to marry him to his daughter Umm al-Fadl. He had already married his father, al-Ridā [peace be upon him] (1), to his daughter Umm Habīb (2). The Abbasids took grave offense at this and denounced it (3). They feared that rule would pass out of their hands (4) and that he would pledge allegiance to him just as he had pledged allegiance to his father. Those among them who were closest to him (5) therefore gathered and asked him to abandon the idea. They said, ‘He is young (6) and possesses no knowledge.’ He replied, ‘I know him better [than you do] (7). If you wish, put him to the test.’ They agreed and offered the judge, Yahyā ibn Aktham, a large sum of money to test him (8) with a question he would be unable to answer. They appointed a day, and al-Ma’mūn brought him (9). The judge and a group of Abbasids also attended.
The judge asked, ‘May I ask you about something?’
He replied—peace be upon him (10)—‘Ask.’ (11)
(1) “Peace be upon him” appears only in K and W.
(2) A and B read: “He had married his father to his daughter Umm Habīb.” N and M read: “Umm Habība.”
(3) W, R, S, and H read: “and considered it an affront.”
(4) K reads: “from his hand.” He was Abū Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mūsā, known as al-Jawād, the ninth Imam according to the Rāfida. He was born in Medina in 195 AH and accompanied his father to Baghdad, where the caliph al-Ma’mūn took him into his care after the death of his father, al-Ridā, and married him to his daughter Umm al-Fadl. He died in Baghdad in 220 AH. See his biography in: *Tārīkh Baghdād*, 3/54–55; *Wafayāt al-A‘yān*, 3/315; *Shadharāt al-Dhahab*, 2/48; and *al-A‘lām*, 7/155.
(5) A, B, W, H, R, S, and M read: “from him.”
(6) “Young” is omitted from K.
(7) R and K read: “I know more about him than you do.” The remaining manuscripts read: “I know him better than you do.” The words “than you do” are omitted from N, M, and W.
(8) N and M read: “to put him to the test.”
(9) K (p. [0–9]04 (M)) reads: “he had him brought.”
(10) “To him—peace be upon him” is omitted from A and B. K reads: “Then he—peace be upon him—said.” The remaining manuscripts read: “Then he said to him.”
(11) K reads: “Ask whatever you wish.”