The Place of Imam al - Reza's Letters in Solving the Imāmīyyah Kalāmī Dilemmas

There had been left many writings by Imam al-Reza (AS). This research has been organized to answer this question that what is the place of the letters of Imam al-Reza (AS) among his writings and which Kalāmī problems are paid attention to in these writings. After case examination and analysis of the collection of the eighth Imam's writings, it has got been cleared that nearly a quarter of all of his writings are devoted to the common theological issues at that time. By examining the Kalāmī letters of Imam alReza (AS), the present study, concluded that the most important problems in the Imāmīyyah beliefs in the second half of the 2nd century AH were two themes of "monotheism" and "Imamate". Anthropomorphism (tashbih), embodiment (tajsim) and the vision of God (ruyat ul-llah) were the most important monotheistic misgivings, and the qualities and signs of the infallible Imam and the Wakifiyyah misgivings were also the most important Shia dilemmas in the issue of Imamate. On the other hand, by sending letters to the Shia scholars, the eighth Imam (AS) has proceeded to resolve the Imāmīyyah problems in four ways of guidance, miracles, critiques and discussions.