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Delay in Imam al-Jawād’s (A.S.) Birth
Among the issues that made Divine trials difficult for the Shi'as in the time of Imam Al-Reza(A.S.) and increased the enemies’ pretext for their opposition with his holiness and perplexed the simple-hearted was that the birth of Imam al-Jawād as his first child took place in the last decade of his noble life, when past forty, namely, over ten years after his Imamate started at the age of 35.
This led some people to find fault with his holiness for not having a successor, and therefore the Imam emphasized that God would give him a child. Kalīm b. ‘Imrān addressed the Imam: “Ask Allāh to grant you a child.” His holiness replied: “I will be given a child, who will be my heir.”
A man asked al-Bazanṭī (one of the Imam’s companions): “Who will be the Imam after your master (Imam al-Riḍā)?” “Ask it from his holiness.” He went to the Imam and asked him. The Imam said, “The Imam (after me) is my son.” Then, he added: “Can anyone say my son while having no son?” After some time, his holiness [Imam] al-Jawād (A.S.) was born.
‘Aqabat b. Ja‘far told Imam al-Reza(A.S): “You have reached such an age but you have no child?” His holiness said, “The possessor of this authority will not die until he sees his successor.”
Another person said to Imam al-Reza(A.S.): “Will your Imamate be handed over to an uncle?” the Imam said, “No.” “What about to a brother?” “No.” said the Imam. The man added: “Then, who will it be given to?” (That is, that you have no son at present.) The Imam answered: “To my son.” However, he did not have a son that day.
The Imam was frequently asked in this regard, and he would say: “Allāh will grant me a son.”
Husayn b. Qiyāmā who was one of the heads of Waqifites, asked Imam al-Reza(A.S.) if he was an Imam. His holiness said, “Yes.” He said, “I take Allāh as witness that you are not an Imam!”
At this moment, Imam al-Reza(A.S.) lowered his head and scratched the ground with his fingers for a long time; then, he raised his head and said, “How did you know that I am not an Imam?” he answered: “I heard from Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) that an Imam is not childless, whereas you have reached such an age and still have no child.”
Again the Imam (A.S.) lowered his head for a longer time than before and then said, “I take Allāh as witness that days and nights will not pass until Allāh will grant me a child.”
The narrator said, “No longer than a year had passed when his holiness Imam al-Jawād (A.S.) was born.”
After the birth of Imam al-Jawād and the fulfillment of his holiness Imam al-Reza (A.S.) prediction (two reasons proving Imam al-Reza (A.S.) Imamate), Ibn Qiyāmā was told: “Is this evidence not sufficient for you?” he admitted and said, “I swear by Allāh that this is a great sign.” However, he used a hadīth as an excuse and refused to retreat from his deviated opinion.
That is why the birth of Imam al-Jawād (A.S.) was very crucial for the Shī‘as; therefore, Imam al-Reza(A.S.) named his son the blessed newborn.
A man called Yaḥyā al-Ṣan‘ānī said, “I entered the presence of Imam al-Reza(A.S.) in Mecca; I saw his holiness peeling off a banana for his son to give it to him. I asked: ‘May I be your ransom! Is he that blessed newborn?’ He said, ‘Yes, O Yaḥyā! This is the newborn that no other newborn has been born in Islam more blessed for the Shi'as than he.”
The author says: “It becomes clear from the questions and the protests concerning the birth of Imam al-Jawād (A.S.) that most of these people were not sufficiently aware of their Imams and their programs in general. Of course, the inappropriate propagation climate of the time was also highly effective in this unawareness, otherwise, according to various traditions, the issue of Imamate of the Imams, their practical programs, even their names were all determined by God and declared by the Holy Prophet (S.A.). Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) said, “The issue of succession (Wasiyya) – Imamate – was revealed to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) in writing, despite the fact that no other issue had been reveled in sealed writing to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) than this, which was handed over to him by Gabriel so as his holiness would convey it to ‘Alī (A.S.) and his children. That writing had some seals and Commander of the Faithful ‘Alī (A.S.) was ordered to break one of the seals and act according to what was enjoined in it; and he did so. Then, Imam al-Ḥasan (A.S.) did as instructed and then handed it over to Imam al-Husayn(A.S.); when he broke the seal, he found it written: ‘Rise up along with a group [of others]; there is no martyrdom for them but with you; and sell your soul to the Almighty and Glorious Allāh.’ His holiness did so, and handed it over to ‘Alī b. al-Husayn(A.S.). When he opened it, he saw it written: ‘Cast your head down, keep silent, sit at home, and worship your God until your death arrives.’ His holiness did so, and handed it over to his son, Muhammad b. ‘Alī (A.S.). When he opened it, it read: ‘Recite ḥadīth to people and give fatwā (legal judgment) and have no fear of anyone except the Almighty and Glorious Allāh, as no one has access to you.’ His holiness did so and then gave it to his son, Ja‘far. When his holiness opened the seal, it was mentioned in it: Recite hadīth to people, give fatwā, spread about your household’s sciences, confirm your noble forefathers, and have no fear of anyone except the Almighty and Glorious Allāh; you are in safety and this will continue for all the Imams until Imam Mahdī (A.S.).
Reference:
Story of the Sun
A Look at Imam al-Reza's Life
Author: Sayyid Muhammad Najafi Yazdi
Translated by: Ahmad Rezwani
Published by: Islamic Research Foundation, Astan Quds Razavi, Mashhad - I.R. Iran
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