The Delight of Imam Ar-Redha (a.s)
Imam Sadiq Online Seminary congratulates all Muslims, on the 10th of Rajab, the birth anniversary of the light and deputy of Allah (SWT) in the darkness of the earth, the ninth Imam of Shiites, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad (PBUH).
On 10th of Rajab waves of delight and joy overcame Imam ar-Redha (a.s) after the birth of his blessed newborn son. He began saying, “The like of Moses son of Imran, the splitter of the seas, and the like of Jesus son of Mary, blessed be the mother that bore him… has been borne to me.”[3] Imam ar-Redha (a.s) turned to his companions and told them the good news of his newborn son. He said, ‘Allah has granted me one who will inherit me and inherit the children of Dawood….’[4] He told them that that newborn child would be the imam after him.
Glorification
Narrators have narrated of the extent that Imam ar-Redha (a.s) would glorify his son Muhammad al-Jawad. They said that once Abbad bin Isma’eel and ibn Asbaat were with Imam arRedha (a.s) in Mina[5]when Abu Ja’far was brought to his father ar-Redha (a.s). They asked him, “Is this the blessed newborn?” Imam ar-Redha (a.s) became delighted and said, “Yes, this is the newborn that no one in Islam has been born more blessed than him.”[6]
Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Imara said, “Once, I was with Ali bin Ja’far in Medina, where I stayed with him for two years to write down what he had heard from his brother (Imam Musa al-Kadhim) when one day Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali (al-Jawad) (a.s) came into the mosque of the messenger of Allah (a.s). Ali bin Ja’far suddenly jumped without shoes or garment and kissed his hand and glorified him. Imam al-Jawad (a.s) looked at him and said, ‘O uncle, sit down, please! May Allah have mercy on you.’ Ali bin Ja’far bowed respectfully and said, ‘O my master, how can I sit while you are standing?’ Imam al-Jawad (a.s) went away and then Ali bin Ja’far returned to his companions. They began scolding him for glorifying Imam al-Jawad (a.s) who was very young yet. They said to him, ‘You are the uncle of his father, so why did you act in that way with him?’ He answered them with the answer of one who believed in his Lord and religion and who recognized the actual position of the imamate. He said to them, ‘Keep silent! It is Allah Who has not qualified this beard (he caught his beard with his hand) for the imamate and has qualified this young man and placed him in that position according to His will. We seek the protection of Allah from what you say. I am just a slave to him (to Imam al-Jawad).’”[7] Ali bin Ja’far proved that the imamate did not submit to the wish of man or his will but was instead in the hand of Allah, Who chose for it whom He willed from amongst His people, regardless of whether the imam was young or old.
[1] Dala'il al-Imama, 209.
[2] Mukhtasar al-Bihar fee Ahwal al-A’imma by Nooruddeen, a manuscript in the library of Kashiful Ghita’.
[3] Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 12 p.103.
[4] Ibid.,104.
[5] A place near Mecca in Arabia.
[6] Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 12 p.104.
[7] Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 12 p.117, Usool al-Kafi, vol. 1 p.380.