Gate of Knowledge Foundation

Imam Hadi (as) assumed the official role of Imamate at a very young age of 7 or 8 years. At that tender age, he (as) had become a point of reference for the Muslims. People would refer to him and seek his guidance in almost everything pertaining to their lives. When the enemies of Ahlul Bayt (as) saw this, they were displeased with the situation. So, in conjunction with the Caliphate of the time, which was in opposition of Ahlul Bayt (as), they began looking for a person who was the most knowledgeable of the time yet a sworn enemy of Ahlul Bayt (as) so that Imam Hadi (as) is put under his care for training and the Muslims, particularly the Shias do not get any access to him. Also anything that Imam Hadi (as) said or did in his life would be according to the teachings that he had received from his teacher.

Finally, Ubaydullah Junaydi, a prominent scholar from Iraq and a sworn enemy of Ahlul Bayt (as) was appointed for the task. Ubaydullah Junaydi took our 10th Imam, Imam Hadi (as) into his care and did not allow any Shia to visit him. This way, the guidance of Imam Hadi (as) was suspended for his Shias.

After some time a person came to Ubaydullah Junaydi and asked him, “How is the Hashemite servant doing?” Ubaydullah Junaydi a sworn enemy of Ahlul Bayt (as) became extremely furious with the man and said to him, “Do not call him a Hashemite servant for he is not a servant but a leader of Banu Hashim. By Allah (SWT)! Despite his young age, he is more knowledgeable than I am. People think that I am disciplining him but the truth is that he is disciplining me. I swear by Allah (SWT)! He is not only the Hafiz of Noble Qur’an (Hafiz-e-Quran) but also possesses its knowledge. To be precise, he is the best of all on the face of this earth”.

Moral: Imams (as) have a supreme knowledge so that they are able to answer whatever question is put to them. What age you are does not matter but how much you know matters. People will treat you like a child unless you can show them otherwise – through your knowledge and your Akhlaq (characters).

• As a man asked him for an advice, Imam al-Jawad (A.S.) said: Put your head on steadfastness, embrace poverty, reject the lusts, oppose your passions, and know that you cannot be out of Allah’s sight. Consider how you should behave, then.
• Allah revealed to one of His prophets: Your asceticism will give you comfort. Your devotion to Me will endear you to Me. But, did you antagonize My enemies and cherish My disciples?
• It was related that highway robbers stole the large amounts of cloth that belonged to Imam al-Jawad (A.S.). The head of the caravan sent the Imam a message in which he informed him of that news. The Holy Imam (A.S.) answered him: Our souls and riches are within the pleasant gifts and the deposited loans of Allah Who makes us enjoy some of them pleasantly and delightedly and seizes whatever He wills with rewards and merits. He whosever intolerance overcomes his steadfastness will waste his rewards. Allah protect us against so.
• He who detested a matter that he witnessed is as same as those who were absent from it, and he who was absent from a matter that he loved is, as same as those who witnessed it.
• He whoever listens to a caller is serving him. If the caller was Allah’s representative, he is then serving Allah. If the caller was the Shaitan’s representative, he is then serving the Shaitan.
• Dawud-bin-al-Qasim related: I asked Imam al-Jawad(A.S.) about the meaning of ‘Samad’. He said: Everything that lacks navel is ‘Samad’. I said that people claim that ‘Samad’ is everything that lacks interior. Imam al-Jawad(A.S.) commented: Everything that lacks interior lacks navel.
• Abu-Hashim al-Ja’fari related: On the wedding day of Imam al-Jawad (A.S.) and Ummul-Fadhl, daughter of Al-Ma’mun. I said: O master, the blessing of this day is clearly great for us. The Holy Imam (A.S.) replied: O Abu-Hashim, Allah’s blessings in this day have been great for us. “Yes, master,” I said, “What should I say about the day?” Imam al-Jawad (A.S.) answered: Say only good things about the day so that you will be given from these good things. “Master,” I said, “I will follow this instruction completely.” Imam al-Jawad (A.S.) said: You will be guided to the right and you will see only the good if you adhere to this instruction.
• Imam al-Jawad(A.S.) wrote to one of his disciples: We are only ladling from this world. He whose belief and religion are the same as his acquaintance will surely accompany the acquaintance everywhere. The life to come is surely the remaining abode.
• A cameleer who took Imam al-Jawad (A.S.) from Medina to Al-Kufa asked for more money after the Imam had given him four hundred dinars. The Holy Imam (A.S.) said: How strange this is! Do you not know that Allah’s increasing gifts will be stopped when the servants stop showing Him gratitude?
• “Toba” depends upon four things: sincere regrets, verbal “istighfar”, deeds and determination never to repeat the sin.
• Don’t pretend to be Allah’s servant and be His enemy in privacy.
• Don’t be God’s friend in appearance and his enemy in secret.
• Sincerity is the best of all worships.
• Relying on Allah is the price of every valuable thing and the ladder to every treasured thing.
• To show a matter before preparing for it properly is spoiling it.
• Love is attracted due to three traits: being just in social dealings, assisting others in hardships and having a pure heart.
• Four things are required to do anything: health, independence, knowledge and divine assistance.
• Three deeds are performed by the believers: following the wajibaat, abstaining from sins, and not neglecting the religion.
• Whoever had three thing, will never regret: 1 – Refraining from haste, 2 – Consulting 3 – and depending upon God when decision making.
• Our wealth and soul are of God’s pleasant gifts (to us) and deposited trusts, they cause happiness and pleasure as long as we enjoy them, and reward is for whatever is taken (from us), so whose grief overcome his patience his reward is lost, and we seek refuge to God from that.
• Refrain from association with the evil person, because he is as the bare awars having a beautiful appearance (but) an ugly effect.
• Delay in performing works always (cause) perplexity.
• Increase of blessing is not interrupted by God, unless thanksgiving is interrupted by slaves.
• Disclosing something before its firmness causes its destruction.
• Dependence upon God is the price for any valuable thing and is the ladder for any eminent matter.
• The one, who doesn’t know the way in, has a problem finding the way out.
• If move calmly, get to the aim or close to it.
• The one who leaves compromise with the people faces discomfort.
• Whoever worked without knowledge, his destruction is more than his rectification.
• Have precaution according to the fear.
• Four things aid the human in his work: soundness, not needing, knowledge, and success.
• The one aware of oppression, the aid to it, and the pleased with it, all three are partners.
• Human’s death due to sins is more than death by fate, and his living due to benevolence is more than living due to natural life time.
• Love and friendship is attained by three characters: fairness, accompaniment and sympathy when hardship, pure heartedness and benevolence to others.

