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Al-Ma'mun: Difference between revisions
→Arguments for al-Ma'mun's Shiism
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'''Offering the caliphate and succession to 'Ali's (a) progeny''': people who claim that al-Ma'mun was a Shi'a believe that the offer to assign the caliphate to Imam al-Rida (a) by al-Ma'mun was grounded in his approximately Mu'tazili and Shiite mindset, especially the belief in the superiority of Imam 'Ali (a). Moreover, al-Ma'mun's mother was Persian and believed in Imam 'Ali (a) and his progeny and al-Ma'mun was raised among Persians, especially people of Khorasan, and this led to his Shiite tendencies. Advocates of this view claim that al-Ma'mun pledged to God that if he defeats his brother, he will assign the caliphate to the most virtuous person from 'Ali's (a) progeny. Thus, after defeating al-Ma'mun, he kept his promise and selected Imam al-Rida (a) as his successor.<ref>Abū l-Faraj al-Iṣfahānī, ''Maqātil al-ṭālibīyyīn'', p. 454.</ref> This action by al-Ma'mun led some historians, such as al-Suyuti, to take him to be an extremist Shi'a.<ref>Suyūṭī, ''Tārīkh al-khulafāʾ'', p. 363.</ref> | '''Offering the caliphate and succession to 'Ali's (a) progeny''': people who claim that al-Ma'mun was a Shi'a believe that the offer to assign the caliphate to Imam al-Rida (a) by al-Ma'mun was grounded in his approximately Mu'tazili and Shiite mindset, especially the belief in the superiority of Imam 'Ali (a). Moreover, al-Ma'mun's mother was Persian and believed in Imam 'Ali (a) and his progeny and al-Ma'mun was raised among Persians, especially people of Khorasan, and this led to his Shiite tendencies. Advocates of this view claim that al-Ma'mun pledged to God that if he defeats his brother, he will assign the caliphate to the most virtuous person from 'Ali's (a) progeny. Thus, after defeating al-Ma'mun, he kept his promise and selected Imam al-Rida (a) as his successor.<ref>Abū l-Faraj al-Iṣfahānī, ''Maqātil al-ṭālibīyyīn'', p. 454.</ref> This action by al-Ma'mun led some historians, such as al-Suyuti, to take him to be an extremist Shi'a.<ref>Suyūṭī, ''Tārīkh al-khulafāʾ'', p. 363.</ref> | ||
'''Returning Fadak to the progeny of [[Fatima (a)]]''': after returning to Baghdad and fully establishing his government, al-Ma'mun decided to return Fadak to the progeny of Fatima (a), despite severe oppositions. Thus, he invited 200 scholars to a meeting and asked them to express their views about Fadak. After hearing different views, they concluded that Fadak belonged to Fatima (a) and should, thus, be returned to its original heirs. Pressures by opponents led al-Ma'mun to hold another meeting with a greater number of scholars from the whole Islamic territory. The conclusion was still the same. Thus, in 210/825, he wrote to [[Qutham b. Ja'far]], the ruler of Medina, to return Fadak to the progeny of Fatima (a).<ref>Ḥamawī, ''Muʿjam al-buldān'', vol. 4, p. 240; Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 7, p. 156.</ref> According to some researchers, since the [[usurpation of Fadak]] was always a political instrument by caliphs to exert pressure on [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] and Shi'as, returning Fadak by al-Ma'mun shows his tendency to Ahl al-Bayt (a).<ref>Rahbar, "Fadak namād-i maẓlūmīyyat-i Ahl al-Bayt", p. 181.</ref> The news about the surrender of Fadak to its true owners was reflected in some poems. | '''Returning Fadak to the progeny of [[Fatima (a)]]''': after returning to Baghdad and fully establishing his government, al-Ma'mun decided to return Fadak to the progeny of Fatima (a), despite severe oppositions. Thus, he invited 200 scholars to a meeting and asked them to express their views about Fadak. After hearing different views, they concluded that Fadak belonged to Fatima (a) and should, thus, be returned to its original heirs. Pressures by opponents led al-Ma'mun to hold another meeting with a greater number of scholars from the whole Islamic territory. The conclusion was still the same. Thus, in 210/825-6, he wrote to [[Qutham b. Ja'far]], the ruler of Medina, to return Fadak to the progeny of Fatima (a).<ref>Ḥamawī, ''Muʿjam al-buldān'', vol. 4, p. 240; Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 7, p. 156.</ref> According to some researchers, since the [[usurpation of Fadak]] was always a political instrument by caliphs to exert pressure on [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] and Shi'as, returning Fadak by al-Ma'mun shows his tendency to Ahl al-Bayt (a).<ref>Rahbar, "Fadak namād-i maẓlūmīyyat-i Ahl al-Bayt", p. 181.</ref> The news about the surrender of Fadak to its true owners was reflected in some poems. | ||
