Muhammad b. Ali al-Jawad (a.s)
Muhammad b. Ali al-Jawad (a.s) is the ninth Shi’a Imam.
His father was Imam Ali b. Musa al-Ridha (a.s) and his mother was a woman called Sabika.
Imam al-Jawad (a.s) was born in Medina on the 10th of Rajab 195/811. Believed to be Imam Ali b. Musa al-Ridha’s (a.s) only child, he assumed the position of Imamate before reaching eight years of age, after his father Imam Ali b. Musa al-Ridha (a.s) was killed.
Imam al-Jawad (a.s) Imamate was contemporary to the reign of the Abbasid rulers al-Ma’mun and al-Mu‘tasim. Al-Ma’mun, who met Imam al-Jawad (a.s) and was very impressed by his knowledge and wisdom at a very young age, insisted that Imam al-Jawad (a.s) marry his daughter Umm al-Fadl.
After the death of al-Ma’mun, his brother al-Mu‘tasim became the ruler of the Abbasid empire. He was very jealous of the young Imam al-Jawad (a.s) who was able to win the hearts and minds of all whom he met through his knowledge, manners and wisdom.Al-Mu‘tasim summoned Imam al-Jawad (a.s) from Medina to Baghdad to constantly monitor him. Less than a year after Imam al-Jawad’s (a.s) arrival in Baghdad, he passed away at the age of 25.