Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Uyun Akhbar Al-reza the Source of Traditions On Imam Reza (a.s.) Chapter Twenty-three: On Al-reza’s Debates With Al-ma’mun Regarding the Difference Between Family (itra) and Nation 23-1 Ali ibn Al-Hussein ibn Shazawayh al-Mo’addib and Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Masroor - May God Be Pleased with Them - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ja’far al-Himyari quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Ryan ibn al-Salt, “Al-Reza (s) attended a session held by Al-Ma’mun in Marv in which some of the scholars of Iraq and Khorasan were present.
Then Al-Ma’mun said, “Tell me about the meaning of the following verse, ‘Then We have given the Book for inheritance to such of Our Servants as We have chosen…’ [372] They answered that the verse refers to all the nation. Then Al-Ma’mun said, “O Abul Hassan! What do you think?” Al-Reza (s) answered, “I do not agree with them.
I say that the Honorable the Exalted God exclusively refers to the immaculate progeny of the Prophet (s).” Al-Ma’mun asked, “How is it that God refers to the immaculate progeny of the Prophet (s) and not the nation?” 23 بابُ ذِكرِ مَجْلِسَ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مَعَ الْمَأمُونَ فِي الفَرْقِ بَيْنَ العِتْرَةِ وَالاُمَّةِ {style="direction: rtl"} 1 - حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ الحُسَيْن بْنِ شاذَوَيْه المُؤَدِّبُ وَجَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَسْرُور رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ ما قالا حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه بْنِ جَعْفَر الحِمْيَريُّ، عَن أَبيهِ، عَن الرَّيانِ بْنِ الصَّلْتِ قالَ حَضَرَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مَجْلِسَ الْمَأْمُونِ بِمَرْوَوَقَدِ اجْتَمَعَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ عُلَمَاءِ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ وَخُرَاسَانَ فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: أَخْبِرُونِي عَن مَعْنَى هَذِهِ الآْيَةِ: (ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنا مِنْ عِبادِنا).