلَ الْجَاثَلِيقِ وَ رَأْسِ الْجَالُوتِ وَ رُؤَسَاءَ الصَّابِئِينَ وَ الْهِرْبِذَ الْأَكْبَرَ وَ أَصْحَابَ زَرْدَهُشْتَ وَ نِسْطَاسَ الرُّومِيَّ وَ الْمُتَكَلِّمِينَ لِيَسْمَعَ كَلَامَهُ وَ كَلَامَهُمْ فَجَمَعَهُمُ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ ثُمَّ أَعْلَمَ الْمَأْمُونَ بِاجْتِمَاعِهِمْ فَقَالَ أَدْخِلْهُمْ عَلَيَّ فَفَعَلَ فَرَحَّبَ بِهِمُ الْمَأْمُونُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ إِنِّي إِنَّمَا جَمَعْتُكُمْ لِخَيْرٍ وَ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ تُنَاظِرُوا ابْنَ عَمِّي هَذَا الْمَدَنِيَ الْقَادِمَ عَلَيَ فَإِذَا كَانَ بُكْرَةً فَاغْدُوا عَلَيَّ وَ لَا يَتَخَلَّفْ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ فَقَالُوا السَّمْعَ وَ الطَّاعَةَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نَحْنُ مُبْكِرُونَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ قَالَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّوْفَلِيُّ فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ فِي حَدِيثٍ لَنَا عِنْدَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا يَاسِرٌ الْخَادِمُ وَ كَانَ يَتَوَلَّى أَمْرَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا سَيِّدِي إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلَامَ وَ يَقُولُ فِدَاكَ أَخُوكَ إِنَّهُ أجمع [اجْتَمَعَ] إِلَيَّ أَصْحَابُ الْمَقَالاتِ وَ أَهْلُ الْأَدْيَانِ وَ الْمُتَكَلِّمُونَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْمِلَلِ فَرَأْيُكَ فِي الْبُكُورِ إِلَيْنَا إِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ كَلَامَهُمْ وَ إِنْ كَرِهْتَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا تَتَجَشَّمْ وَ إِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ نَصِيرَ إِلَيْكَ خَفَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ أَبْلِغْهُ السَّلَامَ وَ قُلْ لَهُ قَدْ عَلِمْتُ مَا أَرَدْتَ وَ أَنَا صَائِرٌ إِلَيْكَ بُكْرَةً إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ قَالَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّوْفَلِيُّ فَلَمَّا مَضَى يَاسِرٌ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي يَا نَوْفَلِيُّ أَنْتَ عِرَاقِيٌّ وَ رِقَّةُ الْعِرَاقِيِّ غَيْرُ غَلِيظَةٍ فَمَا عِنْدَكَ فِي جَمْعِ ابْنِ عَمِّكَ عَلَيْنَا أَهْلَ الشِّرْكِ وَ أَصْحَابَ الْمَقَالاتِ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ يُرِيدُ الِامْتِحَانَ وَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْرِفَ مَا عِنْدَكَ وَ لَقَدْ بَنَى عَلَى أَسَاسٍ غَيْرِ وَثِيقِ الْبُنْيَانِ وَ بِئْسَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا بَنَى فَقَالَ لِي وَ مَا بِنَاؤُهُ فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ قُلْتُ إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَلَامِ وَ الْبِدْعَةِ خِلَافُ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْعَالِمَ لَا يُنْكِرُ غَيْرَ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَقَالاتِ وَ الْمُتَكَلِّمُونَ وَ أَهْلُ الشِّرْكِ أَصْحَابُ إِنْكَارٍ وَ مُبَاهَتَةٍ إِنِ احْتَجَجْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ وَاحِدٌ قَالُوا صح [صَحِّحْ] وَحْدَانِيَّتَهُ وَ إِنْ قُلْتَ إِنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَالُوا أَثْبِتْ رِسَالَتَهُ ثُمَّ يُبَاهِتُونَ الرَّجُلَ وَ هُوَ يُبْطِلُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِحُجَّتِهِ وَ يُغَالِطُونَهُ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَ قَوْلَهُ فَاحْذَرْهُمْ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ فَتَبَسَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي يَا نَوْفَلِيُّ أَ فَتَخَافُ أَنْ يَقْطَعُوا عَلَيَّ حُجَّتِي فَقُلْتُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا خِفْتُ عَلَيْكَ قَطُّ وَ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ يُظْفِرَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِمْ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَقَالَ لِي يَا نَوْفَلِيُّ أَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ مَتَى يَنْدَمُ الْمَأْمُونُ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ إِذَا سَمِعَ احْتِجَاجِي عَلَى أَهْلِ التَّوْرَاةِ بِتَوْرَاتِهِمْ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْإِنْجِيلِ بِإِنْجِيلِهِمْ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الزَّبُورِ بِزَبُورِهِمْ وَ عَلَى الصَّابِئِينَ بِعِبْرَانِيَّتِهِمْ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْهَرَابِذَةِ بِفَارِسِيَّتِهِمْ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الرُّومِ بِرُومِيَّتِهِمْ وَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ الْمَقَالاتِ بِلُغَاتِهِمْ فَإِذَا قَطَعْتُ كُلَّ صِنْفٍ وَ دَحَضَتْ حُجَّتُهُ وَ تَرَكَ مَقَالَتَهُ وَ رَجَعَ إِلَى قَوْلِي عَلِمَ الْمَأْمُونُ الْمَوْضِعَ الَّذِي هُوَ سَبِيلُهُ لَيْسَ بِمُسْتَحَقٍّ لَهُ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَكُونُ النَّدَامَةُ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْنَا أَتَانَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ ابْنَ عَمِّكَ ينظرك [يَنْتَظِرُكَ] وَ قَدِ اجْتَمَعَ الْقَوْمُ فَمَا رَأْيُكَ فِي إِتْيَانِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع تَقَدَّمْنِي فَإِنِّي صَائِرٌ إِلَى نَاحِيَتِكُمْ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءً لِلصَّلَاةِ وَ شَرِبَ شَرْبَةَ سَوِيقٍ وَ سَقَانَا مِنْهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ وَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَهُ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا عَلَى الْمَأْمُونِ وَ إِذَا الْمَجْلِسُ غَاصٌ بِأَهْلِهِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ وَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الطَّالِبِيِّينَ وَ الْهَاشِمِيِّينَ وَ الْقُوَّادُ حُضُورٌ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ الرِّضَا ع قَامَ الْمَأْمُونُ وَ قَامَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ وَ جَمِيعُ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ فَمَا زَالُوا وُقُوفاً وَ الرِّضَا ع جَالِسٌ مَعَ الْمَأْمُونِ حَتَّى أَمَرَهُمْ بِالْجُلُوسِ فَجَلَسُوا فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الْمَأْمُونُ مُقْبِلًا عَلَيْهِ يُحَدِّثُهُ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى الْجَاثَلِيقِ فَقَالَ يَا جَاثَلِيقُ هَذَا ابْنُ عَمِّي عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ وَ هُوَ مِنْ وُلْدِ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ نَبِيِّنَا وَ ابْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ص فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ تُكَلِّمَهُ أَوْ تُحَاجَّهُ وَ تُنْصِفَهُ فَقَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَيْفَ أُحَاجُّ رَجُلًا يَحْتَجُّ عَلَيَّ بِكِتَابٍ أَنَا مُنْكِرُهُ وَ نَبِيٍّ لَا أُومِنُ بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ فَإِنِ احْتَجَجْتُ عَلَيْكَ بِإِنْجِيلِكَ أَ تُقِرُّ بِهِ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ وَ هَلْ أَقْدِرُ عَلَى رَفْعِ مَا نَطَقَ بِهِ الْإِنْجِيلُ نَعَمْ وَ اللَّهِ أُقِرُّ بِهِ عَلَى رَغْمِ أَنْفِي فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع سَلْ عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ وَ اسْمَعِ الْجَوَابَ فَقَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ مَا تَقُولُ فِي نُبُوَّةِ عِيسَى وَ كِتَابِهِ هَلْ تُنْكِرُ مِنْهُمَا شَيْئاً قَالَ الرِّضَا أَنَا مُقِرٌّ بِنُبُوَّةِ عِيسَى وَ كِتَابِهِ وَ مَا بَشَّرَ بِهِ أُمَّتَهُ وَ أَقَرَّتْ بِهِ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ وَ كَافِرٌ بِنُبُوَّةِ كُلِّ عِيسًى لَمْ يُقِرَّ بِنُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ بِكِتَابِهِ وَ لَمْ يُبَشِّرْ بِهِ أُمَّتَهُ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ أَ لَيْسَ إِنَّمَا نَقْطَعُ الْأَحْكَامَ بِشَاهِدَيْ عَدْلٍ قَالَ ع بَلَى قَالَ فَأَقِمْ شَاهِدَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَهْلِ مِلَّتِكَ عَلَى نُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص مِمَّنْ لَا تُنْكِرُهُ النَّصْرَانِيَّةُ وَ سَلْنَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَهْلِ مِلَّتِنَا قَالَ الرِّضَا ع أَلْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالنَّصِفَةِ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ أَ لَا تَقْبَلُ مِنِّي الْعَدْلَ الْمُقَدَّمَ عِنْدَ الْمَسِيحِ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ع قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ وَ مَنْ هَذَا الْعَدْلُ سَمِّهِ لِي قَالَ مَا تَقُولُ فِي يُوحَنَّا الدَّيْلَمِيِّ قَالَ بَخْ بَخْ ذَكَرْتَ أَحَبَّ النَّاسِ إِلَى الْمَسِيحِ قَالَ فَأَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْكَ هَلْ نَطَقَ الْإِنْجِيلُ أَنَّ يُوحَنَّا قَالَ إِنَّمَا الْمَسِيحُ أَخْبَرَنِي بِدِينِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَرَبِيِّ وَ بَشَّرَنِي بِهِ أَنَّهُ يَكُونُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ فَبَشَّرْتُ بِهِ الْحَوَارِيِّينَ فَآمَنُوا بِهِ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ قَدْ ذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ يُوحَنَّا عَنِ الْمَسِيحِ وَ بَشَّرَ بِنُبُوَّةِ رَجُلٍ وَ بِأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ وَصِيِّهِ وَ لَمْ يُلَخِّصْ مَتَى يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ وَ لَمْ تسم [يُسَمِ] لَنَا الْقَوْمَ فَنَعْرِفَهُمْ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَإِنْ جِئْنَاكَ بِمَنْ يَقْرَأُ الْإِنْجِيلَ فَتَلَا عَلَيْكَ ذِكْرَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ أُمَّتِهِ أَ تُؤْمِنُ بِهِ قَالَ سَدِيداً قَالَ الرِّضَا ع لِنِسْطَاسَ الرُّومِيِّ كَيْفَ حِفْظُكَ لِلسِّفْرِ الثَّالِثِ مِنَ الْإِنْجِيلِ قَالَ مَا أَحْفَظَنِي لَهُ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى رَأْسِ الْجَالُوتِ فَقَالَ أَ لَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْإِنْجِيلَ قَالَ بَلَى لَعَمْرِي قَالَ فَخُذْ عَلَى السِّفْرِ فَإِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ ذِكْرُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ أُمَّتِهِ فَاشْهَدُوا لِي وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ ذِكْرُهُ فَلَا تَشْهَدُوا لِي ثُمَّ قَرَأَ ع السِّفْرَ الثَّالِثَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ ذِكْرَ النَّبِيِّ ص وَقَفَ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ الْمَسِيحِ وَ أُمِّهِ أَ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي عَالِمٌ بِالْإِنْجِيلِ قَالَ نَعَمْ ثُمَّ تَلَا عَلَيْنَا ذِكْرَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ أُمَّتِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا تَقُولُ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ هَذَا قَوْلُ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ع فَإِنْ كَذَّبْتَ بِمَا يَنْطِقُ بِهِ الْإِنْجِيلُ فَقَدْ كَذَّبْتَ مُوسَى وَ عِيسَى ع وَ مَتَى أَنْكَرْتَ هَذَا الذِّكْرَ وَجَبَ عَلَيْكَ الْقَتْلُ لِأَنَّكَ تَكُونُ قَدْ كَفَرْتَ بِرَبِّكَ وَ نَبِيِّكَ وَ بِكِتَابِكَ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ لَا أُنْكِرُ مَا قَدْ بَانَ لِي فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ إِنِّي لَمُقِرٌّ بِهِ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع اشْهَدُوا عَلَى إِقْرَارِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا جَاثَلِيقُ سَلْ عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ حَوَارِيِّ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ع كَمْ كَانَ عِدَّتُهُمْ وَ عَنْ عُلَمَاءِ الْإِنْجِيلِ كَمْ كَانُوا قَالَ الرِّضَا ع عَلَى الْخَبِيرِ سَقَطْتَ أَمَّا الْحَوَارِيُّونَ فَكَانُوا اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا وَ كَانَ أَعْلَمُهُمْ وَ أَفْضَلُهُمْ أَلُوقَا وَ أَمَّا عُلَمَاءُ النَّصَارَى فَكَانُوا ثَلَاثَةَ رِجَالٍ يُوحَنَّا الْأَكْبَرُ بِأَجٍ وَ يُوحَنَّا بِقَرْقِيسِيَا وَ يُوحَنَّا الدَّيْلَمِيُّ بِرِجَازَ وَ عِنْدَهُ كَانَ ذِكْرُ النَّبِيِّ ص وَ ذِكْرُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ أُمَّتِهِ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي بَشَّرَ أُمَّةَ عِيسَى وَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنُؤْمِنُ بِعِيسَى الَّذِي آمَنَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ مَا نَنْقِمُ عَلَى عِيسَاكُمْ شَيْئاً إِلَّا ضَعْفَهُ وَ قِلَّةَ صِيَامِهِ وَ صَلَاتِهِ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ أَفْسَدْتَ وَ اللَّهِ عِلْمَكَ وَ ضَعَّفْتَ أَمْرَكَ وَ مَا كُنْتُ ظَنَنْتُ إِلَّا أَنَّكَ أَعْلَمُ أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع وَ كَيْفَ ذَاكَ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ مِنْ قَوْلِكَ أَنَّ عِيسَى كَانَ ضَعِيفاً قَلِيلَ الصِّيَامِ قَلِيلَ الصَّلَاةِ وَ مَا أَفْطَرَ عِيسَى يَوْماً قَطُّ وَ لَا نَامَ بِلَيْلٍ قَطُّ وَ مَا زَالَ صَائِمَ الدَّهْرِ وَ قَائِمَ اللَّيْلِ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَلِمَنْ كَانَ يَصُومُ وَ يُصَلِّي قَالَ فَخَرِسَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ وَ انْقَطَعَ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ قَالَ سَلْ فَإِنْ كَانَ عِنْدِي عِلْمُهَا أَجَبْتُكَ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع مَا أَنْكَرْتَ أَنَّ عِيسَى ع كَانَ يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ أَنْكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّ مَنْ أَحْيَا الْمَوْتَى وَ أَبْرَأَ الْأَكْمَهَ وَ الْأَبْرَصَ فَهُوَ رَبٌّ مُسْتَحِقٌّ لِأَنْ يُعْبَدَ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَإِنَّ الْيَسَعَ قَدْ صَنَعَ مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ عِيسَى ع مَشَى عَلَى الْمَاءِ وَ أَحْيَا الْمَوْتَى وَ أَبْرَأَ الْأَكْمَهَ وَ الْأَبْرَصَ فَلَمْ تَتَّخِذْهُ أُمَّتُهُ رَبّاً وَ لَمْ يَعْبُدْهُ أَحَدٌ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لَقَدْ صَنَعَ حِزْقِيلُ النَّبِيُّ ع مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ فَأَحْيَا خَمْسَةً وَ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفَ رَجُلٍ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهِمْ بِسِتِّينَ سَنَةً ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى رَأْسِ الْجَالُوتِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا رَأْسَ الْجَالُوتِ أَ تَجِدُ هَؤُلَاءِ فِي شَبَابِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ اخْتَارَهُمْ بُخْتَنَصَّرُ مِنْ سَبْيِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ حِينَ غَزَا بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ بِهِمْ إِلَى بَابِلَ فَأَرْسَلَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَحْيَاهُمْ هَذَا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ لَا يَدْفَعُهُ إِلَّا كَافِرٌ مِنْكُمْ قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا بِهِ وَ عَرَفْنَاهُ قَالَ صَدَقْتَ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا يَهُودِيُّ خُذْ عَلَى هَذَا السِّفْرِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ فَتَلَا ع عَلَيْنَا مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ آيَاتٍ فَأَقْبَلَ الْيَهُودِيُّ يَتَرَجَّجُ[4] لِقِرَاءَتِهِ وَ يَتَعَجَّبُ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّصْرَانِيِ
فَقَالَ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ أَ فَهَؤُلَاءِ كَانُوا قَبْلَ عِيسَى أَمْ عِيسَى كَانَ قَبْلَهُمْ قَالَ بَلْ كَانُوا قَبْلَهُ فَقَالَ الرِّضَا ع لَقَدِ اجْتَمَعَتْ قُرَيْشٌ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَسَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يُحْيِيَ لَهُمْ مَوْتَاهُمْ فَوَجَّهَ مَعَهُمْ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَقَالَ لَهُ اذْهَبْ إِلَى الْجَبَّانَةِ فَنَادِ بِأَسْمَاءِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِينَ يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْهُمْ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِكَ يَا فُلَانُ وَ يَا فُلَانُ وَ يَا فُلَانُ يَقُولُ لَكُمْ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قُومُوا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقَامُوا يَنْفُضُونَ التُّرَابَ عَنْ رُءُوسِهِمْ فَأَقْبَلَتْ قُرَيْشٌ يَسْأَلُهُمْ عَنْ أُمُورِهِمْ ثُمَّ أَخْبَرُوهُمْ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً قَدْ بُعِثَ نَبِيّاً فَقَالُوا وَدِدْنَا أَنَّا أَدْرَكْنَاهُ فَنُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَ لَقَدْ أَبْرَأَ الْأَكْمَهَ وَ الْأَبْرَصَ وَ الْمَجَانِينَ وَ كَلَّمَهُ الْبَهَائِمُ وَ الطَّيْرُ وَ الْجِنُّ وَ الشَّيَاطِينُ وَ لَمْ نَتَّخِذْهُ رَبّاً مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لَمْ نُنْكِرْ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ فَضْلَهُمْ فَمَتَى اتَّخَذْتُمْ عِيسَى رَبّاً جَازَ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَسَعَ وَ حِزْقِيلَ رَبّاً لِأَنَّهُمَا قَدْ صَنَعَا مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ع مِنْ إِحْيَاءِ الْمَوْتَى وَ غَيْرِهِ وَ إِنَّ قَوْماً مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ خَرَجُوا مِنْ بِلَادِهِمْ مِنَ الطَّاعُونِ وَ هُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ فَأَمَاتَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي سَاعَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ فَعَمَدَ أَهْلُ تِلْكَ الْقَرْيَةِ فَحَظَرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ حَظِيرَةً فَلَمْ يَزَالُوا فِيهَا حَتَّى نَخِرَتْ عِظَامُهُمْ وَ صَارُوا رَمِيماً فَمَرَّ بِهِمْ نَبِيٌّ مِنْ أَنْبِيَاءِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَتَعَجَّبَ مِنْهُمْ وَ مِنْ كَثْرَةِ الْعِظَامِ الْبَالِيَةِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ أَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ أُحْيِيَهُمْ لَكَ فَتُنْذِرَهُمْ قَالَ نَعَمْ يَا رَبِّ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ نَادِهِمْ فَقَالَ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِظَامُ الْبَالِيَةُ قُومِي بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقَامُوا أَحْيَاءً أَجْمَعُونَ يَنْفُضُونَ التُّرَابَ عَنْ رُءُوسِهِمْ ثُمَّ إِبْرَاهِيمُ خَلِيلُ الرَّحْمَنِ ع حِينَ أَخَذَ الطَّيْرَ فَقَطَعَهُنَّ قِطَعاً ثُمَّ وَضَعَ عَلى كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِنْهُنَّ جُزْءاً ثُمَّ نَادَاهُنَّ فَأَقْبَلْنَ سَعْياً إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ ع وَ أَصْحَابُهُ السَّبْعُونَ الَّذِينَ اخْتَارَهُمْ صَارُوا مَعَهُ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَقَالُوا لَهُ إِنَّكَ قَدْ رَأَيْتَ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ فَأَرِنَاهُ كَمَا رَأَيْتَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ إِنِّي لَمْ أَرَهُ فَقَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً … فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ فَاحْتَرَقُوا عَنْ آخِرِهِمْ وَ بَقِيَ مُوسَى وَحِيداً فَقَالَ يَا رَبِّ اخْتَرْتُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَجِئْتُ بِهِمْ وَ أَرْجِعُ وَحْدِي فَكَيْفَ يُصَدِّقُنِي قَوْمِي بِمَا أُخْبِرُهُمْ بِهِ فَ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ إِيَّايَ أَ تُهْلِكُنا بِما فَعَلَ السُّفَهاءُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيَاهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهِمْ وَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ لَكَ مِنْ هَذَا لَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى دَفْعِهِ لِأَنَّ التَّوْرَاةَ وَ الْإِنْجِيلَ وَ الزَّبُورَ وَ الْفُرْقَانَ قَدْ نَطَقَتْ بِهِ فَإِنْ كَانَ كُلُّ مَنْ أَحْيَا الْمَوْتَى وَ أَبْرَأَ الْأَكْمَهَ وَ الْأَبْرَصَ وَ الْمَجَانِينَ يُتَّخَذُ رَبّاً مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَاتَّخِذْ هَؤُلَاءِ كُلَّهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مَا تَقُولُ يَا يَهُودِيُ فَقَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ الْقَوْلُ قَوْلُكَ وَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى رَأْسِ الْجَالُوتِ فَقَالَ يَا يَهُودِيُّ أَقْبِلْ عَلَيَّ أَسْأَلْكَ بِالْعَشْرِ الْآيَاتِ الَّتِي أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَى مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ ع هَلْ تَجِدُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مَكْتُوباً بِنَبَإِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ أُمَّتِهِ إِذَا جَاءَتِ الْأُمَّةُ الْأَخِيرَةُ أَتْبَاعُ رَاكِبِ الْبَعِيرِ يُسَبِّحُونَ الرَّبَّ جِدّاً جِدّاً تَسْبِيحاً جَدِيداً فِي الْكَنَائِسِ الْجُدُدِ فليفرغ [فَلْيَفْزَعْ] بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ إِلَى مَلِكِهِمْ لِتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَإِنَّ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ سُيُوفاً يَنْتَقِمُونَ بِهَا مِنَ الْأُمَمِ الْكَافِرَةِ فِي أَقْطَارِ الْأَرْضِ أَ هَكَذَا هُوَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مَكْتُوبٌ قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ نَعَمْ إِنَّا لَنَجِدُهُ كَذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْجَاثَلِيقِ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ كَيْفَ عِلْمُكَ بِكِتَابِ شَعْيَا ع قَالَ أَعْرِفُهُ حَرْفاً حَرْفاً قَالَ لَهُمَا أَ تَعْرِفَانِ هَذَا مِنْ كَلَامِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ صُورَةَ رَاكِبِ الْحِمَارِ لَابِساً جَلَابِيبَ النُّورِ وَ رَأَيْتُ رَاكِبَ الْبَعِيرِ ضَوْءٌ مِثْلُ ضَوْءِ الْقَمَرِ فَقَالا قَدْ قَالَ ذَلِكَ شَعْيَا ع قَالَ الرِّضَا ع يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ هَلْ تَعْرِفُ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ قَوْلَ عِيسَى ع إِنِّي ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَ رَبِّي وَ الْبَارِقْلِيطَا جَاءَ هُوَ الَّذِي يَشْهَدُ لِي بِالْحَقِّ كَمَا شَهِدْتُ لَهُ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي يُفَسِّرُ لَكُمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي يُبْدِئُ فَضَائِحَ الْأُمَمِ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي يَكْسِرُ عَمُودَ الْكُفْرِ فَقَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ مَا ذَكَرْتَ شَيْئاً مِنَ الْإِنْجِيلِ إِلَّا وَ نَحْنُ مُقِرُّونَ بِهِ فَقَالَ أَ تَجِدُ هَذَا فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ ثَابِتاً يَا جَاثَلِيقُ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع يَا جَاثَلِيقُ أَ لَا تُخْبِرُنِي عَنِ الْإِنْجِيلِ الْأَوَّلِ حِينَ افْتَقَدْتُمُوهُ عِنْدَ مَنْ وَجَدْتُمُوهُ وَ مَنْ وَضَعَ لَكُمْ هَذَا الْإِنْجِيلَ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا افْتَقَدْنَا الْإِنْجِيلَ إِلَّا يَوْماً وَاحِداً حَتَّى وَجَدْنَاهُ غَضّاً طَرِيّاً فَأَخْرَجَهُ إِلَيْنَا يُوحَنَّا وَ مَتَّى فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع مَا أَقَلَّ مَعْرِفَتَكَ بِسُنَنِ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ عُلَمَائِهِ فَإِنْ كَانَ هَذَا كَمَا تَزْعُمُ فَلِمَ اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ إِنَّمَا وَقَعَ الِاخْتِلَافُ فِي هَذَا الْإِنْجِيلِ الَّذِي فِي أَيَادِيكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فَلَوْ كَانَ عَلَى الْعَهْدِ الْأَوَّلِ لَمْ تَخْتَلِفُوا فِيهِ وَ لَكِنِّي مُفِيدُكَ عِلْمَ ذَلِكَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا افْتُقِدَ الْإِنْجِيلُ الْأَوَّلُ اجْتَمَعَتِ النَّصَارَى إِلَى عُلَمَائِهِمْ فَقَالُوا لَهُمْ قُتِلَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ع وَ افْتَقَدْنَا الْإِنْجِيلَ وَ أَنْتُمُ الْعُلَمَاءُ فَمَا عِنْدَكُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَلُوقَا وَ مرقابوس إِنَّ الْإِنْجِيلَ فِي صُدُورِنَا وَ نَحْنُ نُخْرِجُهُ إِلَيْكُمْ سِفْراً سِفْراً فِي كُلِّ أَحَدٍ فَلَا تَحْزَنُوا عَلَيْهِ وَ لَا تُخْلُوا الْكَنَائِسَ فَإِنَّا سَنَتْلُوهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي كُلِّ أَحَدٍ سِفْراً سِفْراً حَتَّى نَجْمَعَهُ كُلَّهُ فَقَعَدَ أَلُوقَا وَ مرقابوس وَ يُوحَنَّا وَ مَتَّى فَوَضَعُوا لَكُمْ هَذَا الْإِنْجِيلَ بَعْدَ مَا افْتَقَدْتُمُ الْإِنْجِيلَ الْأَوَّلَ وَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْأَرْبَعَةُ تَلَامِيذَ تَلَامِيذِ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَ عَلِمْتَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ أَمَّا هَذَا فَلَمْ أَعْلَمْهُ وَ قَدْ عَلِمْتُهُ الْآنَ وَ قَدْ بَانَ لِي مِنْ فَضْلِ عِلْمِكَ بِالْإِنْجِيلِ وَ سَمِعْتُ أَشْيَاءَ مِمَّا عَلِمْتُهُ شَهِدَ قَلْبِي أَنَّهَا حَقٌّ فَاسْتَزَدْتُ كَثِيراً مِنَ الْفَهْمِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع فَكَيْفَ شَهَادَةُ هَؤُلَاءِ عِنْدَكَ قَالَ جَائِزَةٌ هَؤُلَاءِ عُلَمَاءُ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ كُلَّمَا شَهِدُوا بِهِ فَهُوَ حَقٌّ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع لِلْمَأْمُونِ وَ مَنْ حَضَرَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ اشْهَدُوا عَلَيْهِ قَالُوا قَدْ شَهِدْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ ع لِلْجَاثَلِيقِ بِحَقِّ الِابْنِ وَ أُمِّهِ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مَتَّى قَالَ إِنَّ الْمَسِيحَ هُوَ ابْنُ دَاوُدَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَهُوذَا بْنِ خضرون فَقَالَ مرقابوس فِي نِسْبَةِ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ع إِنَّهُ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ أَحَلَّهَا فِي جَسَدِ الْآدَمِيِّ فَصَارَتْ إِنْسَاناً وَ قَالَ أَلُوقَا إِنَّ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ع وَ أُمَّهُ كَانَا إِنْسَانَيْنِ مِنْ لَحْمٍ وَ دَمٍ فَدَخَلَ فِيهَا الرُّوحُ الْقُدُسُ ثُمَّ إِنَّكَ تَقُولُ مِنْ شَهَادَةِ عِيسَى عَلَى نَفْسِهِ حَقّاً أَقُولُ لَكُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْحَوَارِيِّينَ إِنَّهُ لَا يَصْعَدُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ إِلَّا مَنْ نَزَلَ مِنْهَا إِلَّا رَاكِبَ الْبَعِيرِ خَاتَمَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ يَصْعَدُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ يَنْزِلُ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الْقَوْلِ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ هَذَا قَوْلُ عِيسَى لَا نُنْكِرُهُ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي شَهَادَةِ أَلُوقَا وَ مرقابوس وَ مَتَّى عَلَى عِيسَى وَ مَا نَسَبُوهُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ كَذَبُوا عَلَى عِيسَى فَقَالَ الرِّضَا ع يَا قَوْمِ أَ لَيْسَ قَدْ زَكَّاهُمْ وَ شَهِدَ أَنَّهُمْ عُلَمَاءُ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ قَوْلَهُمْ حَقٌّ فَقَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ يَا عَالِمَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أُحِبُّ أَنْ تُعْفِيَنِي مِنْ أَمْرِ هَؤُلَاءِ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَعَلْنَا سَلْ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ لِيَسْأَلْكَ غَيْرِي فَلَا وَ حَقِّ الْمَسِيحِ مَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ فِي عُلَمَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِثْلَكَ فَالْتَفَتَ الرِّضَا ع إِلَى رَأْسِ الْجَالُوتِ فَقَالَ لَهُ تَسْأَلُنِي أَوْ أَسْأَلُكَ فَقَالَ بَلْ أَسْأَلُكَ وَ لَسْتُ أَقْبَلُ مِنْكَ حُجَّةً إِلَّا مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ أَوْ مِنَ الْإِنْجِيلِ أَوْ مِنْ زَبُورِ دَاوُدَ أَوْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ مُوسَى قَالَ الرِّضَا ع لَا تَقْبَلُ مِنِّي حُجَّةً إِلَّا بِمَا تَنْطِقُ بِهِ التَّوْرَاةُ عَلَى لِسَانِ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ وَ الْإِنْجِيلُ عَلَى لِسَانِ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَ الزَّبُورُ عَلَى لِسَانِ دَاوُدَ فَقَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ مِنْ أَيْنَ تُثْبِتُ نُبُوَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ ص قَالَ الرِّضَا ع شَهِدَ بِنُبُوَّتِهِ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَ دَاوُدُ خَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَقَالَ لَهُ ثَبِّتْ قَوْلَ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع هَلْ تَعْلَمُ يَا يَهُودِيُّ أَنَّ مُوسَى أَوْصَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ إِنَّهُ سَيَأْتِيكُمْ نَبِيٌّ مِنْ إِخْوَانِكُمْ فِيهِ فَصَدِّقُوا وَ مِنْهُ فَاسْمَعُوا فَهَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِخْوَةً غَيْرَ وُلْدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْرِفُ قَرَابَةَ إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَ السَّبَبَ الَّذِي بَيْنَهُمَا مِنْ قِبَلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع فَقَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ هَذَا قَوْلُ مُوسَى لَا نَدْفَعُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع هَلْ جَاءَكُمْ مِنْ إِخْوَةِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ نَبِيٌّ غَيْرُ مُحَمَّدٍ ص قَالَ لَا قَالَ الرِّضَا ع أَ وَ لَيْسَ قَدْ صَحَّ هَذَا عِنْدَكُمْ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَ لَكِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ تُصَحِّحَهُ إِلَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع هَلْ تُنْكِرُ أَنَ التَّوْرَاةَ تَقُولُ لَكُمْ جَاءَ النُّورُ مِنْ قِبَلِ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ وَ أَضَاءَ لَنَا مِنْ جَبَلِ سَاعِيرَ وَ اسْتَعْلَنَ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ جَبَلِ فَارَانَ قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ أَعْرِفُ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ وَ مَا أَعْرِفُ تَفْسِيرَهَا قَالَ الرِّضَا ع أَنَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِهِ أَمَّا قَوْلُهُ جَاءَ النُّورُ مِنْ قِبَلِ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ فَذَلِكَ وَحْيُ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى الَّذِي أَنْزَلَهُ عَلَى مُوسَى ع عَلَى جَبَلِ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ وَ أَمَّا قَوْلُهُ وَ أَضَاءَ لَنَا مِنْ جَبَلِ سَاعِيرَ فَهُوَ الْجَبَلُ الَّذِي أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ع وَ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ وَ أَمَّا قَوْلُهُ وَ اسْتَعْلَنَ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ جَبَلِ فَارَانَ فَذَاكَ جَبَلٌ مِنْ جِبَالِ مَكَّةَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَهَا يَوْمٌ وَ قَالَ شَعْيَاءُ النَّبِيُّ ع فِيمَا تَقُولُ أَنْتَ وَ أَصْحَابُكَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ رَأَيْتُ رَاكِبَيْنِ أَضَاءَ لهم [لَهُمَا] الْأَرْضُ أَحَدُهُمَا عَلَى حِمَارٍ وَ الْآخَرُ عَلَى جَمَلٍ فَمَنْ رَاكِبُ الْحِمَارِ وَ مَنْ رَاكِبُ الْجَمَلِ قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ لَا أَعْرِفُهُمَا فَخَبِّرْنِي بِهِمَا قَالَ أَمَّا رَاكِبُ الْحِمَارِ فَعِيسَى ع وَ أَمَّا رَاكِبُ الْجَمَلِ فَمُحَمَّدٌ ص أَ تُنْكِرُ هَذَا مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ قَالَ لَا مَا أُنْكِرُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع هَلْ تَعْرِفُ حَيْقُوقَ النَّبِيَّ ع قَالَ نَعَمْ إِنِّي بِهِ لَعَارِفٌ قَالَ فَإِنَّهُ قَالَ وَ كِتَابُكُمْ يَنْطِقُ بِهِ جَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِالْبَيَانِ مِنْ جَبَلِ فَارَانَ وَ امْتَلَأَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ مِنْ تَسْبِيحِ أَحْمَدَ وَ أُمَّتُهُ يَحْمِلُ خَيْلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ كَمَا يَحْمِلُ فِي الْبَرِّ يَأْتِينَا بِكِتَابٍ جَدِيدٍ بَعْدَ خَرَابِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ يَعْنِي بِالْكِتَابِ الْفُرْقَانَ أَ تَعْرِفُ هَذَا وَ تُؤْمِنُ بِهِ قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ قَدْ قَالَ ذَلِكَ حَيْقُوقُ النَّبِيُّ ع وَ لَا نُنْكِرُ قَوْلَهُ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَقَدْ قَالَ دَاوُدُ فِي زَبُورِهِ وَ أَنْتَ تَقْرَؤُهُ اللَّهُمَّ ابْعَثْ مُقِيمَ السُّنَّةِ بَعْدَ الْفَتْرَةِ فَهَلْ تَعْرِفُ نَبِيّاً أَقَامَ السُّنَّةَ بَعْدَ الْفَتْرَةِ غَيْرَ مُحَمَّدٍ ص قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ هَذَا قَوْلُ دَاوُدَ نَعْرِفُهُ وَ لَا نُنْكِرُ وَ لَكِنْ عَنَى بِذَلِكَ عِيسَى وَ أَيَّامُهُ هِيَ الْفَتْرَةُ قَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع جَهِلْتَ إِنَّ عِيسَى ع لَمْ يُخَالِفِ السُّنَّةَ وَ كَانَ مُوَافِقاً لِسُنَّةِ التَّوْرَاةِ حَتَّى رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ وَ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ مَكْتُوبٌ أَنَّ ابْنَ الْبَرَّةِ ذَاهِبٌ وَ الْبَارِقْلِيطَا جَاءٍ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي يَحْفَظُ الْآصَارَ وَ يُفَسِّرُ لَكُمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَ يَشْهَدُ لِي كَمَا شَهِدْتُ لَهُ أَنَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِالْأَمْثَالِ وَ هُوَ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِالتَّأْوِيلِ أَ تُؤْمِنُ بِهَذَا فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع يَا رَأْسَ الْجَالُوتِ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ نَبِيِّكَ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ ع فَقَالَ سَلْ قَالَ مَا الْحُجَّةُ عَلَى أَنَّ مُوسَى ثَبَتَتْ نُبُوَّتُهُ قَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ إِنَّهُ جَاءَ بِمَا لَمْ يَجِئْ بِهِ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلَهُ قَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ مَا ذَا قَالَ مِثْلَ فَلْقِ الْبَحْرِ وَ قَلْبِهِ الْعَصَا حَيَّةً تَسْعَى وَ ضَرْبِهِ الْحَجَرَ فَانْفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ الْعُيُونُ وَ إِخْرَاجِهِ يَدَهُ بَيْضَاءَ لِلنَّاظِرِينَ وَ عَلَامَاتُهُ لَا يَقْدِرُ الْخَلْقُ عَلَى مِثْلِهَا قَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع صَدَقْتَ فِي أَنَّهُ كَانَتْ حُجَّتُهُ عَلَى نُبُوَّتِهِ أَنَّهُ جَاءَ بِمَا لَا يَقْدِرُ الْخَلْقُ عَلَى مِثْلِهِ أَ فَلَيْسَ كُلُّ مَنِ ادَّعَى أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِمَا لَا يَقْدِرُ الْخَلْقُ عَلَى مِثْلِهِ وَجَبَ عَلَيْكُمْ تَصْدِيقُهُ قَالَ لَا لِأَنَّ مُوسَى ع لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ نَظِيرٌ لِمَكَانِهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَ قُرْبِهِ مِنْهُ وَ لَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا الْإِقْرَارُ بِنُبُوَّةِ مَنِ ادَّعَاهَا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ مِنَ الْأَعْلَامِ بِمِثْلِ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ فَقَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَكَيْفَ أَقْرَرْتُمْ بِالْأَنْبِيَاءِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا قَبْلَ مُوسَى ع وَ لَمْ يَفْلِقُوا الْبَحْرَ وَ لَمْ يَفْجُرُوا مِنَ الْحَجَرِ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ عَيْناً وَ لَمْ يُخْرِجُوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ مِثْلَ إِخْرَاجِ مُوسَى يَدَهُ بَيْضَاءَ وَ لَمْ يَقْلِبُوا الْعَصَا حَيَّةً تَسْعَى قَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ قَدْ خَبَّرْتُكَ أَنَّهُ مَتَى مَا جَاءُوا عَلَى نُبُوَّتِهِمْ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ بِمَا لَا يَقْدِرُ الْخَلْقُ عَلَى مِثْلِهِ وَ لَوْ جَاءُوا بِمَا لَمْ يَجِئْ بِهِ مُوسَى أَوْ كَانَ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ مُوسَى وَجَبَ تَصْدِيقُهُمْ قَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع يَا رَأْسَ الْجَالُوتِ فَمَا يَمْنَعُكَ مِنَ الْإِقْرَارِ بِعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَ قَدْ كَانَ يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَ يُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَ الْأَبْرَصَ وَ يَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ ثُمَّ يَنْفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْراً بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ يُقَالُ إِنَّهُ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ وَ لَمْ نَشْهَدْهُ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع أَ رَأَيْتَ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ مُوسَى مِنَ الْآيَاتِ شَاهَدْتَهُ أَ لَيْسَ إِنَّمَا جَاءَتِ الْأَخْبَارُ مِنْ ثِقَاتِ أَصْحَابِ مُوسَى أَنَّهُ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ بَلَى قَالَ فَكَذَلِكَ أَيْضاً أَتَتْكُمُ الْأَخْبَارُ الْمُتَوَاتِرَةُ بِمَا فَعَلَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ع فَكَيْفَ صَدَّقْتُمْ بِمُوسَى وَ لَمْ تُصَدِّقُوا بِعِيسَى فَلَمْ يُحِرْ جَوَاباً قَالَ الرِّضَا ع وَ كَذَلِكَ أَمْرُ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ وَ أَمْرُ كُلِّ نَبِيٍ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ وَ مِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَتِيماً فَقِيراً رَاعِياً أَجِيراً لَمْ يَتَعَلَّمْ كِتَاباً وَ لَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ إِلَى مُعَلِّمٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِالْقُرْآنِ الَّذِي فِيهِ قِصَصُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ع وَ أَخْبَارُهُمْ حَرْفاً حَرْفاً وَ أَخْبَارُ مَنْ مَضَى وَ مَنْ بَقِيَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ثُمَّ كَانَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِأَسْرَارِهِمْ وَ مَا يَعْمَلُونَ فِي بُيُوتِهِمْ وَ جَاءَ بِآيَاتٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَا تُحْصَى قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ لَمْ يَصِحَّ عِنْدَنَا خَبَرُ عِيسَى وَ لَا خَبَرُ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ لَا يَجُوزُ لَنَا أَنْ نُقِرَّ لَهُمَا بِمَا لَا يَصِحُّ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَالشَّاهِدُ الَّذِي شَهِدَ لِعِيسَى وَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ ص شَاهِدُ زُورٍ فَلَمْ يُحِرْ جَوَاباً ثُمَّ دَعَا ع بِالْهِرْبِذِ الْأَكْبَرِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ زَرْدَهُشْتَ الَّذِي تَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ مَا حُجَّتُكَ عَلَى نُبُوَّتِهِ قَالَ إِنَّهُ أَتَى بِمَا لَمْ يَأْتِنَا أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ وَ لَمْ نَشْهَدْهُ وَ لَكِنَّ الْأَخْبَارَ مِنْ أَسْلَافِنَا وَرَدَتْ عَلَيْنَا بِأَنَّهُ أَحَلَّ لَنَا مَا لَمْ يُحِلَّهُ غَيْرُهُ فَاتَّبَعْنَاهُ قَالَ أَ فَلَيْسَ إِنَّمَا أَتَتْكُمُ الْأَخْبَارُ فَاتَّبَعْتُمُوهُ قَالَ بَلَى قَالَ فَكَذَلِكَ سَائِرُ الْأُمَمِ السَّالِفَةِ أَتَتْهُمُ الْأَخْبَارُ بِمَا أَتَى بِهِ النَّبِيُّونَ وَ أَتَى بِهِ مُوسَى وَ عِيسَى وَ مُحَمَّدٌ ص فَمَا عُذْرُكُمْ فِي تَرْكِ الْإِقْرَارِ لَهُمْ إِذْ كُنْتُمْ إِنَّمَا أَقْرَرْتُمْ بِزَرْدَهُشْتَ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْأَخْبَارِ الْمُتَوَاتِرَةِ بِأَنَّهُ جَاءَ بِمَا لَمْ يَجِئْ بِهِ غَيْرُهُ فَانْقَطَعَ الْهِرْبِذُ مَكَانَهُ
(The book) ‘Uyoon Akhbar Al-Reza-asws’ – Ja’far Bin Ali Bin Ahmad the jurist of Qumm, from Al-Hassan Bin Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Sadaqah, from Muhammad Bin Umar Bin Abdul Aziz Al Ansary who said, ‘It is narrated to me by the one who heard Al-Hassan Bin Muhammad Al Nowfaly, then Al Hashimy saying,
When Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza-asws went to see Al-Ma’mun, Al-Ma’mun ordered Al-Fadhl ibn Sahl to summon the prominent theologians from among the rhetoricians and the religions such as al-Jaseliq (the Catholic Archbishop), the High Rabbi, the Hindu High Priest, followers of Zoroaster Nestus the Roman medical scientist, and the rest of the theologians in order to hear their words, and those of Al-Reza-asws. Al-Fadhl ibn Sahl gathered them together (in Al-Ma’mun’s palace), and then he informed Al-Ma’mun about the meeting. Al-Ma’mun granted them permission to enter and received them with hospitality and honour.
Then he presented before them what he intended to do by saying, “I have gathered you for (something) good and want you to have a debate with my cousin from Medina, who will come to me. Come to me tomorrow morning. None of you should be absent.”
They said, “O Commander of the faithful! We listen and obey you. Allah-azwj willing, we will be here first thing in the morning.”
Al-Nawfali said, “We were talking to Abil Hassan-asws when Yasir – the servant who was in charge of serving Abil Hassan-asws entered and told him-asws, “O my master-asws! Indeed the commander of the faithful expressed his greetings to you-asws and he has said, May your brother be your ransom! Indeed the chief scientists, scholars from all religions and masters of speech from all nations have all gathered together here with me. Would you-asws like to come to us and have a discussion with them? If you-asws do not wish to do so, do not bother yourself-asws. Even if you-asws prefer, we do not mind coming to you-asws. Then Abul Hassan-asws said, “Express my-asws greetings to him and tell him that I-asws understand what you mean. Allah-azwj willing, I-asws will come to you myself tomorrow morning.”
Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Nawfali said, ‘When Yasir went out, the Imam-asws turned to me and said, ‘O Nawfali! You are an Iraqi, and an Iraqi’s heart is not hard. So, what do think is your cousin’s intention in setting up a meeting between me-asws and the pagans and scholars?”
Al-Nawfali answered, “May I be your-asws ransom! He wants to test you-asws, and wants to know how much knowledge you-asws possess. He has, indeed, based his assumption on shaky grounds. By Allah-azwj, what he has set up is dangerous.”
The Imam-asws asked, “And what has he set up?”
Al-Nawfali said, “The theologians and the heretics are different from the scholars. That is because a scholar does not deny the undeniable, whereas rhetoricians, theologians, and polytheists are people who deny things and try to prove what is not true. If you-asws argue with them and tell them that Allah-azwj is One, they would say, ‘Prove His Oneness’, and if you-asws say that Muhammad-saww is the Messenger of Allah-azwj, they would say, ‘Prove his-saww Prophethood.’ May I be your-asws ransom! They confuse people and make them disprove their own proofs. They continue these false accusations until you back off.”
Al-Nawfali added, “Then the Imam-asws smiled and told me, ‘O Al-Nawfali! Do you fear that they will disprove my-asws argument?’”
Al-Nawfali said, ‘No, by Allah-azwj! I have never worried about you-asws, and I hope that Allah-azwj willing, Allah-azwj will make you-asws victorious over them!’
The Imam-asws asked again, ‘O Nawfali! Would you like to know when Al-Ma’mun will feel regretful?’ He answered, ‘Yes.’ The Imam-asws said, ‘When he (al-Ma’mun) hears me-asws argue with the people of the Torah quoting their own Torah, with the people of the Injeel quoting their own Injeel, with the people of the Psalms quoting their own Psalms, with the Zoroastrians arguing in their Persian language, with the Romans in their own Latin, and with the rhetoricians using their very own rhetoric. So, if I-asws close the avenues of argument in the face of each arguing party and disprove his claim, making him renounce his statement from its onset and referring to my own statement, then Al-Ma’mun will realize that he has not achieve what he aspires to achieve. It is then that he will feel regretful. And there is no strength save in the Highest, the Almighty Allah-azwj.’”
On the following day, Al-Fadhl ibn Sahl went in a hurry to see the Imam-asws and told him-asws, “May I be your-asws ransom! Your cousin is waiting for you. The people have gathered together. When will you-asws go to him?”
Al-Reza-asws told him, “You go ahead. Allah-azwj willing, I-asws will come to you.” Then he-asws made ablutions for praying, drank something, ate some soup with us and we all left. Then we reached Al-Ma’mun’s palace. The meeting was full of people. Muhammad ibn Ja’far, some of the Talibites and the Hashemites, and the Commanders of the Army were amongst those present.
When Al-Reza-asws entered, Al-Ma’mun stood up. Muhammad ibn Ja’far and all the Hashemites who were present there stood up for him. The Imam-asws and Al-Ma’mun sat down while all the people were still standing, until Al-Ma’mun ordered them to sit down. Al-Ma’mun talked to the Imam-asws for a while. Then Al-Ma’mun turned to the Catholic Archbishop and said, “O Catholic Archbishop! This is my cousin Ali-asws ibn Musa-asws Ibn Ja’far-asws. He-asws is one of the children of (the Blessed Lady) Fatima-asws – the daughter-asws of our Prophet-asws – and Ali-asws ibn Abi Talib-asws. I would like you to have a debate with him-asws and be fair with him-asws.
The Catholic Archbishop said, “O Commander of the faithful! How can I argue with a man-asws who argues with me using a Book which we have denied and a Prophet whom I do not believe in?”
Al-Reza-asws told him, “O Christian! Will you accept it if I-asws present proofs from your Injeel?”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “How could I reject what the Bible speaks about? I swear to Allah-azwj that I will accept it even if I dislike it.”
Al-Reza-asws told him, “Ask whatever you wish to ask and receive your answer.”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “What is your-asws opinion about the Prophethood of Isa-as and his-as Book? Do you-asws deny either one of them?”
Al-Reza-asws said, “I-asws admit to the Prophethood of Isa-as, his-as Book, and what he-as advised his-as nation to do- which his-as disciples accepted. However, I-asws reject the Prophethood of any Isa who has not professed the Prophethood of Muhammad-saww, his-saww Book and what he-asws advised his nation to do.”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “Aren’t precepts proved through two just witnesses?”
The Imam-asws said, “Yes.” The Catholic Archbishop said, “Therefore, name two witnesses other than the people of your-asws own nation and ones whom Christianity does not reject to testify to the Prophethood of Muhammad-saww. Likewise, ask us a similar thing from people other than our own nation.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “O Christian! Now you are speaking fairly. Do you accept a just person who was given preference (over others) by the Messiah – Isa-as: the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-as?”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “Who is the just one? Name him for me.”
The Imam-asws said, “What is your opinion of John al-Daylami?”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “Bravo! Bravo!” You have mentioned the person loved the most by the Messiah.”
The Imam-asws said, “Then I-asws ask you to swear to and tell me-asws whether or not the Bible says that John says, ‘The Messiah has informed me of the religion of Muhammad-saww, the Arab, and has given me the glad tidings about him-saww who will be (a Prophet) after him. Therefore, I gave the glad tidings of him-saww to the disciples and they believed in him-saww.’”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “John did quote this from the Messiah. He did give the glad tidings of a man who will be a Prophet-saww, his-saww Household-asws and his-saww Trustees-asws. He has not clarified when this will happen and has not named them so that we may know who they are.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “If we bring someone here who can recite the Bible and he recites to you Muhammad-saww ‘s name, his‑saww Household, and his-saww nation, will you believe in him-saww?” The Catholic Archbishop said, “What a sound suggestion!”
Al-Reza-asws turned to Nestus the Roman and asked him, “Have you memorized the third Book of the Bible?”
He answered, “I have thoroughly memorized it.” Then the Imam-asws addressed the Catholic Archbishop and said, “Can you recite the Bible?” The Catholic Archbishop said, “Yes, of course.”
The Imam-asws said, “Then I-asws will recite to you (some verses from) the third Book. If Muhammad-saww, his-saww Household, and his-saww nation were mentioned in it, then bear witness! And if they have not been mentioned therein, then do not bear witness.” Then the Imam-asws recited to him some of the verses of the third Book until he-asws reached the reference to the Prophet-saww. He-asws stopped reading and said, “O Christian! I-asws challenge you to swear by the Messiah and his mother. Have you realized that I-asws have knowledge of the Bible?” He replied, “Yes.”
The Imam-asws recited to him some verses from the third Book concerning the reference to the Prophet-saww, his-saww Household and his-saww community. Then the Imam-asws said, “O Christian! What do you think now? These are the words of Isa-as: the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-as. If you deny what the Bible says, then you will deny Musa-as and Isa-as. If you deny them, then it is incumbent (upon the people) to kill you since you have blasphemed against your Lord, your Prophet and your Book.”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “I do not deny the clear things in the Bible, rather I profess them.”
The Imam-asws asked others who were present, “Bear witness that he professed.”
Then the Imam-asws told the Catholic Archbishop, “O Catholic Archbishop! Ask me-asws any other questions that you wish to ask.”
The Catholic Archbishop asked, “What about the disciples of Isa-asws: the son-as of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-asws? How many were they? And tell me about the scholars of the Bible. How many were they?”
Al-Reza-asws said, “You have found the expert! As for (the number of) the disciples, they were twelve men. The best and the most learned of them was Aluqas (Luke). As for (the number of) Christian scholars, there were three men: John (Yohanna), ‘the greatest’, John at Qriqisiya, and John – the al-Daylami at Zijar, who made reference to the Prophet Muhammad-saww. It is he who gave the good news to the nation of Isa-as and the Children of Israel about the Prophet Muhammd-saww.”
The Imam-asws added, “O Christian! By Allah-azwj, we believe in the Isa-as who believed in Muhammad-asws. We have nothing against Isa-as, he-as (considered himself-as) weak (in front of Allah-azwj) and was (famous for) his-as fasting and prayer.”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “By Allah-azwj, you-asws have corrupted your-asws knowledge! Your-asws affair has become weak! I thought that you-asws were the most learned of the Muslims!”
Al-Reza-asws asked, “Why?” The Catholic Archbishop said, “Since you-asws said that Isa-as was weak with little fasting and praying, while Isa-as never broke fasting by day and never slept at night. He-as always fasted during the day and prayed at night.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “For whom did he-as fast and pray?” The Catholic Archbishop did not answer, not knowing what to say.
Al-Reza-asws said, “I-asws want to ask you a question.” The Catholic Archbishop said, “Ask. I will respond to you-asws if I know the answer.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “Why do you deny that Isa-as gave life to the dead with the Honourable the Exalted Allah-azwj’s permission?”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “I denied that before, since whoever gives life to the dead and heals the blind and the leprous is a lord worthy of being worshipped.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “Well. Indeed Al-Yasa (Elija) did just as Isa-as did. He walked on water, gave life to the dead, and healed the blind and the leprous. Why did his nation not adopt him as a Lord? Why did not anyone worship him as a god other than Allah-azwj?”
The Prophet Hezqeel (Ezekiel)-as did just what Isa-as did. He-as gave life to thirty-five men sixty years after their death.” Then the Imam-asws turned towards the Catholic Archbishop and told him, “O Catholic Archbishop! Have you found the following about some of the youth of the Children of Israel in the Torah? When Bukht Nasr (Nebuchadnezzar) invaded Jerusalem, he chose from amongst the Children of Israel who were enslaved and took them with him to go to Babylon. Then the Honourable the Exalted Allah-azwj Dispatched Al-Yasa’ for them and he gave life to them. This (statement) is in the Torah. No one but an atheist would deny it.”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “I have heard about this and know it.” The Imam-asws said, “That is right.”
Then the Imam-asws said, “O Jew! See if I-asws read the following Book of the Torah properly.” The Imam‑asws then recited some of the verses from the Torah for us. The Jew who was surprised hearing how the Imam-asws was reciting the Torah kept moving his body. He then faced the Christian and asked, “O Christian! Were these before Isa-as or was Isa-as before them?” The Catholic Archbishop said, “They were before him-as.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “(People from) the Quraysh (tribe) gathered around Allah-azwj ‘s Messenger Muhammad-saww and asked him-saww to give life to their dead. He-saww sent along Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws with them and told him-asws, “Go to the cemetery and loudly call the people about whom they have asked, Say, “O so-and-so, so-and-so, etc.” Tell them, “Allah-azwj’s Messenger Muhammad‑saww says, ‘Rise with the permission of the Honourable the Exalted Allah-azwj!’ Then they will all arise and brush off the dust from their heads.” The people from the Quraysh tribe walked towards them and asked them about their affairs. They told them that Muhammad-saww was appointed as a Prophet. The people who had risen from the dead said, “We wish we had lived in his age and believed in him‑saww!” The Prophet healed the blind, the leprous and the insane. He spoke with the beasts, the birds, the jinn, and Satan. Still, we do not adopt him as a lord other than Allah-azwj. We do not deny the nobilities of any of these Prophets-as. But you who have adopted Isa-as as a lord, so then is it permissible for you to adopt Al-Yasa-as and Hizqeel-as as two lords, for they did just as Isa-as: the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-as did – acts such as giving life to the dead and else?
In addition, thousands of the Children of Israel left their homeland in fear of death due to plague. Allah-azwj Made them die immediately. The people of the village built a fence around them, and left them there until their bones decayed. One of the Prophets-as of the Children of Israel passed by. He-as was amazed when he-as saw many decayed bones. The Honourable the Exalted Allah-azwj revealed to him-as, “Would you-as like Me-azwj to bring them to life so that you-as can admonish them?” The Prophet-as said, “Yes, Lord-azwj!” Then the Honourable the Exalted Allah-azwj Revealed to him-as, “Then call them.” He-as said, “O decayed bones! Rise with Allah-azwj’s Permission.” They all rose while brushing off the dust from their heads.”
Also, Abraham-as – the friend of Allah-azwj the Merciful – took the birds, cut them into pieces, and put each piece on a mountain top. He-as called out to them and they came towards him. Musa-as the son of Imran-as and seventy of his-as companions whom he-as had chosen went to the mountain. They told Musa-as, “You-as have seen Allah-azwj, then show Him-azwj to us.” Musa-as told them, “I-as have not seen Him-azwj.” But they said, ‘…We shall never believe in thee until we see Allah-azwj manifestly…’
A thunderbolt struck them, and burnt them all up. Only Musa-as survived. Musa-as said, “O my Lord‑azwj! I-as chose seventy men from among the Children of Israel and brought them to the mountain. Shall I-as return by myself? How shall my-as people believe what I-as must tell them? ‘If it had been Thy will Thou-azwj couldst have destroyed, long before, both them and me-as: wouldst Thou-azwj destroy us for the deeds of the foolish ones among us?’
Then the Honourable the Exalted Allah-azwj Gave life to them after their death. You cannot deny all these things which I-asws have told you, for the Torah, the Bible, the Psalms of David and the Quran have mentioned them. If all those who gave life to the dead, healed the blind, the leprous and the mad were adopted as Lords other than Allah-azwj, then you should also adopt them as Lords. O Christian! What is your opinion?”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “Yes. You are right. There is no god but Allah-azwj.”
Then the Imam-asws turned towards the High Rabbi and told him, “O Jew! Turn to me-asws. I-asws swear to you by the Ten Commandments which were sent down to Musa-as (the son of Imran-as) to tell me-asws whether or not there exists the following statement about the Prophet Muhammad-saww and his-saww nation in the Torah, “When the people of the last nation whose followers are the Rider of the Camel who extremely glorifies the Lord-azwj – new glorifications in new churches (implying mosques), then let the Children of Israel flee towards them and their dominion so that their hearts may be tranquil, since there will be swords in their hands with which they will take revenge on the unbelievers around the globe.” Is this not written in the Torah?” The High Rabbi said, “Yes, we have found that written in this manner.”
Then the Imam-asws asked the Catholic Archbishop, “O Christian! How is your knowledge of the Book of Sha’ya?” He answered, “I know it letter by letter.” Then the Imam-asws asked them both, “Do you know that the following statement is made by him?, ‘O people! I have seen the picture of the Rider of the Donkey. He was wearing gowns of light. And I have seen the Rider of the Camel – who is as bright as the moon.’” They answered, “Indeed Sha’ya did say that!”
Al-Reza-asws said, “O Christian! Do you know that Isa-asws said, ‘I-as am going to my-as Lord-azwj and your Lord-azwj, and the Paraclete is coming who shall testify to my truth just as I testified for him, and he shall explain everything to you, and he shall be the one to expose all the sins of nations, and he shall be the one to smash down the pillars of unbelief?’” The Catholic Archbishop said, “We accept whatever you-asws cite from the Bible.” The Imam-asws said, “O Catholic Archbishop! Have you found this established in the Bible?” The Catholic Archbishop said, “Yes.” Al-Reza-asws said, “O Catholic Archbishop! When you lost the first Bible, with whom did you find it?” The Catholic Archbishop said, “We only lost the Bible for one day. Then we found it fresh (in its original state). John and Matthew brought it back to us.”
Al-Reza-asws asked him, “How little your knowledge of the Bible and its scholars is! If what you say is right, then why is there so much dispute amongst you with each other about the Bible? The reason is that there is controversy lies in the Bible which is in your hands today. Had it been the same as the first Bible, there would be no disputes over it.
However, I-asws will clarify this for you myself-asws. Know that when the first Bible was lost, the Christians gathered around their scholars and said to them, ‘’Isa-as: the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-asws has been killed, and we have lost the Bible. You are the scholars. What do you have?’ Luke, Mark and John told them, ‘We have memorized the Bible. Do not worry about it. Do not forsake the churches. We will recite each Injeel of the Bible for you on each Sunday until we put it all together.’ Then Luke, Mark, John and Matthew gathered together and put together this Bible after you had lost the first one. These four students were of the first students. Did you know that?”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “I did not know this before. Now I have learned it from you-asws due to your-asws noble knowledge of the Bible. I heard things which you-asws knew from you – things which my heart testifies to be the truth. Therefore, I have gained a much better understanding.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “How do you consider what they bear witness to?” The Catholic Archbishop said, “I completely accept whatever they say is right and bear witness to it.” Then Al-Reza-asws told Al-Ma’mun and those of his family and others who were present, “Be witnesses to this.” They said, “We witness to that.”
Then the Imam-asws told the Catholic Archbishop, “I swear by the Son-as and his Mother-as to tell us whether you know that Matthew said the following, ‘The Messiah is the son of David, the son of Abraham, the son of Isaac, the son of Jacob, the son of Yehuda, the son of Khadrun.’ Mark said the following regarding the lineage of Isa-as: the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary‑as, ‘He is Allah-azwj’s Kalama (Word) placed in the human body. So, it turned into the human form.’ Moreover, Luke said, ‘Isa-as the son of Mary-as and his-as mother-as were humans made of flesh and blood. Then the Holy Spirit entered into them.’ You also testify that Isa-as had said the following about himself-as, ‘O disciples! I-as will tell you the truth. No one will ascend the heavens, except for him who descends therefrom, except for the Rider of the Camel – the Seal of the Prophets-saww, for he-saww will ascend the heavens and then will descend there from.’ What do you have to say about that?”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “These are the words of Isa-as. We do not deny them.” Al-Reza-asws said, “If so, what do you say about the testimonies of Luke, Mark and Matthew regarding Isa-as and the lineage they attributed to him?”
The Catholic Archbishop said, “They ascribed lies to Isa-as.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “O people! Did he not just bear witness that they (Luke, Mark and Matthew) are the Scholars of the Bible and that what they say is the truth?” The Catholic Archbishop said, “O Scholar of the Muslims! I would like you to excuse me from discussing about these men.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “Fine. I will excuse you from that. O Christian! Ask me whatever you wish to ask.” The Catholic said, “Let someone else ask you questions. By Isa-as, I did not think that there was a scholar like you-asws among the Muslims.”
Al-Reza-asws turned towards the High Rabbi and said, “Will you ask me questions or should I ask?” The High Rabbi said, “I will ask. However, I will not accept any proofs from you-asws except those from the Torah, the Bible, the Psalms of David, or the Scriptures of Abraham-as and Musa-as.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “Do not accept any of my proofs unless they are from the Torah as expressed by Musa-asws – the son of Imran-asws, the Bible as expressed by Isa-asws: the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-asws, or the Psalms of David as expressed by David-asws.”
The High Rabbi said, “How can you prove the Prophethood of Muhammad-saww?”
Al-Reza-asws said, “Musa-as – the son of Imran, Isa-asws – the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-asws and David-asws – the Vicegerent of Allah-azwj on the Earth have testified to his Prophethood.”
The High Rabbi said, “Provide evidence of the testimony of Musa-as the son of Imran-as.”
Al-Reza-asws told him, “O Jew! Do you know that Musa-as said the following to the Children of Israel, ‘A Prophet will come to you from among your brethren. Believe in him and obey him.’ Do you know that the Children of Israel have no brethren other than the Children of Ishmael? Do you know about the ties of kinship between Israel and Ishmael and the relationship that existed between them from the past through Abraham-as?” The High Rabbi said, “These are the words of Musa-as. I do not deny them.” Al-Reza-asws asked him, “Has any Prophet-as other than Muhammad-asws come from amongst the brethren of the Children of Israel?” He replied, “No.” Al-Reza-asws said, “Is this not correct in your opinion?” The High Rabbi said, “Yes, but I want you to prove its correctness from the Torah.”
Al-Reza-asws asked him, “Do you deny that the Torah says the following to you? ‘There came light from Mount Sina. Light shined upon us from Mount Sa’eer and it became apparent to us from Mount Faran.’” The High Rabbi said, “I am familiar with these words, but I do not know what they mean.’”
Al-Reza-asws said, “I will inform you about them. What is meant when it says ‘There came light from Mount Sina’ is a reference to the Blessed the Sublime Allah-azwj’s revelations to Musa-as on Mount Sina. And what is meant when it says, ‘Light shined upon us from Mount Sa’eer’ is a reference to the Mountain upon which the Honourable the Exalted Allah-azwj Sent revelations to Isa-as – the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-as. Isa-as was on that mountain. And what is meant when it says, ‘and it became apparent to us from Mount Faran’ is a reference to a mountain that is one day away from Mecca. As you and your friends said, the Prophet Sha’ya has said in the Torah that ‘I have seen the picture of the Rider of the Donkey. He was wearing gowns of light. And I have seen the Rider of the Camel – who is as bright as the moon.’ Who is the Rider of the Donkey? Who is the Rider of the Camel?” The High Rabbi said, “I do not know who they are.” The Imam-asws said, “The Rider of the Donkey is Isa-as and the Rider of the Camel is Muhammad-asws. Do you deny that this is from the Torah?” The High Rabbi said, “No, I do not deny that.”
Then Al-Reza-asws said, “Do you know the Prophet Hayquq-as?” The High Rabbi said, “Yes, I know him.” The Imam-asws said, “He has said the following which your Book has also stated, ‘Allah-azwj brought down the Bay’an from Mount Faran. The heavens are filled with the glorification of Ahmad-saww and his nation. He-saww will carry his troops at sea just as he carries them on land. He-saww will bring us a new Book after the destruction of the Holy House (in Jerusalem).’ Did you know this (statement) and do you believe in it?” The High Rabbi said, “In fact, the Prophet Hayquq-as has said this. I will not deny his words.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “David-as said in his Psalms which you have also read, ‘O my Allah-azwj! Appoint him who will establish the Sunna (practice) after the cessation (of the Prophets).’ Did you know of any Prophet other than Muhammad-saww who has established the Sunna after the cessation (of the Prophets)?”
The High Rabbi said, “This is what is said by David. We do not deny it. However, he-as meant Isa-as by that, and it is his era that was the age of cessation.” Al-Reza-asws told him, “You are wrong. In fact, Isa-asws endorsed the Sunna (practices) of the Torah until Allah-azwj Pulled him-as up to Himself-azwj. It is written in the Bible, ‘The son of pious woman will go, and the Paraclete will come after him. It is he who will preserve the bonds, explain everything to you, and testify to my-as truth just as I-as testified for him-saww. I-as have brought you the examples, and he will bring you the interpretations.’ Do you believe that this statement is in the Bible?”
The High Rabbi said, “Yes.”
Al-Reza-asws told him, “O the High Rabbi! I want to ask you about your Prophet Musa-as. The High Rabbi said, “Ask.” The Imam-asws said, “What is the evidence for the Prophethood of Musa-as?”
The Jew said, “He brought miracles which the Prophets-as before him had not brought.” The Imam-asws asked, “Could you give me an example?” The High Rabbi replied, “He split the sea, turned the cane into a running serpent, cleaved the stones so that springs gushed forth from them, took out his hand shining white for the onlookers, and other signs the like of which other creatures were unable to bring.”
Al-Reza-asws told him, “You are right. They are proofs of his-as Prophethood. He-as brought the like of which other creatures were unable to bring. Is it obligatory on you to believe in whoever claims Prophethood and performs something which all other creatures are unable to perform?”
The High Rabbi said, “No, since there is no one like Musa-as considering his position near his Lord-azwj and his closeness to Him-azwj. It is not incumbent upon us to profess the Prophethood of whoever claims it, unless he brings us miracles similar to those brought by Musa-as.”
The Imam-asws said, “Then how come you admit the Prophethood of the other Prophets-as who preceded Musa-as who did not split the sea; nor did they cleave the stone so that twelve springs would gush forth from them; nor did they take their hands out shining white as Musa‑as did; nor did they turn the cane into a running serpent.”
The Jew replied, “I told you that if they performed miracles as evidence for their Prophethood which all other creatures were unable to perform, and if they brought something the like of which Musa-as had brought or they followed what Musa-as had brought, then it is incumbent upon us to believe in them.”
Al-Reza-asws told him, “O High Rabbi! What has prevented you from professing (the Prophethood of) Isa-as – the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-as? Isa-as brought the dead to life, healed the blind and the leprous, made birds formed of clay and breathed at them giving them life with Allah-azwj’s permission.”
The High Rabbi said, “It is said that he did that, but we did not see it.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “Have you seen the miracles performed by Musa-as? Have you not received this news by way of Musa’s closest trustworthy companions who said he-asws did them?” The High Rabbi said, “Yes. That is so.”
