Imam Ali b. al-Husayn al-Sajjad (a): Difference between revisions

| bodyclass   = vcard

| above       = 'Ali b. al-Husayn<br /> <small>[[List of Imams|4th]] [[Imam]] of [[Shi'a]]</small>

| image       = [[file:Baqi'.jpeg|frameless|center]]

| header2     =

| header3     =

|label10   = Cause of Death

|data10         = Death by Poisoning

|label12       = Predecessor

|data12         = [[Husayn b. 'Ali]]

|label12         = Successor

|data12         = [[Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Baqir]]

|label13         = Father

|data13         = [[Husayn b. 'Ali]]

|data15=

|data16=

|data17= [[Umm 'Abd Allah]]

|data18= [[Imam al-Baqir (a)|Muhammad]], [['Abd Allah b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|'Abd Allah]], [[Hasan b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Hasan]], ...

|data19= [[Khadija bt. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Khadija]], [[Fatima bt. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Fatima]], [[Umm Kulthum bt. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Umm Kulthum]], ...

''' ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib''' (Arabic: عَليّ بن الحُسَین بن علي أبي طالب) (b. 38/658 – d. 94/713) known as '''Imam al-Sajjād''' and '''Zayn al-'Abidīn''' is the fourth Imam of Shi'a. The period of his imamate was 34 years. He (a) was present in the [[event of Karbala]] and did not participate in the battle because of sickness and was not martyred. He (a) was taken captive to [[Kufa]] and [[Sham]] together with other captives of [[Karbala]]. His speech at the presence of [[Umayyad caliph]]s created awareness among people about the position of the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]]. After being released, he (a) stayed in [[Medina]] until the end of his life. The [[event of Harra]], [[Tawwabin]] movement and the uprising of [[Mukhtar]] happened at his time, however there is no reliable report of his opinions about them.

''[[Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya]]'' is a compilation of his supplications which reflect the picture of the society that day and the true path of life through the education of the religion and the [[Qur'an]] and purification of souls and connecting souls to [[God]]. ''[[Risalat al-Huquq (Treatise on Rights)|Risalat al-huquq]]'' is his another work which is a short treatise containing duties human being have.

He (a) was poisoned and martyred by the order of [[Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik]]. He (a) was buried in [[Baqi' cemetery]] beside his uncle [[Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a)]].

Zahri said, "I found no of Hashemites greater or more knowledgeable than him in [[fiqh]]." [[Al-Shafi'i]] said, "He (a) was the most knowledgeable in fiqh in [[Medina]]." And Jahiz said, "I saw no one have any doubt about his merits or about his superiority."

His titles are Zayn al-'Abidin, Sayyid al-Sajidin, Sajjad, Hashimi, 'Alawi, Madani, Qurashi and 'Ali Akbar.<ref>Dhahabi, ''Siyar a'lam al-nubala'', vol.4 p.386; Kasrawi, ''Mawsu'a'', vol.3 p.64; 'Asqalani, ''Tahdhib'', vol.7 p.231; Ibn Khallakan, ''Wafayat'', vol.3 p.266</ref> Dhu al-Thafanat is another title of Imam al-Sajjad (a), since the skin of his prostration points of his body [knees, palms and forehead] had become hardened and there were calluses on them like the knees of camels due to praying a lot.<ref>Ibn Khallakan, ''Wafayat'', vol.3 p.274; Mas'udi, ''Muruj al-dhahab'', vol.3 p.160; Tha'alabi, ''Thimar al-qulub'', p.226; Ibn Abi l-Hadid, ''Sharh nahj al-balagha'', vol.10 p.79</ref>

Imam al-Sajjad (a) was also known by other names at his time such as 'Ali al-Khayr, 'Ali al-Asghar and 'Ali al-'Abid.<ref>Ibn Sa'd, ''Tabaqat'', vol.5 p.222; Ibn Abi l-Hadid, ''Sharh nahj al-balagha'', vol.15 p.273</ref>

According to the famous opinion, Imam al-Sajjad (a) was born in 38/658; thus, he (a) has seen a part of [[Imam 'Ali (a)|Imam 'Ali's (a)]] life, the imamate of [[Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a)]] and [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] and [[Mu'awiya]]'s attempt in suppressing [[Shi'a]] in [[Iraq]] and elsewhere. However, in some reports, the age of Imam (a) is mentioned less than what is famous and have mentioned his time of birth about 48/668.<ref>Qadi Nu'man, ''Sharh al-akhbar'', vol.3 p.266</ref> Although, such reports have been mentioned in different sources, but there are evidences which do not let one believe them; such as the fact that famously historians and biographers have mentioned the birth time of Imam (a) 38 AH, which implies that his age in the [[event of Karbala]] was 23 years old.