Our 9th Imam, Imam al-Jawad (as) had an uncle called Ali Ibne Jaffar, who was a very knowledgeable, pious old man. Whenever he went to the mosque, people would surround him and ask him questions.

One day Imam Taqi (as) arrived at the mosque. When his uncle who was sitting in the middle of a large group of people saw him, he immediately got up and kissed the hand of Imam Taqi (as).

Imam Taqi (as) asked his uncle to sit down, to which his uncle replied that he could not sit while Imam Taqi (as) was standing. When Ali Ibne Jaffar returned among his friends, after Imam Taqi (as) had left, his friends told him that it was wrong for him to show so much respect to that child Imam Taqi (as) as he was an old man and the uncle of the child.

Ali Ibne Jaffar replied that he was showing respect to the child because of who he was. He continued that Imamate is an office and a station from Allah (SWT), and Allah (SWT) did not deem him an old man fit and capable for the leadership of the Ummah, but considered the child capable for it. Therefore they should all obey his (Imam Taqi (as)) commands.

Moral: The age of a person is not important but what kind of person they are. Only Allah (SWT) knows everything about everyone and therefore only Allah (SWT) is allowed to judge people, and say what they do and do not deserve.

Mamun al-Rashid son of Harun al-Rashid called the young 9th Imam, Imam Taqi (as) to Baghdad from Medina and offered his daughter. This infuriated his family (Abbasid). To prove to them the excellence of Imam Taqi (as) even at a young age of Twelve year, he arranged a meeting between Imam Taqi (as) and the most learned of men at that time – Yahya ibn Aaktham, the Chief Justice of the Abbasid Empire.

It was a grand occasion with some 900 other scholars present. The court was full of people from near and far everyone wanted to see what the outcome would be.

Yahya asked the first question which was: What would be the kaffara of a person in Ihram who hunted and killed his prey?

Imam Taqi (as) answered that he would have to be given a lot more detail before he could even begin to answer the question.

For example:

Was the person in Ihram Baligh or not?
Was the person a free man or a slave?
Did he know the laws of Sharia on hunting or not?
Was his Ihram for Hajj or Umra?
Did he hunt intentionally or not?
Was this the first time or one of many?
Did the person in Ihram hunt inside the Haram of the Holy Kaaba or outside.
Did he hunt in the day or at night?
Was the prey big or small?
Was the prey a bird or an animal?
Was the person repentant or not?

