… Then Imam al-Ridha turned towards the High Rabbi and asked, “Have you found the following about some of the youths of the children of Israel in the Torah? When Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem, he chose from amongst the children of Israel who were enslaved, and took them with him to Babylon. Then God dispatched Elija for them to breathe life into them. This statement is written in the Torah. No one but an atheist would deny it.”

… ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إلى رَأسِ الجَالُوتِ فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا رَأسَ الجَالُوتِ، أَتَجِدُ هَؤُلاءِ فِي شَبَابِ بَنِي إسْرَائِيلَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ؟ إخْتَارَهْمْ بُخْتْ نُصَّرَ مِنْ سَبْيِ بَنِي إسْرَائِيلِ حِينَ غَزا بَيْتَ المَقْدِسِ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ بِهِمْ إلى بَابِلَ فَأَرْسَلَهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إلَيْهِمْ فَأحْيَاهُمْ. هَذا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ لاَ يَدْفَعُهُ إلاّ كَافِرٌ مِنْكُمْ

The High Rabbi admitted, “Yes, I have heard about this and I know it.”

قَالَ رَأسُ الجَالُوتِ: قَدْ سَمِعْنَا بِهِ وَعَرَفْنَاهُ

The Imam confirmed, “You have said the truth.”

قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ

Then the Imam added, “O Jew! See if I read the following book of the Torah properly.”

ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا يَهُودِيُّ، خُذْ عَلَى هَذا السِّفْرِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ

The Imam started reciting some verses of the Torah. The Jew, who was surprised hearing how the Imam was reciting the Torah excellently, kept moving his body.

فَتَلاَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ آيَاتٍ، فَأَقْبَلَ اليَهُودِيُّ يَتَرَجَّجُ لِقِرائَتِهِ وَيَتَعَجَّبُ

He then turned to the Christian and asked, “O Christian! Were these before Jesus or was Jesus before them?”

ثُمَّ أقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّصْرَانِيِّ فَقَالَ: يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، أَفَهَؤُلاءِ كَانُوا قَبْلَ عِيسَى أَمْ عِيسَى كَانَ قَبْلَهُمْ؟

He answered, “They were before him.”

قَالَ: بَلْ كَانُوا قَبْلَهُ

Imam al-Ridha said: “As you took Jesus for a god, you are also allowed to take Elija and Ezekiel for gods, since they did just as Jesus, son of Mary, did when he breathed life into the dead.

Moreover, thousands of the children of Israel left their homeland in fear of death due to plague. But God made them die immediately. The people of the village built a fence around them, and left them there until their bones decayed. One of the prophets from the descendants of Israel passed by. He was amazed when he saw the numerous decayed bones. God Almighty revealed to him, ‘Would you like Me to bring them to life so that you can admonish them?’ ‘Yes, my Lord. I would,’ answered the prophet.

… قال الرضا عليه السلام: فَمَتى إتَّخَذْتُمْ عِيسَى رَبّاً جَازَ لَكُمْ أنْ تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَسَعَ وَحِزْقِيلَ رَبّاً، لأَنَّهُمَا قَدْ صَنَعَا مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ عِيسَى بْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ مِنْ إحْيَاءِ المَوْتَى وَغَيْرِهِ. وَإنَّ قَوْماً مِنْ بَنِي إسْرَائِيلَ خَرَجُوا مِنْ بِلاَدِهِمْ مِنَ الطّاعُونِ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ فَأَمَاتَهُمُ اللهُ فِي سَاعَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، فَعَمَدَ أَهْلُ تِلْكَ القَرْيَةِ فَحَظَرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ حَظِيرَةً فَلَمْ يَزالُوا فِيهَا حَتّى نَخِرَتْ عِظَامُهُمْ وَصَارُوا رَمِيماً. فَمَرَّ بِهِمْ نَبِيٌّ مِنْ أنْبِيَاءِ بَنِي إسْرَائِيلَ فَتَعَجَّبَ مِنْهُمْ وَمِنْ كَثْرَةِ العِظَامِ الْبَالِيَةِ، فَأَوْحَى اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إلَيْهِ: أَتُحِبُّ أَنْ أُحْيِيَهُمْ لَكَ فَتُنْذِرَهُمْ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ يَا رَبِّ

So, God Almighty revealed to him, ‘Call upon them.’ He said, ‘O decayed bones! Rise by God’s permission.’ They all rose while brushing off the dust from their heads.