After narrating from [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] saying, "'Ali b. al-Husayn (a) passed away at the age of 58", the [[Sunni]] narrator of historical reports, Muhammad b. 'Umar Waqidi wrote that, "this report suggests that Imam al-Sajjad (a) was with his father in [[Karbala]] while he (a) was 23 or 24 years old."<ref>Ibn Sa'd, ''Tabaqat'', vol.5 p.222; Ibn Manzur, ''Mukhtasr'', vol.17 p.256; Irbili, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', vol.2 p.191</ref>

Also Zahri said that 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a) was with his father while he was 23 years old.<ref>Ibn Manzur, ''Mukhtasr'', vol.17 p.231</ref>

Imam al-Sajjad (a) was martyred in 94/713 (or 95/714) with a poison given by the order of [[Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik]].<ref>Shabrawi, ''al-Ithaf'', p.143; Mas'udi, ''Muruj al-dhahab'', vol.3 p.160</ref> He (a) was buries in [[Baqi' cemetery]] beside his uncle, [[Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a)]].<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol.2 p.138</ref>

In historical sources, the number of Imam al-Sajjad's (a) children have been counted as 15, 11 of whom were boys and 4 of them were girls.<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', p.380; Ibn Shahr Ashub, ''Manaqib'', vol.4 p.189; Ibn Jawzi, ''Tadhkira l-khawas'', p.332-333</ref>

 

# [[Hasan b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Hasan]]

# [[Husayn Akbar b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Husayn Akbar]]: The mother of 'Abd Allah, Hasan and Husayn Akbar was a maid.

# [['Umar b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|'Umar]]: The mother of Zayd and ‘Umar was a maid.

# [[Husayn Asghar b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Husayn Asghar]]

# [['Abd al-Rahman b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|'Abd al-Rahman]]

# [[Sulayman b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Sulayman]]. The mother of 'Abd Allah, Hasan and Husayn Akbar was a maid.

# [['Ali b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|'Ali]] who was Imam al-Sajjad’s (a) smallest child.

# [[Khadija bt. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Khadija]]; whose mother was also the mother of 'Ali.

# [[Muhammad Asghar b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Muhammad Asghar]] whose mother was also a maid.

# [[Fatima bt. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Fatima]]

# [['Illiyya bt. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|'Illiyya]]

# [[Umm Kulthum bt. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|Umm Kulthum]]. The mother of Fatima, 'Illiyya and Umm Kulthum was a maid.<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', p.155</ref>

[[Imamate]] of Imam al-Sajjad (a) began after the martyrdom of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] in 61/681 and continued until his own martyrdom in 94 or 95 AH.

According to references [[Shi'a]] [[hadith]] scholars have narrated in hadith references, Imam al-Sajjad (a) was the successor of his father al-Husayn b. 'Ali (a).<ref>Kulayni, ''al-Kafi'', vol.1 p.188-189</ref> [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] mentioned his superiority in knowledge and practice over others after his father as the proof for his imamate.<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol.2 p.138</ref>

Also, hadiths narrated from [[the Prophet (s)]] about the names of Imams of Shi'a approve this.<ref>Mufid, ''al-Ikhtisas'', p.211; Tabrisi, ''I'lam al-wara'', vol.2 p.181-182; 'Amili, ''Ithbat al-huda'', vol.2 p.285</ref>

Moreover, according to Shi'a references, there was a tradition that belongings of the Prophet (s) such as his sword and armor would be with the rightful Imam (a) of the time,<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol.2 p.139</ref> and it is even mentioned in Sunni references that Imam al-Sajjad (a) kept them with himself.<ref>Ibn Sa'd, ''Tabaqat'', vol.1 p.486-488</ref>

# [['Abd Allah b. Zubayr]] (61/681–73/692) who was the independent ruler of [[Mecca]]

# [[Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik]] (86/705715– 96/)<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', p.254; Majlisi, ''Bihar al-anwar'', vol.46 p.12</ref>

In the event of Karbala and on the day [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] and his companions were martyred, Imam al-Sajjad (a) was severely sick so that in some cases when they wanted to kill him, some said, "This sickness is enough for him."<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol.2 p.113; Tabrisi, ''I'lam al-wara'', vol.1 p.469 </ref>

After the tragedy of [[Karbala]], they captured the family of Imam al-Husayn (a) and took them to [[Kufa]] and [[Sham]]. Upon taking them from Karbala to Kufa, they put Jami'a [hand-to-neck chains] on him and since he was sick and could not keep sitting on the back of the camel, they fastened his feet under the belly of the camel.<ref>Tusi, ''Amali'', vol.1 p.90; Khwarazmi, ''Maqtal'', vol.2 p.40</ref>

