(Hisham says...

(Hisham says: when the discussion reached this point, I said to Amr): Therefore, the necessity of the heart for maintaining and managing the realm of the human body is a must. So, God had created the heart of the human being to manage the affairs of the realm of the human body, otherwise the parts of the body would not discharge their duties correctly and would have committed mistakes. Isn't that so? I said: "O, Aba Marwan,[^2] how is this possible?

The Almighty Creator who has not left your body without any guide, to adjust their actions and help them to perform their duties correctly, has put a leader namely the heart, in the body. He has done that so that they may not be bewildered and every one of them may understand its own duty.

Do you think He has left His servants free to be bewildered and live in dispute and discord without appointing any leader enabling them to solve their problems and free themselves from doubt and confusion?" (Hisham says): Amr ibn Obeid became silent after hearing these words and fell into deep thought. He turned to me after a few moments and asked: Are you Hisham! Hisham ibn Hakam!? No.[^3] Are you one of his friends and comrades? No. Where are you from then? An inhabitant of Kufa.

Then certainly you are that very Hisham! Then he stood up, embraced me and seated me near himself. While we were sitting there, he was in deep thought as before and did not say anything.

Younus ibn Yaqub says: "When Hisham narrated this story, Imam (a) smiled and asked: 'O Hisham, who has taught you this way and style of debate and speech?'" He replied: "Likewise I just uttered it, and whatever I have learnt, it is from your good self!" Imam (a) said: "By God, this debate has been written in the same manner in Sohaf Abraham (a) and Sohaf Musa (a)"[^4] (The Treatise of Abraham and the treatise of Moses).

[^1]: According to the writing of Abdoh al-Shami in his book - The History of Arab Philosophy, -'Amr ibn Ubaid was one of the learned men of the Abbasid period and was among the sincerest friends of Mansour Dawanighi and one of the chiefs of Moatazalah sect. The followers of the Moatazalah sect were famous as the supporters of Abbasid caliphate, because most of their beliefs conformed to the opinions of Abbasids and the enemies of Bani Umayyah.

And on the other hand they did not respect and honour the household of the Prophet (s). [^2]: Aba Marwan is the epithet of Amr ibn Ubaid. Epithet is a kind of title, generally used among Arabs.