The Questions of Sulayman al-Maruzi
As for Sulayman al-Maruzi, he was skilled in philosophy and experienced in theological researches. He was the most prominent religious scholars in Khurasa`n. Al-Ma'mu`n invited him, met him with friendly reception and honor, and said to him: "My cousin, 'Ali b. Musa al-Rida, peace be on him, has come to me from al-Hija`z. He likes theology and theologians. Will you come to us on the 8th day of Dhu al-Hijja (
youm al-Tarwiya) in order to debate with him."
Sulayma`n was afraid of that. He thought that the Ima`m would be unable to answer his questions, and that the 'Alawides would harbor malice against him. Accordingly, he apologized to al-Ma'mu`n, saying: "I dislike to question him in your session and among a group of the Ha`shimites. The people will regard him as defective when he debate with me on theology. Defects are not permissible for him."
Al-Ma'mun made covenant with him and promised that no harm or detested things would befall him. He said (to him): "I have invited you because I know that you are learned (in theology). I have no intention except that you silence him (Ima`m al-Rida`) in one argument."
This statement demonstrates that al-Ma'mu`n had evil intention toward the Ima`m, harbored malice against him, and showed enmity toward him. Sulayma`n felt safety from any aggression against him, and then he said to al-Ma'mu`n: "(I will be) sufficient, Commander of the faithful, bring us together and do not dispraise me." Meanwhile al-Ma'mu`n sent his messenger to the Imam and asked him to come in order to debate with Sulayman. The Imam responded to that and attended along with a delegation from among his eminent companions including 'Umran al-Sabi'i, who became a Muslim at the hand of the Imam. Then a debate took place between Sulayma`n and 'Umra`n al-Sabi'i on
al-bida'. Sulayman denied
al-bida' while 'Umra`n confirmed it. Then Sulayma`n sought the Imam's view about it and he confessed it. He established it through some verses from the Holy Qur'a`n. Then al-Ma'mu`n turned to Sulayma`n and said to him: "Question Abu` al-Hasan about whatever you desire. You must listen well and be fair."
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Sulayma`n asked the Ima`m the following questions:
Q1: "What is your view about Him whom has made will as name and attribute such as All-living, All-hearing, All-seeing, and All-powerful?"
Ans. 1: "You want to say that things were originated and became different because He desired and willed, and you do not want to say that things were originated and became different because He is All-hearing and All-seeing. This is proof of that they (i.e. will and desire) are not similar to All-hearing, All-seeing, and All-powerful."
Sulayma`n interrupted the Ima`m, saying: "He has always been willing."
The Imam answered him: "Sulayma`n, His will is (something) other than Him."
Sulayma`n numbered (some attributes) to show that Allah, the Exalted, was united with His intention. So, the Ima`m disproved Sulayma`n's vague error, saying:
"You have proved along with Him something other than Him which has always been."
"I have not proved (that)," replied Sulayma`n
"Is it (the will ) originated?" asked Sulayma`n.
"No, it is not originated," answered the Ima`m.
The Ima`m confused Sulayma`n and he began saying contradictory statements. He (Sulayma`n) sometimes said that will was eternal and sometimes said that it was originated. Therefore, al-Ma'mu`n shouted at him and asked him not to show obstinacy and to show fairness in his speech, saying:
"You must be fair. Do you not see that the people of consideration are around you?"
Then al-Ma'mu`n turned to the Ima`m and said to him: "Abu` al-Hasan, debate with him on theology, for he is the theologian of Khurasa`n."
The Ima`m asked him: "Is it (the will) originated?"
Sulayma`n denied the origination of the will, so the Ima`m answered him:
"Sulayma`n, it is originated. If thing is not eternal, it is originated; if it is not originated, it is eternal."
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Sulayma`n interrupted (the Ima`m) saying: "His (Allah's) will is (part) of Him just as His hearing, His sight, and His knowledge are (parts) of Him."
The Ima`m disproved his statement, asking: "Did He will Himself?"
"No," was the answer.
The Imam began confuting his statement, saying: "Therefore, the willing is not like the All-hearing and the All-seeing."
Sulayma`n (answered) at random, for the Ima`m left no room for him to defend his own vague errors. He (Sulayma`n) said: 'Surely, He willed Himself just as He heard Himself, saw Himself, and recognized Himself."
The Ima`m confuted his statement, asking: "What is the meaning of that He willed Himself? Did He will to be a thing? Did He will to be All-living, All-hearing, All-seeing, and All-powerful?"
Sulayma`n did not know what to say, so he answered: "Yes."
"Did that occur through His will?" asked the Ima`m.
"Yes," was the answer.
