One day Sheik Mufeed reached the venue of his lessons when someone asked a question about Hadeet e Ghaar and Hadeet e Ghadeer. Abd al Jabbar, who was a learned debater of high repute, said that Hadit e Ghaar was a dirayat—that is—an event that was witnessed and Hadit e Ghadeer was a Riwayat—that is hearsay. One shouldn’t give credence to hearsay over what was seen and witnessed!”
Sheik Mufeed says that he asked a question, “What do you say about Mun kunto Maula?”
Abd al Jabbar said that this Riwayat is there!.The Sheik asked, “What is the meaning of Maula?” Abd al Jabbar replied, “Maula is one who is superior to all Muslims, all persons!”
Now Sheik Mufeed asked him, “Do you accept the Hadit of the Prophet (s.a) where he said, ‘Ya Ali (a.s)! Harbak harbi, Salmak salmi—that is—your battle is my battle and your truce is my truce!’” Abd al Jabbar said, “All Muslims accept this tradition.”
Sheik Mufeed now said, “Now tell me, one who arraigns himself against Ali (a.s) had arraigned himself against the Prophet (s.a)!”
Abd al Jabbar meekly replied that a Riwayat had reached them that those persons had repented over their act! Sheik Mufeed asserted, “Expressing repentance by those persons is just a Riwayat and not acceptable over the Dirayat of the battle that the persons fought against Ali (a.s).
An intelligent person doesn’t give ascendance to a hearsay (Riwayat) over a positive happening (a Dirayat)!”Hearing this Abdul Jabbar stood up, called Sheik Mufeed close to himself and hugged him and said, “Anta Mufeed al-haq! Certainly you are Mufeed!”
When Abd al jabber hugged the youth and made him sit close to him, the assembly got upset. They thought that this child who was a new arrival to Baghdad has been seated next to the most erudite scholar of the city—Abd al Jabbar Matfali! Abd al jabber, seeing their demeanor, told them, “You are upset over my seating the youth near me! Can anyone of you give a befitting reply to the question he has asked here!! Certainly, in that event, I shall send him away from where I have seated him! The entire assembly remained quiet
Shi‘ite Authorities in the Age of Major Occultation Part 1: Sheikh Mufid