On the sad occasion of the martyrdom anniversary of the ninth infallible imam, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Taqi al-Jawad (a.s), World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League offers its sincere condolences to the Imam of our Time (a.s), the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a), the Ahlul Bayt (a.s), all righteous scholars, and all believers.

Imam Muhammad (a.s) was born in Madinah on 10 Rajab 195 A.H and was martyred in Baghdad in 220 A.H. at the tender age of 25 years. He assumed Imamate at the young age of 9 years, surrounded by many doubters on account of his age. However, his perfect knowledge and wisdom proved that age was not a barrier to divine Imamate, as Allah had already perfected knowledge, wisdom and gnosis in His chosen Infallibles.

The Abbasid caliph Mamun’s political intriguing continued by publicly bestowing favours on the Ahlul Bayt in order to gain further popularity, yet without restoring their full rights. Indeed he even married his daughter Umme Fadhl to the Imam. Mamun thought that by patronising the young Imam, he could mould and thus control him, controlling any threat to his political empire. Hence he tried to accommodate the Imam next to his palace in Baghdad, in luxury, in the hope that merrymaking would divert the Imam from the path of spirituality and serving Allah. The humble Imam, however, shunned all temptations and chose to live in a small house.

His simplicity eventually saw him return to Madinah and live in the same humble way, guiding and instructing the people in the faith. On Mamun’s death however, his heir, his brother Moatasim, took a different view of the Imam, and grew fearful of Imam’s popularity. He thus summoned the Imam to Baghdad, and a year later, had him poisoned on 29 Dhul Qa’adah. The Imam was laid to rest next to his grandfather Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s) in Kadhimain, near Baghdad.

Imam Muhammad (a.s) left us a legacy of works on taqleed and masail, to prepare the way for our guidance during the 12th Imam’s occultation, for he knew that the next two Imams would spend most of their lives in imprisonment and under surveillance. Some of the Imam’s famous narrations are:

If the ignorant remained silent, people would not differ.

Do know that you are not away from the sight of Allah, so see to the condition that you live in (i.e. sinfulness or piety).

The one who commits aggression and tyranny and the one who helps him in it and the one who is pleased over it, are all participants in the tyranny.

Three acts result in Allah’s pleasure and approval: plentiful repentance; soft nature and forbearance; abundant alms giving.

May the Almighty shower His blessings upon Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (a.s), his forefathers and his descendants, and may He give us the ability to follow his teachings.

Sayed Mohammad Al-Musawi
World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League (WABIL)
London, UK

Previous Next