The Ima`m began refuting Sulayma`n's statement and showing the contradiction therein, saying: "Your statement: 'He willed to be All-living, All-hearing, and All-seeing,' has no sense. Was that through His will?"
As the matter was deep, Sulayma`n said: "Yes, that was through His will."
The people in the session burst into laughter. Al-Ma'mu`n laughed at the contradictory speech of Sulayma`n. However, the Ima`m turned to the people and asked them to show gentleness toward Sulayma`n. Then he asked him: "Sulayma`n, do you think that He (i.e. Allah, the Exalted) has altered from state to state and changed due to it? This is something through which Allah is not described."
Sulayma`n became feeble and kept silent, so the Ima`m turned to him in order to establish proof against him, saying: "Sulayma`n, I want to ask you a question."
"Question (me), may I be your ransom," replied Sulayma`n.
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"Tell me about you and your companions: Do you debate with the people on theology according to what you understand and know or according to what you do not understand and know?"
"Rather, according to what we understand and know," answered Sulayma`n.
The Ima`m began establishing proof against Sulayma`n's vague errors, saying: "The thing which the people know is that the willing is other than will, that the willing is before will, that the doer is before the thing done. This (statement) disproves your statement: 'Will and the willing is one thing.'"
Sulayma`n said: "May I be your ransom, isn't that of Him as the people know and understand?"
The Ima`m continued refuting Sulayma`n's vague errors, saying: "I think that you have claimed the knowledge of that without knowledge and said: 'Will is like hearing and seeing.' If you have such a view, then it is something which is neither known nor is understood."
Sulayma`n became perplexed and was unable to answer because of the many scientific abilities of the Ima`m, peace be on him. The Ima`m resumed his debate in order to complete proof against him, saying:
"Sulayma`n, does Allah know all those who are in the Garden and the Fire?"
"Yes," Sulayma`n retorted.
The Ima`m opposed him, saying: "Is what Allah, the Exalted, knows (part) of that?"
"Yes," was the answer.
"If it is to the extent that nothing of it remains but is, will He increase them or cut them off from it (the fruit of the Garden)?"
"Rather, He increases them," replied Sulayman.
The Imam disproved his statement, saying: "From your statement I see that He increases them what is not in His knowledge that it will be."
Sulayma`n said: "May I be your ransom, the willing has no limit."
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The Ima`m continued disproving Sulayma`n's vague errors, saying: "In your view, is that His knowledge does not encompass what therein (in the Garden) if He does not know the limit of that (which is in the Garden). If His knowledge does not encompass what therein, He does not know what is therein before it is. Allah, the Great and Almighty, is High above that!"
Sulayma`n began apologizing and putting right his view, saying: "Verily, I said that He did not know that, for it has no limit, and for Allah, the Great and Almighty, described them (the people of the Garden) with everlastingness, and we hated to make cessation for them."
The Imam went on refuting his vague errors and his descriptions, saying: "His knowledge of that does not bring about His cutting them from it, for He may know that; then He increase them; then He does not cut them off from it. This is what Allah, the Great and Almighty, has said in His Book:
So oft as their skins are thoroughly burned, We will change them for other skins, that they may taste the chastisement1. And He said to the people of the Garden:
A gift which shall never be cut off2. And He, the Great and Almighty, said:
And abundant fruit, neither intercepted nor forbidden3. Therefore, He, the Great and Almighty, knows that, so He does not cut them off from increase. Have you seen that He renews what the people of the Garden eat and drink?"
"Yes," was the answer.
"Does He cut them (the people of the Garden) off from it (fruit), while He puts (another) in the place of it?" asked the Ima`m.
"No," was the answer.
The Imam, peace be on him, continued establishing his beliefs, saying: "If He puts (another) in the place of it, then it (the fruit) is everlasting; therefore they are not cut off from it."
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1. Qur'an, 4, 56.
2. Ibid., 11, 108.
3. Ibid., 56, 33.
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Sulayman went on clinging to vague errors and imaginations which the Ima`m had already disproved through undeniable proofs, saying:
"Yes, He cuts them off from it and does not increase them."
The Ima`m opposed that and confuted it with these words of him: "Therefore, He destroys (them) therein. This (statement), Sulayma`n, cancels everlastingness and opposes the Book, for Allah, the Great and Almighty, says:
They have therein whatever they wish and with Us is more yet1. And He, the Great and Almighty, says:
A gift which shall never be cut off2. And He, the Great and Almighty, says:
Nor shall they be ever ejected from it (the Garden)
3. And He, the Great and Almighty, says:
Abiding therein forever4. And He, the Great and Almighty, says:
And abundant fruit, neither intercepted nor forbidden."
