The manifestation of Imamate was\nslowly approaching the city of Marw. Excitement and anticipation for the Imam’s\narrival filled the city. Ma’mun(1), the Abbasid Caliph, and his companions went\nahead to greet the Imam; and Ma’mun was the first to welcome Imam Reza (PBUH).\nAs Ma’mun guided the Imam towards his accommodation, he continuously tried to\nflatter the Imam and act as a true devotee of Imam Reza (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two buildings resided in the middle of\na garden, and a narrow path connected the two building together. It was a twin\nbuilding that had been built for Ma’mun to live in one of the buildings, and\nwhich the Imam stayed in the other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ma’mun went in the presence of the\nImam and deceitfully said: “O Son of the Messenger of Allah! I am aware of\nyour virtue, knowledge, and holiness. I believe you are more deserving than me\nto the position of Caliphate. So, please allow me to resign and offer you the\nresponsibility; and allow me to be the first who pledges his allegiance to you,\nthe new Caliph.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imam Ali ibn Musa (PBUH) was aware of\nthe evil intentions Ma’mun held. Hence, his reply to Ma’mun was one that\ninstead condemned Ma’mun of his intentions. \nAs a result, Ma’mun decided to use another plan, which was to put Imam\nReza (PBUH) under pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imam Reza’s (PBUH) reply to Ma’mun’s\noffer was: “If Caliphate was your right, and Allah chose this position for\nyou, you do not have the right to offer this responsibility to another. You cannot resign from the position Allah has\nassigned upon you. Nevertheless, if Caliphate was not your right, then you do\nnot have the authority to offer me that which is not yours.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A question may arise for some on this\nmatter that if Ma’mun had offered to withdraw, why did Imam Reza (PBUH) refuse\nto take control of Leadership and Caliphate? And in such a situation who should\nbecome the Leader of an Islamic society?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The truth is that Ma’mun did not\nintend to fully withdraw from the government. He had planned to stay beside\nImam Reza (PBUH) and involve himself in many issues within the government. In\nother words, he wanted Imam Reza (PBUH) to be a leader on the surface, while\nMa’mun could use the Imam as cover to continue his oppressions and tyranny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand the administration\nteam and all the key positions of government at that time were made up of\npeople who had similar ill-intentions like Ma’mun. They were clearly against\nImam Reza’s (PBUH) method for governing the society. Therefore, with such a team, leading the\nIslamic society would be impossible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, Ma’mun’s offer to withdraw\nwas only a strategic move to destroy the image of Imam Reza (PBUH) in the\nIslamic society. Ma’mun wanted to show people that even when the infallible\nImam gains power, he would put his piety aside and hold tight to the position.\nIf it were not for the ill-intention of destroying the reputation of the Imam,\nMa’mun was in no way willing to offer leadership to another. He was so dependant on his own leadership\nthat he had killed thousands of people, including his own brother just to gain\npower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in the case that Ma’mun was truly\nwilling to resign along with his whole administration team, providing the\ngrounds for the government of Imam Reza (PBUH), then certainly this divine\nresponsibility would have been put on the shoulders of Imam Reza (PBUH). He\nwould rejuvenate justice and honesty like his great grand father Ali, Amir\nal-Mu’minin (PBUH). Imam Reza (PBUH) would take the government of Prophet\nMuhammad (PBUH&HP) and Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) as a model for governing the\nIslamic society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Selection taken\nfrom the book “The Role of Imam Reza’s (PBUH) Leadership”, by Ayatullah\nSayyid Muhammad Shirazi)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On 11th of Dhi al-Qa’dah, we\ncongratulate all Muslims around the world and especially you dear friend for\nthe auspicious occasion of the birthday of Imam Reza (PBUH), the helper of the\nweak and the friend of the poor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As it has been stated, the firm reply\nof the Imam pressured Ma’mun to place a heavier burden on Imam Reza\n(PBUH). In his first plan Ma’mun gave\nImam Reza (PBUH) the offer to become his successor. Yet, did the Imam accept\nthis offer? If so, what was the Imam’s\nreason for accepting? The answer to these questions along with further\ninformation into the Imam’s life can be found in the article entitled “The\nLife of Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Reza (PBUH)”. \nTo be directed to this article please click here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1- Abu Jafar\nal-Ma’mun ibn Harun (786 – 833) was the 7th Abbasid caliph who reigned from 813\nuntil his death in 833. Harun al-Rashid, Ma’mun’s father, had ordered that\nAmin, brother of Ma’mun, be his successor and Ma’mun be the governor of\nKhurasan, and Ma’mun was to succeed Amin after his death. However, since Amin\nignored his father’s command, a conflict arose between the brothers in which\nMa’mun killed Amin. He then continued to rule the empire from the city of Marw\nin Khurasan. He was well known to be clever, politic, and knowledgable. In an\nattempt to declare his Caliphate to be valid, Ma’mun forced the eighth Imam,\nAli al-Reza (PBUH), to be his heir; however, he eventually poisoned the Imam\nand martyred him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The manifestation of Imamate was slowly approaching the city of Marw. Excitement and anticipation for the Imam’s arrival filled the city. Ma’mun(1), the Abbasid Caliph, and his companions went ahead to greet the Imam; and Ma’mun was the first to welcome Imam Reza (PBUH). As Ma’mun guided the Imam towards his accommodation, he continuously tried […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[22176,22175,18060,18856,22178,22163,22177,18018,18418,20021],"class_list":["post-4507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2005-12-02","tag-a-strong-answer","tag-believe","tag-city","tag-garden","tag-imam-reza","tag-marw","tag-musa","tag-occasion-letters","tag-position"],"yoast_head":"\n