Follower Network --Imam At-Taqi [a.s]--

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

FOLLOWER NETWORK

Imam Muhammad Ibn Ali Al-Jawad At-Taqi [a.s]

The ninth Imam or Leader and Mawla or Master of the Muslims, to whom obedience was commanded by the Prophet [pbuh&hf] at the incident at Ghadir Khum during his Last Pilgrimage was Muhammad Ibn Ali al-Jawad at-Taqi [a] the son of a beautiful Nubian maidservant named Sabikah. He was born in the month of Ramadhan 195 AH / 811 CE in Medina and was designated as the successor to the Imamate after his father, Imam Ali Ibn Musa ar-Ridha [a] when he was just a child.

To some who were concerned that his age at designation was too young and initially led them to doubt or disbelieve that such a young child could have the necessary wisdom to be the successor, Imam ar-Ridha [a] reminded them that Jesus the son of Mary was made an apostle and prophet by God when he was even much younger. When his father died of poisoning, Imam Muhammad at-Taqi [a] was only 8 years old .

The ‘Abbasid Caliph al-Ma’mun had earlier forced the Imam's father to accept being the Caliph's heir-apparent. This was to consolidate his empire to win the sympathy and support of the Persians who were inclined towards the Ahl 'l Bait, the Prophet's Household and of the Shi'asin general. The Caliph expected Imam ar-Ridha [a] to lend him support in political affairs and even had his sister Umm-Habibah married to Imam ar-Ridha [a].

When Caliph al-Ma'mun realized that the Imam was incorruptible and that the masses were increasingly attached to Imam ar-Rida [a], al-Ma'mun poisoned him and conceived another plan to obtain his goal through Imam ar-Rida's young son whom he summoned from Medina to Iraq.

The Caliph announced that he decided to marry his daughter Umm’l-Fadhl to Imam al-Jawad [a] and this made the Banu ‘Abbasid become extremely disconcerted, fearing that their power would eventually be lost. He told the rest of the 'Abbasid that he had chosen the Imam for his superiority, despite his youth to all men of merit in knowledge and for his miraculous nature. To discredit this, the 'Abbasid arranged for Yahya Ibn Aktham, then the most outstanding scholar and jurist of Baghdad, to interrogate the Imam on issues of jurisprudence.

In front of a distinguished audience of officials and scholars, Yahya asked Imam al-Jawad [a] who was only 9 years old about his verdict concerning a man who hunts while in ihram or pilgrim garb. The Imam replied, "Your question is vague and misleading. You should have definitely mentioned whether he hunted within the jurisdiction of the Ka’bah or outside; whether he was literate or illiterate; whether he was a slave or a free citizen; whether he was a minor or a major; whether it was for the first time or he had done it previously; whether that prey was a bird or some other creature; whether the prey was small or big; whether he hunted in the day or at night; whether the hunter repented for his action or persisted in it; whether he hunted secretly or openly; whether the ihram was for ‘umrah or Hajj. Unless all these points are explained no specific answer can be given to this question." Yahya was staggered and the 'Abbasids silenced.

The Imam then made an offer for the hand of Umm al-Fadhl and was the Caliph accepted. He then gave the full answer for each situation and in turn put forward a question for Yahya, "Tell me about a man who looked at a woman at the beginning of the day, and his looking at her was forbidden to him. Yet as the morning continued, she was allowed to him. At noon she became forbidden to him yet in the afternoon she was permitted to him. At sunset she was forbidden to him but when the night came she was allowed to him. In the middle of the night she was forbidden to him but at dawn she was permitted to him. What was the state of this woman and why was she permitted and forbidden to him at different times?". Not only was Yahya unable to answer, nor was any of the 'Abbasid present. In the same assembly, al-Ma'mun wedded his daughter to the Imam.

After a year of marriage, the Imam left Baghdad with his wife and settled in Medina. Caliph al-Ma’mun died in 218 AH / 833 CE and was succeeded by his brother al-Mu’tasim. Imam al-Jawad [a] was made to travel to Baghdad on the 9th Muharram 220 AH / 835 CE at the summon of the new Caliph and died less than a year later on the 29th Dhu al-Qa'da 220 AH / 835 CE of poisoning at the age of 25 years. Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad [a] was buried with his grandfather, Imam Musa al-Kazim [a] at al-Kazimiyyah or Kazimayn in Baghdad. Among the Hadith narrated by the Imam was "The trust in Allah is the price of everything that is precious and the ladder to every goal which is high and sublime"

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