When ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida(a.s.) came before Ma’mun

1.5.16. Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Nufali said, “When ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida(a.s.) came before Ma’mun the later commanded Fadl ibn Sahl to gather the scholars (ashab al-maqalat) such as the Catholicos (Jathaliq), the Exilarch (Ra’s al-Jalut), the chiefs of the Sabeans, Hirbidh al-Akbar, the Zoroastrians, NasTas al-Rumi and the theologians so as to hear his words and their words. Fadl ibn Sahl gathered them and informed Ma‘mun of their gathering.

Ma‘mun said, ‘Bring them before me.’ He did it. Ma‘mun welcomed them; then he said to them, ‘I gathered you here for the good, and I would like you to debate with my cousin from Madinah who has come before me. Come here early tomorrow morning, and let not one of you be remiss.’ They said, ‘We hear and we obey, O Commander of the Faithful! We will be here early tomorrow morning, God willing.’…

1-5-16- د [التوحيد] ن [عيون أخبار الرضَا عليه السلام] حَدَثَّنَا أبُو مُحَمَّدٍ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ عَلِىِّ بْنِ أحْمَدَ الْفَقِيهِ الْقُمِىِّ ثُمَّ الاِيلاَقِيِّ، رَضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: «أخْبَرَنَا أبُو مُحَمَّدٍ، الْحَسَنُ بُنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ صَدَقَةٍ الْقُمِيِّ. قَالَ: ’حَدَّثَنِى أبُو عَمْرٍو مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ اْلاَنْصَارِىِّ الْكَجِيِّ. قَالَ: ’حَدَّثَنِى مَنْ سَمِعَ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّوْفِلِىِّ ثُمَّ الْهَاشِمِىِّ يَقُولُ: ’لَمَّا قَدِمَ عَلِىٌّ بْنُ مُوسَي الرِّضَا (ع) عَلَي الْمَأْمُونِ، أمَرَ الْفَضْلَ بْنَ سَهْلٍ أنْ يَجْمَعَ لَهُ أصْحَابَ الْمَقَالاَتِ، مِثْلَ الْجَاثِلِيقِ وَرَاْسِ الْجَالُوتِ وَرُؤَسَاءِ الصَّابِئِينَ وَالْهِربَذِ اْلاَكْبَرِ وَأصْحَابِ ذَرْدَهَشْتِ وَنَسْطَاسِ الرُّومِى وَالْمُتَكِلِّمِينَ لِيَسْمَعَ كَلاَمَهُ وَكَلاَمَهُمْ. فَجَمَعَهُمُ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ، ثُمَّ أّعْلَمَ الْمَأْمُونَ بِاجْتِمَاعِهِمْ.

فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: ’أدْخِلْهُمْ عَلَيَّ.‘ فَفَعَلَ فَرَحَّبَ بِهِمُ الْمَأْمُونُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ: ’إنِّى إنَّمَا جَمَعْتُكُمْ لِخَيْرٍ، وَأحْبَبْتُ أنْ تُنَاظِرُوا إبْنَ عَمِّي، هَذَا الْمَدَنِىَّ الْقَادِمَ عَلَيَّ. فَإذَا كَانَ بُكْرةً فَاغْدُوا عَلَيَّ وَلاَ يَتَخَلَّفْ مِنْكُمْ أحَدٌ.‘ فَقَالُوا: ’السَّمْعَ وَالطَّاعَةَ يَا أمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. نَحْنُ مُبْكِرُونَ إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ...‘

The next morning, Fadl ibn Sahl came and said to Rida(a.s.), ‘May I be your sacrifice. Your cousin is waiting for you. The people have gathered. What is your view about coming before him?’ Rida(a.s.) said to him, ‘You precede me, and I will come to you, God willing.’ Then he made ablutions (wudu’) as though for prayer, and he drank some barley water (sharbah sawiq) and we also drank some. Then he left, and we left with him, until we entered before Ma‘mun. All at once it was crowded, and Muhammad ibn Ja‘far was among the Talibiyyin, the Hashimiyyin and the Quwwad. When Rida(a.s.) entered, Ma‘mun stood up, and Muhammad ibn Ja‘far and all the Hashimiyyin. They waited until Rida(a.s.) sat with Ma‘mun and ordered them to sit. Then they sat, and Ma‘mun faced him and spoke with him for an hour.

Then Ma‘mun turned toward the Catholicos and said, ‘O Catholicos! This is my cousin, ‘Ali ibn Musa ibn Ja‘far, who is a descendent of FaTimah the daughter of our Prophet and ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, may they both be blessed. So, I would like you to speak with him and debate fairly.’ The Catholicos said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! How can I debate with someone who relies upon a book that I deny and a prophet in whom I have no faith?’ Rida(a.s.) said to him, ‘O Christian! If I debate against you by your Gospel, will you concede?’ The Catholicos said, ‘Can I reject what is spoken in the Gospel? Yes, by God, I will concede even if I do not like it.’Rida(a.s.) said to him, ‘Ask whatever comes to your mind, and understand the answer.’ The Catholicos said, ‘What do you say about the prophethood of Jesus and his book? Do you deny them?’

Rida(a.s.) said, ‘I confess the prophethood of Jesus and his book, and the glad tidings to his community to which the Apostles also confessed. And I disbelieve in the prophethood of any Jesus who did not confess the prophethood of Muhammad (s) and in his book and who did not give glad tidings of him to his community.’ The Catholicos said, ‘Is it not the case that you consider the judgment of

فَلَمَّا أصْبَحْنَا، أتَانَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ. فَقَالَ لَهُ: ’جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ. إبْنُ عَمِّكَ يَنْتَظِرُكَ، وَقَدِ اجْتَمَعَ الْقَوْمُ. فَمَا رَاْيُكَ فِى إتْيَانِهِ؟‘ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’تَقَدَّمْنِي، فَإنِّى سَائِرٌ إلَي نَاحِيَتِكُمْ، إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ.‘ ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأ (ع) وُضُوءَهُ لِلصَّلاَةِ وَشَرِبَ شَرْبَةَ سَوِيقٍ وَسَقَانَا مِنْهُ. ثُمَّ خَرَجَ وَخَرَجْنَا مَعَهُ حَتَّي دَخَلْنَا عَلَي الْمَأْمُونِ. فَإذَا الْمَجْلِسُ غَاصَ بِأهْلِهِ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ فِى جَمَاعَةِ الطَّالِبِيِّينَ وَالْهَاشِمِيِّينَ، وَالْقُوَّادُ حُضُورٌ. فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ الرِّضَا (ع)، قَامَ الْمَأْمُونُ وَقَامَ مُحَمَّدٌ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ وَجَمِيعُ بَنِى هَاشِمٍ. فَمَا زَالُوا وُقُوفًا، وَالرِّضَا (ع) جَالِسٌ مَعَ الْمَأْمُونِ حَتَّي أمَرَهُمْ بِالْجُلُوسِ، فَجَلَسُوا. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ الْمَأْمُونُ مُقْبِلاً عَلَيْهِ، يُحَدِّثُهُ سَاعَةً.

ثُمَّ إلْتَفَتَ إلَي الْجَاثِلِيق، فَقَالَ: ’يَا جَاثِلِيقُ، هَذَا إبْنُ عَمِّي، عَلِىٌّ بْنُ مُوسَي بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ. وَهُوَ مِنْ وُلْدِ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ نَبِيِّنَا، وَابْنُ عَلِىٍّ بْنِ أبِى طَالِبٍ، صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمَا. فَاُحِبُّ أنْ تُكَلِّمَهُ وَتُحَاجَّهُ وَتُنْصِفَهُ.‘ فَقَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’يَا أمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، كَيْفَ أُحَاجُّ رَجُلاً يَحْتَجُّ عَلَيَّ بِكِتَابٍ أنَا مُنْكِرُهُ وَنَبِىٍّ لاَ أُومِنُ بِهِ؟‘ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، فَإنْ إحْتَجَجْتُ عَلَيْكَ بِإنْجِيلِكَ، أتُقِرُّ بِهِ؟‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيق: ’وَهَلْ أقْدِرُ عَلَي دَفْعِ مَا نَطَقَ بِهِ الاِنجِيلُ! نَعَم وَاللَّهِ أُقِرُّ بِهِ عَلَي رَغْمِ أنْفِي.‘ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’سَلْ عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ وَافْهَمْ الْجَوَابَ.‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’مَا تَقُولُ فِى نُبُوَّةِ عِيسَي وَكِتَابِهِ؟ هَلْ تُنْكِرُ مِنْهُمَا شَيْئًا؟‘

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’أنَا مُقِرٌّ بِنُبُوَّةِ عِيسَي وَكِتَابِهِ وَمَا بَشَّرَ بِهِ أُمَّتَهُ وَأقَرَّتْ بِهِ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ؛ وَكَافِرٌ بِنُبُوَّةِ كُلِّ عِيسَي لَمْ يُقِرَّ بِنُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ (ص) وَبِكِتَابِهِ وَلَمْ يُبَشِّرْ بِهِ أُمَّتَهُ.‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’ألَيْسَ إنَّمَا تَقْطَعُ اْلاَحْكَامُ بِشَاهِدَيْ عَدْلٍ؟‘ قَالَ: ’بلي.‘ قَالَ:

two just witnesses decisive?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ The Catholicos said, ‘Then bring two witnesses for the prophethood of Muhammad from a nation other than yours who are not denied by the Christians, and ask us for the like from other than our nation.’ Rida(a.s.) said, ‘Now you are being fair, O Christian! Do you not accept from me the earlier just ones who were with the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary?’

