Muhammad al-Taqi
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Muhammad al-Taqi (Arabic: الإمام محمد الجواد) (Tenth of Rajab, 195 AH - Twenty-Ninth of Dhu al-Qi'dah, 220AH) (Approximately: April 12, 811 AD - November 27, 835 AD) was the ninth Shia Imam in the Ithna Ashari (Twelver) tradition. His given name was Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Musa, and he was also known by the title al-Jawad (the generous).
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[edit] Birth and family life
About forty years of the life of Ali al-Raza (the eighth Shi’ah Imam) had passed and still he did not have a son. His followers were showing restlessness and anxiety and prayed to Allah to grant Ali al-Raza a son. They even used to visit Ali al-Raza and used to question him about his successor. He would reply, "Allah will give me a son who will be my heir and the Imam to follow me."
At last, the waiting of his followers ended when Muhammad al-Taqi was born on the tenth of Rajab, 195 AH. Muhammad al-Taqi’s mother was Khaizaran and she was from the family of Maria al-Qibtiyya (wife of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad), who was famous and renowned among the Arabs for her purity, modesty, and superb human virtues.
Muhammad ibn Ali al-Raza has many titles but al-Taqi and al-Jawad are the most famous.
Hakima, the sister of Ali al-Raza, says on the night of Muhammad al-Taqi’s birth my brother advised me to be present beside his wife. The son of Ali al-Raza came to the world very conveniently and looked at the sky and declared and confirmed the oneness of Allah and the Prophet-hood of the Prophet Muhammad. I, upon observing this matter trembled and went to my brother, and told him about it. My brother said, "Oh sister don't be disturbed, you will see more things like this in future."
This birth was a very auspicious, blessed and comforting because it took the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt out of the wandering state, doubt, irresolution and indecision.
Naufali narrates, "When Ali al-Raza was traveling to Khurrasan I said, "Don't you have any order for me." He said, "You follow my son after me and question him about your difficulties."
Ali al-Raza persistently and continuously told his friends, "It is not necessary that you write to me and ask me question, instead you make queries and ask questions from this young child who is the Imam next to me." When some of his friends reflected their amazement and surprise that how this child would be stationed as the Imam of the Ummah? He would say, "Allah appointed Jesus Christ as the Prophet when he was even younger than Abu Ja’far. Age and years do not have any interference in the Prophet-hood and Imamate.
Muhammad al-Taqi undertook the responsibility of Imamate at the age of nine years. One of the friends of Muhammad al-Taqi says, "Ali ibn Ja'far the uncle of Imam commanded a great respect among the people and whenever he went to the mosque, people would surround him and ask questions about their problems." One day, Muhammad al-Taqi arrived at the mosque; Ali ibn Ja'far who was an aged and elderly person got up from his place and kissed the hand of Muhammad al-Taqi, and stood beside him. Muhammad al-Taqi said, "Uncle sit down." He said, "How can I sit while you are standing."
When he returned among his friends they reprimanded him saying, "You are an old man and the uncle of this child. Why do you respect him that way?" He replied, "Keep quiet, Imamate is an office and a station from Allah. Allah did not deem this old man fit and capable for the leadership of the Ummah, but considered this child capable for it. You must all obey his commands."
[edit] Expertise
Muhammad al-Taqi was a child when his father passed away but he never happened to commit the child like acts and even one day one of his friends purchased the game items in the period of his father and took it to his house. Muhammad al-Taqi was extremely annoyed with him and said, "What do I have to do with these? We are a family of Knowledge and Virtue."
One year after the martyrdom of Ali al-Raza, Al-Ma'mun was proceeding for hunting along with a group of men. Some children were playing in the street. A child was standing on one side of the street and watching them play. All of the children ran away as they saw Al-Ma'mun and his army men. But the eleven years old child who was watching kept on standing and did not move from his place. Al-Ma'mun came near him and asked, "Oh child why did you not run away as the others did?"
He replied, "The way was not narrow so that I could be hurdle for your crossing it. I have not committed anything wrong so that I might be afraid. I do not think you annoy anyone without reason. Therefore, my running away would be reasonless". Al-Ma'mun was surprised and amazed at the boldness, dauntlessness and training of that child and asked, "What is your name?"
- He replied, Muhammad.
- Al-Ma'mun asked whose son are you?
- He said, Son of Ali.
- Al-Ma'mun said, "Are you not the son of Ali al-Raza?"
- He replied, "Yes."
Al-Ma'mun praised and applauded him and move on along with his companions.
According Twelver Shi’ah Islam, the Imams are perfectly able to give judgment on all matters of religious law and their judgment is always legally correct. Concerning the time and manner of the transfer of knowledge from Imam to Imam there is some disagreement. With respect to Muhammad al-Taqi, who became an Imam at a very young age, the emphasis was on a miraculous transfer of knowledge at the moment of the death of the previous Imam. [1] Shi'ah writers have also supported claims about his extraordinary knowledge at a young age by referring to the fact that the Quran states that Jesus was given his mission while still a child. [2]
During his time in Baghdad, he was well known for possessing an amazing amount of Islamic knowledge, especially when considering his young age. It has been related that Muhammad al-Taqi proved his worth during a public debate with one of the leading scholars of Baghdad.
