Biography of Imam Muhammad Bin Ali (a.s.)(al-taqi)

Imam's Marriage Ummul Fazl

TO MAMOON'S DAUGHTER

After Kazi Yahya Bin Aksam's shameful defeat, Bani Abbasi had no choice but accept Mamoon's proposal to make Imam Muhammad Taqi (A.S.) his son-in-law.

A grand-scale marriage ceremony was arranged. First Imam Taqi (A.S.) read the 'Nikah'. He fixed "marriage-price" (Mahar) of 500 dirhams, following the example of the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) who had fixed 'Mahar' of Hazrat Fatima (A.S.) at 500 dirhams.

After the "Nikah" ceremony, everybody who was present had his beard perfumed.

Expensive gifts of gold and bags of money were given out by Mamoon in honour of this marriage. This occasion has been described in some details by Sheikh Mufid in Al-Irshad from where I now quote:

"… Three trays of silver were brought. On them were nuggets of musk and kneaded saffron. N the middle of nuggets were pieces of parchment on which was written considerable wealth, annual income and estates.

Al-Mamun ordered them to be scattered among the courtiers… Bags containing ten thousand dirhams were put down and their contents scattered among the military leaders and others. The people departed and they were rich as a result of the gifts and salaries…"

IMAM'S MARRIED LIFE

People had expected that after his marriage to the princess of the land, the youthful Imam would lead a life of luxury and comfort in a palace of his own or that of Mamoon. Imam (A.S.) proved them wrong. He rented his own apartment with meager furnishing and continued living a simple life, like he had done before his marriage.

His way of life remained unchanged. One of his friends narrates that he paid the Imam (A.S.) a visit after the latter's marriage. He was surprised to see that the Imam's living habits had remained totally unchanged although he was now the son-in-law of the Caliph.

In the meanwhile, the friend became thirstyu but he was too nervous to ask for water. The Imam (A.S.) asked his servant to bring water. The servant took his own time. The Imam (A.S.) went himself to bring water and thus served his friend personally.

His wife Ummul Fazl who had been brought up as a princess found this simple and humble life unbearable. She became a continuous source of trouble for the Imam (A.S.).

Her anger and jealousy knew no limits when the Imam married a Nubian slave- maid called Sumannah. Ummul Fazl went to her father Mamoon and complained about the Imam (A.S.).

Mamoon at that time was drunk. He armed himself with a sword and accompanied by his servants He broke into the Imam's bedroom and attacked the sleeping Imam leaving the bedroom only after he was sure that he had cut the Imam into pieces.

Next day, when he was informed of what he had done on (he previous night, Mamoon was sorry for his actions and sent his special servant Yasir to the Imam's house to inquire about the Imam's condition.

To his bewilderment, Yasir saw the imam (A.S) safe and sound, brushing his teeth! Yasir went back informed Mamoon that the Imam was well. Mamoon a bag containing 20,000 dinars to the Imam with Yasir.

Yasir then requested the Imam (A.S) to give him the shirt that he was wearing! The Imam (A.S) removed his shirt for Yasir who saw that there was not even a single scratch on the Imam's body.

Smilingly, the Imam (A.S.) asked Yasir if this was Mamoon's idea and was linked with the previous night's event. Yasir replied that he was now acting on his own and that Mamoon was truly sorry for what he had done the previous night.

In the meantime, Mamoon, too, came to Imam (A.S.) to apologise for his misbehaviour He gave the Imam (A.S) as a gift the sword that he had used against the Imam (A.S.) and the horse on which he rode to go to the Imam's house to kill him. On the other hand the Imam (A.S.) made Mamoon promise never to use liquor again.

Mamoon then warned his daughter never to complain to him about the Imam (A.S.) or else he would never see or talk with her.

A year after his marriage to Ummul Fazl, Imam (A.S.) returned to Medina. Ummul-Fazle came with him but kept on writing letters to her father complaining that the Imam (.A.S.) had married another woman.

Mamoon's reply was, "I did not give you in marriage to Abu Jaffer so that ! should make for him Haram (Forbidden) what Allah has made Halal (Legitimate)."

In Medina, Imam's main job was to serve Islam, One of" his greatest achievements was to weaken the Waqifia Movement which had been formed on the death of Imam Musa Kazim (A.S ) and which had been a cause of serious trouble to Imam Reza (A.S.). Because of Imam Taqi's efforts Waqifia Movement was no more a threat to Islam.

Scholars from all over the world would come to learn from in various branches of knowledge such as philosophy, literature and jurisprudence and then go back to their countries to benefit others with what they had learnt from the Imam (A.S,).

Imam Taqi (A..S.) continued services to Islam came to a sudden end in 217 A H when Mamoon died at a town near Tarsus in Cilicia where he was on an expedition against the Byzantine Roman Emperor.

Mamoon's brother Muttasim became the successor of Mamoon and the new Caliph of the Muslims. He was known for his hatred towards Imam Reza (A.S.) and he equally Imam Muhammad Taqi (A S.) He wrote instructions to the governor of Medina to send Imam Taqi (A.S.) Ummul Fazil to Baghdad immediately.

This was in AH 218. When in Baghdad the Imam was put under house arrest. Ummul-Fazl's complaints against the gave Mutassim a good excuse to harass the Imam.

Life for the Imam (A.S) became so difficult that in the last days of his life, on every Friday when he came back from the he would pray to Allah saying, "O my Lord! If my salvation from the oppression of this world lies in my death, then hasten it from this very moment."

The Imam (A.S.) finally left this world on 29 Zilqaad AH 220 after being poisoned by Ummul-Fazl through the instigation of Muttasim, her uncle and the Caliph of the time.

"From Allah do we come and to him shall we return."