Lessons from Imam Reza’s Religious Debates
They set good examples to follow in facing those who ask questions. Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi in a book titled “Imam Reza’s (AS) Historic Debates with Followers of Other Religions and Schools” has highlighted some points about these debates. Following are excerpts from the book:
The debates of Imam Reza (AS) are not an issue belonging to the past but they are a perfect and important example for us to learn how to safeguard Islam.
There were no mass media at the time but Imam Reza (AS) used the debates in Ma’amun’s court as a very effective means to spread the message of truth because the news of the debates spread across the Islamic world. This way, Imam (AS) not only foiled the plots hatched at the time but also saved the Islamic society from going astray.
There are many inspirations and lessons that can be learned from how Imam Reza (AS) acted in the debates with followers of different religions and schools. Some of them are as follows:
1- Muslims should treat followers of other faith with rationality and wisdom. As long as they have not imposed a war on Muslims, logic and reason should be used in dealing with them.
2- The power of Islam’s logic is such that it has no fear of facing the logic of other faiths and that is why in the history of Islam they have all been given the opportunity to talks about their beliefs and hear answers to them.
3- Muslim scholars in any period must be aware of all religions and schools and speak to their followers according to their own logic in order to prove the superiority of Islam.
4- Among Islamic scholars there should be some who should be fluent in world languages so that they can talk to speakers of those languages without a need for translators who, due to lack of mastery over the target language or other reasons such as personal goals, may distort what is being conveyed.
5- Muslim scholars should make the most of mass media to promote the message of Islam and the teachings of the Holy Quran across the world.
