wikishia:Featured Article/2017/10

Imam 'Ali b. Muhammad al-Hadi (a), (Arabic: أبوالحسن علي بن محمد الهادي) (b. 212/828 - d. 254/868) was the son of Imam al-Jawad (a) and he was the tenth of the twelve Shi'a Imams. He is also known as al-Naqī (النقي, the pure) and al-Hādī (الهادي, the guide). He was the Imam between 220/835 and 254/868 for a period of thirty-four years.

Many years of the imamate of Imam al-Hadi (a) took place in Samarra under direct surveillance of the rulers of his time. His imamate was contemporary with the rule of some Abbasid caliphs including al-Mutawakkil al-'Abbasi.

Different hadiths are narrated from Imam al-Hadi (a) about ideological issues, interpretation of the Qur'an, fiqh, and ethics. Al-Ziyarah al-Jami'a al-Kabira which includes Shi'a ideological concepts about the Imams, is narrated from Imam al-Hadi (a).

During his imamate, Imam al-Hadi (a) educated students and managed Shi'a affairs. Some of his students and companions included: 'Abd al-'Azim al-Hasani, 'Uthman b. Sa'id, Ayyub b. Nuh, al-Hasan b. Rashid and al-Hasan al-Utrush.

Imam al-Hadi (a) was in contact with his Shi'a through the organization of deputies, the same as the previous Imams (a). During this time, most lovers of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) were living in Iran and Imam al-Hadi (a) opposed Ghulat.

His shrine is in Samarra. The dome and some minarets of his shrine were destroyed by bombing in 2006; and again, in 2008 other minarets of the shrine were also destroyed by another bombing. Read more...