Imam Ali b. Abi Talib (a): Difference between revisions

Imam Ali (a) was martyred in [[40]]/[[661 CE|661]] and was buried secretly at his request.<ref>Thaqafī al-Kūfī, ‘’al-Ghārāt’’, vol. 2, p. 835-837.</ref> The Imam's (a) grave remained hidden for about one century. With the decline of the Umayyad dynasty, the hiddenness of the Imam's grave was no longer necessary.<ref>Ḥakīm, ‘’al-Mufaṣṣal fī tārīkh al-Najaf’’, vol. 2, p. 29.</ref> It is not known for sure when exactly the burial place of the Imam (a) was made known to the people.<ref>Ḥakīm, ‘’al-Mufaṣṣal fī tārīkh al-Najaf’’, vol. 2, p. 29.</ref> The meeting between [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] and [[al-Saffah]], the first Abbasid caliph (r. 131/748 – 136/753) in Kufa during the reign of the latter is suggested by some scholars as the time when the burial place of Imam Ali (a) was disclosed by Imam al-Sadiq (a).<ref>Ḥakīm, ‘’al-Mufaṣṣal fī tārīkh al-Najaf’’, vol. 2, p. 29.</ref> However, other scholars maintain that Imam al-Sadiq (a) revealed the burial place of his forefather during the reign of [[al-Mansur]], the second Abbasid caliph (r. 136/753 – 158/775).<ref>Ḥakīm, ‘’al-Mufaṣṣal fī tārīkh al-Najaf’’, vol. 2, p. 30.</ref> Despite this difference, all agree that it was Imam al-Sadiq (a) who made known the burial place of Imam Ali (a).<ref>Ḥakīm, ‘’al-Mufaṣṣal fī tārīkh al-Najaf’’, vol. 2, p. 31.</ref>