Imam Jawad (AS) is the ninth Shiite Imam. His father is Imam Reza (AS), and his mother’s name is Sabikah. His original name is “Muhammad,” but his epithet is “Jawad,” meaning “a very generous person.” He was born on 195 H (810 AC) in Medina. (1)
Generally, Shiite Imams carried prestige among their tribe and were respected by everyone. Many Shias believed that Imams were merely knowledgeable people who gained their knowledge only from their ancestors and they were not extraordinary. However, the imamate of Imam Jawad (AS) made all the Shias think differently and change their minds. He was only eight years old, when his father, Imam Reza (AS), was martyred. According to hadiths, the earth cannot be without an Imam. Accordingly, Imam Reza (AS) said:
The earth cannot be without any of us, Imams, whether he is known by the people or hidden from them. (2)
Shias didn’t know who would be their leader after Imam Reza (AS). But, he introduced Imam Jawad (AS) as his successor (3) and showed the Shias that “Imam” was not an ordinary person and he could be the leader of the whole Shias despite being young.
The hadiths suggest various signs for Imams so that we can differentiate between the truly chosen Imams by Allah and impostors. One of the most significant signs is that he is the most knowledgeable person of his time.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) said:
Do not try to teach something to Ahlul Bayt because they are far more knowledgeable than you. (4)
Regarding this, Imam Sadiq (AS) acknowledged:
Indeed Ali (AS) was a knowledgeable person whose knowledge will be passed to his successors and no knowledgeable person (an Imam) dies except to leave their knowledge to someone else. (5)
He also said:
The successor of an Imam attains the knowledge of the previous Imam in the last moment of his life. (6)
Ma’mun was one of the Abbasid Caliphs who lived during the same period as Imam Reza (AS) and Imam Jawad (AS). During his caliphate, the Shia population increased dramatically which intimidated him. Due to this fact, he lied that Imam Reza (AS) was his successor and led people to believe that he was not an enemy of Shiite Imams. But at last, he killed Imam Reza (AS). After Imam Reza (AS), Imam Jawad (AS) was his most important enemy. He made Imam Jawad (AS) marry his daughter so that he could deceive people longer.
Many of the Abbasid royalties were against Ma’mun’s decision, as they believed that the boy was too young and he wasn’t a knowledgeable person. Ma’mun proposed that they should test the knowledge of Imam Javad (AS), in order to show everyone how extraordinary he is. Imam Javad (AS) was only nine years old at that time.
One of the most knowledgeable religious scholars in those times, Yahya ibn Aktham, volunteered to have a discussion and debate with Imam Javad (AS).
During the discussion, Yahya ibn Aktham asked Imam Javad (AS) about a person who has killed an animal while making Hajj; what should he do? (During the Hajj ceremony, it is forbidden for the pilgrims to kill any creature).
Imam Jawad (AS) said that it depends: Did he kill it in Mecca or outside of it? Did he know about this law or not? Has he done it intentionally or unintentionally? Was he free or was he a slave? Was it his first time? Was it a bird or something else? Was it a small animal or a big one? Is he ashamed of what he did or not? Did he do it at night or during the day? Was it Umrah (a special type of Hajj) or regular Hajj?
Yahya was so surprised that he couldn’t answer the twelve questions of Imam Jawad (AS), but instead, Imam Javad (AS) answered them one by one and explained the rules to everyone.
Ma’mun told people that “Now do you see what I was telling you?” (7)
During another session, Yahya asked Imam Jawad (AS) about a hadith from the Prophet (PBUH & HP) that Sunni narrators had recorded. The hadith said “Once Gabriel came to the Prophet (PBUH & HP) and told him ‘O Muhammad! Allah told you to inform Abu-Bakr that I am satisfied with him. Is he satisfied as well?” Yahya questioned Imam Javad (AS) about the authenticity of this hadith.
Imam Jawad (AS) said, “I do not deny the privileges of Abu-Bakr … but this hadith is contrary to the verses of the Quran.” Imam Javad (AS) stated he wouldn’t deny the privileges of Abu-Bakr because he was surrounded by Sunnis and it was so dangerous for him to speak out against Abu-Bakr.
Then he said, “The holy Quran says
‘Surely We have created man, and We know the promptings of his heart, and We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein.’ (50:16)
Then why should Allah ask Abu-Bakr whether he is satisfied with him or not while Allah already knows it?”
