The Heir Apparency of Imam Al-Ridha AS

Haroon Al-Rashid, Al-Maamun’s Abbasid tyrannical father, had perniciously divided the rulership of the Muslim Empire among Al-Amin and Al-Maamun, his two sons. Al-Amin from an Arab mother was given the Arab and Western Provinces and Al-Amin from the Persian stock was given the Ajam and Eastern Provinces.Maamun murdered his own brother to become the sole ruler. Why would he want Imam Al-Ridha AS to be caliph? Al-Maamun’s advocates have claimed that 1. Al-Maamun believed in the righteousness of the Ahlul Bayt and restore their rights. 2. He wanted to bring the Imam AS in public view. 3. Al-Maamun was a Mu’tazali; therefore he was closer to the Shia than the Ash’aris. 4. Al-Maamun believed in the superiority of Imam Ali AS over all the companions as he showed in his debates with the ulamaa in his court. 5. Maamun wanted people to recognize the erudition of The Imam AS whose brilliant debates dazzled the opponents.6. Al-Maamun believed that The Qur’an was created and not eternal, a position espoused by The Ahlul Bayt AS. 7. Al-Maamun used to consider Mut’ah permissible, unlike other followers of Ibn Al-Khattab. So, Al-Maamun may have had soft spot for the Shia.8. Al-Maamun had the intention to return Fadak to Imam Al-Ridha AS for he considered Fadak was Hadhrat Zahra AS’ personal property usurped by Abu Bakr at the behest of Umar Al-Khattab. 9. Most of the military officers of Al-Maamun were Shi’a and he wanted to retain their loyalty.

If these were the genuine reasons for Al-Maamun to appoint Imam Al-Ridha AS as his heir apparent, why then did The Imam AS lay the condition that he would not be involved in governmental affairs? Al-Maamun accepted these unfavorable conditions to conceal his evil intentions. Why? Because Al-Maamun was facing revolts everywhere. In Kufa Muhammad ibn Ibrahim revolted, in Basra it was Zaid ibni Musa ibni Ja'far, in Yemen it was Ibrahim ibni Musa ibni Ja'far and in Khorasan it was Husain ibni Harith who led the revolt carrying the banner of Imam Husain AS “Ya Tharal Husain”. To quell these revolts, Al-Maamun compelled the Imam AS to leave Madinah to come to Kharasan to make him heir apparent, if not caliph.

Al-Maamun kept a close watch on the Imam AS and isolated him from his Shia. The tumultuous following that The Imam AS received as he led the congregation to the outskirts of the city for the Eid Prayers alarmed Al-Maamun who stopped the Imam AS midway and sent him back home. Then, Al-Maamun personally poisoned the Imam AS, the heir apparent he himself had appointed! The leopard finally revealed his spots.