The Imam-asws said, “Well. The news about the miracles of Isa-as – the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary-as have reached you in a similar fashion. Why then did you acknowledge Musa-as and believe in him-as, but you did not believe in Isa-as?” The High Rabbi did not answer. Al-Reza-asws said, “The same is true about Muhammad-saww and his-saww miracles. The same is true about any other Prophet appointed by Allah-azwj. One of the miracles of Muhammad-saww was that he was a poor and was a shepherd. He had not been (formally) taught anything. He-saww did not go to any teachers. However, the Quran which he-asws brought contains the stories of the Prophets-as and the associated news, letter by letter. It has narrated the news of the past and the things to come in the future all the way up until the Resurrection Day. The Quran provided information about what they did in hiding or in their homes. He-saww brought innumerable miracles.” The High Rabbi said, “Neither the account about Isa-as nor that about Muhammad-saww are considered correct by us. It is not permissible to admit their Prophethood through what is not correct.”
Al-Reza-asws said, “Has the witness who testified for Isa-as and Muhammad-saww then given false testimony?” The High Rabbi did not answer him.
Then the Imam-asws called the Zoroastrian High Priest. Al-Reza-asws told him, “Let me know about Zoroaster who considered himself to be a Prophet. What is your proof of his Prophethood?” The Zoroastrian High Priest said, “He had miracles which no one ever had before him. Of course, I have not seen him, but the stories of our ancestors tell us that he made legitimate for us things which others had not made legitimate. Therefore, we follow him.”
The Imam-asws asked, “You believed in the stories which came to you about him, so you followed him, didn’t you?” He replied, “Yes.” The Imam-asws said, “This is the case with all other nations. Stories came to them about what the Prophets had accomplished, and what Musa‑as, Isa-as, and Muhammad-saww had all brought to them. So why didn’t you believe in any of these Prophets, having believed in Zoroaster through the stories that came to you about him saying that he brought forth what others did not?” The Zoroastrian High Priest froze in place (An extract).[5]
2nd Debate of Imam Al-Reza-asws:
ثُمَّ إِنَّ الرِّضَا الْتَفَتَ إِلَى الْجَاثَلِيقِ فَقَالَ هَلْ دَلَّ الْإِنْجِيلُ عَلَى نُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص قَالَ لَوْ دَلَّ الْإِنْجِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مَا جَحَدْنَاهُ
(An extract) Then Al-Reza-asws turned to the Catholic. He-asws said: ‘Does the Evangel point upon the Prophet-hood of Muhammad-saww?’ He said, ‘If the Evangel had pointed upon that, we would not reject it’.
فَقَالَ ع أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّكْتَةِ الَّتِي لَكُمْ فِي السِّفْرِ الثَّالِثِ فَقَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ اسْمٌ مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى لَا يَجُوزُ لَنَا أَنْ نُظْهِرَهُ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَإِنْ قَرَّرْتُكَ أَنَّهُ اسْمُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ ذِكْرُهُ وَ أَقَرَّ عِيسَى بِهِ وَ أَنَّهُ بَشَّرَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ لَتُقِرُّ بِهِ وَ لَا تُنْكِرُهُ
He-asws said: ‘Inform me-asws about the ‘Saktat’ in the third book’. The Catholic said, ‘A Name from the Names of Allah-azwj the Exalted. It is not allowed for us to reveal it’. Al-Reza-asws said: ‘If I-asws were to make you accept that it is a name of Muhammad-saww and his-saww mention, and Isa-as had acknowledged with it, and he-saww was a person from the children of Israel with Muhammad-saww, will you acknowledge with it and not deny it?’
قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ إِنْ فَعَلْتَ أَقْرَرْتُ فَإِنِّي لَا أَرُدُّ الْإِنْجِيلَ وَ لَا أَجْحَدُ
The Catholic said, ‘If you-asws were to do so, I would accept, for I will not repel the Evangel nor will I reject’.
قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَخُذْ عَلَى السِّفْرِ الثَّالِثِ الَّذِي فِيهِ ذِكْرُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ بِشَارَةُ عِيسَى بِمُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ هَاتِ فَأَقْبَلَ الرِّضَا ع يَتْلُو ذَلِكَ السِّفْرَ مِنَ الْإِنْجِيلِ حَتَّى بَلَغَ ذِكْرَ مُحَمَّدٍ فَقَالَ يَا جَاثَلِيقُ مَنْ هَذَا الْمَوْصُوفُ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ صِفْهُ
Al-Reza-asws said: ‘Take upon the third book in which is the mention of Muhammad and glad tidings of Isa-as with Muhammad-saww’. The Catholic said, ‘Give!’ Al-Reza-asws turn reciting that book from the Evangel until he-asws reached the mention of Muhammad-saww. He-asws said: ‘O Catholic! Who is this described one?’ The Catholic said, ‘Describe him!’
قَالَ لَا أَصِفُهُ إِلَّا بِمَا وَصَفَهُ اللَّهُ هُوَ صَاحِبُ النَّاقَةِ وَ الْعَصَا وَ الْكِسَاءِ النَّبِيُّ الْأُمِّيُّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوباً عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ يَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ يُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَ يُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبائِثَ وَ يَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَ الْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ يَهْدِي إِلَى الطَّرِيقِ الْأَقْصَدِ وَ الْمِنْهَاجِ الْأَعْدَلِ وَ الصِّرَاطِ الْأَقْوَمِ
He-asws said: ‘I-asws will not describe him except with what Allah-azwj has Described him. He is owner of the camel, and the staff, and the cloak, the Prophet-azwj, the Ummy who they are finding written with them in the Torah and the Evangel. He-saww instructs them with the good and prohibits them from the evil, and he-saww would permit the good things for them and prohibit the wicked things upon them, and place down from them, their burdens and the shackles which would be upon them, guiding to the moderate path, and the manifesto of justice, and the straight Path.
سَأَلْتُكَ يَا جَاثَلِيقُ بِحَقِّ عِيسَى رُوحِ اللَّهِ وَ كَلِمَتِهِ هَلْ تَجِدُونَ هَذِهِ الصِّفَةَ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ لِهَذَا النَّبِيِّ فَأَطْرَقَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ مَلِيّاً وَ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ إِنْ جَحَدَ الْإِنْجِيلَ كَفَرَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ هَذِهِ الصِّفَةُ مِنَ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ قَدْ ذَكَرَ عِيسَى فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ هَذَا النَّبِيَّ وَ لَمْ يَصِحَّ عِنْدَ النَّصَارَى أَنَّهُ صَاحِبُكُمْ
I ask you, O Catholic, by the right of Isa-as Spirit of Allah-azwj and His-azwj Word! Are you finding this description in the Evangel for this Prophet-saww?’ The Catholic lowered his head for a while and knew that if he were to reject the Evangel, he would be blaspheming. He said, ‘Yes, this is the description from the Evangel, and Isa-as has mentioned this Prophet-saww in the Evangel, and it is not proven correct with the Christians that he-saww is your Master-saww’.
فَقَالَ الرِّضَا ع أَمَّا إِذَا لَمْ تَكْفُرْ بِجُحُودِ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ أَقْرَرْتَ بِمَا فِيهِ مِنْ صِفَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَخُذْ عَلَيَّ فِي السِّفْرِ الثَّانِي فَإِنِّي أُوجِدُكَ ذِكْرَهُ وَ ذِكْرَ وَصِيِّهِ وَ ذِكْرَ ابْنَتِهِ فَاطِمَةَ وَ ذِكْرَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ
Al-Reza-asws said: ‘As for when you are not disbelieving by rejecting the Evangel and are accepting with what is in it from the description of Muhammad-saww, then take upon me-asws in the third book, for I-asws shall find his-saww mention for you, and mention of his-saww description, and mention of his-saww daughter-asws (Syeda) Fatima-asws, and mention of Al-Hassan-asws and Al-Husayn-asws’.
فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ وَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ ذَلِكَ عَلِمَا أَنَّ الرِّضَا ع عَالِمٌ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ فَقَالا وَ اللَّهِ قَدْ أَتَى بِمَا لَا يُمْكِنُنَا رَدُّهُ وَ لَا دَفْعُهُ إِلَّا بِجُحُودِ التَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ الزَّبُورِ وَ لَقَدْ بَشَّرَ بِهِ مُوسَى وَ عِيسَى جَمِيعاً وَ لَكِنْ لَمْ يَتَقَرَّرَ عِنْدَنَا بِالصِّحَّةِ أَنَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ هَذَا فَأَمَّا اسْمُهُ فَمُحَمَّدٌ فَلَا يَجُوزُ لَنَا أَنْ نُقِرَّ لَكُمْ بِنُبُوَّتِهِ وَ نَحْنُ شَاكُّونَ أَنَّهُ مُحَمَّدُكُمْ أَوْ غَيْرُهُ
When the Catholic and Ra’s Al-Jalout heard that, they knew that Al-Reza-asws was learned with the Torah and the Evangel. They said, ‘By Allah-azwj! You-asws have come up with what it is not possible for us to refute it, nor defend it except by rejecting the Torah and the Evangel and the Psalms, and Musa-as and Isa-as had both given glad tidings of him-saww, but it has not been decided with us with the correctness that he is this Muhammad-saww. As for his name, it is ‘Muhammad’. It is not allowed for us that we acknowledge to you all with his-saww Prophet-hood, and we are doubting that he is your Muhammad-saww or someone else’.
فَقَالَ الرِّضَا ع احْتَجَجْتُمْ بِالشَّكِّ فَهَلْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ قَبْلُ أَوْ بَعْدُ مِنْ وُلْدِ آدَمَ إِلَى يَوْمِنَا هَذَا نَبِيّاً اسْمُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ أَوْ تَجِدُونَهُ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْكُتُبِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَهَا اللَّهُ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ غَيْرَ مُحَمَّدٍ
Al-Reza-asws said: ‘You are arguing with the doubt. Has Allah-azwj Sent, before or after, anyone from the sons of Adam-as, up to this day of ours, any Prophet-as whose name is ‘Muhammad’? Or are you finding in anything from the books which Allah-azwj had Revealed upon entirety of the Prophets-as, apart from Muhammad-saww’.
فَأَحْجَمُوا عَنْ جَوَابِهِ وَ قَالُوا لَا يَجُوزُ لَنَا أَنْ نُقِرَّ لَكَ بِأَنْ مُحَمَّداً هُوَ مُحَمَّدُكُمْ لِأَنَّا إِنْ أَقْرَرْنَا لَكَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ وَصِيِّهِ وَ ابْنَتِهِ وَ ابْنَيْهَا عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْتُمْ أَدْخَلْتُمُونَا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ كَرْهاً
They held back from answering him-asws and said, ‘It is not allowed for us to acknowledge to you-asws that ‘Muhammad’, he is your-asws Muhammad-saww, because if we were to acknowledge to you-asws with Muhammad-saww, and his-saww successor-asws, and his-saww daughter-asws, and their-asws two sons-asws, based upon what you-asws mentioned, you-asws would be entering us all into Al-Islam, unwillingly’.
فَقَالَ الرِّضَا ع أَنْتَ يَا جَاثَلِيقُ آمِنٌ فِي ذِمَّةِ اللَّهِ وَ ذِمَّةِ رَسُولِهِ إِنَّهُ لَا يَبْدَؤُكَ مِنَّا شَيْءٌ تَكْرَهُ مِمَّا تَخَافُهُ وَ تَحْذَرُهُ
Al-Reza-asws said: ‘You, O Catholic, are safe in the Protection of Allah-azwj and protection of His-azwj Rasool-saww that nothing from us would be manifested to you that you will be disliking it, from what you are fearing and being cautious of’.
قَالَ أَمَّا إِذْ قَدْ آمَنْتَنِي فَإِنَّ هَذَا النَّبِيُّ الَّذِي اسْمُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ وَ هَذَا الْوَصِيُّ الَّذِي اسْمُهُ عَلِيٌّ وَ هَذِهِ الْبِنْتُ الَّتِي اسْمُهَا فَاطِمَةُ وَ هَذَانِ السِّبْطَانِ اللَّذَانِ اسْمُهُمَا الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ الزَّبُورِ
He said, ‘As for when you-asws have secured me, that this is the Prophet-saww whose name is ‘Muhammad’, and this is the successor-asws whose name is ‘Ali’, and this is the daughter which, her-asws name is ‘Fatima’, and these two are the grandsons-asws, those whose names are ‘Al-Hassan’ and ‘Al-Husayn’, in the Torah and the Evangel and the Psalms’.
قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَهَذَا الَّذِي ذَكَرْتَهُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ الزَّبُورِ مِنِ اسْمِ هَذَا النَّبِيِّ وَ هَذَا الْوَصِيِّ وَ هَذِهِ الْبِنْتِ وَ هَذَيْنِ السِّبْطَيْنِ صِدْقٌ وَ عَدْلٌ أَمْ كِذْبٌ وَ زُورٌ قَالَ بَلْ صِدْقٌ وَ عَدْلٌ مَا قَالَ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ
Al-Reza-asws said: ‘So this which you are mentioning in the Torah, and the Evangel and the Psalms, from the name of this Prophet-saww, and this successor-asws and this daughter-asws and these two grandsons-asws, is it true and fair or lies and false?’ He said, ‘But it is true and fair. He-azwj did not Say except the truth’.
فَلَمَّا أَخَذَ الرِّضَا ع إِقْرَارَ الْجَاثَلِيقِ بِذَلِكَ قَالَ لِرَأْسِ الْجَالُوتِ فَاسْمَعِ الْآنَ يَا رَأْسَ الْجَالُوتِ السِّفْرَ الْفُلَانِيَّ مِنْ زَبُورِ دَاوُدَ قَالَ هَاتِ بَارَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَى مَنْ وَلَّدَكَ
When Al-Reza-asws had taken the acknowledgment of the Catholic with that, he-asws said to Ra’s Al-Jalout: ‘Now, O Ra’s Al-Jalout! The third book from the Psalms of Dawood-as’. He said, ‘Give! May Allah-azwj Bless upon you-asws and upon the ones from your-asws children’.