Yahya was shocked and did not know what to say.

Mamun al-Rashid asked Imam Taqi (as) to answer, Yahya’s question for all of the above conditions, which Imam Taqi (as) did.

It was then Imam Taqi (as) to ask Yahya a question, which he did and Yahya could not answer; so Imam Taqi (as) again gave the answer.

Mamun al-Rashid’s joy knew no bounds. What he had asserted came true. Addressing the audience he said, “Did I not tell you that the people of the Ahlul Bayt of the Prophet have been gifted by Allah (SWT) with limitless knowledge? None can cope with even the children of this elevated House.”

Mamun al-Rashid took the opportunity to offer his daughter Ummul Fazl to Imam Taqi (as). Imam Taqi (as) read his own Nikah (the khutba of which is used today) with the Mehr of 500 dirhams. Imam Taqi (as) wrote a letter to Mamun al-Rashid that he would also give Ummul Fazl Mehr from the wealth of The World to Come (Aakhira). This was in the form of 10 duas which were for fulfilling any hajaat (desires). Thus his title is Al-Jawad (the generous one).

Moral: To answer a fiqh question is not as easy as you may think; this is why Ulema spend years of their lives learning and researching. And why we have to do Taqlid of a Marja (Just like we take the advice of a doctor, when we are ill, we should take the advice of a Marja in religious affairs).

When our 9th Imam, Imam Taqi (as) was only 9 years old, his father our 8th Imam, Imam Ali Ridha (as) was killed by the king Mamun al-Rashid.

Mamun al-Rashid decided that he would try to buy (bribe) Imam Taqi (as) into his way of life because Imam Taqi (as) was still only a child.

Mamun al-Rashid took Imam Taqi (as) to his palace and gave him whatever money could buy, but Imam Taqi (as) was not interested, because he knew Allah (SWT) could give him much much more.

No matter how much Mamun al-Rashid gave him, Imam Taqi (as) did not do anything against Allah’s (SWT) commands as Mamun al-Rashid wished.

Moral: Whatever anyone gives you always remember that Allah (SWT) can give you so much more but only if you are a good Muslim and do as Allah (SWT) tells you.

The story of Mamun al-Rashid’s first meeting with the young son of Imam Ali Ridha (as) is interesting. Once when our 9th Imam, Imam Taqi (as) was only nine years old, he was walking down a street of Baghdad, when Mamun al-Rashid and his soldiers came by. All the other children on the street ran away but Imam Taqi (as) did not.

Noting this, Mamun al-Rashid stopped his carriage and asked, “Young man, why did you not run away like the other children?”

Imam Taqi (as) replied calmly, “Neither had I committed a crime, nor was I blocking the way. Why should I have run away or be afraid? And I also know that you will not cause any unnecessary trouble when your way is not blocked.”

Mamun al-Rashid was surprised with this mature reply and asked, “What is your name?”

“Muhammad,” came the reply. Whose son are you? asked Mamun al-Rashid. “Son of Imam Ali Ridha (as).”

Mamun al-Rashid rode on. During his hunt the hawk returned to him with a fish in its beak. Mamun al-Rashid was surprised. He returned back toward the city. Once again, he found children playing on the same spot, who ran away seeing the caliph’s soldiers, except this young man who said he was Muhammad son of Imam Ali Ridha (as) who remained where he was.

Mamun al-Rashid hid the fish in his palm, stopped his carriage near Imam Taqi (as) and said, “Tell me, what is there in my fist?”

Imam Taqi (as) replied, “Allah (SWT) has created tiny fish in the river. The hawks of kings sometimes catch fish from there and bring it to the Kings. They hide it in their fist and ask a member of the Ahlul Bayt of the Prophet, “Tell me what is there in my fist.”

Mamun al-Rashid said, “Truly, you are the worthy son of Imam Ali Ridha (as). Mamun al-Rashid took the young Imam Taqi (as) with him, and let him live in a nearby house next to the Royal Palace.

Moral: You should not be scared of anything or anyone as Allah (SWT) is the strongest and will look after you.

