Imam Reza(A.s) And Other Philosophers

When Mamoon saw the anxiety of people toward Imam considered that his credit among them might discredit his own position among people. One of his plans to discredit Imam instead was through holding debates between Imam and the scholars from allover the world. He was hoping that maybe the scholars would be able to win the debates and defeat Imam in science to question his scientific knowledge. One of the debates goes as follows:

Mamoon ordered Fazl ibn Sahl to invite all the philosophers and learned men from all over the world to debate with the Imam.

Fazl then invited the Christian scholars, the learned of Jewish scholars, headmasters of Saebin (followers of the prophet Yahya (pbuh)), the great Zoroastrian priests, and other speakers of that time.

Mamoon greeted them and asked them to debate with his cousin (Mamoon was of descendants of Abbas, the Prophet’s (pbuh) uncle, and so Imam’s cousin) that has come here from Medina. Tomorrow morning Mamoon held a glorious ceremony and sent a man to Imam Reza (pbuh) to invite him to that ceremony.

Imam accepted his invitation and told him: Do you want to know when Mamoon will repent of his deed? He said: Yes, dear Sir. Imam said: When Mamoon hears my reasons for disproving Jewish from torah, Christians from Bible, followers of Zaboor from Zaboor, Saebin in their language, Fire-worshipers in Farsi, and Romans in their language and sees that I disapprove each of them and they leave aside their beliefs and believe in my words.

At that time Mamoon will know that he is not able to do what he wants and will repent. And there is no power except from Almighty Allah.

Then he went to the Mamoon’s ceremony. By his entrance, Mamoon introduced him to the crowd and then said: "I want you to debate with him". Imam Reza (pbuh) discussed them about their religion through their books. Then he said: "If there is someone amongst you who is against Islam ask me without shame".

Umran Sa’ebi, who was one of the speakers, asked Imam many questions and Imam answered him all one by one and convinced him.

After hearing the answers of his questions from Imam, Umran Sa’ebi recited the testimony (Shahadatain) and converted to Islam.

The ceremony ended with Imam’s victory and the crowd scattered. The day after, Imam asked to see Umran Sa’ebi and honored him very much. Since then he became one of the missionaries of Islam.

Raja ibn Zahak, who was ordered by Mamoon to move Imam from Medina toward Marv, said: "Every city he entered, people came to him from everywhere and asked him their religious questions. In turn, he answered them their questions and quoted many traditions from the prophet (pbuh) and Imam Ali (as). When I came back from that journey, I went to Mamoon. He asked me about Imam’s behavior during the journey and I told him whatever I saw from him during the journey.

Mamoon said: "Yes, son of Zahak! He is the best, the most learned and the most pious person on the earth."

other links:

Qualities of Imam Reza (as)

Poets Speaking in Praise about Imam Reza (as)

Imam Reza (as)'s Hadith

The Sermon and Teaching of Imam Reza (as)

Historical Event

Hadiths

Miraculous Healing

The Holy Imam’s (as.) Martyrdom

Imam al-Reza’s Historical Journey to Marw

Imam Reza s Supplication for Rain