Quranic Citations of Imam Reza (AS) in Explaining the Distinction Between Etrat and the Nation in a Debate with Ma'mun

Abstract

Debate is a suitable style of explaining and disseminating divine teachings in dealing with the views and ideas of opponents of Islam, which has been given attention in the scientific and practical school of Ahl al-Bayt (pbut), including Imam Reza (pbuh). Among the important debates between Imam Reza (pbuh) and Ma’mun, one of the issues has been Etrat and the nation and the differences between them, in which Imam Reza (pbuh) considers etrat as Ahl al-Bayt (pbut) including Lady Fatima (pbuh) and the twelve Infallibles who are God’s chosen ones on Earth and are at a higher level regarding dignity, righteousness and obedience to God compared to the nation, and the nation is ordered to follow them as a divine responsibility. The purpose of this study is to understand the difference between and the nation according to the debate between Imam Reza (pbuh) and Ma'mun around this problem. The key question, that the authors are trying to answer by citing researches and investigating into the matter via library resources, is whether there is a distinction between the nation and etrat? If so, what are the aspects of this difference? Therefore, definitions such as nation, etrat, family etc. are considered based on this debate, and eventually, the result from this debate regarding the difference between the nation and etrat is their acquaintance with the character of Imams and their attention to the above mentioned points which leads to the fact that etrat are people chosen from the nation, they are chosen by God in order to rule the nation after the Prophet (pbuh)