People started reciting the sentence when Imam put his hand up and continued...

People started reciting the sentence when Imam put his hand up and continued: “Yes, the sentence is Allah’s fort. It will provide you with excellent safety but on one condition only and that is that you obey and follow us – the holy Imams in the progeny of the holy Prophet (PBUH&HP). On reaching Marw, Mamun forced Imam to accept the heir apparent. (to be the leader after him). Imam accepted unwillingly. Why did Mamun want Imam to be the heir apparent? 1.

To please the Shia public opinion in Khurasan and the surrounding areas this would make it easier for Mamun to be accepted by the people there and a victory over his brother Amin. 2. To avoid clashes with those like the Alawids who had always threatened the Abbasids with various uprisings. Mamun ordered a new coin to be minted with Imam Ar-Reza’s name on it. Imam however knew that this would not last long. Soon Mamun put Imam under constant watch.

Imam used the position to spread the true word of Islam. Mamun’s court was visited by thousands and Imam made an impact on their minds. His traditions were widely recorded. Mamun who was fond of scholarly discussions would arrange for intellectuals from Greece, Italy, India etc. to come to his court and hold discussions with the Imam. Martyrdom Mamun was never sincere in his behaviour towards Imam.

Seeing the Imam’s popularity increase disturbed him immensely especially after the occasion when he requested Imam to lead Feast prayers. Mamun saw that even before Imam had reached the mosque the people had lined the streets and were reciting Takbir and it seemed that even the walls of Marw were doing the same. He had to ask Imam to go back that day. There are various accounts of how Imam Ali Ar-Reza (PBUH) was killed by Mamun.

One of them is that Imam used to like grapes and Mamun one day invited the Imam and offered (by force) him the poisoned grapes. Imam was forced to eat so he became ill and died after two days on the 29th Safar of 203 A.H.. Imam Ali Ar-Reza (PBUH) died in Toos in a village called Sanabad. He had only one son, Imam Mohammad Taqi (PBUH), who succeeded him as the 9th Imam. Imam is buried there at what is today called Mashhad in IRAN.

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