Imam Muhammad b. Ali al-Jawad (a): Difference between revisions

[[Al-Ma'mun al-Abbasi]] married her daughter, called [[Umm al-Fadl]], to Imam al-Jawad (a) in 202/817-18<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-Ṭabarī'', vol. 7, p. 149.</ref> or 215/830-1.<ref>Masʿūdī, ''Ithbāt al-waṣīyya'', p. 223.</ref> This marriage took place following the request of al-Ma'mun and Imam (a) expressed his consent with this marriage after specifying the dowry similar to that of [[Fatima al-Zahra (a)]] (which was 500 Dirhams).<ref>Ibn Shahrāshūb, ''Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib'', vol. 4, p. 382.</ref> Some sources have said that during Imam al-Rida's (a) stay in [[Khorasan]], Imam al-Jawad (a) went to see him once<ref>Bayhaqī, ''Tārīkh-i Bayhaq'', p. 46.</ref> and that was when al-Ma'mun asked him to marry his daughter. According to [[Ibn Kathir]], the marriage contract of Imam al-Jawad (a) and al-Ma'mun's daughter was made at the time of Imam al-Rida (a) but the marriage ceremony was held in 215/830 in Tikrit, [[Iraq]].<ref>Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 10, p. 295.</ref> The marriage of Imam al-Jawad (a) with Umm al-Fadl was made by the request of al-Ma'mun.{{cn}} Al-Ma'amun said that he sought to be the grandfather of a child who was a progeny of the Prophet (a) and Imam Ali (a). Al-Shaykh al-Mufid considered that marriage because of al-Ma'mun's love for Imam al-Jawad (a). Some researchers believe that this marriage had political motives, including that al-Ma'mun wanted to control Imam al-Jawad (a) and his relations with Shi'a through that marriage; or to show himself interested in [[Alawis]] and prevent them from making uprising. This marriage caused the opposition of some of al-Ma'mun's agents, because they were afraid of transferring caliphate from [['Abbasids]] to 'Alawis.{{cn}}

In the views of Shi'a, Imam will only be appointed through a prior proof; i.e. every Imam needs to introduce, in clear words, the Imam after himself. In several cases, Imam al-Rida (a) declared the imamate of Muhammad b. Ali (a) for his companions. In all the books of ''[[al-Kafi]]'', ''[[al-Irshad]]'', ''[[I'lam al-wura]]'', and ''[[Bihar al-anwar]]'', there is a chapter about the proofs for the imamate of Muhammad b. Ali (a) which have mentioned 14, 11, 9, and 26 hadiths respectively.{{cn}}

Although in several cases Imam al-Rida (a) had declared the imamate of Imam al-Jawad (a), but some Shi'a tested Imam al-Jawad (a) with some questions to become more certain. This testing was made about other Imams (a) as well, but due to the low age of Imam al-Jawad (a), Shi'as felt it was more necessary about him.{{cn}}

There are several reports about Shi'a's questions and answers of Imam al-Jawad (a) in hadith sources. Imam's (a) answers promoted his position in the eyes of Shi'a and their acceptance of his imamate. However, Shi'a did not only tested Imam al-Jawad (a) by their questions, but they tested others, who claimed to be imam, the same way.{{cn}} Some people from Baghdad and other cities went to Medina during [[hajj]]. In a meeting they had with [['Abd Allah b. Musa]], Imam al-Jawad's (a) uncle,-who was thought to be the Imam after Imam al-Rida (a)- they asked him some questions, but his answers was not right and they became disappointed and sad. Then they went to Imam al-Jawad (a) and asked him the same questions and he (a) gave them the right answers which made them happy, praised Imam (a) and prayed for him.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Dalāʾil al-imāma'', p. 205-206; Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 50, p. 99-100.</ref>  

In answering [[Abu Hashim al-Ja'fari]] who asked about the meaning of the verse "The sights do not apprehend Him, yet He apprehends the sights" (Qur'an 6:103), Imam al-Jawad (a) rejected the possibility of seeing God by eyes (the belief in the embodiment) and said, "fantasies of the heart are more delicate than the eyesight. Human being can fantasize things he has not seen. When fantasies of the hearts cannot perceive God, how may the eyes see Him?"{{cn}}

There are hadiths narrated from Imam al-Jawad (a) in which he (a) considered [[Zaydiyya]] and [[Waqifiyya]] similar to [[Nasibis]]. He (a) said that the verses "Some faces on that day will be humbled, (2) wrought-up and weary" (Qur'an 88:2-3) were revealed about them.{{cn}} Also, Imam al-Jawad (a) prohibited his companions from following Waqifiyya in congregational prayers.<ref>Ṭūsī, Man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh, quoted from Jaʿfarīyān, ''Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa sīyāsī-yi Imāmān-i Shīʿa'', p. 603.</ref>  

Imam al-Jawad (a) also cursed [[Ghulat]] [exaggerators] such as [[Abu l-Khattab]] and his followers. He (a) also cursed those who doubted or were silent about cursing Abu l-Khattab. He (a) introduced people such as Abu l-Ghamr, Ja'far b. Waqid, and Hashim b. Abi Hashim, as followers of Abu l-Khattab and said that they abuse people in our names. Also in a hadith, he (a) permitted the killing of two of Ghulat who were Abu l-Mahri and Ibn Abi Razqa' because of their role in deviation of Shi'a. It is said that in letters Imam (a) sent to his deputies, prohibited Shi'a of associating with Ghulat.{{cn}}

Also, Imam al-Jawad (a) addressed [[Muhammad b. Sinan]] and rejected the claim of [[Mufawwida]] about leaving the creation and management of the world to the Prophet (a).{{cn}}

Some sources considered the title of "al-Jawad" (the generous) given to Imam (a) because to his great generosity and giving to people. According to a letter Imam al-Rida (a) sent to his son from [[Khorasan]], Imam al-Jawad (a) was known for his generosity since the first years of his life. When his father was in Khorasan, [[List of Companions of Imam al-Rida (a)|his companions]] sent out Jawad (a) from a side door of the house to meet less people who would gather at his door to receive charity. According to this report, Imam al-Rida (a) sent a letter to his son and advised him not to follow those who told him not to use the main door. In that letter, Imam al-Rida (a) advised his son, "whenever you want to go out of home, take some gold and silver with you. No one should ask you but you give them something." He (a) had also made special advice about his close relatives such as his uncles and aunts.{{cn}}

Al-Qurashi introduced Imam al-Jawad (a) the most ascetic and purest of the people of his time. He also spoke about the many [[nafila prayers]] Imam al-Jawad (a) performed. According to al-Qurashi, Imam al-Jawad (a) made a nafila prayer in every [[rak'a]] of which, he (a) recited each of the suras [[al-Fatiha]] and [[Sura al-Tawhid|al-Tawhid]] 70 times. Also, according to a hadith transmitted by [[al-Sayyid b. Tawus]], upon the coming of every new moon, Imam al-Jawad (a) performed two rak'as of prayer, in the first rak'a of which recited Sura al-Tawhid 30 times and in the second rak'a, he (a) recited [[Sura al-Qadr]] 30 times and after the prayer, he (a) give [[charity]].{{cn}}