The best and most respected virtue of a man is to do good and to fulfill the desires of the needy. The honest man has not betrayed you, but you consider the betrayer as the honest one. You had better avoid the munificence that results in the greater loss to you than the benefits received by your brethren. He who is sure about the divine rewards will be more generous. He who adopts someone as a brother in order to provide Allah’s consent will be given a chamber in paradise. Giving alms is the most valuable savings. To be patient in the face of hard-ships is a virtue but to refrain from forbidden deeds is a greater one. Patience and resignation are considered as the worthiest devotions. True devotion not only means excessive sayings of prayers and keeping fasts. One ought to meditate on the divinity profoundly. Be modest before your friends and be prudent while encountering an enemy. Be pleasant with everyone. I wonder at one who purchases the slaves and releases them. Why doesn’t he try to make the free people indebted by his good conduct? It is much better to be uninterested in other’s properties than to be munificent. To help the disabled is much better than to give alms. Beast wealth is that which provides a good name for its owner. There is no better milk for the baby’s nourishment than its mother’s. He who exposes himself to an open accusation should not blame those who may suspect him. The oppressors will finally be punished. He who wishes to be the most needless, should put his full trust in Allah. He who shows patience in providing Allah’s consent will no doubt get more than what he has lost. He who desires to postpone the time of his decease and wishes to have his sustenance increased should observe ties of kinship. Allah will make happy on the Day of Judgment the person who has removed the grief from the heart of a believer. Be good companions of blessings because they are fleeting: once gone away, will not return. To use scent is a manner of the holy Prophet (SAW). Cleanliness is characteristic of prophets. One who breaks his promise will not be left safe and sound in the unpleasant events. Do not get angry when you are informed of the truth. True faith means the accomplishment of the religious obligations along with the avoidance of the forbidden acts. He who causes Allah’s wrath in order to provide a king’s consent is an apostate. Nothing is more worthy than good temper. You who can not satisfy people with your riches had better try to make them happy with a king-like face and good manners. Silence is one of the gates to wisdom. Man’s intellect is his friend and his ignorance, his enemy. Almightiness is reserved for Allah the One. He who claims the possession of this status will be perished by Allah. If a person holds a malthought towards another believer, then Allah will not accept his religious deeds. Keep aloof from avarice and envy. These two qualities have already destroyed the peoples gone by. He who does not offer his thanks to his benefactor has not actually praised Allah the Greatest and the Glorious. A generous man will eat other’s food so that they might partake of his food. A miser refuses to eat the food of others in order to deprive them of his own food. He who blames time should spend a long time blaming. The generous are the masters of the people in this world, while the pious are their chiefs on doomsday. Your mouth is one of the channels through which you make contact with Allah. You had better keep it clean by brushing your teeth. Pure piety is not but avoidance of mortal sins and abstinence from persecuting the faithful. He who assesses himself carefully will finally benefit: the negligent will lose out. He who acts with no insight looks like a pedestrian who travels on a wrong path. The faster he walks, the more deviated he becomes from the straight path. The forgiving warriors will enjoy divine victory in the battlefield. He who wishes to be the dearest to the people must be virtuous both in public and in secret. Human intellect is a divine blessing but politeness is acquired through endeavoring. Prudence keeps repentance away. Reflection is the mirror into which you can look and see your virtues and your evils. Magnanimity is unstable. Trust in Allah will give it stability. Gifts cast out hatred from the heart. Humbleness means treating others the same way as you expect them to treat you. He who tries to keep himself immaculate for forty days, Allah will let the waves of wisdom flow from his heart to his tongue. Giving alms repels the certain catastrophe. He who wishes to be the strongest of all should rely on Allah. The believer who is endowed with a good temper will have the strongest faith. Perfection in intellect is primarily to have faith in Allah and secondly to behave well towards others. Penalty for ingratitude occurs instantly. Remission is good when not accompanied by blame. Treasures of beneficence include concealment of your good deeds, tolerance in hardships and reticence in disasters. A faithful Muslim never exceeds his legitimate right when he is in power. The believer’s fury will not deviate him from the right path. He who begins his day without being concerned about improving the Muslim’s affairs should not be called a Muslim. The true Muslim never teases others with his hand or tongue. He who recognizes his merit will not easily perish. He who chooses his path properly will not slip down. He will never confront a deadlock in case he falls. A generous man is close to Allah, close to paradise, and close to everyone. Keeping other’s secrets, patience in hardships and tolerance towards others are all signs of faith. Tolerance, knowledge and silence are the signs found in a jurisprudent. To bear enmity towards the people is the worst provision for the journey to the hereafter. He, who betrays his brethren, causes them losses and deceives them, is not one of us. One who torments his neighbor is not one of us. Never become angry with others and do not ask anything from them. Wish for the people whatever you wish for yourself. Wine and other intoxicating beverages are strictly prohibited by the religious legislation. One sip of such drinks is as illegitimate as a whole barrel is. To be friendly with others denotes one half of wisdom. A wealthy person ought to be generous to his family. A Muslim should not frighten his brethren. He who reveals his poverty before others will disgrace himself. To be in the company of villains will result in suspecting the good. Resignation, beneficence and certitude are the most precious blessings descended by Heaven. Worship does not lie in copious prayer and fasting, but in the amount of contemplation in the works of Allah.

