Then he stood up, left me and went to see ar-Ridha’ (a.

Then he stood up, left me and went to see ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) and said to him, `How are you?' He answered, `I hope I am alright.' He said, `I, too, by the Grace of God, am alright; did any well-wisher visit you today?' He answered in the negative, so al-Ma’mun became angry and called upon his servants to come, then he ordered one of them to immediately take the pomegranate juice to him, adding, `...

for he cannot do without it.' Then he called me to him and said: `Squeeze it with your own hands,' and so I did. Then al-Ma’mun handed the juice to ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) in person, and that was the reason for his death for he stayed only two days before he (a.s.) died.'" Abul-Salt al-Harawi is quoted saying, "I entered the house of ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) after al-Ma’mun had already left and he said to me, `O Abul-Salt!

They have done it...!' and he kept unifying and praising God." Muhammad ibn al-Jahm is quoted saying, "Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) used to love grapes. Some grapes were said to be prepared for him; needles were pierced inside them at their very tips and were kept like that for several days. Then the needles were taken out, and they were brought to him and he ate some of them and fell into the sickness we have mentioned about him.

The grapes killed him, and it was said that that was one of the most effective methods of poisoning."5 Regardless of the method of assassination, what seems to be acceptable, having examined all texts and the historical background of the political circumstances at that time, al-Ma’mun was indeed the one who killed Imam ar-Ridha’ (a.s.), and we do not have the slightest doubt or hesitation about that.

"His death occurred at Toos in a village called Sanabad, of the Nooqan area, and he was buried at the house of Hameed ibn Tahtaba under the dome where Haroun al-Rashid had been buried, and he was buried beside him facing the qibla."6 "When ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) died, al-Ma’mun did not disclose it when it happened, leaving him dead for one day and one night, then he called for Muhammad ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad and a group of descendants of Abu Talib.

When they were present, he showed him to them; his corpse looked alright; then he started weeping and addressed the corpse saying, `O Brother!