Sulayman kept silent, not knowing what to answer after the Ima`m had closed before him all avenues of argument. Then the Ima`m asked him: "Sulayman, tell me about will: Is it an action or not?"
"Rather, it is an action," replied Sulayman.
"Therefore, it is originated, for all actions are originated," declared the Imam.
All possible beings are effects, made, and originated. As for the Necessary Being, the Most High, it is impossible for Him to have the qualities of the possible being. Sulayma`n was unable to say anything and began contradicting himself, saying:
"It (i.e. will) is not an action."
As for Sulayma`n, he had already admitted that it was an action. As a result, the Ima`m turned to him and asked him: "Is there anyone besides Him who, too, is eternal?"
Sulayma`n dodged and did not answer the Ima`m's question, saying: "Will is the brining forth."
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1. Ibid., 50, 35.
2. Ibid., 11, 108.
3. Ibid., 15, 48.
4. Ibid., 98, 8.
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The Imam answered: "This is the thing because of which you criticized Dirar
1 and his companions, saying that everything Allah, the Great and Almighty, has created in heaven or earth, ocean or land such as dog or pig, monkey, human or an animal is Allah's will, and that Allah's will lives, dies, goes away, eats, drinks, marries, feels pleasure, wrongs, commits immoral acts, disbelieves, becomes a polytheist, so He renounces it and repeats Himself through it, and this is its bound."
The Imam, peace be on him, demonstrated Dira`r's corrupt viewpoints which Sulayman and his companions had criticized. He refuted all these corrupt viewpoints before Sulayman, but the latter did not understand the Imam's statement and said: "It (i.e. will) is like hearing, seeing, and knowledge."
Sulayman repeated what he had already said that will was like hearing and seeing. The Ima`m had already confuted this corrupt statement, yet he, peace be on him, asked him: "Tell me: Are hearing, seeing, and knowledge made?"
"No," was the answer.
The Imam criticized Sulayma`n for his contradictory statement, saying: "How did you negate Him? You sometimes said that He did not will and sometimes you said that He willed, and that it (i.e. will) was not one of His actions."
Sulayma`n said at random: "Surely, that is like our statement: He sometimes knows and sometimes does not know!"
The Ima`m answered with inclusive proof, saying: "That is not the same, for negating the known is not like negating knowledge; negating what is willed is (not like) negating will, for if the thing is not willed, there will be no will. Knowledge may be established even if the known is not like seeing. Man may be knowing even though he is not the one who enlightens (others). Knowledge may be established even if it is not the known."
Sulayma`n answered: "It (i.e. will) is made."
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1. Dirar is one of the Shaykhs of the Mu'tazilites in the theology and belongs to the Abadiya.
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The Ima`m invalidated Sulayma`n's statement, saying: "Therefore, it (will) is originated and is not like hearing and seeing, for hearing and seeing are not made, and this is made."
Sulayma`n said: "It (will) is one of His eternal attributes."
The Ima`m answered him, saying: "Therefore man must be eternal, for his quality is eternal."
Sulayma`n began dodging in his speech and said: "No, because He did not do it (will).
As a result, the Ima`m criticized him for that and said: "Khurasa`ni, what numerous your errors are! Are things not according to His will?"
Sulayma`n insisted on his error, saying: "No."
The Imam answered him: "If things are not according to His will nor His desire nor His command nor His practice, then how are they? High is Allah above that!"
Sulayma`n became perplexed. He was unable to say anything. Then the Ima`m continued confuting Sulayma`n's vague errors and imaginations, asking him: "Will you not tell me about these words of Him, the Great and Almighty:
And when We wish to destroy a town, We send Our commandment to the people of it who lead easy lives, but they transgress therein1? Does He not mean by that that He creates His own will?"
"Yes," Sulayma`n retorted.
The Imam answered him: "If He creates His own will, then your statement is that will is He or a futile thing of Him, for it is not (possible) for Him to create Himself and does not change His state. Exalted is Allah above that."
Sulayman opposed (the Ima`m), saying: "By that He does not mean that He creates His own will?"
"So what does He mean?" asked the Imam.
"He means doing a thing," was the answer.
The Imam rebuked him, saying: "Woe unto you! How many times have you repeated this matter? I told you that will is created, for the action of a thing is originated."
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1. Qur'an, 17, 16.
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"Therefore will has no sense," declared Sulayma`n.
"Do you think that He describes Himself with will which has no sense? If will has no old or new meaning, then your statement, 'Allah, the Great and Almighty, has always been willing' is groundless."
Sulayma`n began clinging to vague errors, saying: "I mean that will is one of Allah's eternal actions."
