Al-Mufid doubted about the murder?

Question:

Did Al-Mufid doubt the murder of some infallibles (a.)?

Response:

Abu Abdillah Al-Mufid writes: ,,As for the mention of Abu Ja’far As-Saduq, may God have mercy on him, that our Prophet (s.) and the Imams (a.) died due to poisoning and murder, so of them there are those, in whom it was found to be confirmed and those in whom it was found to be unconfirmed. It is certain that the Commander of the Faithful, Al-Hasan and Al-Husain (a.) left this world by murder and none of them died naturally. After them, Musa Ibn Ja’far (a.) passed away by being poisoned and in itself, the matter of Imam Ar-Rida (a.) is strong even though there is doubt about it. However, there is no way to judge the rest of them that they were poisoned, murdered or killed while persevering. Therefore the report about it shows uneasiness and there is no way, to draw certainty from it.” [Tashih I’tiqadat Al-Imamiyyah, page 131 – 132]

قال الشيخ المفيد رحمه الله: فأما ما ذكره أبو جعفر رحمه الله من مضي نبينا والأئمة عليهم السلام بالسم والقتل، فمنه ما ثبت، ومنه ما لم يثبت، والمقطوع به أن أمير المؤمنين والحسن والحسين عليهم السلام خرجوا من الدنيا بالقتل ولم يمت أحدهم حتف أنفه، وممن مضى بعدهم مسموما موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام ويقوى في النفس أمر الرضا عليه السلام وإن كان فيه شك، فلا طريق إلى الحكم فيمن عداهم بأنهم سموا أو اغتيلوا أو قتلوا صبرا، فالخبر بذلك يجري مجرى الإرجاف، وليس إلى تيقنه سبيل

Commentary:

Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi writes: ,,By the usually numerous reports, proving their murder and the specific narrations, proving the martyrdom of most of them as well as the manner of its occurrence, as I will mention in the chapters about the history and their (a.) deaths, there is no way to reject this matter and feel any uneasiness about it. Yes, except from the Commander of the Faithful, Fatimah, Al-Hasan, Al-Husain, Musa Ibn Ja’far and Ali Ibn Musa (a.), there are no reports that are numerous and uninterrupted (Mutawatir) and thus lead to dogmatism about what happened. Rather the strong assumption of it is conveyed, while there is no evidence to the contrary of it and the similar reports about their circumstances and the circumstances of their opponents testify to this matter and especially for that one among them, who died in their custody or by their hand and it may be, that Al-Mufid, may God have mercy on him, merely rejected that the reports are numerous and uninterrupted (Mutawatir) and dogmatically established and he did not reject the reports per se.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar, Vol. 27 page 216]

قال شيخ الإسلام المجلسي رضي الله عنه: مع ورود الاخبار الكثيرة الدالة عموما على هذا الامر والاخبار المخصوصة الدالة على شهادة أكثرهم وكيفيتها كما سيأتي في أبواب تواريخ وفاتهم عليهم السلام, لا سبيل إلى الحكم برده وكونه من الارجاف, نعم ليس فيمن سوى أمير المؤمنين وفاطمة والحسن والحسين وموسى بن جعفر وعلي بن موسى عليهم السلام أخبار متواترة توجب القطع بوقوعه, بل إنما تورث الظن القوي بذلك, ولم يقم دليل على نفيه, وقرآئن أحوالهم وأحوال مخالفيهم شاهدة بذلك, لا سيما فيمن مات منهم في حبسهم وتحت يدهم, ولعل مراده رحمه الله أيضا نفي التواتر والقطع لا رد الاخبار