When the day of the trial came, the Abbasids hurried to the palace of al-Ma’moon. Notables, scholars and people of all classes attended the meeting. It was a memorable day. The hall of the meeting was full of people. Imam al-Jawad (a.s), who was nine years and some months then, took his seat in the front of the meeting as al-Ma’moon had ordered, Yahya sat before him and al-Ma’moon sat beside him.
The attendants opened their ears and Yahya asked al-Ma’moon permission to begin trying Imam al-Jawad (a.s). Yahya turned towards Imam al-Jawad (a.s) and said to him, ‘Would you permit me-may I die for you-to ask you a question?’
Imam al-Jawad (a.s) smiled at him saying, ‘Ask whatever you like.’
Yahya asked, ‘May Allah make me die for you! What do you say about a muhrim who killed a game?’
Imam al-Jawad (a.s) said, ‘Did he kill the game while being in his ihram or not? Was he aware of that or not? Did he kill it intendedly or not? Was the muhrim a free person or a slave? Was he a child or an adult? Was the game from birds or other than birds? Was it young or grown-up? Did the muhrim insist on his doing or he repented? Was it in the night or at day? Was the muhrim in the major hajj or in the minor hajj?’ Yahya was astonished and confused and failure appeared on him. He could not imagine these branches on his question. Loud calls of takbir and tahlil[1] filled the hall. It was clear to the all that the imams of Ahlul Bayt (a.s) were the source of knowledge and wisdom and that Allah had gifted them, young and old, with that which He had gifted His prophets of perfection and knowledge.
Imam al-Jawad (a.s) had divided this question into these branches, although some of them had the same verdict as if when the killing of the animal was in the night or at day, to confute the opponent who had questioned Imam al-Jawad (a.s) just for testing and not for perceiving.
When al-Ma’moon saw that Yahya had failed, he turned to the Abbasids and said, ‘Praise be to Allah for this blessing and for the successfulness of my opinion…do you know now what you have denied?’
It was clear to the Abbasids that Imam al-Jawad (a.s) had an important position and he was one of the great (men) of intellect and knowledge in Islam and it was clear to them that al-Ma’moon said to them that they did not know Ahlul Bayt (a.s). ( Al-Irshad, p.361, Wassa’il ash-Shia, vol.9 p.187.)