On What has been Narrated by Ar-Ridha عليه السلام Regarding the Proofs for the Divine Leaders عليه السلام, and the Rejection of the Exaggerators (Ghulat) and Those who Believe in God Turning Over the Affairs (Mufawidha) - May God Curse Them

46-1 Tamim ibn Abdullah ibn Tamim al-Qurashi - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his father quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Ali Al-Ansari, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Al-Jahm, “One day I attended a meeting with Al-Ma’mun and Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام was also present there. The theologians and rhetoricians from various sects had gathered there. One of them asked the Imam عليه السلام, “O son of the Prophet of God! What is the proof of Divine Leadership which proves the validity of one who claims it?”The Imam عليه السلام replied, “(Divine Leadership of one who claims it is proved) by what has been written and by the proofs.”The man asked, “What is the proof of a Divine Leader?” The Imam عليه السلام replied, “It is knowledge and the fulfillment of our prayers.”The man asked, “How can you tell what is going to happen in the future?” The Imam عليه السلام replied, “It is due to the Trusted Covenant which we have inherited from God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.”The man asked, “How do you become aware of the people’s secret intentions?” The Imam عليه السلام asked, “Have you not been told about the saying of the Messenger عليه السلام?: ‘Fear the insight of the believer since he looks through a God-given light.’” The man replied, “Yes.” The Imam عليه السلام said, “All believers have an insight with which they look through a God-given light according to the degree of their faith, insight and knowledge. God has given us - the Divine Leaders - as much insight as He has bestowed upon all the believers. And in His Mighty Book, the Honorable the Exalted God says, ‘Behold! In this are Signs for those who by tokens do understand.’ And the first of ‘those who by tokens do understand’ was God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. Then the next one after him عليه السلام was Ali - the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام. The succeeding ones were Al-Hassan عليه السلام, Al-Husayn عليه السلام and the rest of the Divine Leaders from the progeny of Al-Husayn عليه السلام up until the Resurrection Day.”Al-Hassan ibn Al-Jahm added, “Then Al-Ma’mun looked at Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام and said, ‘O Abal Hassan (Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام)! Tell us more about what God has granted to you - the Members of the Holy Household.”Then Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام said, “In fact, the Honorable the Exalted God has assisted us with a Sanctified and Purified Spirit from Himself which is not an angel and with whom He has assisted no one in the past. That Spirit is with the Divine Leaders assisting them and making them succeed. It is a Column of Light between us and the Honorable the Exalted God.”Al-Ma’mun told him عليه السلام, “O Abal Hassan (Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام)! I have been told that there are some people who boast about you and transgress beyond bounds.” Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام said, “My father Musa ibn Ja’far عليه السلام narrated that his father عليه السلام quoted on the authority of his father Muhammad ibn Ali عليه السلام, on the authority of his father Ali ibn Al-Husayn عليه السلام, on the authority of his father Al-Husayn ibn Ali عليه السلام, on the authority of his father Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام that God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said, “Do not raise me up to a position higher than I deserve. In fact, firstly the Blessed the Sublime God first made me a servant (i.e. a person) before making me a Prophet. And the Blessed the Sublime God says, “It is not (possible) that a man, to whom is given the Book, and Wisdom, and the Prophetic office, should say to people: ‘Be ye my worshippers rather than Allah’s’: on the contrary (He would say) ‘Be ye worshippers of Him Who is truly the Cherisher of all: For ye have taught the Book and ye have studied it earnestly. Nor would he instruct you to take angels and Prophets for Lords and patrons. What! would he bid you to unbelief after ye have bowed your will (to Allah in Islam)?’ Ali عليه السلام said, “Two groups of people have ruined themselves because of me and I am not to blame for that: those who love me to the extreme, and those who hate me to the extreme. I take refuge in the Blessed the Sublime God from those who boast about us and raise us up too high above our own true rank, just as Jesus عليه السلام - the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary عليه السلام took refuge in God from the Christians. The Sublime God says, ‘And behold! Allah will say, ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah?’ Jesus عليه السلام will say, ‘Glory be to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full allthat is hidden. Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, ’worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up Thou wast the Watcher over them, and Thou art a witness to all things.’ The Honorable the Exalted God also says, ‘Christ disdaineth nor to serve and worship God, nor do the angels, those nearest (to God): those who disdain His worship and are arrogant, He will gather them all together unto Himself to (answer).’ And the Honorable the Exalted God says, ‘Christ the son of Mary was no more than an apostle; many were the apostles that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They both had to eat their (daily) food…’ This means that they had to defecate.Therefore, we despise whoever considers divinity for the Prophets or the Divine Leaders, or considers that Prophethood belongs to the Divine Leaders, or considers people other than the Divine Leaders to be Divine Leaders. We despise him in this world and in the Hereafter.Then Al-Ma’mun asked, “O Abal Hassan (Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام)! What do you think about the return (of Jesus).”Then Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام said, “Whenever Al-Mahdi عليه السلام rises up from my progeny, Jesus عليه السلام - the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary عليه السلام will descend and pray behind him.”The Imam عليه السلام added, “Islam started out being a stranger and it will return to that state. Blessed be the strangers.”Al-Ma’mun asked, “O son of God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم! What will happen next?” The Imam عليه السلام said, “The right will be returned to its true possessor.” Al-Ma’mun asked, “O Abal Hassan (Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام)! What is your viewpoint about those who believe in transmigration?” Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام said, “Whoever believes in transmigration has indeed disbelieved in the Exalted God and denied heaven and Hell.” Al-Ma’mun questioned, “What do you say about those who were perverted?” Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام said, “They were a tribe whom God became angry with and perverted. Then they lived for three more days and died. They did not have any babies during that time either. However, what you can see in the world of monkeys, pigs and similar animals are those animals who were named after the perverted ones. They are similar to those animals whom we are not allowed to eat or use otherwise.” Al-Ma’mun said, “O Abal Hassan(Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام)! May God not let me outlive you! I swear by God that correct knowledge cannot be found except with you Members of the Holy Household. You have inherited all the knowledge of your forefathers. May God reward you well for Islam and its people.”Al-Hassan ibn Al-Jahm said, “When Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام stood up, I followed him. He عليه السلام went home and I went to see him and told him, “O son of the Prophet of God! Praise be to God who directed the positive attention of the Commander of the Faithful (al-Ma’mun) towards you to the extent that he honors you.” The Imam عليه السلام said, “O Ibn Al-Jahm! Do not be deceived by seeing him honor me and listening to me. Soon he will kill me with poison. He will oppress me. I know this through the trusted covenant which has been passed down to me from God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم by my forefathers عليه السلام. However, keep this a secret for as long as I am alive.”Al-Hassan ibn Al-Jahm said, “I did not tell this to anyone until Abal Hassan Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام was murdered in Toos with poison. He عليه السلام was buried in the house of Hameed ibn Qahtaba al-Ta’ee in the same shrine in which Harun Ar-Rashid was buried, and was buried next to Harun Ar-Rashid.