The Ima`m answered him, saying: "Do you not know that thing is not done and eternal and new at the same time?"
Sulayman became perplexed after the Ima`m had disproved all his vague errors and made clear for him that every possible thing was created and not eternal, and that the will of Allah was not like the qualities of the possible being.
The Imam continued establishing his proofs against Sulayma`n, saying: "There is no harm on you. Complete your questions."
"Will is one of His attributes," declared Sulayman.
The Imam criticized him for repeating this statement, saying: "How many times have you said that it is one of His attributes? Is His will originated, or has it always been so?"
"Originated," was the answer.
The Imam said: "Allahu Akbar! You are telling me that His attribute is originated. Had it been one of His attributes, an eternal one, then He willed nothing, for the thing which has always been so is not done."
Sulayma`n began contradicting himself, saying: "Things are not a will, and He did not will anything."
The Imam answered him, saying: "You have hissed, O Sulayma`n! He did and created as long as His will and His creation are eternal! This is the attribute of someone who does not know what he is doing. Exalted is Allah above all of that."
Again Sulayma`n contradicted himself and said: "Master, I have already informed you that will is like hearing, seeing, and knowing."
As a result, al-Ma'mu`n shouted at Sulayma`n, saying: "Woe unto you, Sulayma`n! How you have erred and how often you have repeated yourself? Stop it and take another (matter), for you seem to be unable to provide any answer better than that."
The Ima`m turned to al-Ma'mu`n and said to him: "Leave him, Commander of the faithful. Don't interrupt his questions, for he will regard it as an argument (against me)."
Then the Ima`m looked at Sulayma`n and said to him: "Speak, Sulayma`n."
Sulayman continued saying: "I have already informed you that will is like hearing, seeing, and knowing."
The Imam replied to him: "There is no harm, tell me about the meaning of this. Is it one meaning or different meanings?"
"One meaning," came the answer.
"Is the meaning of will one?" asked the Ima`m.
"Yes," was the answer.
The Imam answered him with an irrefutable answer, saying: "If its meaning is one, then it will be the will of standing, sitting, life, and death. If His will is one, parts of which do not go ahead parts, and parts of which do not oppose parts."
Sulayma`n replied, saying: "Surely, its meaning is different."
The Ima`m understood that Sulayma`n was uncertain, so he asked him: "Tell me about the willing: Is He the will or other than it?"
"Rather, He is the will," replied Sulayma`n.
The Imam answered him: "In your view, is the willing different when He is the will."
"Master, the will is not the willing," explained Sulayma`n.
Yet the Ima`m understood that Sulayma`n was not sure, so he said to him: "Will is originated; otherwise there is (something) other than Him along with Him."
"Will is one of His names," said Sulayma`n.
"Did He name Himself with that?" asked the Ima`m.
"No," replied Sulayma`n, "He did not name Himself with that."
"Therefore, you have no right to name Him with what He did not name Himself," said the Imam.
Sulayma`n dodged and said: "He described Himself that He was willing."
The Ima`m said: "His attribute is not His selfness. That He is willing is telling of that He is will and is not telling of that will is one of His names."
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"That is because His will is His knowledge," declared Sulayma`n.
The Imam asked: "If He knows thing, does He lose (His) will."
"Yes," was the answer.
"If He does not will thing, does He not know it?" asked the Ima`m.
"Yes," replied Sulayman.
The Imam began explaining Sulayma`n's corrupt views, saying: "From where did you say that? What is the evidence for that His will is His knowledge? He may know what He does not will by no means, and that is these words of Him, the Great and Almighty:
And if We will, We should certainly take way that which We have revealed to you1. Therefore, He knows how He takes it away, but He never takes it away."
Sulayma`n said: "That is because He finished the affair, so He did not increase anything therein."
The Ima`m replied, saying: "This is the statement of the Jews. So why did He, the Exalted, say:
Call upon Me, I will answer you.
2 "
As for Sulayma`n, he denied that and said: "By that He meant that He had power over it."
The Ima`m asked him: "Does He promise what He does not fulfill? Why did He say:
He increases in creation what He wills?3 And He, the Great and Almighty, said:
Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He wills,
4 while He finished this matter."
Sulayma`n became perplexed after the Ima`m had closed before all avenues of argument. Wherever he went, the Ima`m faced him with an irrefutable argument and inclusive proof in order to invalidate his viewpoints. Then the Ima`m, peace be on him, continued confuting Sulayma`n's vague errors, saying: "Sulayman, did He know that a human being would be and He did not will to create a human being by
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1. Ibid., 17, 86.
