Imam Muhammad bin Ali, al-Taqi-al-Jawad was born on 10th
Rajab 195 in Madinah. His parents were Imam Ali al-Reza (a.s.) and Bibi
Khaizarun. He became the Imam at the age of 8.
The caliph Mamun invited the young Imam to Baghdad
to get him married to his daughter for his political aims. This infuriated his Abbasid
clan. To prove his choice, Mamun arranged a meeting between the Imam and the leading scholars headed by Yahya bin Aktham, the Chief Justice. It was a grand
occasion with 900 other scholars present.
Yahya asked:
What is the compensation (kaffarah) for a person in Ehraam who hunted
and
killed his prey?
Imam replied that there were many more details required
before he could answer the question:
1. Did
the Muhrim (one in Ehraam) hunt in the Haram or outside?
2. Did
the Muhrim know the Sharia or not?
3. Did
he hunt intentionally or not?
4. Did
he hunt the first time or was this one of many times?
5. Was
he free or a slave?
6. Was his prey a bird or an animal?
7. Was
it big or small?
8. Had
he hunted by day or night time?
9. Was
he adult (baligh) or not?
10. Was he
repentant or not?
11. Was his
Ehraam for Hajj or umra?
Yahya was stunned and looked down and started sweating.
Mamun requested the Imam to answer the question himself. The
Imam replied: “If he had killed the animal outside the sacred ground and it was
winged and large, an atonement of a sheep would have been necessary for him. If
he had struck it down in the sanctuary, the penalty would be
doubled. If he killed a young bird outside the sacred ground then the atonement
of a lamb which has been weaned off milk would have been required of him. If he
had killed it in the sanctuary, then he would have been required to sacrifice a
lamb and the value of the young bird. As for wild animals, if it was a wild
donkey, he would have been required to sacrifice a cow. If it was an ostrich,
the sacrifice of a camel would be necessary. If it had been a deer, then a
sheep would have been necessary. If he had killed any of those in the
sanctuary, the penalty would have been doubled. Mamoun said to the Imam: “You
have done well Abu Jaffer and God has adorned you”
Mamoun asked the Imam to ask any question from Yahya bin
Akhtam.
The Imam asked the Chief Justice:
“Can you describe the situation when a man looked at a woman
at dawn when it was forbidden (haram) to do so; but then at sunrise it was
permissible (halal) for him to look at her? Then at noon hour, it became haram for him to look at that woman;
but in the afternoon, it became permissible for him to look at her? Then at
sunset it became haram for him to look at that woman; but at night, it became
halal for him to look at her? Then at midnight ,
it became haram for him to look at her; but at dawn, it became halal for him”
Yahya bin Akhtam said: “By Allah! I do not know the answer
to this question. We would, however, benefit from your answer”
The Imam explained the answer as follows:
“At dawn, the woman was a slave of someone else; however, by
sunrise, the man had already bought her for himself so it became halal for him
to look at her.
“At noon , he made
her free, so she became haram for him; but by afternoon, he had married her, so
she became halal for him”
“At sunset, he did zihar by which one’s wife becomes haram
for a person; but by night time, he paid the penalty for Zihar, and so she
became halal for him again.
“At midnight , he
divorced her; but by next morning he revoked his divorce, so she became halal
for him”
After Mamoun married his daughter Umme Fadhl to the Imam, he
refused to stay in the royal palace, hence he moved to simple house with his
wife. After one year, when Mamoun realized that the Imam was not comfortable in
Baghdad , he allowed the couple to
move to Madinah.
In order to uphold the imperialistic and luxurious ways of
life, these monarchs wanted to do away with these Godly saints who demonstrated
righteousness, compassion, faith, piety, fraternity, and justice as the main
teachings of Islam. Yazid’s demand of allegiance from Imam Hussain (a.s.), or
Mamoun’s appointment of Imam Ali al-Reza (a.s.) as heir apparent were two
different aspects of the same wicked desire.
Contentment: The
Imam used to live a simple and austere life wearing ordinary clothes. One day
someone told him that since he sat besides the king, it did not befit him to
wear such simple clothes. The Imam said: “If my value had been due to my
clothes, it would have befitted me to wear expensive clothes, when it is not
so, why should I give up simplicity. My present dress is concealing my body and
it is comfortable, then why should I give up for fashionable ones. We Ahlul
Bayt are content on whatever we get and we do not allow greed to approach us.”
Hospitality: The
Imam was very hospitable. Once, a guest arrived at his place in the middle of
the night. The Imam asked him if he would like to have dinner. The man replied
that although he was hungry but would not bother the Imam at such odd hour and
that he would sleep hungry. The Imam said: “Guests do not sleep hungry at our
place”
The Imam went inside and with the help of a servant,
prepared the food and personally brought to the guest. Seeing this the man
started crying and on inquiry from the Imam, said: “I am crying at the thought
that how the world did not recognize such Godly people”
Patience: The
Abbasid clan did not approve of the marriage of Umme Fadhl with the Imam hence
they continued to poison her ears. And Umme Fadhl herself was of a haughty
nature and these instigations increased the gulf between the couple. She made the
Imam’s life miserable, but the Imam exercised utmost patience.
Forgiveness: The
relatives of the Imam were against him because of inheritance. Some of the
allegations were that the Imam’s complexion differed from Imam Reza (a.s.) and
they refused to accept that he was Imam Reza’s son. The Imam heard such
taunting remarks but said nothing. One day, some money of Khums arrived and he
distributed it to every one including one who was most inimical to the Imam.
When people pointed out, the Imam said that he has left the affair to Allah. On
hearing this, the person felt ashamed and fell on Imam’s feet and asked
forgiveness. The Imam had forgiven him.
References:
Fourteen Masoomeen by Muhammadi Trust, London
Akhlaq-e-A’imma by Sayyid Zafar Hasan Amrohi
The Infallibles by workshop@dir.com.Co.UK
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