Some accounts say that Imam al-Sajjad (a) gave a speech in Kufa, but it is hard to accept that due to restricted situation in Kufa, cruelty of government agents, the fear of the people of Kufa from them and their unsupportive manner. Moreover, the sentences narrated from him in his speech in Kufa are similar to those he (a) said in his speech in the [[mosque of Damascus]] and it is possible that some narrators have mixed them up.<ref>Shadidi, ''Zindigani 'Ali b. al-Husayn'', p.56-57</ref>

In any case, [[Ibn Ziyad]] kept Imam al-Sajjad (a) and other captives of Karbala in prison and wrote a letter to Sham and asked [[Yazid b. Mu'awiya|Yazid]] what to do with them. Yazid replied and ordered him to send captives and the heads of the martyrs of Karbala to Sham. Ibn Ziyad put shackles on Imam's (a) neck and sent him and other captives with [[Muhaffar b. Tha'laba]] to [[Damascus]].<ref>Tabari, ''Tarikh al-rusul wa l-muluk'', vol.7 p.375</ref>

Imam al-Sajjad (a) gave a speech in the mosque of Sham and introduced himself, his father, and his grandfather to people and told the people of Sham that what Yazid and his agents have propagated are not true. His father was not a rebel and did not want to disturb Muslim community and make mischief in Islamic lands. He (a) rose for truth and by invitation of Muslims to remove deviations brought up in religion and bring the simplicity and purity it had at the time of his great grandfather.<ref>Shadidi, ''Zindigani 'Ali b. al-Husayn'', p.75</ref>

Imam (a) lived thirty four years after the [[event of Karbala]] and always made efforts to keep the memory of the martyrs of [[Karbala]] alive.

Whenever he (a) drank water, he remembered his father and wept on the hardships of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]]. It is mentioned in a narration from [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] that, "Imam Zayn al-'Abidin (a) wept forty years upon his honorable father, while he (a) was fasting the days and praying the nights. At the time of breaking his fasting when his servant took food and water for him, he (a) said, '[grand]son of [[the Prophet (s)]] was martyred hungry! [grand]son of the Prophet (s) was martyred thirsty!' He (a) frequently repeated this and wept so that his tears were mixed with his food and drink. He (a) was in such a state until when he (a) passed away."<ref>Majlisi, ''Bihar al-anwar'', vol.45 p.149; Sayyid b. Tawus, ''al-Luhuf'', p.290; Qummi, ''Nafas al-mahmum'', vol.1 p.794</ref>

== Significant Contemporary Uprisings ==

In the heat of the event of Harra, [[Marwan|Marwan b. Hakam]] who was an enemy of the [[Ahl al-Bayt (s)]] went to [['Abd Allah b. 'Umar]] and asked him to guard his family with his, but 'Abd Allah did not accept. Whe Marwan became disappointed with his support, he went to Imam al-Sajjad (a). Imam (a) accepted his request with great benevolence and sent Marwan's family together his own family to [[Yanba']] (a spring near [[Medina]] on the right side of [[Radwa mountain]]).<ref>Shadidi, ''Zindigani 'Ali b. al-Husayn'', p.83</ref>

In this event, Imam (a) accepted the responsibility of guarding 400 families and paid all their expenses while the army of Muslim b. 'Aqaba (the commander of Yazid's army in the event of Harra) was in Medina.<ref>Irbili, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', vol.2 p.107</ref>

Tawwabin movement was another movement after the [[event of Karbala]], the leader of which was [[Sulayman b. Surad Khuza'i]] together with some other distinguished [[Shi'a]] personalities of [[Kufa]]. In general, Tawwabin were about to hand the leadership of the society to the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] in case they could win and obviously there was no one from the progeny of [[Lady Fatima (a)|Fatima (a)]] except 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a). However, there was no political relationship between Imam al-Sajjad (a) and Tawwabin.<ref>Ja'fari, ''Tashayyu' dar masir tarikh'', p.286</ref>

Mukhtar's uprising was the third important movement after the event of Karbala, about the relation of Imam al-Sajjad (a) and this movement there are some doubts. This relation not only has some political problems, but it also has some problems regarding ideological aspects (following [[Muhammad b. Hanafiyya]]). It is said that after [[Mukhtar]] succeeded to attract Shi'a to himself in Kufa, he asked Imam al-Sajjad (a) for help but Imam (a) did not face him with open arms.<ref>Kashshi, ''Rijal'', p.126; Tusi, ''Ikhtiyar'', p.126</ref>

[[Malik b. Anas]] said, "Ali b. al-Husayn (a) made a thousand Rak'a prayer during everyday before he (a) passed away. Thus, he (a) was called Zayn al-'Abidin."<ref>Dhahabi, ''al-'ibar'', vol.1 p.83</ref>

Ibn 'Abd Rabbih wrote, "When 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a) became ready for prayer, he (a) would strangely tremble. He (a) was asked about it and said, 'woe betide you! Do you know whom I am going to stand in front of and before whom I am going to pray?'"<ref>Dhahabi, ''Siyar a'lam al-nubala'', vol.4 p.392; Ibn 'Abd Rabbih, ''al-'Iqd al-farid'', vol.3 p.169</ref>

Malik b. Anas said, "When 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a) put on [[Ihram]] and said Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk, he went unconscious and fell from his conveyance."<ref>Dhahabi, ''Siyar a'lam al-nubala'', vol.4 p.392</ref>

[[Abu Hamza al-Thumali]] said, "Every night 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a) secretly carried some food on his shoulder to the poor and said, 'the charity made at the darkness of the night appeases the wrath of God.'"<ref>Dhahabi, ''Siyar a'lam al-nubala'', vol.4 p.393</ref>

Muhammad b. Ishaq said, "There were people living in [[Medina]] unknowing how their daily provision was provided; and after 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a) passed away, their night food delivery stopped."<ref>Dhahabi, ''Siyar a'lam al-nubala'', vol.4 p.393</ref>

At night, he (a) put baskets of bread on his shoulder and went to the houses of the poor and said, "The charity made secretly appeases the wrath of God." Those baskets had left marks on his shoulders and when they were washing his body after he (a) passed away, they saw those marks.<ref>Isfahani, ''Hilya l-awliya' '', vol.3 p.136; Irbili, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', vol.2 p.77; Ibn Shahr Ashub, ''Manaqib'', vol.4 p.154; Ibn Jawzi, ''Sifat al-safwa'', vol.2 p.54; Saduq, ''Khisal'', p.616; '' 'Ilal al-sharayi' '', p.231</ref> Ibn Sa'd wrote, "When a poor person came to him, he (a) went and give the poor one what he wanted and said, 'before charity reaches the asking one, it reaches God's hand.'"<ref>Ibn Sa'd, ''Tabaqat'', vol.5 p.160</ref>

One year he (a) wanted to go for [[hajj]]. His sister [[Sukayna bt. al-Husayn (a)|Sukayna]] prepared a provision pack for his travel worth a thousand dirham. When he (a) arrived in Harra, they took that provision to him and Imam (a) distributed it among all the poor.<ref>Ibn Jawzi, ''Sifat al-safwa'', vol.2 p.54; Irbili, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', vol.2 p.78</ref>

He (a) has a poor cousin. 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a) went to him at night in a way he did not recognize him and gave him some dinars. His cousin said, " 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a) does not care about his relatives, May [[God]] punish him." Imam (a) heard this and forbore and did not show his face to his cousin. When Imam (a) passed away and nightly donation of that man was stopped, he realized the donator was actually 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a), so he went to Imam's (a) grave and cried.<ref>Irbili, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', vol.2 p.107; Isfahani, ''Hilya l-awliya' '', vol.3 p.140</ref>

Abu Na'im wrote, "He [Imam] (a) twice distributed all his property among the poor and said, 'God loves a repenting faithful servant.'"<ref>Isfahani, ''Hilya l-awliya' '', vol.3 p.136; Ibn Sa'd, ''Tabaqat'', vol.5 p.162</ref> Elsewhere, he wrote, "People regarded him ungenerous and when he (a) passed away, they learned that he (a) provided the expenses of a hundred families.<ref>Ibn Jawzi, ''Sifat al-safwa'', vol.2 p.54; Isfahani, ''Hilya l-awliya' '', vol.3 p.136; Ibn Sa'd, ''Tabaqat'', vol.5 p.164</ref> When a beggar came to him, he (a) said, 'blessed be the one who carries my provision to the hereafter.'"<ref>Isfahani, ''Hilya l-awliya' '', vol.3 p.136; Ibn Shahr Ashub, ''Manaqib'', vol.4 p.154; Irbili, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', vol.2 p.77</ref>

One of the efforts of Imam (a) which was religious and also political was paying attention to slaves; people who were under greatest social pressures especially after the time of the second caliph ([['Umar b. Khattab]]) and especially at the time of [[Umayyad]]s and they were among the most deprived people in the Islamic society in first centuries after Islam.

Like [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] who attracted [[Mawali]] [servants] in [[Iraq]] to himself with his Islamic behavior, Imam al-Sajjad (a) tried to promote social dignity of these people.

Sayyid al-Ahl wrote, "Imam [al-Sajjad] (a) bought slaves while he (a) did not need them. He (a) bought them only to free them. Slaves who saw this intention of Imam (a), they wanted him to buy them. Imam al-Sajjad (a) released them at any time or situation so that many people, like an army of released servants, men and women were seen in [[Medina]] who were all the servants of Imam (a)."<ref>Sayyid al-Ahl, ''Zayn al-'Abidin'', p.7, 47</ref>

[[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] wrote, "Common [Sunni] scholars narrated many sciences from Imam al-Sajjad (a) and many [[supplication]], pieces of advice, [hadiths] in the merit of the [[Qur'an]], [[Halal]] [the permissible] and [[Haram]] [the forbidden], wars and days [of history] are left from him which are known to scholars."<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol.2 p.153</ref>

''Risalat al-Huquq'' is one of the works attributed to Imam al-Sajjad (a). In this treatise, fifty one different rights (or fifty according to some versions) are listed. This treatise has been translated to Persian and English.

== Words of Great Sunni Scholars about Imam (a) ==

Muhammad b. Muslim Zuhri: "I found no [[Hashemite]] greater or more knowledgeable than him in fiqh."<ref>Dhahabi, ''Tadhkira'', vol.1 p.75; Ibn Kathir, ''al-Bidaya wa l-nihaya'', vol.9 p.124</ref>

[[Shafi'i]] said, "He (a) was the most knowledgeable in [[fiqh]] in [[Medina]]."<ref>Ibn Abi l-Hadid, ''Sharh nahj al-balagha'', vol.15 p.274</ref>

[[Jahiz]] said, "I saw no one have any doubt about his merits or about his superiority."<ref>Ibn 'Inaba, '' 'Umda al-talib'', p.194</ref>

{{reflist|20em}}

* Dhahabi, Shams al-Din al-. ''Siyar a'lam al-nubala''. Egept: Dar al-Ma'arif

* Dhahabi, Muhammad al-. ''Tadhkira l-huffaz''. Beirut: Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi

* Ibn 'Inaba, '' 'Umdat al-talib fi insab al Abi Talib''. Najaf: Manshurat al-Matba'a l-Haydari, 1380-1961

* Ibn Jawzi, Abu l-Faraj. ''Sifat al-safwa''. Beirut: Dar al-Ma'rifa.

* Ibn Kathir, Isma'il b. 'Umar. ''Al-Bidaya wa al-nihaya''. Beirut: Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi, 1408-1988

* Ibn Khallakan, Ahmad b. Muhammad. ''Wafayat al-a'yan wa anba' abna' al-zaman''. Cairo: Maktaba l-Nihda.

* Ibn Shahr Ashub, Muhammad b, 'Ali. ''Manaqib''. Qom: 'Allama

* Abu Nu'am al-Isfahani, Ahmad. ''Hilya al-awlia' ''. Cairo: 1351/1933

* Mufid, Muhammad b. Muhammad al-. ''Al-Irshad fi ma'rifa hujaj Allah 'ala al-'ibad ''. Qom: Al-Mu'tamar al-'Alami li al-Shaykh al-Mufid, 1413

* Dhahabi, Muhammad b. Ahmad. ''Al-'Ibar fi khabar''.

* Hurr al-'Amili, Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-, ''Ithbat al-hudat bi al-nusus wa al-mu'jizat''. Beirut: Mu'assisa a'lami

* Ibn Jawzi, ''Tadhkirat l-khawas min al-umma''.

* Ibn Manzur, Muhammad. ''Mukhtasr tarikh dimashq''.

* Kasrawi, Hasan. ''Mawsu'a rijal al-kutub al-tis'a''.

* Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir al-. ''Bihar al-anwar li durar akhbar al-a'imma al-athar''.

* Qadi Nu'man, ''Sharh al-akhbar fi fada'il a'immat al-athar''.

* Qummi, 'Abbas. ''Nafas al-mahmum''.

* Saduq, Muhammad b. 'Ali b. Babiwayh al-. ''Khisal''.

* Sayyid b. Tawus. ''Al-Luhuf''.

* Shabrawi. ''Al-Ithaf''.

* [[al-Shaykh al-Mufid]], [http://www.al-islam.org/articles/imam-ali-ibn-al-husayn-shaykh-al-mufid '' Imam Ali Ibn al Husayn (as)''], Translated by I.K.A Howard, Published by Tahrike Tarsile Quran.