The Catholicos said, ‘Who is that just one? Tell me his name?’ He said, ‘What do you say about John Daylami?’ He said, ‘Very well! You have mentioned the most beloved person to the Messiah.’ He(a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you, does the Gospel not say that John said, “The Messiah informed me of the religion of Muhammad the Arab, and he gave me glad tidings of him, that he would come after him; then I gave glad tidings of him to the Apostles, so believe in him.”?’ The Catholicos said, ‘John mentioned this from the Messiah and he gave glad tidings about the prophethood of a man and about his folk and his trustee. But he did not specify when this would be, and he did not name these people for us so that we could recognize them.’

Rida(a.s.) said, ‘If we bring someone who reads the Gospel and he recites for you the mention of Muhammad and his folk and his community, will you believe in him?’ He said, ‘Surely.’ Rida(a.s.) said to NasTas al-Rumi, ‘How is your memory of the third scripture of the Gospel?’ He said, ‘I do not remember it.’Then he turned to the chief of al-Jalut and said, ‘Do you not read the Gospel?’ He said, ‘Yes, by my soul.’ He said, ‘Start the third scripture for me. If the mention of Muhammad and his folk and his community is in it, bear witness to it for me, and if it is not there, then do not bear witness for me.’ Then he recited the scripture until when he arrived at the mention of the Prophet (s) he stopped.

Then he said, ‘O Christian! I ask you by the right of the Messiah and his mother, did you know that I know the Gospel?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ Then he recited for us the mention of Muhammad, his folk and his community. Then he said, ‘What do you say, O Christian? This is the speech of Jesus the son of Mary. If you belie what is said in the Gospel then you belie Moses and Jesus, peace be with them, and when you deny this mention, it is obligatory for you to be killed, because you would be a disbeliever in your Lord, your prophet and your book.’

’فَأقِمْ شَاهِدَيْنِ، مِنْ غَيْرِ أهْلِ مِلَّتِكَ، عَلَي نُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ، مِمَّنْ لاَ تُنْكِرُهُ النَّصْرَانِيَّةُ. وَسَلْنَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أهْلِ مِلَّتِنَا.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’ألاَنَ جِئْتَ بِالنَّصَفَةِ، يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ. ألاَ تَقْبَلُ مِنِّى الْعَدْلَ الْمُقَدَّمَ عِنْدَ الْمَسِيحِ، عِيسَي بْنِ مَرْيَمَ؟‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’مَنْ هَذَا الْعَدْلُ؟ سَمِّهْ لِي.‘ قَالَ: ’مَا تَقُولُ فِى يُوحَنَّا الدَّيْلَمِيِّ؟‘ قَالَ: ’بَخٍّ بَخٍّ! ذَكَرْتَ أحَبَّ النَّاسِ إلَي الْمَسِيحِ.‘ قَالَ(ع): ’فَاُقْسِمْتُ عَلَيْكَ، هَلْ نَطَقَ الاِنجِيلُ أنَّ يُوحَنَّا قَالَ: ’إنَّ الْمَسِيحَ أخْبَرَنِى بِدِينِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَرَبِىِّ وَبَشَّرَنِى بِهِ أنَّهُ يَكُونُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ. فَبَشَّرْتُ ِبهِ الْحَوَارِيِّينَ، فَامَنُوا بِهِ.‘‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’قَدْ ذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ يُوحَنَّا عَنْ الْمَسِيحِ وَبَشَّرَ بِنُبُوَّةِ رَجُلٍ وَبِأهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَوَصِيِّهِ، وَلَمْ يُلَخِّصْ مَتَي يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ، وَلَمْ يُسَمِّ لَنَا الْقَوْمَ فَنَعْرِفَهُمْ.‘

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’فَإنْ جِئْنَاكَ بِمَنْ يُقِرُّ الاِنجِيلَ، فَتَلاَ عَلَيْكَ ذِكْرَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَأُمَّتِهِ أتُؤْمِنَ بِهِ؟‘ قَالَ: ’شَدِيدًا.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع) لِنَسْطَاسِ الرُّومِيِّ: ’كَيْفَ حِفْظُكُ لِلسِّفْرِ الثَّالِثِ مِنَ الاِنجِيلِ؟‘ قَالَ: ’مَا أحْفَظَنِى لَهُ.‘ ثُمَّ إلْتَفَتَ إلَي رَاْسِ الْجَالُوتِ، فَقَالَ: ’ألَسْتَ تَقْرَأ الاِنجِيلَ قَالَ: ’بَلَي، لَعَمْرِي.‘ قَالَ: ’فَخُذْ عَلَي السِّفْرِ الثَّالِثِ. فَإنْ كَانَ فِيهِ ذِكْرُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَأُمَّتِهِ، فَاشْهَدُوا لِي؛ وَإنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ ذِكْرُهُ فَلاَ تَشْهَدُوا لِى .‘ثُمَّ قَرَأ (ع) السِّفْرَ الثَّالِثَ، حَتَّي إذَا بَلَغَ ذِكْرَ النَّبِىِّ (ص) وَقَفَ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: ’يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، إنِّى أّسْألُكَ، بِحَقِّ الْمَسِيحِ وَأُمِّهِ، أتَعْلَمُ إنِّى عَالِمٌ بِالاِنجِيلِ؟‘ قَالَ: ’نَعَم.‘ ثُمَّ تَلاَ عَلَيْنَا ذِكْرَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَأُمَّتِهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: ’مَا تَقُولُ؟ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، هَذَا قَوْلُ عِيسَي بْنِ مَرْيَمَ. فَإنْ كَذَّبْتَ مَا يَنْطِقُ بِهِ الاِنجِيلُ، فَقَدْ كَذَّبْتَ مُوسَي وَعِيسَي (ع)؛ وَمَتَي أنْكَرْتَ هَذَا الذِّكْرَ وَجَبَ عَلَيْكَ الْقَتْلُ. ِلاَنَّكَ تَكُونُ قَدْ كَفَرْتَ بِرَبِّكَ وَبِنَبِيِّكَ وَبِكِتَابِكَ.‘

The Catholicos said, ‘I will not deny what is clear for me in the Gospel. I will confess to it.’ Rida(a.s.) said, ‘Bear witness to what he has confessed.’ Then he said, ‘O Catholicos! Ask whatever comes to your mind.’

The Catholicos said, ‘Inform me about the Apostles of Jesus the son of Mary. How many were they? And how many were the scholars of the Gospel?’ Rida(a.s.) said, ‘You have come to one who is well informed. As for the Apostles, they were twelve men, and the most noble and knowledgeable of them was Luke. As for the Christian scholars, they were three men: John the Great of Ajj,[1] John of Qirqisa and John Daylami of Zijar, and it is he who mentions the Prophet (s), and mentions his folk and his community, and it is he who brought the glad tidings of him to the community of Jesus and to the Children of Israel.’

Then he said to him, ‘O Christian! Verily, we do indeed, by Allah, believe in Jesus who believed in Muhammad (s) and we do not resent anything about your Jesus except his weakness and the small amount that he fasted and prayed.’ The Catholicos said, ‘By Allah! You spoiled your knowledge and weakened your affair. I imagined nothing less than that you were the most knowledgeable of the folk of Islam.’ Rida(a.s.) said, ‘How is that?’ The Catholicos said, ‘Because of what you said about Jesus being weak and having little fasting and prayer, while Jesus never broke his fast and slept through not a single night; he was constantly fasting and holding vigals.’ Rida(a.s.) said, ‘So, for whom did he fast and pray?’ Then the Catholicos was dumbfounded and stopped speaking. Rida(a.s.) said, ‘O Christian! I want to ask you about a problem.’ He said, ‘Ask. If I know anything about it, I will answer you.’ Rida(a.s.) said, ‘Why did you deny that Jesus raised the dead by the permission of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent?’ The Catholicos said, ‘I denied it because whoever raises the dead and cures the blind and the leper is the lord deserving to be worshipped.’

