It is a well known incident of Baghdad. A person arrived there who was a non-believer in God. He had no proof of his belief nor was he willing to listen to any argument regarding the existence of God. He said that the universe came into existence by itself and continues to exist. Any argument based on the Quran and Hadit too wouldn’t convince him. People went to the extent of telling him that there must be someone who created the universe and runs it. He boasted saying that the entire city was unable to convince him about the existence of Allah.
The Vizier of Baghdad asked Sheik Mufeed to handle the situation. The vizier said that the person was visiting the court everyday and he posed his question to the gathering in the presence of the ambassadors from the non-Muslim countries. The inability to give him a convincing reply was causing a lot of embarrassment.
Sheik Mufeed thus agreed to attend the court for a debate with the person. The person was very cunning that he wouldn’t utter any word when arguments about the existence of Allah were advanced to him.
Sheik Mufeed attended the court and told to the person, “You have claimed that you have contested the claim of all the courtiers about the existence of Allah and that they were unable to convince you. Allah willing, I shall come tomorrow and give a convincing reply to your question! But you must report at the court promptly at the appointed time. I am wondering if you will absent yourself fearing to face my debate on the subject!!” The man replied with lot of confidence, “There is no chance of my running away from the debate. In fact, I have the fear that you might try to escape since none of your compatriots has been able to convince me and you may meet the same fate!”
The appointed time arrived the next day but there wasn’t any sign of Sheik Mufeed in the court. Since Sheik Mufeed had ridiculed the person by saying that he might try to elude the debate by absconding from the court, the man looked around the court and smiled sarcastically. All the courtiers felt belittled that the Sheik had made tall claims but had absented himself from the proceedings.
The Sheik purposely arrived at the court very late. When he arrived in front of the man, he asked, “Where were you hiding yourself?!” The Sheik replied,“ I would have reached the court on schedule, but as I reached the riverside, I saw a peculiar scene there. It was so astonishing that my feet wouldn’t advance towards my destination! I saw a boat in the river that was floating on the water without any sailor. It was coming ashore on one side, picking up passengers and disembarking them on the other side. From that side it picked up passengers and dropped them on this side! When I saw the boat had no sailor I was very astonished!”
The man had a hearty laugh and said, “How is it that the boat was making the up and down trips without any sailor?” The Sheik now said, “When you think that a small boat cannot fend for itself without someone to row it, then how do you imaging that such a big universe will function without the One who controls it!”
The man said that none else had debated with him in this manner! I now bear witness that there is no god but Allah!”
Shi‘ite Authorities in the Age of Major Occultation Part 1: Sheikh Mufid