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While researching the motives which prompted al-Mamoon to force Imam al-Rida (A.S.) to be his heir to the throne, we will find out that they were far-sighted political motives al-Mamoon hoped thereby to achieve selfish gains for both himself and the ...

While researching the motives which prompted al-Ma...

The gap between the brothers became wider, and the presentiments of the tragedy to befall the two brothers were in sight when al-Amin announced in Baghdad his decision to drop the name of his brother al-Mamoon from Friday sermons and substitute it wi...

The gap between the brothers became wider, and the...

The conflict among the two brothers was worsened by the incitement of some top rank politicians in each party, and there were many reasons for incitement and entrapment. On one hand, we find al-Fadl ibn al-Rabee', who caused the army to renege on its...

The conflict among the two brothers was worsened b...

Yet he was still not quite satisfied, so he went a step further to divide the domains of the state to three sections, granting al-Amin authority over Iraq and Syria up to the end of his western possessions; to al-Mamoon he gave the territories from H...

Yet he was still not quite satisfied, so he went a...

Al-Rashid seemed to sense deep inside his soul the psychological gap which separated his son al-Amin from him when he detained the messenger his son had dispatched to Khurasan in the pretext of bringing him back news about his father's health conditi...

Al-Rashid seemed to sense deep inside his soul the...

The vast difference which separates the brothers unveils when we review the biography of each one of them and study its distinctions and attributes. Al-Mamoon was a practical man, strong in his administrative management skills, serious, wise regardin...

The vast difference which separates the brothers u...

Al-Rashid was aware of the intellectual differences among his sons, but he could not clearly express it out of his respect for the feelings of his favourite wife and to safeguard the status of her son. He is quoted as having said: "I am aware of the ...

Al-Rashid was aware of the intellectual difference...

There was a clear difference in mentality and way of thinking between al-Amin and his brother al-Mamoon. Al-Mamoon was broader in mentality and more open-minded than his brother, and he was more receptive to new ideas, more deep in his political and ...

There was a clear difference in mentality and way ...

There is a disagreement regarding his school of thought. Some think that he was Shi'a, while others think that he only pretended to be so out of his regard for the feelings of Imam al-Rida (A.S.) and other Alawides while in reality he was otherwise. ...

There is a disagreement regarding his school of th...

As regarding the period of the Imam's life during which he was contemporary to al-Mamoon's regime, this may be the richest and most eventful of all his life, for his personality enjoyed a significant role in the turning of events and their reflection...

As regarding the period of the Imam's life during ...

As regarding his life during the reign of al-Amin, we cannot review any incident regarding the government's stance towards Imam al-Rida (A.S.), and this may be attributed to the confusing environment in which the Abbaside caliphate found itself due t...

As regarding his life during the reign of al-Amin,...

One incident which took place during the reign of al-Rashid reminds us of the chain of tragic events from which the Alawides suffered during the reign of al-Mansour. In Medina, Muhammad ibn Ja'fer declared rebellion against the government; therefore,...

One incident which took place during the reign of ...

Contrariwise, there were sincere attempts to distance Imam al-Rida (A.S.) from danger which were undertaken by some of his followers who had tasted the bitterness of pain during the adversity suffered by his father Imam al-Kazim (A.S.) who suffered a...

Contrariwise, there were sincere attempts to dista...

Finally, al-Rashid is surrounded by a large number of courtiers instigating him to kill Imam al-Rida (A.S.), and they finally succeeded in stirring his feeling of anger against the Imam (A.S.), stimulating his beastly instinct to eagerly kill. Abul-S...

Finally, al-Rashid is surrounded by a large number...

Ja'fer ibn Yahya says: "I heard Isa ibn Ja'fer say to Haroun (al-Rashid) upon leaving al-Riqqa for Mecca, `Remember your oath by the dignity of the descendants of Abu Talib that should anyone after Mousa (al-Kazim, A.S.) claim Imamate, you would stri...

Ja'fer ibn Yahya says: "I heard Isa ibn Ja'fer say...

In one of his letters to al-Bazanti, the Imam (A.S.) reveals the truth behind these individuals' call for Waqfism; he says: "As regarding Ibn al-Sarraj, the reason why he called upon people to disobey us and not to be loyal to us is that he confiscat...

In one of his letters to al-Bazanti, the Imam (A.S...

What is interesting is that after the demise of Imam Mousa ibn Ja'fer (A.S.), some of those folks called for the Imamate of his son Ahmed; so, when the latter accompanied Abul-Saraya during Ibn Tabataba's uprising against the Abbaside regime, they di...

What is interesting is that after the demise of Im...

These individuals fooled a select group from among the followers of the Imam (A.S.) and convinced them to believe, through casting doubts and suspicions, in Waqfism, so they finally fell to it and embraced the innovation. Among them were Abdul-Rahman...

These individuals fooled a select group from among...

What leads us to believe that the Waqfis did not establish their claim of Waqfism on a concrete reality, and that Waqfism was invented merely to satisfy the desire for a materialistic gain, is the story of the confession of one of the leaders of Waqf...

What leads us to believe that the Waqfis did not e...

History tells us that those who invented the dissension of this "sect" were chief officers of Imam Mousa ibn Ja'fer (A.S.) and keepers of the funds collected for him from his Shi'a followers. When he died, Ali ibn Abu Hamza al-Bataini had with him as...

History tells us that those who invented the disse...

There is another stance for the Imam which is not without an exciting moment involving one of the main advocates of Waqfism. His stance was like a clear warning to those who created the controversy of this "sect" and promoted it; al-Bataini states: "...

There is another stance for the Imam which is not ...