[1] Some say that what is meant here is Akh in Basra

قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’لاَ أُنْكِرُ مَا قَدْ بَانَ لِى فِى الاِنجِيلِ، وَإنِّى لَمُقِرٌّ بِهِ.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’إشْهَدُوا عَلَي إقْرَارِهِ.‘ ثُمَّ قَالَ: ’يَا جَاثِلِيقُ، سَلْ عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ.‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’أخْبِرْنِي, حَوَارِىُّ عِيسَي بْنِ مَرْيَمَ كَمْ كَانَ عِدَّتُهُمْ؟ وَعَنْ عُلَمَاءِ الاِنجِيلِ، كَمْ كَانُوا؟‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’عَلَي الْخَبِيرِ سَقَطْتَ. أمَّا الْحَوَارِيُّونَ، فَكَانُوا إثْنَي عَشَرَ رَجُلاً، وَكَانَ أفْضَلُهُمْ وَأعْلَمُهُمْ، ألُوقَا. وَأمَّا عُلَمَاءُ النَّصَارَي، فَكَانُوا ثَلاَثَةَ رِجَالٍ: يُوحَنَّا اْلاَكْبَرُ بِأجٍ، وَيُوحَنَّا بِقِرْقِيسَا، وَيُوحَنَّا الدَّيْلَمِىّ بِزِجَارٍ، وَعِنْدَهُ كَانَ ذِكْرُ النَّبِىِّ (ص) وَذِكْرُ أهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَأُمَّتِهِ؛ وَهُوَ الَّذِى بَشَّرَ أُمَّةَ عِيسَي وَبَنِى إسْرَائِيلَ بِهِ.‘

ثُمَّ قَال لَهُ: ’يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، وَاللَّهِ إنَّا لَنُؤْمِنُ بعِيسَي الَّذِى آمَنَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ (ص)، وَمَا نَنْقِمُ عَلَي عِيسَاكُمْ شَيْئًا إلاَّ ضَعْفَهُ وَقِلَّةَ صِيَامِهِ وَصَلاَتِهِ.‘ قَالَ الْْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’أفْسَدْتَ وَاللَّهِ عِلْمَكَ وَضَعَّفْتَ أمْرَكَ، وَمَا كُنْتُ ظَنَنْتُ إلاَّ أنَّكَ أعْلَمُ أهْلِ الاِسْلاَمِ.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’وَكَيْفَ ذَاكَ؟‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’مِنْ قَوْلِكَ: ’إنَّ عِيسَي كَانَ ضَعِيفاً، قَلِيلَ الصِّيَامِ، قَلِيلَ الصَّلاَةِ.‘ وَمَا أفْطَرَ عِيسَي يَوْمًا قَطُّ، وَلاَ نَامَ بِلَيْلٍ قَطُّ، وَمَا زَالَ صَائِمَ الدَّهْرِ، قَائِمَ اللَّيْلِ.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’فَلِمَنْ كَانَ يَصُومُ وَيُصَلِّي؟‘

قَالَ: ’فَخَرَسَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ وَإنْقَطَعَ.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، أسَألُكَ, عَنْ مَسْألَةٍ.‘ قَالَ: ’سَلْ. فَإنْ كَانَ عِنْدي عِلْمُهَا، أجَبْتُكَ.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’مَا أنْكَرْتَ أنَّ عِيسَي كَانَ يُحيِى الْمَوْتَي بِإذْنِ اللَّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’أنْكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ، مِن قبلِ أنَّ مَنْ أحْيَا الْمَوْتَي وَأبْرَأ اْلاَكْمَهَ وَاْلاَبْرَصَ فَهُوَ رَبٌّ مُسْتَحَقٌّ ِلاَنْ يُعْبَدَ.‘

Rida(a.s.) said, ‘Elisha also did things like Jesus did: walked on the water, raised the dead and cured the blind and the leper, but his community did not take him to be the Lord, and not one of them worshipped him instead of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent. And the prophet Ezekiel also did things like what Jesus the son of Mary did, for he raised thirty-five thousand men after they had been dead for sixty years.’ Then he turned to the Exilarch and said to him, ‘O Exilarch! Do you find in the Torah what there is about the youths of the Children of Israel who were exiled by Nebuchadnezzar when they revolted in Jerusalem and then he sent them to Babylon? Then Allah, the Exalted, sent one to them and Allah revived them. This is in the Torah. None of you deny this unless he is a disbeliever.’

The Exilarch said, ‘We heard this and know about it.’ He said, ‘You spoke the truth.’Then he said, ‘O Jew! Consider the scripture of the Torah.’ Then he(a.s.) recited some verses of the Torah. The Jew started at his recitation and was surprised. Then he faced the Christian and said, ‘O Christian! Did this take place before Jesus or was Jesus before that?’ He said, ‘No. They were before him.’

Rida(a.s.) said, ‘Once the Quraysh gathered before the Apostle of Allah(a.s.) and asked him to raise their dead for them. He had ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib(a.s.) accompany them, then he said to him, ‘Go to al-Jubbanah and call that clan by their names, those about whom they had asked, with your loudest voice: O so-and-so! O so-and-so! And O so-and-so! Muhammad the Apostle of Allah says to you, “Rise, by the permission of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent.”’Then they rose and wiped the dust from their heads.

The Quraysh received them and asked how they were. Then they told them that Muhammad (s) had been raised as a prophet. They said, ‘We would love to see him and to believe in him.’ He cured the blind, the leper and the insane. The beasts, birds, genies and devils spoke to him, but we did not take him as a Lord instead of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent. We do not deny the virtues of any of them.

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’فَِانَّ الْيَسَعَ قَدْ صَنَعَ مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ عِيسَي: مَشَي عَلَي الْمَاءِ وَأحْيَا الْمَوْتَي وَأبْرَأ اْلاَكْمَهَ وَاْلاَبْرَصَ؛ فَلَمْ تَتَّخِذْهُ أُمَّتُهُ رَبًّا وَلَمْ يَعْبُدْهُ أحَدٌ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. وَلَقَدْ صَنَعَ حِزْقِيلُ النَّبِىُّ مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ عِيسَي بْنُ مَرْيَمَ: فَأحْيَا خَمْسَةَ وَثَلاَثِينَ ألْفَ رَجُلٍ مَنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهِمْ بِسِتِّينِ سَنَةٍ.‘ ثُمَّ إلْتَفَتَ إلَي رَاْسِ الْجَالُوتِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: ’يَا رَاْسَ الْجَالُوتِ، أتَجِدُ هَؤُلاَءِ فِى شَبَابِ بَنِى إسْرَائِيلَ فِى التُّوْرَاةِ؟ إخْتَارَهُمْ بُخْتُ نَصَّرَ مِنْ سَبْيِ بَنِى إسْرَائِيلَ، حِينَ غَزَا بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسَ، ثُمَّ إنْصَرَفَ بِهِمْ إلَي بَابِلَ؛ فَأرْسَلَهُ اللَّهُ، تَعَالَي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، إلَيْهِمْ، فَأحْيَاهُمُ اللَّهُ. هَذَا فِى التَّوْرَاةِ، لاَ يَدْفَعُهُ إلاَّ كَافِرٌ مِنْكُمْ.‘

 قَالَ رَأسُ الجَالُوتِ: ’قَدْ سَمِعْنَا بِهِ وَعَرَفْنَاهُ.‘ قَالَ: ’صَدَقْتَ.‘ ثُمَّ قَالَ: ’يَا يَهُودِىُّ، خُذْ عَلَي هَذَا السِّفْرِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ.‘ فَتَلاَ (ع) عَلَيْنَا مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ آيَاتٍ. فَأقْبَلَ الْيَهُودِىُّ يَتَرَجَّحُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ وَيَتَعَجَّبُ. ثُمَّ أقْبَلَ عَلَي النَّصْرَانِيِّ، فَقَالَ: ’يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، أفَهَؤُلاَءِ كَانُوا قَبْلَ عِيسَي أمْ عِيسَي كَانَ قَبْلَهُمْ؟‘ قَالَ: ’بَلْ كَانُوا قَبْلَهُ.‘

 قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’لَقَدْ إجْتَمَعَتْ قُرَيْشُ إلَي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (ص)، فَسَألُوُهُ أنْ يُحيِى لَهُمْ مَوْتَاهُمْ. فَوَجَّهَ مَعَهُمْ عَلِىَّ بْنَ أبِى طَالِبٍ (ع)، فَقَالَ لَهُ: ’إذْهَبْ إلَي الْجَبَانَةِ، فَنَادِ بَأسْمَاءِ هَؤُلاَءِ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِيْنَ يَسْألُونَ عَنْهُمْ بِأعْلَي صَوْتِكَ: ’يَا فُلاَنٌ وَيَا فُلاَنٌ وَيَا فُلاَنٌ، يَقُولُ لَكُمْ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ: ’قُومُوا بِإذْنِ اللَّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.‘ فَقَامُوا، يَنْفُضُونَ التُّرَابَ, عَنْ رُءُوسِهِمْ.

 فَأقْبَلَتْ قُرَيْشٌ، تَسْألُهُمْ, عَنْ أُمُورِهِمْ. ثُمَّ أخْبَرُوُهُمْ أنَّ مُحَمَّدًا (ص) قَدْ بَعَثَ نَبِيًّا، وَقَالُوا: ’وَدَدْنَا أنَّا أدْرَكْنَاهُ، فَنُؤْمِنُ بِهِ. وَلَقَدْ أبْرَأ اْلاَكْمَهَ وَاْلاَبْرَصَ وَالْمَجَانِينَ، وَكَلَّمَهُ الْبَهَائِمُ وَالطِّيْرُ وَالْجِنُّ وَالشَّيَاطِينُ، وَلَمْ نَتَّخِذْهُ رَبًّا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَلَمْ نُنْكِرْ

So, when you take Jesus as Lord, it becomes allowable to take Elijah and Ezekiel as Lords, because both of them did things like what Jesus did, such as raising the dead, etc... Verily, there was a tribe of the Children of Israel who fled their town because of plague and fear of death, and they were thousands, but in a single hour Allah made them die.[1] The people from that town set up an enclosure for them, and they [the dead] were always in it, until their bones rotted and decayed. Then one of the prophets of the Children of Israel passed them, and wondered about them and the great quantity of their rotted bones. So, Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent, revealed to him, ‘Would you like Me to revive them for you and warn them?’ He said, ‘Yes, O my Lord!’ Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent, revealed to him that he should call them. He said, ‘O you rotted bones! Rise, by the permission of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent!’ Then they rose living, all of them. They wiped the dust from their heads.

Then, Abraham, the friend of the Merciful, when he took the birds and cut them up, then put a portion of them on each mountain, then called them and they went toward him with effort.[2] Then there was Moses of ‘Imran and seventy of his chosen companions who went with him toward a mountain, and said to him, ‘You have seen Allah, glory be to Him, so show Him to us as you saw Him.’[3]

He said to them, ‘Verily, I did not see Him.’ They said, ‘We will not believe in you until we see Allah openly. Then they were struck by lightning. They burned, to the last of them, and Moses remained alone. He said, ‘O my Lord! Verily, I chose seventy men of the Children of Israel. I brought them here, but return alone. So, how is my people to affirm what I report to them? If you wanted, you could have destroyed them before and me. Would You destroy us because of what the fools among us did?’ Then Allah revived them after their

[1] See Qur’àn, (2:243).

[2] See Qur’àn (2:260).

[3] See Qur’àn, (7:155).

ِلاَحَدٍ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ فَضْلَهُمْ. فَمَتَي إتَّخَذْتُمْ عِيسَي رَبًّا، جَازَ لَكُمْ أنْ تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَسَعَ وَالْحِزْقِيلَ؛ ِلاَنَّهُمَا قَدْ صَنَعَا مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ عِيسَي مِنْ إحْيَاءِ الْمَوْتَي وَغَيْرِهِ. وَإنَّ قَوْمًا مِنْ بَنِى إسْرَائِيلَ هَرَبُوا مِنْ بِلاَدِهِمْ مِنَ الطَّاعُونِ، وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ، حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ، فَأمَاتَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِى سَاعَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ. فَعَمَدَ أهْلُ تِلْكَ الْقَرْيَةِ، فَحَظَرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ حَظِيرَةً، فَلَمْ يَزَالُوا فِيهَا حَتَّي نَخِرَتْ عِظَامُهُمْ وَصَارُوا رَمِيمًا. فَمَرَّ بِهِمْ نَبِىٌّ مِنْ أنْبِيَاءِ بَنِى إسْرَائِيلَ فَتَعَجَّبَ مِنْهُمْ وَمِنْ كِثْرَةِ الْعِظَامِ الْبَالِيَةِ. فَأوْحَي اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، إلَيْهِ: ’أتُحِبُّ أنْ أُحْيِيَهُمْ لَكَ، فَتُنْذِرَهُمْ؟‘ قَالَ: ’نَعَم، يَا رَبِّ.‘ فَأوْحَي اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، إلَيْهِ أنْ نَادِهِمْ. فَقَالَ: ’أيَّتُهَا الْعِظَامُ الْبَالِيَةُ، قُومِى بِاذْنِ اللَّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. فَقَامُوا أحْيَاءًا أجْمَعُونَ، يَنْفُضُونَ التُّرَابَ, عَنْ رُؤُوسِهِمْ.

ثُمَّ إبْرَاهِيمُ خَلِيلُ الرَّحْمَنِ، حِينَ أخَذَ الطَّيْرَ، فَقَطَّعَهُنَّ قِطَعًا، ثُمَّ وَضَعَ عَلَي كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا، ثُمَّ نَادَاهُنَّ، فَأقْبَلْنَ سَعْيًا إلَيْهِ. ثُمَّ مُوسَي بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَأصْحَابُهُ السَّبْعُونَ الَّذِينَ إخْتَارَهُمْ، صَارُوا مَعَهُ إلَي الْجَبَلِ، فَقَالُوا لَهُ: ’إنَّكَ قَدْ رَأيْتَ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ، فَأرِنَاهُ كَمَا رَأيْتَهُ.‘ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: ’إنِّى لَمْ أرَهُ.‘

فَقَالُوا،(لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّي نَرَي اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً.) فَأخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ، فَاحْتَرَقُوا, عَنْ آخِرِهِمْ، وَبَقِىَ مُوسَي وَحِيدًا. فَقَالَ: ’يَا رَبِّ، إنِّى إخْتَرْتُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلاً مِنْ بَنِى إسْرَائِيلَ، فَجِئْتُ بِهِمْ، وَأرْجِعُ وَحْدِي. فَكَيْفَ يُصَدِّقُنِى قَوْمِى بِمَا أُخْبِرُهُمْ بِهِ! فَلَوْ شِئْتَ، أهْلَكْتَهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَإيَّايَ. أتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا!‘ فَأحْيَاهُمُ اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهِمْ. وَكُلُّ شَىْء ذَكَرْتُهُ لَكَ مِنْ هَذَا، لاَ تَقْدِرُ عَلَي دَفْعِهِ. ِلاَنَّ

death. Everything I have mentioned to you, you cannot deny, for the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, the Qur’an have spoken of it. If everyone who raises the dead, cures the blind, the leper and the insane is to be taken as a Lord, instead of Allah, then take all of these as Lords. What do say, O Christian?’ The Catholicos said, ‘It is as you say, and there is no god but Allah.’

Then he(a.s.) turned to the Exilarch and said, “O Jew! Listen to me, for I want to ask you about ten verses which descended to Moses ibn ‘Imran. Do you find this written in the Torah about Muhammad and his community: ‘When the last community comes following the rider of the camel, and they glorify the Lord very earnestly with a new glorification in new synagogues. Then let the Children of Israel seek refuge with them and their king so that their hearts may be assured. Verily, there are swords in their hands by which they obtain revenge against the disbelieving communities in the regions of the earth.’?” Do you find anything like this written in the Torah?”

The Exilarch said, “Yes. We find the like of this.” Then he said to the Catholicos, “O Christian! How is your knowledge of the book Sha‘ya?” He said, “I know it word for word.” Then he said to him, “Are you familiar with these words from it: ‘O people! Verily I saw a figure riding a donkey clothed in a garb of light, and I saw the rider of a camel whose radiance is like the radiance of the moon.’?” They both said, “Certainly Sha‘ya said this.”