Yahya referred to another hadith that claims Abu-Bakr and Umar on the earth are like Gabriel and Michael in the skies.
Imam Javad (AS) said “This hadith cannot be accepted as well, because Gabriel and Michael never worshiped anyone except Allah, while Abu-Bakr and Umar spent most of their lives as polytheists and worshippers of idols.”
Yahya added that Abu-Bakr and Umar are the lords of the elderly in Paradise.
Imam Javad (AS) stated that it is impossible as people in Paradise are all young not old. Umayyad dynasty made this fake hadith because they didn’t like the authentic one narrated by the Prophet (PBUH & HP) that reads, “Hassan (AS) and Hussain (AS) are the lords of young people in Paradise.” (8)
Yahya said it also has been narrated that Umar is the one who illuminates Paradise.
Imam Javad (AS) responded that it is also impossible. Do you think that Paradise is not illuminated by the Angles and Prophets like Adam (AS) and Muhammad (PBUH & HP) but rather by Umar?!
Yahya said it has been claimed that the angels talk with the tongue of Umar.
Imam Jawad (AS) said that he does not deny the privileges of Umar. However, Abu-Bakr was better than Umar as he said, “I have a Satan that sometimes tempts me, so if you see me deviating, stop me.”
Yahya asked many other questions about Abu-Bakr and Umar, and Imam Javad (AS) answered them all. (9)
Not only Imam Javad (AS) did not fail to answer the questions, but also, he posed more questions that even the most knowledgeable scholars felt incapable of disputing with Imam Javad (AS). These debates happened when Imam Javad (AS) was only 8 or 9 years old.
As it might be apparent, Shiite Imams were extraordinarily knowledgeable, and their knowledge was given to them by God not by learning in classes and the like. They were the most knowledgeable individuals in their era regardless of their age.
Resources
- I’lam al-Vara, Sheikh at-Tabarsi, vol.2, pg.91
- Kamal ad-Din, Sheikh Saduq, vol.1, pg.202
- Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.320
- Mu’jam al-Kabir, at-Tabarani, vol.5, pg.166
- Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.221
- Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.275
- Al-Ih’tijaj, at-Tabarsi, vol.2, pg.444
- Sunan al-Kubra, Nasa’i, vol.7, pg.460
- Al-Ih’tijaj, at-Tabarsi, vol.2, pg.446-448
Going through the history of the world, one can realize that women have always played significant roles in society. When men and women accompany each other, and each party plays its own role to the fullest, miracles start to appear. And as we are going to discuss the role of women, it is good to recollect that the patience of a woman in nurturing a child is no different from her patience and tolerance in nurturing and training her husband and her whole family. That is why when a mother is taken away from a family, putting it again together as a healthy family is a hard job.
When Allah wants to give examples of good and bad role models for non-believers and believers in the Quran, he mentions four women:
“Allah cites an example of the faithless: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of our righteous servants, yet they betrayed them. So they did not avail them in any way against Allah … Allah cites an example of the faithful: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, ‘My Lord! Build me a home near You in paradise, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his conduct, and deliver me from the wrongdoing lot.’ And Mary, daughter of Imran, who guarded the chastity of her womb, so We breathed into it of Our spirit. She confirmed the words of her Lord and His Books, and she was one of the obedient.” (66: 10-12) [i]
Now that we have discussed the central role of women in many significant events, we would like to study the role of women in the important event of Karbala, in about 1400 years ago.
When we discuss the role of women as mothers, sisters, wives, or daughters, we never mean to neglect the vital status of women as individuals. Of course, a woman should have a strong, self-built character as an individual to be able to influence and train others and manage different situations.
The fact that faithful women's names who were present while, before and after the event of Karbala have remained in history is due to their characters. They were strong to some point before the day of Ashura and represented their strength and beauty within the hard situations of the day of Ashura and after that.
To be able to represent such an astonishing character, a woman needs to have developed her character in the following dimensions: individual, spiritual, social, political and cultural, while having a high status of knowledge and wisdom at the same time. This type of woman is of the kind who can observe the event of Karbala and see it a blessing from Allah. The famous few words of Lady Zainab (AS) after witnessing all the cruelty and brutality of the enemies of her brother shows it very well: “I did not see anything but beauty.” [1]
When women read about the character of those women who were present in the day Ashura with Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions or women whose names have remained in history for their well-being, they may think that those women were extraordinary and not every woman can be like them. But reading the history and commemorating the events of Karbala is to show us that we can all become astonishing characters, only if we follow the orders of Allah, the Prophet (PBUH & HP) and his household.
