Born
in Madina 5th Rajab 214 Hijri ( 8.9.829 AD). Died in Samarrah,
Iraq 3rd Rajab 254 Hijri ( 1.7.868) aged 40 years. Period
of Imamat 34 years.
The
period of Imamat of our 10th Imam coincided with the decline
of the power of the Abbasid Empire. They were threatened by
the Turks and had to move the Capital from Baghdad to Samarrah.
He was only 6 years old when his father Imam Muhammad Taqi
(AS) was martyred in Baghdad when poisoned by Mu’tasim
Billah Abbasi. Our Imam lived in Madina for the remaining
8 years of the reign of Mu’tasim and 5 years of the
reign of Wathiq Billah. It was when Mutawakkil became caliph
in 236 Hijiri (847 AD) the Imam was called over to the Abbasid
capital Baghdad. Mutawakkil, was the most cruel and deadly
enemy of the Ahlulbayt (AS), who tried to drown the Grave
of Imam Hussain (AS) in Kerbala by diverting the waters of
the Eupheretes River. But by a miracle the river water encircled
the grave and did not go over it in spite of the fact that
the surrounding ground was higher. When the Caliph failed
in his action of drowning the grave he ordered that the whole
area should be turned into farmland but when horses failed
to take the plough over the grave, he realised his folly.
Eventually he left the hallowed ground as it was but as long
as he lived he forbade any pilgrimage to the Shrine of Imam
Hussain (AS). History tells us that pilgrims to the grave
of Sayyidush Shohada (AS) did continue to go in spite of the
danger to their lives. Indeed many were killed on their way
to the Shrine but the enthusiasm to visit the grave never
subsided.
It
was during the reign of Mutawakkil that our 10th Imam was
brought to the presence of the Caliph from Madina to Baghdad.
Yakubi writes in his history of the time that once the raiding
party of soldiers found the Imam on his prayer mat and took
him away to the caliph in the same state. Mutawakkil was engaged
in his nightly drinking and frolics and asked the Imam to
join him. Imam declined replying, “ A liquor such as
that was never yet combined with my flesh and blood”.
The half drunk caliph asked the Imam to read some po. Imam
said that he did not indulge in such habits. But when the
caliph insisted, the Imam recited the following lines (Ibn
Khalikan narrated the story word for word).
“Protected
by valiant warriors they passed the night on the summit of
their mountains but these mountains did not protect them.
After all their power and pomp they had to descend from their
lofty fortresses to the custody of the tombs. O’what
a dreadful change their graves had hardly received them when
a voice heard exclaiming, “ Where are the thrones and
the crowns and the robes of State? Where are now the faces
of the delicate, which were shaded by veils and protected
by curtains. To this the tomb replied. The worms are now revelling
upon these faces. Long were these men eating and drinking,
but now they are eaten by the worms in their turn.”
Many
wept listening to these words uttered by the Imam. Caliph
left the Imam alone for a while, but still kept him under
house arrest. In the end Mutawakkil died in the hands of his
protectors, the Turkish guards, and his son Muntasir became
the next caliph.
Mutawakkil
died in 250 Hijiri and Muntasir Billah assumed the caliphate.
He ruled only 6 months. On his death Musta’een was enthroned.
But soon he was also beheaded and succeeded by Mu’ta’z
Billah. All this time our 10th Imam was either in Madina,
or called by the Caliph to Samarrah where he spent the last
days of his life under house arrest.
Hardships
Suffered by the Imam During This Period
Caliph
Mu’tasim remained preoccupied with war against the Byzantinians
and also with the troubles created by the Abbasids tribesmen
in Baghdad. But he did not harrass the Imam who carried his
responsibilities peacefully. After Mu’tasim,Wathiq Billah
too ,treated the Imam fairly. But later when he was succeeded
by his brother Mutawakkil, son of Mu’tasim, the period
of persecution and tortures began in full scale for the Imam
and for all members of his family. This ruler exceeded all
his predecessors in bearing animosity towards Ahlulbayt.
Our
10th Imam’s main occupation in Madina, whenever he was
left in peace by the Caliphs in Baghdad, was to impart his
knowledge to the people. He attracted pupils in large numbers
from the provinces where adherents of Ahlulbayt were strongest,
namely Iraq, Persia and Egypt. During the Eight years of the
Caliphate of Mu’tasim and throughout the period of Wathik
we do not hear that the Imam was molested. One of the most
famous traditions he is said to have related, that had been
written in the Sahifa by the hand of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS)
at the direction of the Apostle of God, and inherited by the
Imams from generation to generation is related.
It
was that the Prophet had defined faith (Iman) as contained
in the hearts of men, and that their works (A’amal)
confirm it, whereas surrender (Islam) is what tongue expresses
which validates the union. (Masudi,Muruj’l Dhahab.V.vii
p 382).
Although
the person of the Imam was not touched by the tyrannical caliphs
for a while, there was always suspicions about his activities.
Masudi narrates one such occasion when our Imam was called
by Mutawakkil who was not happy about the methods of teachings
in the schools in Madina. Mutawakkil asked the Imam a question.
“What does a descendant of your father have to say in
regard to Al-Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib?” Imam answered,
“What would a descendant of my father say O’Amir,
in regard to a man whose sons required his people to obey,
and who expected his sons to obey God.” Caliph was pleased
with this reply and let the Imam go.”
And
in the same connection Masudi quotes another incident, which
Ibn Khalikan has incorporated in his description of our 10th
Imam Ali Al-Hadi(AS) “Secret information had been given
to Mutawakkil that the Imam had a quantity of arms, books
and other objects for the use of his followers concealed in
his house, and being induced by malicious reports he was led
to believe that the Imam aspired to the Empire. Once Mutawakkil
sent some soldiers of the Turkish guard to break in on him
when he least expected such a visit. They found him quite
alone, locked up in his room, clothed in a hair shirt, his
head covered with a woollen cloak and his face in the direction
of Makka. He was reciting Verses of the Qur’an expressive
of God’s promises and threats, and having no other carpet
between him and the earth than sand and gravel. He was carried
off in that attire, and brought in the depth of the night,
before Mutawakkil. When the caliph asked his captors about
the arms and ammunitions found they said, there was nothing
in the house which presents a threat to the throne. The caliph
was ashamed of his misdeeds and let the Imam go.
During
the Sixteen years of the Imamate, Imam Ali Naqi (AS) had become
famous throughout the Islamic world. Those who loved to learn
the teachings of Ahlulbayt always flocked around him. In the
4th year of Mutawakkil’s reign the Governor of Madina
Abdallah ibn Hakim started harassing the Imam. He sent hostile
reports against him to Baghdad. He wrote to the Caliph that
the Imam was assembling lot of supporters here which could
be a danger to the security of the State. Imam became aware
of this animosity and in order to counteract, he wrote a letter
to Mutawakkil explaining the personal enmity of the Governor
of Madina against him. As a political step Mutawakkil was
quick to dismiss the Governor. At the same time he sent a
regiment under the command of Yahya ibn Harthama who explained
to the Imam in a friendly way that the caliph wished him to
stay in Baghdad for a while. He can then come back to Madina.
The Imam knew well the motives behind this request. He realised
that the polite invitation meant his banishment from his ancestral
city. But to refuse to go was equally impossible for it would
have resulted in forcible departure. Leaving the sacred city
was painful to him as it had been for his respected forefathers,
i.e. the Imam Hussain (AS) in 60 Hijri, Imam Musa ibn Ja’afar
in 170 Hijiri and Imam Ali Al-Reza in 200 Hijri and also of
his father Imam Muhammad Taqi in 220 Hijri. This type of harassment
had almost become a heritage. Mutawakkil’s letter was
respectful to the Imam and the military detachment which was
sent to escort the Imam was actually a deceitful show. So
when the Imam reached Samarrah and the Caliph was informed,
he neither arranged for any reception no for his stay. He
was ordered to be accommodated in the wilderness of the city
with beggars. Although the Ahlulbayt as the descendants of
the Prophet were gladly associated with the poor and the destitute,
and they did not covet luxurious living, Mutawakkil meant
to insult the Imam. The Caliph hhim over to the custody of
his Secretary Razaqi and prohibited his meeting with others.
It was almost a house arrest for the Imam.
It
has been seen during the imprisonment of Imam Musa ibn Ja’afar(AS)
that his moral charm had softened the cruel hearted guards
attitudes towards the Imam. In the same way Razaqi was also
impressed by the greatness of the Imam Ali Naqi (AS) and began
to provide for his comfort. This leniency could not remain
hidden from Mutawakkil who transferred the Imam to the custody
of Sa’id, a cruel and ruthless man in whose imprisonment
he spent twelve years. In spite of all the hardships he had
to suffer there, the Imam passed his time in Ibadah. He prayed
during the night and fasted during the day. Although confined
within the four walls of the house in Samarrah, his fame spread
rapidly throughout the Provinces of Iraq. Every household
in the city of Samarrah seemed to know the whereabouts of
the Imam and somehow they got knowledge of Islam and of Ahlulbayt
from him.
Fadhl
ibn Khaqan, a secret follower of Ahlulbayt , had risen to
the post of Minister in the cabinet of Mutawakkil solely by
virtue of his intellectual and administrative merits. On his
recommendation, Mutawakkil ordered that the Imam’s imprisonment
be changed to a house arrest. He granted him a piece of land
and allowed him to build a house and live there. Sa’id
was directed to keep a close watch over the activities of
the Imam. His house was often searched for subversive activities
but nothiwas ever found.
During
this period too, Imam Ali Naqi (AS) set an admirable example
of trust in God, ignoring all worldly gains. In spite of permanent
residence in Samarrah, the Imam neither made a protest to
the Caliph, nor did he ever ask for any favours. The same
worshipping and hermit-like life that he led during his imprisonment
was passed in this state of house arrest. The tyrant changed
his behaviour but the saint had maintained his own. Even in
such circumstances he was not allowed to live peacefully.
His followers were not allowed to approach him openly to gain
the true Islamic knowledge from the Imam. But he endured all
hardships for the sake of giving knowledge to all who seeked
that from him. Mutawakkil knew that and continued with persecuting
the followers of the Imam.
Another
event of these wretched times was equally painful. Ibn as-Sakkit
of Baghdad, the acknowledged scholar of lexicography and syntax,
was tutor of Mutawakkkil’s son. One day the cruel ruler
asked him: “Are my two sons more respectable than Hasan
and Hussain?” Ibn Sakkit was a true follower of Ahlulbayt.
On this question he could not control his feelings and flatly
replied, “ Not to speak of Hasan and Hussain(AS), Imam
Ali’s slave Qanber is more respectable than both of
your sons”. Hearing these words Mutawakkil was outraged
and ordered that Ibn Sakkit’s tongue should be cut off.
The order was carried out immediately leading to the death
of the most excellent artist of the time and a true follower
of Ahlulbayt. Imam Ali Naqi, was not himself physically connected
with these events, but each of these was a like a blow of
the sword not striking the neck but torturing the soul. Mutawakkil’s
cruelties caused common hatred and even his own children set
their hearts against him. One of them Al-Muntasir, conspired
with his slave Al-Rumi to murder his father while he was asleep
using his own sword, thus the world had a sigh of relief.
The death of the tyrant and the caliphate of al-Muntasir were
proclaimed. After the assuming of power, Al-Mustasir revoked
the unjust orders of his father. The Visiting of the Shrines
of Najef and Karbala were permitted without any restrictions.
The tombs received minor repairs. The Caliph’s conduct
towards Imam Ali Naqi (AS) was also fair. But this Caliph’s
life was short and he died after a brief rule of only six
months. After him, Al-Musta’een too displayed no maltreatment
towards the Imam.
As
stated, Imam Ali Naqi(AS) had built a house in Samarrah and
did not go back to Madina either of his own free will or under
the orders of these rulers. Due to his continued stay there
and the lack of interference by the regime, the students,
thirsty for knowledge, thronged around him to learn the teachings
of Ahlulbayt. This alarmed Al-Mu’taz so much that he
decided to end the sacred life of the Imam. He arranged through
some courtiers to mix poison in his food. The Imam died soon
after eating the poisonous food.
Imam
Ali Naqi’s conduct and moral excellence were the same
as those displayed by each and every member of this sacred
house. Whether in Imprisonment, confinement or freedom, in
every case these sacred souls were engaged in worship and
in helping the poor and the needy. Totally refraining from
desire, greed and wordly ambitions, they lived dignified in
misfortune, dealt fairly even with their foes. To help the
destitute, were the qualities marking their conduct. The same
virtues were reflected in the life of Imam Ali Naqi (AS).
During
imprisonment, the Imam had a grave dug up ready by the side
of his prayer mat. Some visitors expressed concern or surprise.
The Imam explained, “ In order to remember my end I
keep the grave before my eyes.”
The
Imam died in Sarammara, the funeral was attended only by his
son Imam Hasan al Askari who led the funeral prayers and arranged
his burial, laying him to rest in his house.
