On the last day of Dhu’l-Qa’dah 220 AH, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Taqi al-Jawad (عليه السلام) was martyred. He was poisoned by Al-Mu’tasim Bi’llah, the ‘Abbasid ruler. That was only two years and a half after the death of al-Ma’mun, the ‘Abbasid ruler. The Imam (عليه السلام) himself had predicted so when he said, “Relief shall come thirty months after the death of al-Ma’mun.”
In fact, this statement reveals the scope of torture and pain that were suffered by the Imam (عليه السلام) in his life with al-Ma’mun. Hence, the Imam (عليه السلام) regarded his passing away as relief. Similarly, his father, Imam Alī ibn Mūsā ar-Riḍā (عليه السلام), suffered the same pains and hardships when he was appointed as the crown prince. Whenever he returned from the mosque on Fridays, Imam al-Rida (عليه السلام) used to raise his hands to the sky, sweaty and dust-covered, and supplicate to Almighty Allah, saying, “My God, if my death is my relief, then please do hasten the hour of my death.” He, furthermore, was always depressed and miserable until he departed life.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Taqi(عليه السلام) lived for twenty-five years and a few months only. His holy tomb is directly behind the holy tomb of his grandfather, Imam Musa al-Kazim (عليه السلام), in the city of al-Kazimiyyah, Baghdad.