'''Permitting temporary marriage''': [[mut'a]] or temporary marriage is a matter of dispute between Shi'as and Sunnis. When [['Umar b. al-Khattab]] prohibited temporary marriage, subsequent caliphs as well as many Sunni scholars prohibited it, but al-Ma'mun permitted temporary marriage, despite oppositions. When [[Yahya b. Aktham]], al-Ma'mun's chief justice and a Sunni scholar, told al-Ma'mun that 'Ali (a) also prohibited temporary marriage, he withdrew from its permissibility out of respect for Ali (a).<ref>Nāẓimīyān Fard, ''Maʾmūn wa miḥnat'', p. 71; Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, ''Tārīkh Baghdād'', vol. 4, p. 199.</ref> | '''Permitting temporary marriage''': [[mut'a]] or temporary marriage is a matter of dispute between Shi'as and Sunnis. When [['Umar b. al-Khattab]] prohibited temporary marriage, subsequent caliphs as well as many Sunni scholars prohibited it, but al-Ma'mun permitted temporary marriage, despite oppositions. When [[Yahya b. Aktham]], al-Ma'mun's chief justice and a Sunni scholar, told al-Ma'mun that 'Ali (a) also prohibited temporary marriage, he withdrew from its permissibility out of respect for Ali (a).<ref>Nāẓimīyān Fard, ''Maʾmūn wa miḥnat'', p. 71; Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, ''Tārīkh Baghdād'', vol. 4, p. 199.</ref> | ||
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'''Official announcement of the superiority of Imam Ali (a) over caliphs''': according to reliable Shiite and Sunni sources, al-Ma'mun held a meeting with 40 prominent Sunni scholars of the time and debated the superiority of Imam 'Ali (a) over other caliphs with them. He won the debate and they admitted the superiority of Imam 'Ali (a) after the demise of [[the Prophet Muhammad (s)]].<ref>Ibn ʿAbd Rabbih, ''al-ʿIqd al-farīd'', vol. 5, p. 349-359.</ref> Moreover, in 212/827, al-Ma'mun announced the superiority of Imam 'Ali (a) over [[Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa]] and 'Umar b. al-Khattab.<ref>Suyūṭī, ''Tārīkh al-khulafāʾ'', p. 364.</ref> | '''Official announcement of the superiority of Imam Ali (a) over caliphs''': according to reliable Shiite and Sunni sources, al-Ma'mun held a meeting with 40 prominent Sunni scholars of the time and debated the superiority of Imam 'Ali (a) over other caliphs with them. He won the debate and they admitted the superiority of Imam 'Ali (a) after the demise of [[the Prophet Muhammad (s)]].<ref>Ibn ʿAbd Rabbih, ''al-ʿIqd al-farīd'', vol. 5, p. 349-359.</ref> Moreover, in 212/827, al-Ma'mun announced the superiority of Imam 'Ali (a) over [[Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa]] and 'Umar b. al-Khattab.<ref>Suyūṭī, ''Tārīkh al-khulafāʾ'', p. 364.</ref> | ||
'''Aversion to praising Mu'awiya''': in 211/826, al-Ma'mun expressed his antipathy to those who praised [[Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan]], and punished such people.<ref>Suyūṭī, ''Tārīkh al-khulafāʾ'', p. 364.</ref> | '''Aversion to praising Mu'awiya''': in 211/826-7, al-Ma'mun expressed his antipathy to those who praised [[Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan]], and punished such people.<ref>Suyūṭī, ''Tārīkh al-khulafāʾ'', p. 364.</ref> | ||
'''Admission of his and his father's Shiism''': some historians reported that al-Ma'mun himself expressed his belief in Shiism.<ref>Masʿūdī, ''Murūj al-dhahab'', vol. 4, p. 5.</ref> According to some reports, he told his companions that he learned Shiism from his father. He was asked: "if your father, [[Harun]], was a Shi'a, then why did he killed [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]]?" He replied that reign is blind to fathers and children, let alone others.<ref>Ṣadūq, ''ʿUyūn akhbār al-Riḍā'', vol. 1, p. 88; Shūshtarī, ''Majālis al-muʾminīn'', vol. 2, p. 270.</ref> | '''Admission of his and his father's Shiism''': some historians reported that al-Ma'mun himself expressed his belief in Shiism.<ref>Masʿūdī, ''Murūj al-dhahab'', vol. 4, p. 5.</ref> According to some reports, he told his companions that he learned Shiism from his father. He was asked: "if your father, [[Harun]], was a Shi'a, then why did he killed [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]]?" He replied that reign is blind to fathers and children, let alone others.<ref>Ṣadūq, ''ʿUyūn akhbār al-Riḍā'', vol. 1, p. 88; Shūshtarī, ''Majālis al-muʾminīn'', vol. 2, p. 270.</ref> | ||