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admiring and respecting the Imam. We have mentioned a chapter on the opinions of the great
writers and scholars in respect with magnifying and praising him.
The people of his time talked about his sciences, his fear of Allah, his piety, and his miracles.
Harun al‐Rashid himself was among those who magnified him. He thought that the Imam was
more appropriate for the Islamic Caliphate than him. This was related by al‐Ma’mun when he said
to his drinking companions:
‐Did you know who taught me Shi‘ism? ‐No, by Allah, we did not know. ‐Al‐Rashid taught me that.
‐How was that while al‐Rashid killed these household? ‐He killed them for power, for power is
blind.
Then al‐Ma’mun related that to them, saying: “One year I went with him (al‐Rashid) to perform
the hajj. When he arrived in Medina, he said: ‘Let no man from its inhabitants or from the
Meccans whether they are of the children of the Emigrants and the Ansar or of the Banu Hashim
unless he makes me know his lineage and his family.’ The delegates came to him one by one. They
made the chamberlain know their lineage. Harun gave them permission (to meet him) and gave
them gifts according to their rank and position. One day al‐Fedl b. al‐Rabi‘, his chamberlain,
walked towards him and said to him: ‘There is a man at the door; he claims that he is Musa b.
Ja‘far b. Muhammed b. ‘Ali b. al‐Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Abi Talib.’
“When Harun heard of that, he ordered those sitting in his gathering to cling to respect and
calmness. Then he said to his chamberlain: ‘Permit him; and let him not dismount except on my
carpet.’”
The Imam, peace be on him, walked towards (Harun). Al‐Ma’mun described him, saying: “Surely
he was an old man; worship exhausted him. He looked like an old, small (water) skin; prostration
injured his face. When Harun saw him, he rose for him. The Imam wanted to dismount, but al‐
Rashid shouted: ‘No by Allah, (you should not dismount) except on my carpet.’ So the chamberlain
prevented him from dismounting. We looked at him with admiration and magnification. He
walked riding his mount to the carpet. The chamberlains and the leading figures of the people
surrounded him. Harun received him. He kissed him on the face and the eye. He took him by the
hand and seated him in the front of his gathering. He asked him about his conditions, talked with
him, and said to him:”
‐O Abu al‐Hasan, how may (persons) are dependent on you? ‐Over five hundreds. ‐Are they your
children? ‐Most of them are followers and servants. As for my children, they are thirty and some. ‐
Why do you not marry the women to their cousins? ‐The hand falls short of that (lit. I do not have
money). ‐What about the country estate?
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