The people of Qum made a mausoleum of straw structure, which was intended to be given the utmost respect and importance for this lady, the daughter and the sister of the Imam. After 50 years, the daughter of Imam Jawad called Zainab, instructed for first dome to be built. Then the making of the whole Haram was undertaken by the well wishers and the followers of the Ahlul-bayt. After a few years of the passing away of Fatemah Ma’soomah other children of Imam were also buried here. Hence, this place gained a lot of respect and importance, as now there were many children of Imams buried here. And we find in history that this noble place brought blessing for people and offered sanctuary to them, whoever would ask anything from this lady and the sick would be cured. These miracles still take place at this holy place. Imam Sadiq (A.S.) has said: Our followers who ask for Bibi Ma’soomah’s intercession will go to heaven. The importance and respect for this place grows day by day and because of this it has become a busy center. Also more and more Muslims are finding out about this place, because of the blessing of this Noble Lady there have sprung many fountains of learning in Qum and many learned people became religious scholars here.

 

Even Imam Khomeini, the great scholar and the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran frequently reminded that he also lived in Qum and received his education with the blessing and sanctity of the Haram of this Noble Lady. He raised the flag of Islam and started the revolution from this place. This Haram shines like diamond in the town. People come from all over the world to visit and pay respects to this Noble Lady. This is just to show their deep love and attachment for this Noble Lady and family of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.).

 

Three sayings of Fatimah Ma’soomah by three Imams

 

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: soon a lady by the name Fatimah from my family will be buried in Qum. Heaven becomes obligatory on one who visits her.

Imam Radha (A.S.) said: One who visits her will be granted Heaven.

Imam Jawad (A.S.) said: that one who visits my Aunt in Qum will be granted heaven.

Courtesy: Zainab Hasan R. Manji. For more information click here.

The Muslims and the well wishers of Ahlul-bayt respectfully washed the holy body of Hadhrat Ma’soomah and shrouded her, and when the burial time arrived the As’ari nobles decide to bury her at a special place and not at the common cemetery. This was unusually a respect for the noble lady who was the daughter of Imam Kadhim (A.S).

Musa ibn Khazraj also undertook this noble task. He had a big garden in an area called Babulan. He donated the place for Bibi Ma’soomah to be buried. All the other preparations were ready. Now the question was who would bury her? This talk was going on when finally they concluded that an old man called Qadir be appointed for this job. Qadir was summoned to give the last funeral rites, but before he could come, two-veiled person on the horse (contrary to the prevailing customs) suddenly appeared and went near the burial place. They dismounted, led the prayer of mayyit and with respect laid her body to rest then left. The funeral ceremony was over and the town of Qum decided to build a Mausoleum for the Imam’s dear daughter. Musa ibn Khazraj donated the whole garden now as a burial ground for the Muslim and surrounding boundaries for the followers of Ali (A.S).

Fatemah Ma’soomah and her companions finally entered the town of Qum on 23rd Rabi ul-Awwal 201 (A.H.) where they were very warmly welcome by the people of the town. The people of Qum were elated to have the daughter of the seventh Imam among them. Musa ibn Khazraj was a rich man with a noble status. He had also a big home and offered Fatemah Ma’soomah to stay at his home and taking the reins led the caravan to his house, excited and happy to be a good host for his guest. He started arranging for all their requirements. Fatemah Ma’soomah chose a place for herself in which to pray and invoke the Almighty Allah. She prayed for her health and the problems she had faced and to ask God for everything she wanted. She wanted help from God only. The place to-date still exists and is known as “BAYT-UN-NOOR”. The sickness of Imam Kadhim’s daughter, made her host and companions and the people of Qum very sad. They left no stone unturned and did their best for her health but her health deteriorated day by day. Her sickness spread in the whole body and finally on the 10th of Rabi ul-Akher this noble lady with tears in her eyes at the thought of her brother, left this perishable world. The people of Qum mourned the affliction of this injured lady. They all sat in mourning.