An example of those ordinary women whose name has remained in history is Habib Ib Mazahir’s wife. What made her special was the right choice she made based on the teachings of her religion and obeying the commands of her Imam; Imam Hussein (AS). Thus, when her husband tested her by saying that he was not going to join the army of Imam Hussein (AS) as he was an old man, she blamed him and reminded him of the status of the Imam based on what she had learned from the Quran and narrations. [2]
Therefore, all women who read and obey the rulings and advice of the Quran can reach the highest levels of faith and spirituality.
The vital role of mothers in the event of Karbala is to be studied many years before the incident occurred. That is when the soldiers of Imam Hussein (AS) were just born and were being nurtured and trained by their mothers to become great servants of Allah and to recognize the truth from the wrong in a critical situation.
The first one of them was Lady Fatimah (AS), Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH&HP) daughter, who brought up her children in a way to be the greatest leaders of all times.
The second Fatimah that should be mentioned here is Fatimah bint Hizam. She was a knowledgeable and pious woman and a few years after the martyrdom of Lady Fatimah (AS) Imam Ali (AS) married her. She gave birth to four sons, and therefore she was called Ummul-Banin (Mother of Sons). His eldest son was Abbas ibn Ali (AS); the commander of Imam Hussein (AS) forces. All her four sons were martyred while defending Imam Hussein (AS); the Imam of their time. [3]
The role of those mothers who were present in Karbala and encouraged their sons to fight and defend their Imam should not be neglected. Lady Zainab and Umm-e Wahab are among the most significant ones.
Also, the behavior of Lady Robab, who lost her six months old baby and never mentioned it before her Imam and husband can be an excellent lesson for all the women in the world.
One of the most significant moments when women nag their men is when they feel insecure for any worldly reasons. It is less probable for women to complain to their men when they find them spiritually at risk. In such situations, the faithful woman would find ways of preparing her husband for growth and spiritual improvement where nagging won’t work. But if men put the worldly belongings of a woman at risk, the woman would usually fight against him.
However, in Karbala, Imam Hussein (AS) and his followers gave everything in the way of Allah, including their life. But those specific women who were with them, not only encouraged them to do so, but also supported them and promised to follow their true path after them.
One of these outstanding women was Wahab’s mother; Umm Wahab. Wahab was a Christian and was traveling with his mother and his newlywed. They met Imam Hussein (AS) on the way and were informed of what was going on to the household of the Prophet (PBUH&HP). So Umm Wahab tells him that she will not be satisfied with him until he joins and defends Imam Hussein (AS). Wahab joined Imam’s army and fought until he was martyred. When he was laid in the middle of the battlefield, his mother sat at his body, cleaning blood and dust off his face, where the enemy attacked her, and she was also martyred in the way of Allah. [4]
Such women can be great role models for all women in the world to support their husbands if they find them on the right path or even to guide them to the right path.
In the event of Karbala Lady Zainab (AS) was present as a sister and a mother, while for some specific reasons, she was not accompanied by her husband [ii]. Imam Hussein’s (AS) daughters were also present in Karbala.
The leading roles that they played in the event of Karbala were to encourage and support men to defend their leader, to take care of the sick and the wounded ones, to stay together and take care of women and children.
When they were captured and were being taken from city to city, the women were careful not to let children take any charity from people, as charity is forbidden for the household of the Prophet (PBUH&HP). They also kept reporting the true events that went on in Karbala, and before and after that, to increase the awareness of people about the truth. [5]
When they returned home, they narrated the event of Karbala to the next generations, by giving speeches, saying poems, and mentioning the events wherever they could.
Commemorating the aims of Imam Hussein (AS) in confronting the corrupt rulers of his time was a tradition that started by faithful women of his time, and should be continued to help us realize the true path from the wrong path.
Notes:
[i]The above verses show that in the same way that women can help developing the spirituality of the individuals, the family, and society they can also lead them towards decadence and corruption
[ii] Search history for “Why lady Zainab’s husband was not present in Karbala?”