[edit] During Abbasid rule
After Al-Ma'mun had poisoned Ali al-Raza he struggled and endeavored hard to show that the death of Ali al-Raza was a natural one. But slowly and gradually his craftiness and trickery became evident and Alvis and Shi’ahs knew that Al-Ma'mun himself had committed this crime. Therefore, a hue and cry, criticism, disturbance, and revolt started against him from various nooks and corners. To control and put a restraint upon that hue and cry he brought the son of Ali al-Raza, Muhammad al-Taqi, from Medina to Baghdad so as to marry his daughter Umul Fazal to him. The Abbasid tried hard to stop it but Al-Ma'mun did not accept and said to them, you do not recognize him. How do you ask me not to select the best of the Lord's creations and the wisest of all the people for my son-in-law? You can test him. If he answers your questions and defeats you, do not utter a word after that, and take back your demand. If he could not answer your question, I will accede to your request and not give my daughter's hand in marriage to him.
The Abbasid approached Yahya ibn Aqsam and requested him to prepare a number of problems and ask Muhammad al-Taqi to solve them in the assembly of Al-Ma'mun. Yahyah acceded to their request. They came to Al-Ma'mun and announced the readiness of Yahyah ibn Aqsam to him. He fixed a date for that. The Abbasid came along with Yahyah to that aggregation. The assembly was a real grand one. All the chieftains and dignitaries were present. At this stage the Muhammad al-Taqi arrived there and all of them rose to their feet. He went ahead and took seat near Al-Ma'mun, who was not un-inclined that Muhammad al-Taqi may be questioned and probably he might not be able to answer them. He said to Muhammad al-Taqi, Yahyah ibn Aqsam wants to ask you some questions." He replied, "He may ask whatever he wishes to."
Yahyah said, "What do you say about a person who puts on the dress of Ehram and goes to the house of Allah for pilgrimage, hunts and kills animals over there?"
Muhammad al-Taqi said. "Oh Yahyah this problem has many different dimensions. Which of them do you want to ask about? Was the person out of the Haram or inside it? Was he informed and knew about the prohibition of this work or he was uninformed? Did he kill the animal purposely or forgetfully? Was he a slave or a free person? The doer of it repented upon it or he has the intention to carry on with it? Was it night or daytime? Was it his first time or second or third? Was the (hunted) animal a bird or otherwise? Was it small or big one?"
Yahyah was perplexed and bewildered when Muhammad al-Taqi explained and illustrated the problem very well. His face indicated the signs of defeat and failure and his tongue stammered. All those present appreciated and admired Muhammad al-Taqi. Then Muhammad al-Taqi facing Yahyah said, "I have also a question to ask you?" He said, "Please ask it. If I know the answer then I will answer it, if not, then I will benefit from you."
Then Muhammad al-Taqi questioned him about a problem all those present were calm, quiet and all ears to her the answer of ibn Aqsam. The Abbasid and Al-Ma'mun partisans and adherers were trembling with uneasiness and were saying to themselves. If ibn Aqsam could not give a reply all of us will become marked with ignobility and disgrace. Muhammad al-Taqi’s honor and worth will ascend to a more than ever level.
At the same time the court scholar bent his head with shame and said, "I do not know the answer to this problem. You describe it so that I benefit from you." Then Muhammad al-Taqi gave the answer with beautiful description and pleased all the friends and unpleased all the enemies.
At that time, Al-Ma'mun addressed the Abbasid and said, "Do you find anyone among yourselves who could respond and give answer to such problems?"
They replied "By Allah, no."
Then, Al-Ma'mun got his daughter Umul Fazal married to Muhammad al-Taqi in the same seating of the assembly.
After living in Baghdad for eight years, Muhammad al-Taqi and his bride returned to Medina. Here, he found his relationship with his wife strained, and upon the death of al-Ma'mun in 833, he saw his fortunes deteriorate. The successor to his father-in-law was Al-Mu'tasim. With the new Abbasid ruler in power, Muhammad al-Taqi was no longer protected, and his relationship with the new ruler was further deteriorated by the dislike that al-Mu'tasim had for him.
In 835, al-Mu'tasim called Muhammad al-Taqi back to Baghdad where he hoped to convert him to the lavish lifestyle of the palace. Muhammad left his son Ali al-Hadi (the tenth Shi’ah Imam) with Somaneh (the mother of Ali al-Hadi) in Medina and set out for Baghdad. He resided there for one more year, not influenced as al-Mu'tasm had hoped, rather becoming a well known scholar and popular in debates.
[edit] Death
The circumstances of the martyrdom of Muhammad al-Taqi have been narrated differently. Ibn Sheher Ashoob, a great historian writes as: “Because of the extreme anger and grudge that Al-Mu'tasim [3] nursed in his heart against Muhammad al-Taqi, he provoked and encouraged Umul Fazal the wife of Muhammad al-Taqi to murder him. The womanly passions made her accept the killing and martyring Muhammad al-Taqi, so she poisoned and martyred him. The martyrdom of Muhammad al-Taqi took place on the twenty-ninth of Dhu al-Qi'dah, 220 Hijra, at the age of 25 years. His pure and sacred body was buried in the graveyard of Quraish beside the grave of his grandfather Musa al-Kazim (the seventh Shi’ah Imam) in Baghdad. The tombs of these two Imams are known as Kazmain and it is the visiting site of the Shi’ahs.
[edit] See Also
- Islamic Prophet Muhammad
- Ali ibn Abu Talib
- Hassan ibn Ali
- Hussain ibn Ali
- Ali ibn Hussain
- Muhammad al Baqir
- Jafar as Sadiq
- Ali ar Rida
- Ali al Hadi
- Hasan al Askari
- Muhammad al Mahdi
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Ali ar-Rida |
Twelver Shia Imam 818–835 |
Succeeded by Ali al-Hadi |
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