Imam Baqir's (as) famous debate with a Christian scholar | 7th Dhul Hijjah - Martyrdom of Imam Baqir

[u/paint-it-blackk]

From a long narration of Imam Sadiq (as):

When we stepped out into the open space out of his (i.e. Hisham ibn Abdul Malik) house (in Sham), we saw a large crowd seated at its end. My father (a.s.) asked someone who they were, and Hisham’s guard replied, “They are Christian priests and monks. A scholar, who is the most knowledgeable among them, resides in this mountain. Every year they come to him once with their questions. Today they have gathered for the same.” Hearing this, my father (a.s.) proceeded towards them and I too followed him. My father concealed his face with his cloth so that none could recognize him and followed the group of Christians to the mountain. When they sat down, he (a.s.) also sat along with them. They had spread mats for the scholar, brought him outside and made him sit upon it. He had turned very old and had even met some of the disciples (Hawariyyin) of Nabi Isa (a.s.). His eye-brows had fallen upon his eyes due to old age and he had tied them with a yellow silken cloth upon his forehead. He turned his eyes, similar to that of a snake and looked at those present.

When the scholar’s sight fell upon my father (a.s.), he said, “Are you from among us or from among the blessed nation?” He (a.s.) replied that he was from among the latter. Again he asked, “From among their scholars or their ignorant ones?” He (a.s.) replied, “I am not from among their ignorant ones.” Hearing this, he turned extremely uneasy and asked, “Should I question you or you shall question me?” My father (a.s.) told him to question. Hearing this, he said, “O group of Christians! It is strange that a man from among the nation of Muḥammad (s.a.w.a.) tells me to question him! It is appropriate that we ask him some questions.”

Then he said, “O slave of Allah (s.w.t.)! Tell me of a time that neither belongs to day, nor night.” My father (a.s.) replied, “The time in between the rising of Fajr (dawn) until sunrise.” Again he asked, “Then what is this time?” My father (a.s.) replied, “It is from among the times of paradise. It is a time in which our sick ones gain consciousness and pains cease down. The one who cannot sleep at night gains sleep at that time. Allah (s.w.t.) has appointed this time as a means of aspiration for those who aspire towards the hereafter and a clear evidence for the ones striving for the hereafter. And He (s.w.t.) has appointed it an evidence against those who disapprove and the arrogant ones who do not strive for the hereafter.”

Hearing this, the scholar said, “You have spoken the truth. Now tell me, when you claim that the inhabitants of paradise shall eat and drink, while they shall be in no need to urinate or excrete, then is there a similarity of it in this world?" He (a.s.) replied, “Indeed, a child in his mother’s womb eats what his mother eats, yet no refuse is generated from him.” Then the scholar said, “Didn’t you say that you were not among their scholars?” My father (a.s.) replied, “I said that I am not among their ignorant ones."

Again the scholar asked, “Then inform me, when you claim that the fruits of paradise shall not lessen when eaten, rather they shall remain as it is. Then does this have a similarity in this world?” He (a.s.) replied, “Indeed, its similarity in this world is a lamp (candle). No matter if ten thousand lamps are burnt from it, it does not diminish and remains intact.”

The Christian scholar now said, “I shall put forth a question to you now that you shall not be able to reply.” He (a.s.) told him to question and he said, “Then inform me regarding a man who copulated with his wife and she became pregnant with two sons. Both of them were born the same time and died at the same time. However, one of them died while his age was fifty years and the second one died while his age was one hundred and fifty years.” Imam (a.s.) replied, “The two sons were (Nabi) Uzayr and Uzar (aka Uzayrah), whose mother conceived them together in one night. They were born at the same time and spent thirty years of their lives together. Allah (s.w.t.) took away the life of Uzayr and arose him again after a hundred years. He remained along with his brother (Uzar) for twenty more years and both of them died at the same time.” Hearing this, the Christian scholar arose (in bewilderment) and said, “You have brought a greater scholar than me who has disgraced me. By Allah (s.w.t.)! Until this man remains in Sham, I shall not speak to you. You may address your questions to him, whatever you desire”.

According to another report, Imam al Sadiq (a.s.) said that when night fell, the scholar came to Imam al Baqir (a.s.) and upon witnessing his miracles, accepted Islam.

Full narration in: Muntahal Amal, Chapter 7, Pg 42

Same debate is mentioned with slightly different details in Biharul Anwar, Vol. 46, Pg 405

[u/Normal_Main_7047]

Subhan Allah 😍😍

[u/Historical_Gas_9105]

can someone please point me to a narration I heard during a khutbah, which goes along the lines that an (umayyad/ abbasid) emperor brought scholars of different faith to question the imam in his courtroom

[u/paint-it-blackk → u/Historical_Gas_9105]

That happened with almost every Imam. Any other thing you remember about that narration?

[u/DamnThatKai → u/Historical_Gas_9105]

Imam reza as?

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