فَتَلَا الرِّضَا ع السِّفْرَ الْأَوَّلَ مِنَ الزَّبُورِ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى ذِكْرِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيٍّ وَ فَاطِمَةَ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ فَقَالَ سَأَلْتُكَ يَا رَأْسَ الْجَالُوتِ بِحَقِّ اللَّهِ هَذَا فِي زَبُورِ دَاوُدَ وَ لَكَ مِنَ الْأَمَانِ وَ الذِّمَّةِ وَ الْعَهْدِ مَا قَدْ أَعْطَيْتُهُ الْجَاثَلِيقَ
Al-Reza-asws recited the first book from the Psalms until he-asws ended to the mention of Muhammad-saww, and Ali-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima-asws, and Al-Hassan-asws and Al-Husayn-asws’. He-asws said: ‘I-asws ask you, O Ra’s Al-Jalout, by the Right of Allah-azwj! Is this in the Psalms of Dawood-as? And for you is from the safety and the protection and the pact, what I-asws have given the Catholic’.
فَقَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ نَعَمْ هَذَا بِعَيْنِهِ فِي الزَّبُورِ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع بِحَقِّ الْعَشْرِ الْآيَاتِ الَّتِي أَنْزَلَهَا اللَّهُ عَلَى مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ هَلْ تَجِدُ صِفَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيٍّ وَ فَاطِمَةَ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مَنْسُوبِينَ إِلَى الْعَدْلِ وَ الْفَضْلِ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَ مَنْ جَحَدَهَا كَافِرٌ بِرَبِّهِ وَ أَنْبِيَائِهِ
Ra’s Al-Jalout said, ‘Yes, this exactly is in the Psalms, with their-asws names’. Al-Reza-asws said: ‘By the right of the ten Verses which Allah-azwj Revealed unto Musa-as Bin Imran-as in the Torah! Do you find the description of Muhammad-saww, and Ali-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima-asws, and Al-Hassan-asws and Al-Husayn-asws in the Torah, attributed to the justice, and the merit?’ He said, ‘Yes, and the one who rejects this is a disbeliever with his Lord-azwj and His-azwj Prophets-as!’
قَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا ع فَخُذِ الْآنَ فِي سِفْرِ كَذَا مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ فَأَقْبَلَ الرِّضَا ع يَتْلُو التَّوْرَاةَ وَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ يَتَعَجَّبُ مِنْ تِلَاوَتِهِ وَ بَيَانِهِ وَ فَصَاحَتِهِ وَ لِسَانِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ ذِكْرَ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ نَعَمْ هَذَا أَحْمَادٌ وَ إِلْيَا وَ بِنْتُ أَحْمَادٍ وَ شَبَّرُ وَ شَبِيرٌ وَ تَفْسِيرُهُ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ مُحَمَّدٌ وَ عَلِيٌّ وَ فَاطِمَةُ وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ
Al-Reza-asws said to him: ‘So take now in such and such book from the Torah’. Al-Reza-asws went on to recite the Torah, and Ra’s Al-Jalout was astounded from his-asws recitation, and his-asws explanation, and his-asws eloquence, and his-asws tongue (articulation), until when he-asws reached the mention of Muhammad-saww, Ra’s Al-Jalout said, ‘Yes, this is ‘Ahmaad’, and ‘Elia’, and daughter of ‘Ahmaad’, and ‘Shabbar’ and ‘Shabbir’, and its interpretation in Arabic is ‘Muhammad-saww’, and ‘Ali-asws’, and ‘Fatima-asws’, and ‘Al-Hassan-asws’ and ‘Al-Husayn-asws’.
فَتَلَا الرِّضَا ع إِلَى تَمَامِهِ فَقَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ لَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ تِلَاوَتِهِ وَ اللَّهِ يَا ابْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ لَوْ لَا الرِّئَاسَةُ الَّتِيحَصَلَتْ لِي عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْيَهُودِ لَآمَنْتُ بِأَحْمَدَ وَ اتَّبَعْتُ أَمْرَكَ فَوَ اللَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ عَلَى مُوسَى وَ الزَّبُورَ عَلَى دَاوُدَ مَا رَأَيْتُ أَقْرَأَ لِلتَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ الزَّبُورِ مِنْكَ وَ لَا رَأَيْتُ أَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيراً وَ فَصَاحَةً لِهَذِهِ الْكُتُبِ مِنْكَ
Al-Reza-asws recited to its completion. Ra’s Al-Jalout said when he-asws was free from his-asws recitation, ‘By Allah-azwj, O son-asws of Muhammad-saww! Had it not been for the governance which has been achieved for me upon entirety of the Jews, I would have believed in Muhammad-saww and would have followed your-asws orders. By Allah-azwj Who Revealed the Torah unto Musa-as, and the Psalms unto Dawood! I have not seen anyone more well-read of the Torah and the Evangel and the Psalms than you-asws, nor have I seen anyone of more excellent interpretation and eloquence of this book than you-asws!’
فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الرِّضَا ع مَعَهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ إِلَى وَقْتِ الزَّوَالِ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ حِينَ حَضَرَ وَقْتُ الزَّوَالِ أَنَا أُصَلِّي وَ أَصِيرُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لِلْوَعْدِ الَّذِي وَعَدْتُ وَالِيَ الْمَدِينَةِ لِيَكْتُبَ جَوَابَ كِتَابِهِ وَ أَعُودُ إِلَيْكُمْ بُكْرَةً إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
Al-Reza-asws did not cease to be with them regarding that until the time of midday. When the time of midday presented, he-asws said: ‘I-asws shall pray and go to Al-Medina for the promise which I-asws have promised the governor of Al-Medina to write the answers of his letter, and I-asws shall be returning to you in the morning (next day), if Allah-azwj so Desires’.
قَالَ فَأَذَّنَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ وَ أَقَامَ وَ تَقَدَّمَ الرِّضَا ع فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ وَ خَفَّفَ الْقِرَاءَةَ وَ رَكَعَ تَمَامَ السُّنَّةِ وَ انْصَرَفَ
Abdullah Bin Suleyman proclaimed Azaan and Iqaamah, and Al-Reza-asws went ahead and prayed (leading) with the people, and he-asws lightened the recitation and performed the complete Sunnah and left.
فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ عَادَ إِلَى مَجْلِسِهِ ذَلِكَ فَأَتَوْهُ بِجَارِيَةٍ رُومِيَّةٍ فَكَلَّمَهَا بِالرُّومِيَّةِ وَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ يَسْمَعُ وَ كَانَ فَهِماً بِالرُّومِيَّةِ فَقَالَ الرِّضَا ع بِالرُّومِيَّةِ أَيُّمَا أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكِ مُحَمَّدٌ أَمْ عِيسَى
When it was the next morning, he-asws returned to that seat of his-asws. They came to him-asws with a Roman girl. He-asws spoke to her in Roman, and the catholic was listening, and he understood the Roman (language). Al-Reza-asws said to the Roman girl: ‘Which of the two is more beloved to you, Muhammad-saww or Isa-as?’
فَقَالَتْ كَانَ فِيمَا مَضَى عِيسَى أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ حِينَ لَمْ أَكُنْ عَرَفْتُ مُحَمَّداً فَأَمَّا بَعْدَ أَنْ عَرَفْتُ مُحَمَّداً فَمُحَمَّدٌ الْآنَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ عِيسَى وَ مِنْ كُلِّ نَبِيٍّ
She said, ‘It was during what has passed, Isa-as was more beloved to me when I had not known Muhammad-saww. As for after having known Muhammad-saww, then now Muhammad-saww is more beloved to me than Isa-as, and more than every Prophet-as’.
فَقَالَ لَهَا الْجَاثَلِيقُ فَإِذَا كُنْتِ دَخَلْتِ فِي دِينِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَتُبْغِضِينَ عِيسَى قَالَتْ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ بَلْ أُحِبُّ عِيسَى وَ أُومِنُ بِهِ وَ لَكِنَّ مُحَمَّداً أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ
The Catholic said to her, ‘Since you have entered into the religion of Muhammad-saww, then you hate Isa-as’. She said, ‘Allah-azwj Forbid! But I love Isa-asws and believe in him-as, but Muhammad-saww is more beloved to me’.
فَقَالَ الرِّضَا ع لِلْجَاثَلِيقِ فَسِّرْ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ مَا تَكَلَّمَتْ بِهِ الْجَارِيَةُ وَ مَا قُلْتَ أَنْتَ لَهَا وَ مَا أَجَابَتْكَ بِهِ فَفَسَّرَ لَهُمُ الْجَاثَلِيقُ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ يَا ابْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ هَاهُنَا رَجُلٌ سِنْدِيٌّ وَ هُوَ نَصْرَانِيٌّ صَاحِبُ احْتِجَاجٍ وَ كَلَامٍ بِالسِّنْدِيَّةِ
Al-Reza-asws said to the Catholic, ‘Interpret (Translate) for the gathering what the girl spoke to you with and what you said to her, and what she answered you with’. The Catholic interpreted (translated) that, all of it, then the Catholic said, ‘O son-asws of Muhammad-saww! Over here is a Sindhi man, and he is a Christian, master of argumentation and the theology in Sindhi (language)’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ أَحْضِرْنِيهِ فَأَحْضَرَهُ فَتَكَلَّمَ مَعَهُ بِالسِّنْدِيَّةِ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ يُحَاجُّهُ وَ يَنْقُلُهُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَى شَيْءٍ بِالسِّنْدِيَّةِ فِي النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ فَسَمِعْنَا السِّنْدِيَّ يَقُولُ ثبطى ثبطى ثبطلة فَقَالَ الرِّضَا ع قَدْ وَحَّدَ اللَّهَ بِالسِّنْدِيَّةِ
He-asws said to him, ‘Present him’. He presented him, and he-asws spoke to him in Sindhi. Then he-asws went on to argue and transfer him from a thing to a thing in Sindhi, regarding the Christianity. We heard the Sindhi saying, ‘Sabty! Sabty Sabtalah’. Al-Reza-asws said: ‘He has professed the Oneness of Allah-azwj in Sindhi (language)’.
ثُمَّ كَلَّمَهُ فِي عِيسَى وَ مَرْيَمَ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُدْرِجُهُ مِنْ حَالٍ إِلَى حَالٍ إِلَى أَنْ قَالَ بِالسِّنْدِيَّةِ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ مِنْطِقَةً كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ فَظَهَرَ مِنْ تَحْتِهَا زُنَّارٌ فِي وَسَطِهِ فَقَالَ اقْطَعْهُ أَنْتَ بِيَدِكَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
Then he-asws spoke to him regarding Isa-as and Maryam-as. He-asws did not cease to insert him from a situation to a situation until he said in Sindhi, ‘I testify that there is no Allah-azwj except Allah-azwj and that Muhammad-saww is Rasool-saww of Allah-azwj!’ Then he raised a belt which was upon him, and a waistband appeared from under it in his waist. He said, ‘You-asws cut it with your-asws hand, O son-asws of Rasool-Allah-azwj-saww!’
فَدَعَا الرِّضَا ع بِسِكِّينٍ فَقَطَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ الْهَاشِمِيِّ خُذِ السِّنْدِيَّ إِلَى الْحَمَّامِ وَ طَهِّرْهُ وَ اكْسُهُ وَ عِيَالَهُ وَ احْمِلْهُمْ جَمِيعاً إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ
Al-Reza-asws called for the knife and cut it, then he-asws said to Muhammad Bin Al-Fazl Al-Hashimy: ‘Take the Sindhi to the bathhouse and purify him and clothe him and his dependants and carry them all to Al-Medina’.
فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ مُخَاطَبَةِ الْقَوْمِ قَالَ قَدْ صَحَّ عِنْدَكُمْ صِدْقُ مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ يُلْقِي عَلَيْكُمْ عَنِّي قَالُوا نَعَمْ وَ اللَّهِ لَقَدْ بَانَ لَنَا مِنْكَ فَوْقَ ذَلِكَ أَضْعَافاً مُضَاعَفَةً وَ قَدْ ذَكَرَ لَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ أَنَّكَ تُحْمَلُ إِلَى خُرَاسَانَ
When he-asws was free from addressing the people, he-asws said: ‘Has it held correct with you all what Muhammad Bin Al-Fazl had cast to you all about me-asws?’ They said, ‘Yes, by Allah-azwj! It is clear to us from you-asws, above that, manifold, and Muhammad Bin Al-Fazl had mentioned to us that you-asws would be taken to Khurasan’.
فَقَالَ صَدَقَ مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا أَنِّي أُحْمَلُ مُكَرَّماً مُعَظَّماً مُبَجَّلًا:
He-asws said: ‘Muhammad spoke the truth, except that I-asws would be taken honourably, reverently, exaltedly’.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ: فَشَهِدَ لَهُ الْجَمَاعَةُ بِالْإِمَامَةِ وَ بَاتَ عِنْدَنَا تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ وَدَّعَ الْجَمَاعَةَ وَ أَوْصَانِي بِمَا أَرَادَ وَ مَضَى وَ تَبِعْتُهُ حَتَّى إِذَا صِرْنَا فِي وَسَطِ الْقَرْيَةِ عَدَلَ عَنِ الطَّرِيقَ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ
Muhammad Bin Fazl said, ‘The gathering testified to him-asws with the Imamate and he-asws spent the night in our presence, that night. When it was morning, he-asws bade farewell to the group and he-asws bequeathed to me with what he-asws wanted, and went, and I followed him-asws until when we came to be in the middle of the town, he-asws turned from the road. He-asws prayed four Cycles Salat.
ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ انْصَرِفْ فِي حِفْظِ اللَّهِ غَمِّضْ طَرْفَكَ فَغَمَّضْتُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ افْتَحْ عَيْنَيْكَ فَفَتَحْتُهُمَا فَإِذَا أَنَا عَلَى بَابِ مَنْزِلِي بِالْبَصْرَةِ وَ لَمْ أَرَى الرِّضَا ع
Then he-asws said: ‘O Muhammad! Leave in the Protection of Allah-azwj. Close your eyes!’ I closed them. Then he-asws said: ‘Open your eyes!’ I opened them, and there I was at the door of my house at Al-Basra, and I could not see Al-Reza-asws’.
قَالَ وَ حَمَلْتُ السِّنْدِيَّ وَ عِيَالَهُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فِي وَقْتِ الْمَوْسِمِ:
He said, ‘And I carried the Sindhi and his dependants to Al-Medina during the time of the season (of Hajj)’.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ: كَانَ فِيمَا أَوْصَانِي بِهِ الرِّضَا ع فِي وَقْتِ مُنْصَرَفِهِ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ أَنْ قَالَ لِي صِرْ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ فَاجْمَعِ الشِّيعَةَ هُنَاكَ وَ أَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنِّي قَادِمٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَنْزِلَ فِي دَارِ حَفْصِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ الْيَشْكُرِيِّ فَصِرْتُ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ فَأَعْلَمْتُ الشِّيعَةَ أَنَّ الرِّضَا ع قَادِمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ
Muhammad Bin Al-Fazl said, ‘It was among what Al-Reza-asws had bequeathed me with during the time of his-asws leaving from Al-Basra is that he-asws had said to me: ‘Go to Al-Kufa and gather the Shias over these and let them know that I-asws shall be arriving to them’. And he-asws instructed me that I should descend in the house of Hafs Bin Umeyr Al-Yashkary. So, I went to Al-Kufa and let the Shias know, ‘Al-Reza-asws would be arriving to you all’.
فَأَنَا يَوْماً عِنْدَ نَصْرِ بْنِ مُزَاحِمٍ إِذْ مَرَّ بِي سَلَامٌ خَادِمُ الرِّضَا فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّ الرِّضَا ع قَدْ قَدِمَ فَبَادَرْتُ إِلَى دَارِ حَفْصِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ فِي الدَّارِ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي احْتَشِدْ مِنْ طَعَامٍ تُصْلِحُهُ لِلشِّيعَةِ فَقُلْتُ قَدِ احْتَشَدْتُ وَ فَرَغْتُ مِمَّا يُحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ
One day I was in the presence of Nasr Bin Muzahim, when Salaam, a servant of Al-Reza-asws passed by. So, I knew that Al-Reza-asws had arrived. I rushed to the house of Hafs Bin Umeyr, and there he-asws was in the house. I greeted unto him-asws, then he-asws said to me: ‘Gather good food for the benefit of the Shias’. I said, ‘I have already gathered and am free from what would be needed to’.
فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى تَوْفِيقِكَ فَجَمَعْنَا الشِّيعَةَ فَلَمَّا أَكَلُوا قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ انْظُرْ مَنْ بِالْكُوفَةِ مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّمِينَ وَ الْعُلَمَاءِ فَأَحْضِرْهُمْ فَأَحْضَرْنَاهُمْ
He-asws said: ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj upon having Inclined you!’ So we gathered the Shias. When they had eaten, he-asws said: ‘O Muhammad! Look at the ones at Al-Kufa, from the speakers and the scholars. Present them’. I presented them.
فَقَالَ لَهُمُ الرِّضَا ع إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَجْعَلَ لَكُمْ حَظّاً مِنْ نَفْسِي كَمَا جَعَلْتُ لِأَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَعْلَمَنِي كُلَّ كِتَابٍ أَنْزَلَهُ
Al-Reza-asws said to them: ‘I-asws want to make a share to be for you all from myself-asws, like what I-asws had made for the people of Al-Basra, and that Allah-azwj has Taught me-asws every Book He-azwj has Revealed’.
ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى جَاثَلِيقَ وَ كَانَ مَعْرُوفاً بِالْجَدَلِ وَ الْعِلْمِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ فَقَالَ يَا جَاثَلِيقُ هَلْ تَعْرِفُ لِعِيسَى صَحِيفَةً فِيهَا خَمْسَةُ أَسْمَاءٍ يُعَلِّقُهَا فِي عُنُقِهِ إِذَا كَانَ بِالْمَغْرِبِ فَأَرَادَ الْمَشْرِقَ فَتَحَهَا فَأَقْسَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِاسْمٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ خَمْسَةِ الْأَسْمَاءِ أَنْ تَنْطَوِيَ لَهُ الْأَرْضُ فَيَصِيرَ مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ إِلَى الْمَشْرِقِ وَ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ فِي لَحْظَةٍ
Then he-asws turned to a Catholic, and he was well-known with the arguments and the knowledge, and the Evangel. He-asws said: ‘O Catholic! Do you know any Parchment being for Isa-as wherein are five names, he-as used to hang in his-as neck? When he-as was in the west, and he-as wanted the east, he-asws would open it and vow upon Allah-azwj with one name from the five names, so the earth would fold for him-as, so he-asws would go from the west to the east, and from the east to the west in a moment?’
فَقَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ لَا عِلْمَ لِي بِهَا وَ أَمَّا الْأَسْمَاءُ الْخَمْسَةُ فَقَدْ كَانَتْ مَعَهُ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ بِهَا أَوْ بِوَاحِدٍ مِنْهَا يُعْطِيهِ اللَّهُ جَمِيعَ مَا يَسْأَلُهُ
The Catholic said, ‘There is no knowledge for me with it, and as for the five names, these used to be with him-as. He-as would ask Allah-azwj with these, or with one of these, and Allah-azwj would Grant him-as entirety of what he-as asked Him-azwj of’.
قَالَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ إِذَا لَمْ تُنْكِرِ الْأَسْمَاءَ فَأَمَّا الصَّحِيفَةُ فَلَا يَضُرُّ أَقْرَرْتَ بِهَا أَمْ أَنْكَرْتَهَا اشْهَدُوا عَلَى قَوْلِهِ
He-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj is the Greatest! Then, you are not denying the names. As for the Parchment, it would not harm you acknowledging with these If you were to deny them Witness upon his words!’
ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ أَ لَيْسَ أَنْصَفُ النَّاسِ مَنْ حَاجَّ خَصْمَهُ بِمِلَّتِهِ وَ بِكِتَابِهِ وَ بِنَبِيِّهِ وَ شَرِيعَتِهِ قَالُوا نَعَمْ
Then he-asws said: ‘O community of people! Isn’t he the fairest of the people, on who argues against his contender with his religion, and with his Book, and with his Prophet-as, and his Law?’ They said, ‘Yes’.
قَالَ الرِّضَا ع فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِإِمَامٍ بَعْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ إِلَّا مَنْ قَامَ بِمَا قَامَ بِهِ مُحَمَّدٌ حِينَ يُفْضَى الْأَمْرُ إِلَيْهِ وَ لَا يَصْلُحُ لِلْإِمَامَةِ إِلَّا مَنْ حَاجَّ الْأُمَمَ بِالْبَرَاهِينِ لِلْإِمَامَةِ
Al-Reza-asws said: ‘Then know that he isn’t an Imam-asws after Muhammad-saww, except one who stands with what Muhammad-saww had stood with, when he-saww gave the command to him-asws, and he is not correct for the Imamate except the one who argues the communities with the proofs of the Imamate!’
فَقَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ وَ مَا هَذَا الدَّلِيلُ عَلَى الْإِمَامِ
Ra’s Al-Jalout said, ‘And what is this evidence upon the Imam-asws?’
قَالَ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَالِماً بِالتَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ الزَّبُورِ وَ الْقُرْآنِ الْحَكِيمِ فَيُحَاجَّ أَهْلَ التَّوْرَاةِ بِتَوْرَاتِهِمْ وَ أَهْلَ الْإِنْجِيلِ بِإِنْجِيلِهِمْ وَ أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ بِقُرْآنِهِمْ وَ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَالِماً بِجَمِيعِ اللُّغَاتِ حَتَّى لَا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ لِسَانٌ وَاحِدٌ فَيُحَاجَّ كُلَّ قَوْمٍ بِلُغَتِهِمِ
He said, ‘That he-asws would be learned with the Torah, and the Evangel, and the Psalms, and the Wise Quran, so he-asws would argue the people of the Torah with their Torah, and the people of the Evangel with their Evangel, and the people of the Quran with their Quran, and that he-asws would be a knower of entirety of the languages until not a single tongue is hidden unto him-asws, so he would argue every people in their own language.
ثُمَّ يَكُونَ مَعَ هَذِهِ الْخِصَالِ تَقِيّاً نَقِيّاً مِنْ كُلِّ دَنَسٍ طَاهِراً مِنْ كُلِّ عَيْبٍ عَادِلًا مُنْصِفاً حَكِيماً رَءُوفاً رَحِيماً غَفُوراً عَطُوفاً صَادِقاً مُشْفِقاً بَارّاً أَمِيناً مَأْمُوناً رَاتِقاً فَاتِقاً
Then, along with that, he-asws would be with the qualities of piety, purify from every filth, clean from every fault, just, fair, wise, kind, merciful, forgiving, sympathetic, truthful, compassionate, righteousness, trustworthy, safe, pious, Allah-azwj-fearing’.
فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ نَصْرُ بْنُ مُزَاحِمٍ فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا تَقُولُ فِي جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
Nasr Bin Muzahim stood up to him. He said, ‘O son-asws of Rasool-Allah-azwj-saww! What are you-asws saying regarding Ja’far-asws Bin Muhammad-asws?’
قَالَ مَا أَقُولُ فِي إِمَامٍ شَهِدَتْ أُمَّةُ مُحَمَّدٍ قَاطِبَةً بِأَنَّهُ كَانَ أَعْلَمَ أَهْلِ زَمَانِهِ
He-asws said: ‘What can I-asws say about an Imam-asws for whom the entire community of Muhammad-saww had testified that he-asws was the most learned of his-asws era?’
قَالَ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ كَانَ مِثْلَهُ قَالَ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ تَحَيَّرُوا فِي أَمْرِهِ
He said, ‘So what are you-asws saying regarding Musa-asws Bin Ja’far-asws?’ He-asws said: ‘He-asws was similar to him-asws’. He said, ‘The people are confused regarding his-asws matter’.
قَالَ إِنَّ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَمَرَ بُرْهَةً مِنَ الزَّمَانِ فَكَانَ يُكَلِّمُ الْأَنْبَاطَ بِلِسَانِهِمْ وَ يُكَلِّمُ أَهْلَ خُرَاسَانَ بِالدَّرِيَّةِ وَ أَهْلَ رُومٍ بِالرُّومِيَّةِ وَ يُكَلِّمُ الْعَجَمَ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَ كَانَ يَرِدُ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْآفَاقِ عُلَمَاءُ الْيَهُودِ وَ النَّصَارَى فَيُحَاجُّهُمْ بِكُتُبِهِمْ وَ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ
He-asws said: ‘Musa-asws Bin Ja’far-asws aged for a while from the times. He-asws speaking to the Nabateans in their language, and he-asws spoke to the people of Khurasan in Dorriyeh, and the people of Rome in Roman, and he-asws spoke to the non-Arabs in their languages, and the scholars of the Jews and the Christians came to him-asws from the outskirts, and he-asws argued them with their Books and their languages.
فَلَمَّا نَفِدَتْ مُدَّتُهُ وَ كَانَ وَقْتُ وَفَاتِهِ أَتَانِي مَوْلًى بِرِسَالَتِهِ يَقُولُ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّ الْأَجَلَ قَدْ نَفِدَ وَ الْمُدَّةَ قَدِ انْقَضَتْ وَ أَنْتَ وَصِيُّ أَبِيكَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص لَمَّا كَانَ وَقْتُ وَفَاتِهِ دَعَا عَلِيّاً وَ أَوْصَاهُ وَ دَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ الصَّحِيفَةَ الَّتِي كَانَ فِيهَا الْأَسْمَاءُ الَّتِي خَصَّ اللَّهُ بِهَا الْأَنْبِيَاءَ وَ الْأَوْصِيَاءَ
When his-asws period came to an end and it was the time of his-asws expiry, a slave came to me-asws with his-asws message saying: ‘O my-asws son-asws! The term has run out and the period has expired, and you-asws are the successor-asws of your-asws father-asws. When Rasool-Allah-azwj-saww was at the time of his-saww expiry, called Ali-asws and bequeathed to him-asws and handed the Book to him-asws in which were the names which Allah-azwj had Specialised the Prophets-as and the successors-as with.
ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ ادْنُ مِنِّي فَغَطَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص رَأْسَ عَلِيٍّ ع بِمُلَاءَةٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَخْرِجْ لِسَانَكَ فَأَخْرَجَهُ فَخَتَمَهُ بِخَاتَمِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ اجْعَلْ لِسَانِي فِي فِيكَ فَمُصَّهُ وَ ابْلَعْ عَنِّي كُلَّ مَا تَجِدُ فِي فِيكَ فَفَعَلَ عَلِيٌّ ذَلِكَ
Then he-saww said: ‘O Ali-asws! Come near me-saww!’ Rasool-Allah-azwj-saww covered the head of Ali‑asws with a sheet, then said to him-asws: ‘Bring out your-asws tongue!’ He-asws brought out his-asws tongue. He-saww sealed it with his-saww seal (ring), then said: ‘O Ali-asws! Make my-saww tongue to be in your-asws mouth and suck it and deliver from me-saww all what you-asws find, to be in your-asws mouth!’ Ali-asws did that.
فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَهَّمَكَ مَا فَهَّمَنِي وَ بَصَّرَكَ مَا بَصَّرَنِي وَ أَعْطَاكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا أَعْطَانِي إِلَّا النُّبُوَّةَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي
He-saww said: ‘Allah-azwj has Caused you-asws to understand what He-azwj has Caused me-saww to understand and Made you-asws so have insight what insight He-azwj had Caused me-saww to have and has Given you-asws from the knowledge what He-azwj had Given me-saww, except for the Prophet-hood, for there will be no Prophet-as after me-saww’.
ثُمَّ كَذَلِكَ إِمَامٌ بَعْدَ إِمَامٍ فَلَمَّا مَضَى مُوسَى عَلِمْتُ كُلَّ لِسَانٍ وَ كُلَّ كِتَابٍ.
The like that is an Imam-asws after an Imam-asws. When Musa-asws passed away, I-asws knew every language and every Book’’.[6]
[1] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 120 H 4
[2] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 40 H 3
[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 36, The book of History – Amir Al-Momineen-asws, Ch 40 H 20
[4] ( 5). الترجج بالجيمين و الراء المهملة: الاضطراب و التذبذب. الرج: التحرك و الاهتزاز و في بعض النسخ الخطية:« يترجح».
[5] عيون أخبار الرضا عليه السلام، ج1، ص: 154, Vol. 1, Chapter 14, H. 12
[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 49, The book of History – Ali Al-Reza-asws, Ch 4 H 1