Rida(a.s.) said, “O Christian! Do you know the saying of Jesus in the Gospel: ‘Verily, I am going to your Lord and my Lord, and the paraclete (barqalita) is coming, he who will testify for me truly, even as I testify for him. And he will interpret all things for you, and he is the one who will reveal the sins of the nations, and he will break the pillar of disbelief.’?” The Catholicos said, “You have not mentioned anything from the Gospel that we do not confess.” He said, “Do you find this set in the Gospel, O Catholicos?” He said, “Yes.” Rida(a.s.) said, “O Catholicos! Will you not inform me about the first Gospel,

التَّوْرَاةَ وَالاِنجِيلَ وَالزَّبُورَ وَالْفُرْقَانَ قَدْ نَطَقَتْ بِهِ. فَإنْ كَانَ كُلُّ مَنْ أحْيَا الْمَوْتَي وَأبْرَأ اْلاَكْمَهَ وَاْلاَبْرَصَ وَالْمَجَانِينَ يَتَّخِذُ رَبًّا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ، فَاتَّخَذَ هَؤُلاَءِ كُلُّهُمْ أرْبَابًا. مَا تَقُولُ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ؟‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’الْقَوْلُ قَوْلُكَ، وَلاَ إلَهَ إلاَّ اللَّهُ.‘

ثُمَّ إلْتَفَتَ (ع) إلَي رَاْسِ الْجَالُوتِ، فَقَالَ: ’يَا يَهُودِيُّ، أقْبِلْ عَلَيَّ، أسْألُكَ بِالْعَشْرِ الآياتِ الَّتِى أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَي مُوسَي بْنِ عِمْرَانَ. هَلْ تَجِدُ فِى التُّوْرَاةِ مَكْتُوبًا نَبَأ مُحَمَّدٍ وأُمَّتِهِ؟ إذَا جَاءَتِ اْلاُمَّةُ اْلاَخِيرَةُ، أتْبَاعُ رَاكِبِ الْبَعِيرِ، يُسَبِّحُونَ الرَّبَّ جِدًّا، جِدًّا، تَسْبِيحًا جَدِيدًا فِى الْكَنَائِسِ الْجُدَدِ، فَلْيَفْزَعْ بَنُو إسْرَائِيلَ إلَيهِمْ وَإلَي مَلِكِهِمْ، لِتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُهُمْ. فَإنَّ بِأيْدِيهِمْ سُيُوفًا يَنْتَقِمُونَ بِهَا مِنَ الاُمَمِ الْكَافِرَةِ فِى أقْطَارِ الاَرْضِ. أهَكَذَا هُوَ فِى التَّوْرَاةِ مَكْتُوبٌ؟‘

قَالَ رَاْسُ الْجَالُوتِ: ’نَعَم، إنَّا لَنَجِدُهُ كَذَلِكَ.‘ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْجَاثِلِيقَ: ’يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، كَيْفَ عِلْمُكَ بِكِتَابِ شَعْيَا؟‘ قَالَ: ’أعْرِفُهُ، حَرْفًا حَرْفًا.‘ قَالَ لَهُمَا: ’أتَعْرِفَانِ هَذَا مِنْ كَلاَمِهِ؟: ’يَا قَوْمُ إنِّى رَأيْتُ صُورَةَ رَاكِبِ الْحِمَارِ، لاَبِسًا جَلاَبِيبَ النُّورِ؛ وَرَأيْتُ رَاكِبَ الْبَعِيرِ، ضَوْؤُهُ مِثْلُ ضَوْءِ الْقَمَرِ.‘‘ فَقَالاَ: ’قَدْ قَالَ ذَلِكَ شَعْيَا.‘

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، هَلْ تَعْرِفُ فِى الاِنجِيلِ قَوْلَ عِيسَي: ’إنِّى ذَاهِبٌ إلَي رَبِّكُمْ وَرَبِّي. وَالْبَارْقِلِيطَا جَاءَ، هُوَ الَّذِى يَشْهَدُ لِى بِالْحَقِّ، كَمَا شَهِدْتُ لَهُ. وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُفَسِّرُ لَكُمْ كُلَّ شَىْء، وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُبْدِئُ فَضَائِحَ اْلاُمَمِ، وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَكْسِرُ عَمُودَ الْكُفْرِ.‘‘ فَقَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’مَا ذَكَرْتُ شَيْئًا فِى الاِنجِيلِ، إلاَّ وَنَحْنُ مُقِرُّونَ بِهِ.‘ قَالَ: ’أتَجِدُ هَذَا فِى الاِنجِيلِ ثَابِتًا، يَا جَاثِلِيقُ؟‘ قَالَ: ’نَعَم.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’يَا جَاثِلِيقُ، ألاَ تُخْبِرُنِى عَنْ الاِنجِيلِ اْلاَوَّلِ، حِينَ إفْتَقَدْتُمُوهُ عِنْدَ مَنْ وَجَدْتُمُوهُ، وَمَنْ وَضَعَ لَكُمْ

when it was lost, with whom was it found? And who compiled this Gospel for you?” He said, “We did not lose it, except for one day, and when we found it, it was like new, and it was brought out by John and Matthew.” Then Rida(a.s.) said to him, “How little is your knowledge of the mystery[1] of the Gospel and its scholars! If it is as you imagine, then why are there differences about the Gospel? And verily, there are differences about the Gospel that is in your hands today. If it were the original testament, you would not differ about it. But I will offer you knowledge about it. Know that when the original Gospel was lost, the Christians gathered around their scholars and said to them, ‘Jesus the son of Mary was killed, the Gospel has been lost, and you are scholars, so what is in your possession?’ Luke and Mark said to them, ‘Verily, the Gospel is within our breasts, and we will bring it out scripture by scripture for everyone, so do not worry about it. Do not empty the synagogues. So, we will soon recite for every one of you scripture by scripture until it is all collected.’ Luke, Mark, John and Matthew sat down and compiled this Gospel for you after you had lost the original Gospel. These four persons were students of the first students. Did you know this?”

The Catholicos said, “I did not know this, but now I know it. The extent of your knowledge of the Gospel has become clear to me. I heard something to the truth of which my heart testifies, so I want to increase my understanding.”

Rida(a.s.) said to him, “What do you think about that to which they all testify?” He said, “It is allowed; they are the scholars of the Gospel. Everything to which they testify is true.” Rida(a.s.) said to Ma‘mun and to his folk and others with him present, “Bear witness to this.” They said, “We bear witness.” Then he said to the Catholicos, “By the truth of the son and his mother, do you know that Matthew says, ‘Verily the Messiah is the son of David son of Abraham son of Isaac son of Jacob son of Yahuda son of Hadrun,’ and that Mark, regarding

[1] In another text, instead of mystery (sirr) there is traditions (sunan).

هَذَا الاِنجِيلَ؟‘ قَالَ لَهُ: ’مَا إفْتَقَدْنَا الاِنجِيلَ، إلاَّ يَوْمًا وَاحِدًا، حَتَّي وَجَدْنَاهُ غَضًّا طَرِيًّا. فَأخْرَجَهُ إلَينَا يُوحَنَّا وَمَتَّي.‘ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’مَا أقَلَّ مَعْرِفَتُكَ بِسِرِّ الاِنجِيلِ وَعُلَمَائِهِ! فَإنْ كَانَ هَذَا كَمَا تَزْعَمُ، فَلِمَ إخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِى الاِنجِيلِ؟ وَإنَّمَا وَقَعَ الاِخْتِلاَفُ فِى هَذَا الاِنجِيلِ الَّذِى فِى أيْدِيكُمْ الْيَوْمَ. فَلَوْ كَانَ عَلَي الْعَهْدِ اْلاَوَّلِ لَمْ تَخْتَلِفُوا فِيهِ. وَلَكِنِّى مُفِيدُكَ عِلْمَ ذَلِكَ. إعْلَمْ أنَّهُ لَمَّا اُفْتُقِدَ الاِنجِيلُ اْلاَوَّلُ، إجْتَمِعَتِ النَّصَارَي إلَي عُلَمَائِهِمْ، فَقَالُوا لَهُمْ: ’قُتِلَ عِيسَي بْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَإفْتَقَدْنَا الاِنجِيلَ وَأنْتُمُ الْعُلَمَاءُ. فَمَا عِنْدَكُمْ؟‘ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ ألُوقَا وَمِرْقَابُوسُ: ’إنَّ الاِنجِيلَ فِى صُدُورِنَا وَنَحْنُ نُخْرِجُهُ إلَيْكُمْ سِفْرًا سِفْرًا فِى كُلِّ أحَدٍ. فَلاَ تَحْزَنُوا عَلَيْهِ وَلاَ تَخْلُوا الْكَنَائِسَ، فَإنَّا سَنَتْلُوهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى كُلِّ أحَدٍ سِفْرًا سِفْرًا، حَتَّي نَجْمَعَهُ كُلَّهُ.‘ فَقَعَدَ ألُوقَا وَمِرْقَابُوسُ وَيُوحَنَّا وَمَتَّي، فَوَضَعُوا لَكُمْ هَذَا الاِنجِيلَ بَعْدَ مَا إفْتَقَدْتُمُ الاِنجِيلَ اْلاَوَّلَ. وَإنَّمَا كَانَ هَؤُلاَءُ الاَرْبَعَةُ تَلاَمِيذَ التَّلاَمِيذِ اْلاَوَّلِينَ. أعَلِمْتَ ذَلِكَ؟‘

قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’أمَّا هَذَا، فَلَمْ أعْلَمْهُ، وَقَدْ عَلِمْتُهُ اْلآنَ وَقَدْ بَانَ لِى مِنْ فَضْلِ عِلْمِكَ بِالاِنجِيلِ، وَسَمِعْتُ أشْيَاءَ مِمَّا عَلِمْتَهُ، شَهِدَ قَلْبِى أنَّهَا حَقٌّ، فَاسْتَزَدْتُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْفَهْمِ.‘

فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’فَكَيْفَ شَهَادَةُ هَؤُلاَءِ عِنْدَكَ؟‘ قَالَ: ’جَائِزَةٌ، هَؤُلاَءِ عُلَمَاءُ الاِنجِيلِ، وَكُلُّ مَا شَهِدُوا بِهِ فَهُوَ حَقٌّ.‘ فَقَالَ الرِّضَا (ع) لِلْمَاْمُونِ: ‘وَمَنْ حَضَرَهُ مِنْ أهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَمِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ، إشْهَدُوا عَلَيْهِ.‘ قَالُوا: ’قَدْ شَهِدْنَا.‘ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْجَاثِلِيقَ: ’بِحَقِّ الاِبْنِ وَأُمِّهِ، هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أنَّ مَتَّي قَالَ: ’إنَّ الْمَسِيحَ هُوَ إبْنُ دَاوُدَ بْنِ إبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إسْحَاقَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَهُودَا بْنِ حَضْرُونَ.‘ وَقَالَ مِرْقَابُوسُ فِى نِسْبَةِ عِيسَي بْنِ

the lineage of Jesus the son of Mary says, ‘Verily, he is the word of Allah, He made it incarnate in the body of a man; so it became man,’ and that Luke says, ‘Verily, Jesus the son of Mary and his mother were two persons of flesh and blood, and the holy spirit entered into them,’ and then you say that Jesus testifies about himself, ‘In truth I say to you, O company of disciples, verily, no one ascends to heaven unless he descends from it, except the rider of the camel, the seal of the prophets. Verily, he ascends to heaven and then descends from it.’? What do you say about this saying?”

The Catholicos said, “That is the saying of Jesus; we do not deny it.” Rida(a.s.) said, “So, what do you say about the testimony of Luke, Mark and Matthew about Jesus and what they have attributed to him?” The Catholicos said, “They lied about Jesus.” Rida(a.s.) said, “O people! Did he not just say that they were pure and testify that they were scholars of the Gospel, and that their word is the truth?” The Catholicos said, “O scholar of the Muslims! I would like you to pardon me for this about them.” Rida(a.s.) said, “We have done it. Ask, O Christian, whatever comes to your mind!”

The Catholicos said, “Let someone other than me ask you. Nay! By the truth of the Messiah! I never imagined that a scholar like you was among the Muslims.” Then Rida(a.s.) turned to the Exilarch and said to him, “Will you question me or shall I question you?” He said, “I would question you, and I will not accept any argument from you unless it is from the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms of David or from what is in the scriptures of Abraham and Moses.”

Rida(a.s.) said, “Do not accept any argument from me unless it is spoken of in the Torah by the tongue of Moses ibn ‘Imran, the Gospel by the tongue of Jesus the son of Mary or the Psalms by the tongue of David.” the Exilarch said, “How do you prove that Muhammad was a prophet?” Rida(a.s.) said, “Moses ibn ‘Imran, Jesus the son of Mary and David the Steward of Allah, the mighty and magnificent, on earth bore witness to it.” So he said to him, “Prove the saying of Moses ibn ‘Imran.”

مَرْيَمَ: ’أنَّهُ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ، أحَلَّهَا فِى الْجَسَدِ الآدَمِىِّ فَصَارَتْ إنْسَانًا.‘ وَقَالَ ألُوقَا: ’إنَّ عِيسَي بْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ، كَانَا إنْسَانَيْنِ مِنْ لَحْمٍ وَدَمٍ؛ فَدَخَلَ فِيهِمَا رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ.‘ ثُمَّ إنَّكَ تَقُولُ مِنْ شَهَادَةِ عِيسَي عَلَي نَفْسِهِ: ’حَقًّا أقُولُ لَكُمْ، يَا مَعْشَرَ الْحَوَارِيِّينَ، إنَّهُ لاَ يَصْعَدُ إلَي السَّمَاءِ إلاَّ مَنْ نَزَلَ مِنْهَا، إلاَّ رَاكِبَ الْبَعِيرِ، خَاتَمَ اْلاَنْبِيَاءِ؛ فَإنَّهُ يَصْعَدُ إلَي السَّمَاءِ وَيَنْزِلُ.‘ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِى هَذَا الْقَوْلِ؟‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’هَذَا قَوْلُ عِيسَي؛ لاَ نُنْكِرُهُ.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’فَمَا تَقُولُ فِى شَهَادَةِ ألُوقَا وَمِرْقَابُوسَ وَمَتَّي عَلَي عِيسَي وَمَا نَسَبُوهُ إلَيْهِ؟‘ قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’كَذَّبُوا عَلَي عِيسَي.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’يَا قَوْمُ، ألَيْسَ قَدْ زَكَّاهُمْ، وَشَهِدَ أنَّهُمْ عُلَمَاءُ الاِنجِيلِ، وَقَوْلُهُمْ حَقٌّ؟‘ فَقَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’يَا عَالِمَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، أُحِبُّ أنْ تُعْفِيَنِى مِنْ أمْرِ هَؤُلاَءِ.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’فَإنَّا قَدْ فَعَلْنَا؛ سَلْ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ.‘

 قَالَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ: ’لِيَسْألْكَ غَيْرِي. فَلاَ وَحَقِّ الْمَسِيحَ، مَا ظَنَنْتُ أنَّ فِى عُلَمَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِثْلَكَ.‘ فَالْتَفَتَ الرِّضَا (ع) إلَي رَاسِ الجَالُوتِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: ’تَسألُنِى أوْ أسْألُكَ؟‘ فَقَالَ: ’بَلْ أسْألُكَ، وَلَسْتُ أقْبَلُ مِنْكَ حُجَّةً، إلاَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ أوْ مِنَ الاِنجِيلِ أوْ مِنْ زَبُورِ دَاوُدَ أوْ بِمَا فِى صُحُفِ إبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَي.‘

 قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’لاَ تَقْبَلْ مِنِّى حُجَّةً، إلاَّ بِمَا تَنْطِقُ بِهِ التَّوْرَاةُ عَلَي لِسَانِ مُوسَي بْنِ عِمْرَانَ وَالاِنجِيلُ عَلَي لِسَانِ عِيسَي بْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَالزَّبُورُ عَلَي لِسَانِ دَاوُدَ.‘ فَقَالَ رَاْسُ الْجَالُوتِ: ’مِنْ أيْنَ تَثْبُتُ نُبُوَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ؟‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’شَهِدَ بِنُبُوَّتِهِ مُوسَي بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَعِيسَي بْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَدَاوُدُ، خَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، فِى الاَرْضِ.‘ فَقَالَ لَهُ: ’ثَبِّتْ قَوْلَ مُوسَي بْنَ عِمْرَانَ.‘

Rida(a.s.) said, “Do you know, O Jew, that Moses ibn ‘Imran left a will for the Children of Israel in which he said to them, ‘Verily, there will soon come to you a prophet from among your brethren, so affirm him and listen to him.’ Do you know any brethren of the Children of Israel other than the offspring of Isma‘il, if you know of the kinship of Israel and Isma‘il, and the relation between them from Abraham?” The Exilarch said, “That is the saying of Moses; we do not deny it.” Rida(a.s.) said to him, “Has there come to you from the brethren of the Children of Israel any prophet other than Muhammad?” He said, “No.” Rida(a.s.) said, “Is this not correct according to you?”

He said, “Yes, but I would like you to show the correctness of this matter from the Torah.” Rida(a.s.) said to him, “Do you deny that the Torah says to you, ‘Light came from Mount Sinai, and that it radiates to us from Mount Sa‘ir, and it has appeared to us from Mount Faran.’?” The Exilarch said, “I know these words, but I do not know the interpretation of them.”

Rida(a.s.) said, “I will inform you of it. As for its saying, ‘Light came from Mount Sinai,’ that is the revelation of Allah, the blessed and exalted, which He sent down to Moses at Mount Sinai; as for His saying, ‘and that it radiates to us from Mount Sa‘ir,’ it is the mountain at which Allah, the mighty and magnificent, sent revelation to Jesus the son of Mary when he was on it; and as for His saying, ‘and it has appeared to us from Mount Faran,’ this is one of the mountains of Mecca which is one day’s journey from Mecca. The prophet Sha‘ya says in the Torah, what your and your companions also say, ‘I saw two riders for whom the earth became illuminated, one of them on a donkey and the other on a camel.’ Who is the rider on the donkey and who is the rider of the camel?” The Exilarch said, “I do not know those two, so inform me of them.” He(a.s.) said, “The rider of the donkey is Jesus, and the rider of the camel is Muhammad. Do you deny that this is from the Torah?” He said, “No, I do not deny it.”

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’هَلْ تَعْلَمُ يَا يَهُودِيُّ، أنَّ مُوسَي بْنَ عِمْرَانَ أوْصَي بَنِى إسْرَائِيلَ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: ’إنَّهُ سَيَأْتِيكُم نَبِىٌّ مِنْ إخْوَانِكُمْ؛ فَبِهِ فَصَدِّقُوا وَمِنْهُ فَاسْمَعُوا.‘ فَهَلْ تَعْلَمُ أنَّ لِبَنِى إسْرَائِيلَ إخْوَةٌ غَيْرُ وُلْدِ إسْمَاعِيلَ، إنْ كُنْتَ تَعْرِفُ قِرَابَةَ إسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ إسْمَاعِيلَ وَالنَّسَبَ الَّذِى بَيْنَهُمَا مِنْ قِبَلِ إبْرَاهِيمَ؟‘ فَقَالَ رَاسُ الْجَالُوتُ: ’هَذَا قَوْلُ مُوسَي، لاَ نَدْفَعُهُ.‘

فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’هَلْ جَاءَكُمْ مِنْ إخْوَةِ بَنِى إسْرَائِيلَ نَبِىٌّ غَيْرُ مُحَمَّدٍ؟‘ قَالَ: ’لاَ.‘ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’أفَلَيْسَ قَدْ صَحَّ هَذَا عِنْدَكُمْ؟‘ قَالَ: ’نَعَم، وَلَكِنِّى أُحِبُّ أنْ تُصَحِّحَهُ لِى مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ.‘ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’هَلْ تُنْكِرُ أنَّ التَّوْرَاةَ تَقُولُ لَكُمْ: ’قَدْ جَاءَ النُّورُ مِنْ جَبَلِ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ وَأضَاءَ لَنَا مِنْ جَبَلِ سَاعِيرَ وَاسْتَعْلَنَ عَلينَا مِنْ جَبَلِ فَارَانِ.‘‘ قَالَ رَاسُ الْجَالُوتِ: ’أعْرِفُ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ، وَمَا أعْرِفُ تَفْسِيرَهَا.‘

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’أنَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِهِ. أمَّا قَوْلُهُ: ’جَاءَ النُّورُ مِنْ قِبَلِ طُورِ سَيْنَاءِ.‘ فَذَلِكَ وَحْيُ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَي الَّذِى أنْزَلَهُ عَلَي مُوسَي، عَلَي جَبَلِ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ؛ وَأمَّا قَوْلُهُ: ’وَأضَاءَ النَّاسَ مِنْ جَبَلِ سَاعِيرَ.‘ فَهُوَ الْجَبَلُ الَّذِى أوْحَي اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، إلَي عِيسَي بْنِ مَرْيَمَ، وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ؛ وَأمَّا قَوْلُهُ: ’وَاسْتَعْلَنَ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ جَبَلِ فَارَانَ.‘ فذَلِكَ جَبَلٌ مِنْ جِبَالِ مَكَّةَ، بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا يَوْمٌ. وَقَالَ شَعْيَا النَّبِيُّ، فِى مَا تَقُولُ أنْتَ وَأصْحَابُكَ فِى التَّوْرَاةِ: ’رَأيْتُ رَاكِبَينِ أضَاءَ لَهُمَا الاَرْضُ: أحَدُهُمَا عَلَي حِمَارٍ، وَالآخَرُ عَلَي جَمَلٍ. فَمَنْ رَاكِبُ الْحِمَارِ وَمَنْ رَاكِبُ الْجَمَلِ؟‘ قَالَ رَأْسُ الْجَالُوتِ: ’لاَ أعْرِفُهُمَا. فَخَبَّرْنِى بِهِمَا.‘ قَالَ(ع): ’أمَّا رَاكِبُ الْحِمَارِ، فَعِيسَي، وَأمَّا رَاكِبُ الْجَمَلِ، فَمُحَمَّدٌ. أتُنْكِرُ هَذَا مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ؟‘ قَالَ: ’لاَ، مَا أُنْكِرُهُ.‘

Then Rida(a.s.) said, “Do you know the prophet Habakkuk?” He said, “Yes. I know of him.” He(a.s.) said, “He said, and this is narrated in your book, ‘Allah brought down speech on Mount Faran, and the heavens were filled with the glorification of Muhammad and his community. His horse carries him over water as it carries him over land. He will bring a new book to us after the ruin of the holy house [the temple in Jerusalem].’ What is meant by this book is the Qur’an. Do you know this and believe in it?” The Exilarch said, “Habakkuk the prophet has said this and we do not deny what he said.” Rida(a.s.) said, “In his Psalms, David said, and you recite it, “O God! Send one to revive the tradition after it has languished.’ Do you know a prophet other than Muhammad who has revived the tradition after it languished?”

The Exilarch said, “This is the saying of David. We know it and do not deny it, however, what is meant by this is Jesus, and his day was the period of languishing.” Rida(a.s.) said to him, “You are ignorant. Verily, Jesus did not oppose the tradition, but he was in agreement with the tradition of the Torah, until Allah raised him to Himself. It is written in the Gospel, ‘Verily, the son of the good woman will leave, and the paraclete will come after him, and he will lighten the burden, and he will interpret everything for you, and he will bear witness for me as I bear witness for him. I have brought parables for you, and he will bring for you exegesis.’ Do you believe in this from the Gospel?” He said, “Yes. I do not deny it.”

Rida(a.s.) said to him, “O Exilarch (Ra’s al-Jalut)! I ask you about your prophet Moses ibn ‘Imran.” He said, “Ask!” He(a.s.) said, “What proof do you have that Moses was a prophet?” The Jew said, “Verily, he brought that which had not been brought by any prophet before him.” He said to him, “Like what?” He said, “Like the splitting of the sea, changing his staff into [a serpent] running, hitting the rock so that fountains sprung from the cleft, bringing out his hand white for the observers, and signs for the like of which people have no power.”

ثُمَّ قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’هَلْ تَعْرِفُ حَيْقُوقَ النَّبِيِّ؟‘ قَالَ: ’نَعَم، إنِّى بِهِ لَعَارِفٌ.‘ قَالَ (ع): ’فَإنَِّهُ قَالَ، وَكِتَابُكُمْ يَنْطِقُ بِهِ: ’جَاءَ اللَّهُ بِالْبَيَانِ مِنْ جَبَلِ فَارَانِ، وَامْتَلاَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ مِنْ تَسْبِيحِ أحْمَدَ وَأُمَّتِهِ. يُحْمَلُ خَيْلُهُ فِى الْبَحْرِ كَمَا يُحْمَلُ فِى الْبَرِّ. يَأْتِينَا بِكِتَابٍ جَدِيدٍ بَعْدَ خَرَابِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ. يَعْنِى بِالْكِتَابِ، الْقُرْءَانَ. أتَعْرِفُ هَذَا وَتُؤْمِنُ بِهِ؟‘ قَالَ رَاسُ الْجَالُوتِ: ’قدْ قَالَ ذَلِكَ حِيْقُوقُ النَّبِيِّ، وَلاَ نُنْكِرُ قَوْلَهُ.‘ قَالَ الرَّضَا (ع): ’فَقَدْ قَالَ دَاوُد فِى زَبُورِهِ، وَأنْتَ تَقْرَؤُهُ: ’اللَّهُمَّ ابْعَثْ مُقِيمَ السُّنَّةِ بَعْدَ الْفَتْرَةِ.‘ فَهَلْ تَعِرفُ نَبِيًا أقَامَ السُّنَّةَ بَعْدَ الْفَتْرَةِ غَيْرَ مُحَمَّدٍ؟‘

قَالَ رَاسُ الْجَالُوتِ: ’هَذَا قَوْلُ دَاوُدَ، نَعْرِفُهُ وَلاَ نُنْكِرُهُ، وَلَكِنْ عَنَي بِذَلِكَ عِيسَي، وَأيَّامُهُ هِىَ الْفَتْرَةُ.‘ قَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’جَهِلْتَ. إنَّ عِيسَي لَمْ يُخَالِفْ السُّنَّةَ وَكَانَ مُوَافِقًا لِسُنَّةِ التَّوْرَاةِ، حَتَّي رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إلَيهِ. وَفِى الاِنجِيلِ مَكْتُوبٌ: ’إنَّ إبْنَ الْبِرَّةِ ذَاهِبٌ، وَالْبَارْقِلِيطَا جَاءَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ، وَهُوَ يُخَفِّفُ الآصَارَ وَيُفَسِّرُ لَكُمْ كُلَّ شَىْء وَيَشْهَدُ لِى كَمَا شَهِدَتُ لَهُ. أنَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِاْلاَمْثَالِ وَهُوَ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِالتَّاوِيلِ. أتُؤْمِنُ بِهَذَا فِى الاِنجِيلِ؟‘ قَالَ: ’نَعَم، لاَ أُنْكِرُهُ.‘

فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’يَا رَاْسَ الْجَالُوتِ، أسَألُكَ, عَنْ نَبِيِّكَ مُوسَي بْنِ عِمْرَانَ.‘ فَقَالَ: ’سَلْ.‘ قَالَ(ع): ’مَا الْحُجَّةُ عَلَي أنَّ مُوسَي ثَبَتَتْ نُبُوَّتُهُ؟‘ قَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ: ’إنَّهُ جَاءَ بِمَا لَمْ يَجِئْ بِهِ أحَدٌ مِنَ اْلاَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلَهَ.‘ قَالَ لَهُ: ’مِثْلُ مَا ذَا؟‘ قَالَ: ’مِثْلُ فَلْقِ الْبَحْرِ، وَقَلْبِهِ الْعَصَا حَيَّةً تَسْعَي، وَضَرْبِهِ الْحَجَرَ فَانْفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ الْعُيُونُ، وَإخْرَاجِهِ يَدَهُ بَيْضَاءَ لِلنَّاظِرِينَ، وَعَلاَمَاتٍ لاَ يَقْدِرُ الْخَلْقُ عَلَي مِثْلِهَا.‘

Rida(a.s.) said to him, “You spoke truly that the proof of his being a prophet was that he brought that for the like of which people have no power. Is it not the case that it becomes obligatory for you to affirm whoever claims to be a prophet then brings the like of that for which people have no power?” He said, “No. Because there was no one like Moses in station before his Lord, and nearness to Him; and it is not obligatory for us to admit the prophethood of one who claims it unless he bring signs like what he brought.”

Rida(a.s.) said, “So, how do you admit that there were prophets prior to Moses, while they did not split the sea, and did not cleft the rock so that twelve fountains sprung from it, and they did not bring out their hands as Moses brought his hand out white, and they did not change staves into running serpants.” The Jew said to him, “I will indeed inform you that when one brings a sign the like of which people have no power to bring, even if they are not what Moses brought or are other than what he brought, it becomes obligatory to affirm him.”

 Rida(a.s.) said, “O Exilarch (Ra’s al-Jalut)! So, what prevents you from admitting [to the prophethood of] Jesus the son of Mary, while he revived the dead, cured the blind and the leper, and created of clay what had the form of birds, then blew into them and they became birds by the permission of Allah?” The Exilarch said, “It is said that he did this, but we did not witness it.”

Rida(a.s.) said, “Tell me, did you witness the signs that Moses brought? Is it not the case that narrations from the trusted companions of Moses conveyed that he did these things?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “Then likewise, successively confirmed reports (akhbar mutawattir) have come to you about what Jesus the son of Mary did. So how is it that you affirm Moses but you do not affirm Jesus?” He gave no answer.

قَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا (ع): ’صَدَقْتَ فِى أنَّهُ كَانََتْ حُجَّةً عَلَي نُبُوَّتِهِ، إنَّهُ جَاءَ بِمَا لاَ يَقْدِرُ الْخَلْقُ عَلَي مِثْلِهِ. أفَلَيْسَ كُلُّ مَنْ إدَّعَي أنَّهُ نَبِىٌّ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِمَا لاَ يَقْدِرُ الْخَلْقُ عَلَي مِثْلِهِ، وَجَبَ عَلَيْكُمْ تَصْدِيقُهُ؟‘ قَالَ: ’لاَ. ِلاَنَّ مُوسَي لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ نَظِيرٌ، لِمَكَانِهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَقُرْبِهِ مِنْهُ. وَلاَ يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا الاِقْرَارُ بِنُبُوَّةِ مَنْ إدَّعَاهَا، حَتَّي يّأْتِىَ مِنَ الاَعْلاَمِ بِمِثْلِ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ.‘

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’فَكَيْفَ أقْرَرْتُمْ بِاْلاَنْبِيَاءِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا قَبْلَ مُوسَي، وَلَمْ يَفْلِقُوا الْبَحْرَ، وَلَمْ يَفْجُروا مِنَ الْحَجَرِ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا، وَلَمْ يَخْرُجُوا بِأيْدِيهِمْ مِثْلَ إخْرَاجِ مُوسَي يَدَهُ بَيْضَاءَ، وَلَمْ يَقْلِبُوا الْعَصَا حَيَّةً تَسْعَي؟‘ قَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ: ’قَدْ خَبَرْتُكَ أنَّهُ مَتَي مَا جَاءُوا عَلَي نُبُوَّتِهِمْ مِنَ الآياتِ بِمَا لاَ يَقْدِرُ الْخَلْقُ عَلَي مِثْلِهِ، وَلَوْ جَاءُوا بِمَا لَمْ يَجِئْ بِهِ مُوسَي، أوْ كَانَ عَلَي غَيْرِ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ مُوسَي، وَجَبَ تَصْدِيقُهُمْ.‘

قَالَ: ’قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’يَا رَأْسَ الْجَالُوتِ، فَمَا يَمْنَعُكَ مِنَ الاِقْرَارَ بِعِيسَي بْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَقَدْ كَانَ يُحيِى الْمَوْتَي وَيُبْرِئُ اْلاَكْمَهَ وَاْلاَبْرَصَ وَيَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ ثُمَّ يَنْفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإذْنِ اللَّهِ؟‘ قَالَ رَاسُ الْجَالُوتِ: ’يُقَالُ: ’إنَّهُ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ.‘ وَلَمْ نَشْهَدْهُ.‘‘

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’أرَأيْتَ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ مُوسَي مِنَ الآيَاتِ شَاهَدْتَهُ، ألَيْسَ إنَّمَا جَاءَتْ الاَخْبَارُ مِنَ ثِقَاتِ أصْحَابِ مُوسَي، أنَّهُ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ؟‘ قَالَ: ’بَلَي.‘

قَالَ: ’فَكَذَلِكَ، أيْضًا، أتَتْكُمْ الاَخْبَارُ الْمُتَوَاتِرَةُ بِمَا فَعَلَ عِيسَي بْنُ مَرْيَمَ. فَكَيْفَ صَدَّقْتُمْ ِبمُوسَي وَلَمْ تُصَدِّقُوا بِعِيسَي؟‘ فَلَمْ يَحِرْ جَوَابًا.

Rida(a.s.) said, “And likewise the affair of Muhammad (s) and what he brought, and the affair of every prophet commissioned by Allah. Among the signs Muhammad (s) had was that he was an orphan, poor, a shepherd and a wage laborer who did not study any book and who was not taught by any teacher, yet brought the Qur’an in which there are the stories of the prophets and reports of them letter by letter, and reports of those who have gone before, and the peoples who will remain until the day of resurrection. He reported about their secrets and what they had done in their houses, and he brought unaccountably many signs.” The Exilarch said, “According to us, neither the reports about Jesus nor the reports about Muhammad are correct, and it is not permitted for us to affirm these two by what is incorrect.”

Rida(a.s.) said, “So, the witnesses who testified for Jesus and Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be with them both, are not valid?” He gave no answer.

(Bihar, 10, 299-310, 1)

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’وَكَذَلِكَ أمُرُ مُحَمَّدٍ (ص) وَمَا جَاءَ بِهِ، وَأمْرُ كُلِّ نَبِىٍّ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ. وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أنَّهُ كَانَ يَتِيمًا، فَقِيرًا، رَاعِيًا، أجِيرًا، لَمْ يَتَعَلَّمْ كِتَابًا وَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ إلَي مُعَلِّمٍ؛ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِالْقُرْءَانِ الَّذِى فِيهِ قِصَصُ اْلاَنْبِيَاءِ وَأخْبَارُهُمْ، حَرْفًا حَرْفًا؛ وَأخْبَارُ مَنْ مَضَي وَمَنْ بَقِىَ إلَي يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ. ثُمَّ كَانَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِأسْرَارِهِمْ وَمَا يَعْمَلُونَ فِى بُيُوتِهِمْ وَجَاءَ بِآيَاتٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لاَ تُحْصَي.‘‘ قَالَ: ’قَالَ رَاْسُ الْجَالُوتِ: ’لَمْ يَصِحَّ عِنْدَنَا خَبَرُ عِيسَي وَلاَ خَبَرُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَلاَ يَجُوزُ لَنَا أنْ نُقِرَّ لَهُمَا بِمَا لَمْ يَصِحَّ.‘‘

قَالَ الرِّضَا (ع): ’فَالشَّاهِدُ الَّذِى شَهِدَ لِعِيسَي وَلِمُحَمَّدٍ, صَلَّي اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمَا، شَاهِدُ زُورٍ.‘ فَلَمْ يَحِرْ جَوابًا.‘‘»

(بحار الانوار، 10، 299-310، 1)