The pattern of his true Islamic life...

The pattern of his true Islamic life, which was bound to spread the spirit of fraternity and equality, was obviously harmful to AL-MA'MUN monarchy, especially when IMAM ALI AR-RIDA (AS) was now a member of the royal family. It was at this point that he decided to put an end to the Imam's life. But as he thought it expedient to keep the SHI'AHS and particularly the Persians on his side, he expressed extreme sorrow at IMAM ALI AR-RIDA'S death.

This was also necessary to prove that he had no hand in killing him. In order to isolate himself from any suspicion though remote, he summoned AR-RIDA'S son MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI (AS) from Medina to Baghdad to marry him to his daughter UMM AL-FADL although she was already engaged. OPPOSITIONS The appointment of IMAM ALI AR-RIDA (AS) as heir-apparent had been an intolerable affair for the ABBASIDES; so, when IMAM AR-RIDA (AS) died, they sighed in relief.

They also succeeded in causing AL-MA'MUN to appoint his son Trencherman as his successor who later came to be known as Caliph AL-MU'TASIM BILLAH. During the time of IMAM AR-RIDA'S heir-apparent-ship, the color of the caliph's court and royal robes had been changed from black to green. After the Imam's death, they changed it again to black which signaled the restoration of ABBASIDE traditions.

All these steps undertaken by AL-MA'MUN sufficiently satisfied the ABBASIDES who thought that he was acting in accordance with their own desires. But when AL-MA'MUN proclaimed that he was going to marry his daughter to the son of IMAM ALI AR-RIDA (AS), their tribal attitude was stimulated. They could no longer hide their feelings, and they approached AL-MA'MUN in the form of a delegation.

They complained in most obvious words that the favors showered on IMAM ALI AR-RIDA (AS) had grieved them, and that they tolerated it because the Imam could be respected in view of his age, learning and other virtues, and that he deserved those honors only to an extent. But elevating his son-a raw lad-so much as to prefer him over all other dignitaries and learned scholars did not befit the caliph. Furthermore, the marriage of AL-MA'MUN'S sister the IMAM ALI AR-RIDA (AS) did not prove prosperous.

Why did the caliph then wish to offer the hand of the princess to AR-RIDA'S son anyway?