Hadith 32-12

حَدَّثَنا جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَسْرُورٍ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عامِرٍ حَدَّثَنا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّه السَيّاري، عَنْ أَبي يَعْقُوبِ البَغدْاديّ قالَ: قَالَ ابْنُ السِّكِّيتِ لابِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لِمَا ذَا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ مُوسَى بْنَ عِمْرَانَ بِيَدِهِ الْبَيْضَاءِ وَالْعَصَا وَآلَةِ السِّحْرِ وَبَعَثَ عِيسَى بِالطِّبِّ وَبَعَثَ مُحَمَّداًبِالْكَلامِ وَالْخُطَبِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لَمَّا بَعَثَ مُوسَى‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ كَانَ الأَغْلَبُ عَلَى أَهْلِ عَصْرِهِ السِّحْرَ فَأَتَاهُمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي وُسْعِ الْقَوْمِ مِثْلُهُ وَبِمَا أَبْطَلَ بِهِ سِحْرَهُمْ وَأَثْبَتَ بِهِ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بَعَثَ عِيسَى فِي وَقْتٍ ظَهَرَتْ فِيهِ الزَّمَانَاتُ وَاحْتَاجَ النَّاسُ إِلَى الطِّبِّ فَأَتَاهُمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُمْ مِثْلُهُ وَبِمَا أَحْيَا لَهُمُ الْمَوْتَى وَأَبْرَأَ الأَكْمَهَ وَالأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَأَثْبَتَ بِهِ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً فِي وَقْتٍ كَانَ الأَغْلَبُ عَلَى أَهْلِ عَصْرِهِ الْخُطَبَ وَالْكَلامَ وَأَظُنُّهُ قَالَ وَالشِّعْرَ فَأَتَاهُمْ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَمَوَاعِظِهِ وَأَحْكَامِهِ مَا أَبْطَلَ بِهِ قَوْلَهُمْ وَأَثْبَتَ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ ابْنُ السِّكِّيتِ تَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِثْلَ الْيَوْمِ قَطُّ فَمَا الْحُجَّةُ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ الْيَوْمَ فَقَالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ الْعَقْلُ تَعْرِفُ بِهِ الصَّادِقَ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَتُصَدِّقُهُ وَالْكَاذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَتُكَذِّبُهُ فَقَالَ ابْنُ السِّكِّيتِ هَذَا وَاللَّهِ الْجَوَابُ.

Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Masroor - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Aamir quoted on the authority of Abu Abdullah al-Sayyari, on the authority of Abi Yaqoob ibn al-Baghdadi that Ibn al-Sikkit asked Abil Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.), “Why did the Honorable the Exalted God send Moses (a.s.) with the miracles of the rod (turning into a serpent), a white hand [16] , the means of magic and sent Jesus (a.s.) with the miracles of medicine, but sent Muhammad (a.s.) with speech and eloquence. Abul Hassan Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) told him, “Indeed magic was popular when the Blessed the Sublime God appointed Moses (a.s.). That is why he was given the miracle of negating the effect of magic by the Honorable the Exalted God, which the people did not possess. There was none like it within their powers. Therefore, he nullified their magic and proved his rightfulness to them. The Blessed the Sublime God appointed Jesus (a.s.) at a time when untreatable illnesses existed and the people needed medicine and a doctor. Therefore he gave them what they did not have the like of from the Honorable the Exalted God with which he (Jesus (a.s.)) brought their dead back to life, gave sight to those born blind, and treated those suffering from elephantiasis and leprosy [17] , all with God’s permission and thereby proving his rightfulness to them. And the Blessed the Sublime God appointed Muhammad (a.s.) at a time when eloquent speech was common. I think he also added in poetry. Therefore he used the Honorable the Exalted God’s Book with its wise sayings, decrees, disproof of the claims of the atheists, and the proof of his own claims and perfected his proof for them.” Ibn al-Sikkit said, ‘I swear by God that I have never seen anyone like you in these times. Tell me, who is the Proof of God for the creatures today.’ Imam Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said, “It is the intellect which can recognize him who tells the truth about God, acknowledges Him, and recognizes and denounces one who lies about God.” Then Ibn al-Sikkit said, ‘I swear by God that this is the correct answer.’”