2. Ibid., 40, 60.
3. Ibid., 35, 1.
4. Ibid., 13, 39.
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no means? That a human being will die today and He will not make him die today?"
"Yes," retorted Sulayma`n.
The Ima`m hastened to refute these contradictory words of Sulayma`n, asking: "Does He know that what He wills exists or does He know what He will not exists?"
Sulayma`n opposed the Ima`m, saying: "He knows that both of them exist."
The Ima`m answered him according to his contradictory statement, saying: "Therefore, He knows that man is living and dead, standing and sitting, blind and seeing at the same time. This is impossible."
Sulayma`n began saying more contradictory statements regarding the questions of the Ima`m, saying: "May I be your ransom, He knows that one of them exists."
The Ima`m said: "There is no harm (on you), which of them exists¾the one which He wills to be or the one which He wills not to be?"
Sulayma`n began saying at random, not knowing what to say, and not knowing his contradictory statements: "He wills what He wills to be!"
The people including al-Ma'mu`n burst into laughter. As for Ima`m al-Rida`, he smiled at Sulayma`n and said to him: "You have erred and left your statement: He knows that a person will die today and He does not will to make him die today, that He wills to create creatures and He will not to create them. If your knowledge is not enough (to understand) what He wills not to be, then He knows only what He wills to be."
Sulayman tried to correct his statement, saying: "My statement is that will is neither He nor a thing other than Him!"
The Ima`m indicated Sulayma`n's contradiction, saying: "If you say that will is not He, then you have regarded it as (something) other than him. If you say that will is not (a thing) other than Him, then you have regarded it as Him."
Sulayma`n asked: "Does Allah know how He creates thing?"
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"Yes," replied the Ima`m.
"Surely, this establishes thing."
The Ima`m answered him with a wise answer, saying: "You have said something impossible. That is because man may build a wall even if he does not build, sew even though he does not sew, make thing well despite he does not make it. Sulayma`n, do you know that He is One without anything with Him?"
"Yes," was the answer.
"Does this establish thing?"
As for Sulayma`n, he denied what he said previously, saying: "He does not know that He is One without anything with Him."
"Do you know that?" asked the Ima`m.
"Yes," came the answer.
"Therefore, You, Sulayma`n, more knowledgeable than Him!"
"The matter is impossible," `eclared Sulayma`n.
The Ima`m asked him: "Is it impossible in your view that He is One without anything with Him, that He is All-hearing, All-seeing, All-wise, All-powerful...?"
"Yes," was the answer.
The Ima`m answered with a wise answer, saying: "How did He, the Great and Almighty, say that He was One, All-living, All-hearing, All-seeing, All-wise, All-powerful, All-knowing, All-aware, while He did not know that and His being accused of lying? Exalted is Allah above that."
The Ima`m added, saying: "How does He will to create that which He does not know how to create and what it is? If creator does not know how to create thing before he creates it, then he is perplexed. Exalted is Allah above that, a great exaltation!"
Sulayman said at random: "Will is power."
The Ima`m replied: "He, the Great and Almighty, always has power over what He will. There is no escape from that, for He, the Blessed and Exalted, said:
And if We will, We should certainly take away that which We have revealed to you. If will is power, He wills take it away because of His power."
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Feebleness appeared on Sulayma`n's face, and he stood perplexed before this Ocean of knowledge and merit. As a result, he kept silent. Al-Ma'mun turned to him and praised the Ima`m's talents saying: "Sulayma`n, this is the most learned of the Ha`shimites!"
This debate contains very important theological researches which show that the Ima`m has great scientific abilities which demonstrates the beliefs of the Ima`mi Shï~'ites, who maintain that the Ima`m should be the most learned of the people of his time. This debate aborted the attempt of al-Ma'mu`n, who intended to render the Ima`m incapable of answering even one question, that he might use his incapability as means to defame the beliefs of the Shï~'ites concerning the Ima`m. Shaykh al-Sadu`q, may Allah make shine his grave, has commented on this debate, saying: "Al-Ma'mu`n brought to Ima`m al-Rida` the theologians of the sects and misleading inclinations in order to disable him through one of them. That is because of his envy toward him and his scientific position. All those who debated with him (al-Rida`) on theology acknowledged his merit and his arguments against them. That is because Allah, may His name be blessed, refuses (everything) except raising His word, completing His light, and making shine His proof. In this manner He, the Blessed and Exalted, promised in His Book, saying:
Most surely We help our apostles and those who believe in this world's life.1 By who believe He means the leading Ima`ms and their followers who know them and learn from them through helping them with argument against those who oppose them as long as they live in the world. In this manner He will behave toward them in the next world. Surely, Allah, the Great and Almighty, does not break promise.
2 "