فَأَوْحَى اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إلَيْهِ أنْ نَادِهِمْ. فَقَالَ: أيَّتُهَا العِظَامُ البَالِيَةُ، قُومِي بِإذْنِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. فَقَامُوا أحْيَاءَ أجْمَعِينَ يَنْفُضُونَ التُّرَابَ عَنْ رُؤوسِهِمْ

Prophet Abraham, too, took the birds, cut them into pieces, and put each piece on a mountain top. He called out to them and they came towards him.

ثُمَّ إنَّ إبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ حِينَ أخَذَ الطَّيْرَ فَقَطَّعَهُنَّ قِطَعاً، ثُمَّ وَضَعَ عَلَى كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِنْهُنَّ جُزْءاً، ثُمَّ نَادَاهُنَّ فَأَقْبَلْنَ سَعْياً إلَيْهِ

Prophet Moses the son of Amram and seventy of his companions whom he had chosen, went to the mountain. They told Moses, ‘You have seen God, then show Him to us.’ Moses answered, “I have not seen Him.’

ثُمَّ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَأصْحَابُهُ السَّبْعُونَ الَّذِينَ اخْتَارَهُمْ؛ صَارُوا مَعَهُ إلى الجَبَلِ فَقَالُوا لَهُ: إنَّكَ قَدْ رَأَيْتَ اللهَ سُبْحَانُهُ، فَأَرِنَاهُ كَمَا رَأَيْتَهُ! فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: إنّي لَمْ أَرَهُ

But they said, ‘We shall never believe in you until we see God manifestly!’

Immediately, a thunderbolt struck and burnt them all. Only Moses survived it. He thus prayed to God, ‘O my Lord! I chose seventy men from among the children of Israel and brought them to the mountain. Shall I return by myself? How shall my people believe what I must tell them? ‘If it had been Your will, You could have destroyed, long before, both them and me. Would You destroy us for the deeds of the foolish ones among us?’

فَقَالُوا: لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتّى نَرَى اللهَ جَهْرَةً. فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ فَاحْتَرَقوا عَنْ آخِرِهِمْ، وَبَقِيَ مُوسَى وَحِيداً فَقَالَ: يَا رَبِّ إخْتَرْتُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلاً مِنْ بَنِي إسْرَائِيلَ فَجِئْتُ بِهِمْ وَأرْجَعُ وَحْدِي! فَكَيْفَ يُصَدِّقُنِي قَوْمِي بِمَا أُخْبِرُهُمْ بِهِ؟ فَلَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَإيَّايَ. أتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنّا؟

In response, God Almighty restored them to live after their death.

فَأحْيَاهُمُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهِمْ

You cannot deny any of what I have mentioned, for the Torah, the Evangel, the Psalms of David and the Quran have spoken of it. If all those who gave life to the dead, healed the blind, the leprous and the lunatic were to be taken for gods, then you should take all these for gods. What’s your answer, Christian?”

وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ لَكَ مِنْ هَذا لا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى دَفْعِهِ، لأَنَّ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالإنْجِيلَ وَالزَّبُورَ وَالفُرْقَانَ قَدْ نَطَقَتْ بِهِ, فَإنْ كَانَ كُلُّ مَنْ أحْيَى المَوْتَى وَأبْرَأَ الأَكْمَهَ وَالأبْرَصَ وَالمَجَانِينَ يُتَّخَذُ رَبّاً مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ فَاتَّخِذْ هَؤُلاءِ كُلَّهُمْ أرْباباً! مَا تَقُولُ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ؟

The Catholic Archbishop said, “I agree with you. There is no deity save God.”

فَقَالَ الجَاثْلِيقُ: اَلقَوْلُ قَوْلُكَ، وَلا إلَهَ إلاّ اللهُ

The Imam turned towards the High Rabbi and said, “O Jew! Come to me. I adjure you in the name of the Ten Commandments which were revealed to Moses to tell the truth: Have you read the following statement in the Torah? It gives the glad tidings of the forthcoming of Muhammad and his community: ‘When the people of the last nation whose followers are the Rider of the Camel who extremely glorifies the Lord – new glorifications in new churches, then let the children of Israel flee towards them and their dominion so that their hearts may be tranquil. There will be swords in their hands with which they will take revenge on the unbelievers around the globe.’ Is this not written in the Torah?”

ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إلى رَأسِ الجَالُوتِ فَقَالَ: يَا يَهُودِيُّ، أقْبِلْ عَلَيَّ أسْأَلْكَ بِالعَشْرَةِ الآيَاتِ الَّتِي أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَى مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ. هَلْ تَجِدُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مَكْتُوباً بِنَبَأِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَأُمَّتِهِ: إذَا جَاءَتِ الأُمَّةُ الأَخِيرَةُ أتْبَاعُ رَاكِبِ البَعِيرِ يُسَبِّحُونَ الرَّبَّ جِدّاً جِدّاً تَسْبِيحاً جَدِيداً فِي الكَنَائِسِ الجُدُدِ، فَلْيَفْزَعْ بَنُو إسْرَائِيلَ إلَيْهِمْ وَإلى مَلِكِهِمْ لِتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَإنَّ بِأيْدِيهِمْ سُيُوفاً يَنْتَقِمُونَ بِها مِنَ الأُمَمِ الكَافِرَةِ فِي أقْطَارِ الأَرْضِ. أهَكَذا هُوَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مَكْتُوبٌ؟

The High Rabbi said, “Yes, indeed. We have read that in this very manner.”

قَالَ رَأسُ الجَالُوتِ: نَعَمْ! إنَّا لَنَجِدُهُ كَذَلِكَ

The Imam then asked the Catholic Archbishop, “O Christian! How much of the Book of Isaiah do you know?”

ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْجَاثْلِيقِ: يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ! كَيْفَ عِلْمُكَ بِكِتَابِ شَعْيا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ؟

He answered, “I know it letter by letter.”

قَالَ: أعْرِفُهُ حَرْفاً حَرْفاً

So, the Imam, addressing both of them, asked: “Do you know that the following statement was said by him: O people! I have seen the image of the Rider of the Donkey. He was wearing gowns of light. And I have seen the Rider of the Camel who is as bright as the moon?”

قَالَ لَهُمَا: أتَعْرِفَانِ هَذا مِنْ كَلامِهِ يَا قَوْمُ: إنّي رَأَيْتُ صُورَةَ رَاكِبِ الحِمَارِ لابِساً جَلابِيبَ النُّورِ، وَرَأيْتُ رَاكِبَ البَعِيرِ ضَوؤهُ مِثْلَ ضَوْءِ القَمَرِ؟

They both answered, “Yes, indeed. Isaiah did say so.”

فَقَالا: قَدْ قَالَ ذَلِكَ شَعْيا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ.

Imam al-Ridha asked, “O Christian! Do you read in the Evangel that Jesus said: I am going to your and my Lord. And the Paraclete is coming who shall testify to my truth just as I testified for him, and he shall explain everything to you, and he shall be the one to expose all the sins of nations, and he shall be the one to smash down the pillars of unbelief?”

قَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ، هَلْ تَعْرِفُ فِي الإنْجِيلِ قَوْلَ عِيسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إنّي ذَاهِبٌ إلى رَبِّكُمْ وَرَبّي، وَالبَارْقَلِيطا جَاءَ هُوَ الَّذِي يَشْهَدُ لِي بِالحَقِّ كَمَا شَهِدْتُ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُفَسِّرُ لَكُمْ كُلَّ شَيءٍ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَبْدَأُ فَضَائِحَ الأُمَمِ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَكْسِرُ عَمُودَ الكُفْرِ؟

The Catholic Archbishop said, “We accept whatever you have quoted from the Bible.”

فَقَالَ الجَاثْلِيقُ: مَا ذَكَرْتَ شَيْئاً مِنَ الإنْجِيلِ إلاّ وَنَحْنُ مُقِرُّونَ بِهِ

The Imam asked, “O Catholic Archbishop! Have you found this established in the Bible?”

فَقَالَ: أتَجِدُ هَذا الإنْجِيلَ ثَابِتاً يَا جَاثْلِيقُ؟

“Yes, I have,” answered he.

قَالَ: نَعَمْ

Imam Al-Ridha asked, “O Catholic Archbishop! When you lost the first Bible, with whom did you find it? And who brough you this Bible?”

قَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: يَا جَاثْلِيقُ، ألاَ تُخْبِرُنِي عَنِ الإنْجِيلِ الأَوَّلِ حِينَ افْتَقَدْتُمُوهُ عِنْدَ مَنْ وَجَدْتُمُوهُ، وَمَنْ وَضَعَ لَكُمْ هَذا الإنْجِيلَ؟

The Catholic Archbishop said, “We lost the Bible for one day only. Then we found it fresh (in its original state). John and Matthew brought it back to us.”

فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَا افْتَقَدْنَا الإنْجِيلَ إلاّ يَوْماً وَاحِداً حَتّى وَجَدْنَاهُ غَضّاً طَرِيّاً، فَأَخْرَجَهُ إلَيْنَا يُوحَنّا وَمَتّى

Imam Al-Ridha said, “How little your knowledge of the Bible and its scholars is! If what you say is right, then why is there so much dispute amongst you with each other about the Bible? The reason is that there is controversy lies in the Bible which is in your hands today. Had it been the same version of the first Bible, there would not have been any disputes over it. However, I will clarify this for you. Know that when the first Bible was lost, Christians gathered around their scholars and said, ‘Jesus, the son of Mary has been killed, and we have lost the Bible. You are the scholars. What do you have for us?’

فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: مَا أَقَلَّ مَعْرِفَتَكَ بِسُنَنِ الإنْجِيلِ وَعُلَمَائِهِ! فَإنْ كَانَ هَذا كَمَا تَزْعُمُ، فَلِمَ اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الإنْجِيلِ؟ وَإنَّما وَقَعَ الاخْتِلافُ فِي هَذا الإنْجِيلِ الَّذِي فِي أيَادِيكُمُ الْيَوْمَ. فَلَوْ كَانَ عَلَى الْعَهْدِ الأَوَّلِ لَمْ تَخْتَلِفُوا فِيهِ، وَلَكِنِّي مُفِيدُكَ عِلْمَ ذَلِكَ؛ إعْلَمْ أنَّهُ لَمَّا افْتُقِدَ الإنْجِيلُ الأَوَّلُ اجْتَمَعَتِ النَّصَارَى إلى عُلَمَائِهِمْ فَقَالُوا لَهُمْ: قُتِلَ عِيسَى بْنُ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَافْتَقَدْنَا الإنْجِيلَ وَأنْتُمُ العُلَمَاءُ، فَمَا عِنْدَكُمْ؟

Luke and Mark answered, ‘We have memorized the Bible. We will give it to you book by book on Sundays. Do not worry about it and do not forsake the churches. We will recite it to you book by book each Sunday until we compile it all.’ So, Luke, Mark, John and Matthew met and invented this Bible after you had lost the first one. These four were the students of the foremost disciples. Did you know that?”

فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَلُوقَا وَمَرْقَابُوسُ: إنَّ الإنْجِيلَ فِي صُدُورِنَا وَنَحْنُ نُخْرِجُهُ إلَيْكُمْ سِفْراً سِفْراً فِي كُلِّ أَحَدٍ، فَلا تَحْزَنُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَلا تُخْلُوا الكَنَائِسَ، فَإنّا سَنَتْلُوهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي كُلِّ أَحَدٍ سِفْراً سِفْراً حَتّى نَجْمَعَهُ كُلَّهُ. فَقَعَدَ أَلُوقَا وَمَرْقَابُوسُ وَيُوحَنّا وَمَتّى فَوَضَعُوا لَكُمْ هَذا الإنْجِيلَ بَعْدَ مَا افْتَقَدْتُمُ الإنْجِيلَ الأَوَّلَ. وَإنَّما كَانَ هَؤلاءِ الأَرَبَعَةُ تَلامِيذَ تَلامِيذِ الأَوَّلِينَ. أعَلِمْتَ ذَلِكَ؟

The Catholic Archbishop confessed, “No, I had not had any idea about that before. Now, I have learned it from you due to your knowledge of the Bible. I heard a few things which I have already known. My heart testifies to these being the truth. Therefore, I have gained a much better understanding.”

فَقَالَ الجَاثْلِيقُ: أمّا هَذا فَلَمْ أعْلَمْهُ، وَقَدْ عَلِمْتُهُ الآنَ، وَبَانَ لِي مِنْ فَضْلِ عِلْمِكَ بِالإنْجِيلِ وَسَمِعْتُ أشْيَاءَ مِمّا عَلِمْتُهُ، شَهِدَ قَلْبِي أنَّها حَقٌّ فَاسْتَزَدْتُ كَثِيراً مِنَ الفَهْمِ

Al-Ridha asked, “How do you consider what they bear witness to?”

فَقَالَ لَهُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ : فَكَيْفَ شَهَادَةُ هَؤلاءِ عِنْدَكَ؟

The Catholic Archbishop said, “I completely accept as true whatever they say and whatever they bear witness to.”

قَالَ: جَائِزَةٌ! هَؤلاءِ عُلَمَاءُ الإنْجِيلِ، وَكُلُّ مَا شَهِدُوا بِهِ فَهُوَ حَقٌّ

Imam Al-Ridha asked Al-Ma’mun and those who were present, including his relatives and others, “Bear witness that he said what he has just said.”

قَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ لِلْمَأمُونِ وَمَنْ حَضَرَهُ مِنْ أهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَمِنْ غَيْرِهِ: إشْهَدُوا عَلَيْهِ

They all said, “We do.”

قَالوا: قَدْ شَهِدْنَا

The Imam said to the Catholic Archbishop, “I adjure you in the name of the son and his mother. Do you know that Matthew said: Jesus Christ is the son of David, the son of Abraham, the son of Isaac, the son of Jacob, the son of Yehuda, the son of Khetsrun?

ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ لِلْجَاثْلِيقِ: بِحَقِّ الابْنِ وَأُمِّهِ، هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أنَّ مَتّى قَالَ إنَّ الْمَسِيحَ هُوَ ابْنُ دَاوُودَ بْنِ إبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إسْحَاقَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَهُوذا بْنِ خَضْرونَ؟

As for Mark, he said about the lineage of Jesus the son of Mary: He is God’s Word that He placed in a human body. So, it turned into a human form.

وَقَالَ مَرْقَابُوسُ فِي نَسَبِ عِيسَى بْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ إنَّهُ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ أَحَلَّهَا فِي جَسَدِ الآدَمِيِّ فَصَارَتْ إنْساناً

Luke said: Jesus the son of Mary and his mother were humans made of flesh and blood. Then the Holy Spirit entered into them.

وَقَالَ ألُوقَا إنَّ عِيسَى بْنَ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَأُمَّهُ كَانا إنْسَانَيْنِ مِنْ لَحْمٍ وَدَمٍ، فَدَخَلَ فِيهَا الرُّوحُ القُدُسُ

You now testify that Jesus said about himself: ‘Truly, truly I say to you, O disciples! No one will ascend to the heavens except him who descends therefrom, except the Rider of the Camel and the Seal of the Prophets. He will ascend to the heavens and then descend therefrom.’

What do you have to say about that?”

ثُمَّ إنَّكَ تَقُولُ مِنْ شَهَادَةِ عِيسَى عَلَى نَفْسِهِ: حَقّاً أقُولُ لَكُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ الحَوَارِيِّينَ: إنَّهُ لاَ يَصْعَدُ إلى السَّمَاءِ إلاّ مَنْ نَزَلَ مِنْهَا إلاّ رَاكِبَ البَعِيرِ خَاتَمَ الأنْبِيَاءِ، فَإنَّهُ يَصْعَدُ إلى السَّمَاءِ وَيَنْزِلُ. فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي هَذا القَوْلِ؟

The Catholic Archbishop admitted, “These are the words of Jesus. We do not deny them.”

قَالَ الجَاثْلِيقُ: هَذا قَوْلُ عِيسَى لاَ نُنْكِرُهُ

Imam Al-Ridha added, “If so, what do you say about the testimonies of Luke, Mark and Matthew regarding Jesus and the lineage they attributed to him?”

قَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي شَهَادَةِ ألُوقا وَمَرْقَابُوسَ وَمتّى عَلَى عِيسَى وَمَا نَسَبُوهُ إلَيْهِ؟

The Catholic Archbishop said, “They forged fabrications against Jesus.”

قَالَ الجَاثْلِيقُ: كَذَبوا عَلَى عِيسَى

Imam Al-Ridha said, “O people! Has he not just praised their credibility and introduced them as the master scholars of the Bible that whatever they say must be true?”

فَقَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: يَا قَوْمُ، ألَيْسَ قَدْ زَكَّاهُمْ وَشَهِدَ أنَّهُمْ عُلَمَاءُ الإنْجِيلِ وَقَوْلَهُمْ حَقٌّ

The Catholic Archbishop said, “O most knowledgeable of all Muslims! I would like you to spare me from discussing about these men.”

فَقَالَ الجَاثْلِيقُ: يَا عَالِمَ المُسْلِمِينَ، أُحِبُّ أنْ تَعْفِيَنِي مِنْ أمْرِ هَؤلاءِ

Al-Ridha said, “Fine. I will. Now, O Christian, ask me whatever you wish to ask.”

قَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: فَإنّا قَدْ فَعَلْنَا. سَلْ يَا نَصْرَانِيُّ عَمّا بَدَا لَكَ

The Catholic said, “Let someone else ask you. I swear by Jesus Christ that I have never expected that there is such a scholar like you amongst Muslims.”

قَالَ الجَاثْلِيقُ: لِيَسْألْكَ غَيْرِي، فَلا وَحَقِّ الْمَسِيحِ مَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ فِي عُلَمَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِثْلَكَ