Islam: Faith, Practice & History

(Nora) #1
2. Ma’mūn & Imam at-Taqi (a.s.)

CaliphMa’munar-Rashid,inpursuingthesamepoliciesasmentionedin
the previous lesson, asked that Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s.) be
broughtfromMedinatoBaghdad.Thisjourneytookplacein 204 A.H.,a
year after the death of the eighth Imam.


WhenMa’munmettheyoungImam,hewasimpressedwith thelat-
ter’sknowledge;andheproposedtomarryhisdaughterUmmulFazlto
theImam.Whentheeldersofthe‘Abbasidclanlearnedofthisdecision,
theytriedtochangeMa’mun’sviews:theyremindedhimofdangersin
promotingthedecendantsof‘Ali,andthepossiblelossofpower.Realiz-
ing that their words had no effect on Ma’mun, they finally said,
“Althoughyouareimpressedbythischild;butheisstillachild.Waittill
hegrowsupandgetseducated,thenyoumaymarryyour daughterto
him.”


Ma’mun:“Woeuntoyou!Iknowthischildbetterthanyou;hecomes
fromafamilywhichisbestowedwithknowledgebyGod.Hisancestors
wereneverinneedofknowledgeandcharacterfromothers.Ifyouwish,
you may examine him.”


Theeldersof the‘Abbasidagreedto examinehim.They approached
Yahya bin Aktham, the chief judge (qazi) of the ‘Abbasid court, and
asked himto prepare somedifficult questions which the Imam would
not be able to answer.


Atanappointedtime,themeetingbetweenImamMuhammadat-Taqi
(a.s.)andYahyabinAkthamtookplaceinthepresenceofMa’munand
the elders of the ‘Abbasid clan.


Aftertheformalities,Yahyaasked:“Whatisyourviewaboutaperson
whohuntswhileheisintheihram?”(Ihrammeanspilgrim’sgarment;a
person inihramis not allowed to hunt.)


Imam at-Taqi: “This question has many facets:
“Was the person outside the boundary of the holy territory or inside?
“Didheknowthatitwasforbiddentohuntwhileinihrāmorhedid
not?
“Did he do it intentionally or was it an accident?

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