References
- Bihar Al- Anwar, Vol. 45, p. 116
- Daastaan-e Doustan, Mohammad Mohammadi Eshtehardi, M, vol. 5, p. 20
- umm al Banin
- Nafas ul- Mahmoum, Sheikh Abbas Qomi, p. 146
- women in Karbala
- The Quran
Eid al-Ghadir is one of the most important historical events celebrated by many Muslims on the 18th day of the last Islamic month, Dhu al-Hijjah. Ghadir Khum is the name of a pond near Mecca. It was a place for pilgrims, who had attended the ritual of Hajj, to greet and rest a short while before taking different routes to their homes.
After completing his last pilgrimage, which was the first Muslim’s great gathering -with more than 70 thousand people- in the presence of their leader, the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) arrived at Ghadir Khum on the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah where he received another revelation from God saying:
“O, Apostle! Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord, and if you do not, you will not have delivered His message, and Allah shall protect you from the people. Indeed Allah does not guide the faithless lot” (5:67)
Allah in this verse commanded the Prophet (PBUH&HP) to clarify what had been previously revealed regarding Ali (AS) [i] and told him not to worry about the reaction of the people in delivering His message, for He would protect His Messenger from them.
Upon receiving the above verse, the caravan stopped in the valley of Ghadir at Prophet’s command. According to some sources, about 12,000 people from Yemen had come to attend that year’s Hajj, which was known as “The farewell pilgrimage” (Hajj-at-Alvida). Despite the different route that they had to take to their homes, they were asked by prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) to choose the way which passed the place of Ghadir, so that they could be present at the time when the incident of Ghadir was taking place.
Then he sent for all people who had gone ahead to return and waited for those who had fallen behind to arrive and gather. At noon that day, the Prophet (PBUH&HP) performed the prayer in congregation with a great population of people behind him. When the prayer was finished, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) ascended the pulpit his followers had set up from the camel saddles and gave his famous sermon in a loud voice. He started his speech by praising Allah, announced the heart-breaking news of his oncoming death and then stated:
“Verily, I am leaving behind two precious things (thaqalayn) among you: The Book of God (Quran) and my kindred (itrah), my household (Ahl al Bayt), for indeed, the two will never separate until they come back to me by the Pond (of al Kawthar on the Judgement's Day)” [1].
The Prophet (PBUH&HP), in an attempt to remind Muslims of his own authority over them, asked: “Who has more of a right over the believers than their own selves?” Everyone present proclaimed: “Allah and His Prophet know better.”
The Prophet (PBUH&HP) then said: “Allah is my master and I am the master of all the believers, and I have more right and authority over the believers than they have over their own selves.”
Thereupon, he took Imam Ali (AS)’s hand, raised it up and continued:
“Whomsoever I am his leader (Mawla), Ali (AS) is also his leader (Mawla). O’ Allah! Love those who love him (Ali (AS)) and oppose those who oppose him” [2].
The Angel of Revelation, Gabriel, once again descended by the order of Allah and revealed the following verse of the Quran:
“Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam as your religion” (5:3).
This day has been marked in history as a Grand Eid for many Muslims since then. It is also known as the Day of Leadership (Imamate) and Mastership (Wilayat), which is among the critical beliefs of Islam and the axioms of this holy religion.
A large number of Muslims around the world hold special celebrations, congratulate one another on this day and say:
“All praise belongs to Allah who has made us amongst those who hold firm to the Mastership (Wilayat) of the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Muminin) -Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS)- and the Imams” [3].
Notes:
[i] According to the narration of Yawm al-Dar (The Day of invitation to his Home), the Prophet(PBUH) was commissioned in the third year of his prophethood to declare his call to Islam openly. This is clearly stated in the Holy Quran:
وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ.
“Warn the nearest of your kinsfolk” (26:214).
After this, the Prophet(PBUH), invited his close relatives to his uncle Abu Talib’s house, after having their meal, he started to say: O Children of Abd al-Muttalib. I swear to God I know of no one among the Arabs who could have brought anything better than I have brought for you. I have brought for you prosperity here and your future. God has ordered me to invite you to my religion. Who among you will assist me in being my brother, helper, and successor?
No one showed any interest except for Ali (AS) who was the youngest. He rose up, saying: “O Messenger of God. I will be your assistant in this affair.”
The Prophet (PBUH&HP) put his hand around Ali’s neck and said:
إنَّ هَذا أَخِي وَوَصِيِّي وَخَلِيفَتِي فِيكُمْ فَاسْمَعُوا لَهُ وَأَطِيعُوا.
“This brother of mine is my helper, and successor. Listen to him and obey his commands” [4].
References: