We will mention them along with the Imāms answers to them as follows...

We will mention them along with the Imāms answers to them as follows: Umrān al-Sābiis Questions Umrān al-Sābii was a great philosopher and was the spiritual leader of the tribe of the Sābia during the time of the Imām, peace be on him. He was summoned by al-Mamūn in order to examine the Imām, and he had prepared for him the most difficult and vaguest philosophical questions.

The researcher, Shaykh Mohammed Taqi al-Jafari, has explained Umrāns questions and commented on them, saying: This debate contains the most important and vaguest theological questions about transcendental wisdom, which tires researchers intellects when they reflect on it. Experts have not given enough answers to these questions, for other questions may arise from the questions, and the arising questions may be vaguer than the previous ones themselves.

Umrān, in this narration, raised these vague questions and they were answered by Imām Ali b. Mūsā` al-Ridā, peace be on him, the eighth of Allahs proofs over His servants and of His testamentary trustees on His earth. What the Imām explained during this debate is a clear way which cannot be effaced by the dust of the material veils which are raised by limited reasons in the fortress of dark, sensible things.

In this manner the realities which incomplete reason cannot recognize manifest themselves to those who cling to the beliefs of the members of the House of Prophethood, the source of Message, the place of the angles who came one by one, and descending place of Revelation. We will mention al-Sābiis questions along with the Imāms answers to them just as al-Shaykh al-Sadūq has mentioned in (his book) Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā .

We will also mention some extracts of al-Shaykh al-Jafaris commentaries on them. The delegation who accompanied Umrān (al-Sābii) presented a group of questions. After the Imām, peace be on him, had answered the questions of the delegation including eminent Christian and Jewish (religious) scholars, he said to them: People, if any of you is familiar with Islam and wants to question (me), then let him question (me) without any shame.

Umrān al-Sābii, an expert in theology, addressed the Imām with politeness and admiration, saying: O Scholar of the people, were it not for that you invited (me) to question you, I would not question you. I entered Kūfa, Basrah, Syria (Shām) and al-Jazira.