Ali Ibn Muhammad al-Hadi ( an-Naqi)
- (Peace be Upon him)
-
- Name: Ali
- Title: al-Hadi or and - Naqi
Agnomen: Abn'l-Hasan
Father's name: Muhammad al-Jawed( at-Taqi)
Mother's name: sumanah
Birth: In Suryah ( in the environs of Medina) ' on Friday' 2nd Rajab' 212 AH
Death: Died at the age of 42 ' in Samarra' , on Monday, 26th Jumada th-thaniyah 254 AH;
poisoned by al-Mu'tazz, the ' Abbasid caliph; buried in Samarra' ; North of
Baghdad ( Iraq)
- The Tenth Holy Imam, like his father, was
also elevated to the rank of Imam in his childhood. He was six years old when his father
Imam Muhammad al-Jawad died. After the death of al-Ma'mun' al-Mu`tasim succeeded him, and
was later followed by the caliph al-Wathiq. In the first five years of the reign of
al-Wathiq, Imam ` Ali al-Hadi (an - Naqi) lived peacefully. After al-Wathiq, al-Mutawakkil
came to power. Being too occupied in state affairs' al-Mutawakkil did not get any time to
harass the Imam and his followers for four years. But as soon as he freed himself from
state affairs' he started to molest the Imam. The Holy Imam devoted himself to the sacred
mission of preaching in Medina and did thus earn the faith of the people as well as their
allegiance and recognition of his great knowledge and attributes. This reputation of the
Imam evoked the jealousy and malice of al-Mutawakkil against him.
- The governor of Medina wrote to
al-Mutawakkil that Imam `Ali al-Hadi had been maneuvering a coup against the government
and a multitude of shi'ites were pledged to his support. although enraged by this news
al-Mutawkkil still preferred the diplomacy of not arresting the Holy Imam" Under the
garb of pretended respect and love towards the Imam, he planned to put him under life
imprisonment after inviting him to his palace. prior to his imprisonment, in a series of
correspondence with the Imam , he expressed the view that he was convinced of all the
claims of the Imam and was ready to settle them amicably. He wrote to the Imam that having
been acquainted with his great personality, his matchless knowledge and his peerless
attributes, he was impatiently looking forward to the honour of seeing him, and he most
cordially invited him to Samarra'.
- Although the Imam was well aware of
al-Mutawakkil's treacherous intentions, he anticipating the fatal consequences of refusing
the offer, reluctantly decided to leave Medina. But when the Imam arrived at Samarra'' and
al-Mutawakkil was informed about it, he took no notice of the Imam's arrival. when asked
about where the Imam should stay, he ordered that the Imam should be put up in the inn
meant for beggars, destitutes and homeless people. al-Mutawakkil who was a deadly enemy of
the Ahlu'l-Bayt, removed the Imam from this inn and entrusted him to the custody of a
stone-hearted brute named zurafah. But , by the grace of Allah, his enmity was, in a short
time, transformaed into love and devotion for the Imam. when al-Mutawakkil learnt about
it, he shifted the Imam into the custody of another cruel man called Sa`id. The Imam
remained under his strict vigilance for a number of years, during which he was subjected
to boundless tortures. But even in this miserable imprisonment, the Imam kept devoting
himself at all times to the worship of Allah, The watchman of the prison used to comment
that Imam` Ali al-Hadi seemed to be an angel in human grab.
- When Fath ibn Khaqan become the vizier of
al-Mutawakkil, he being a shi`ah could not stand the idea of the Imam's captivity. He
endeavourd to have him released from imprisonment and arranged for his comfortable
residence in a personally purchased house at Samarra'. Still al-Mutawakkil could hardly
refrain from his antagonism to the Imam and he appointed spies to watch the Imam and his
connections. but , through all these attempts, his hope of creating some fabrication to
prove the Imam's activity against himself could not be realized. In the time of
al-Mutawakkil there was a woman named Zaynab who claimed to be a descendant of Imam Husayn
al-Mutawakkil sought the confirmation of Zaynab's claim from the Imam and said: "
That as the beasts are prohibited to eat the flash of the descendants of Imam Husayn he
would throw Zaynab to the beasts and test her claim." On hearing this , Zaynab began
to tremble and confessed that she was a fake. al-Mutawakkil then ordered the Imam to be
thrown to the beasts to test the claim.
- To his great surprise, he witnessed the
beasts prostrating their heads before the Imam. once al-Mutawakkil happened to suffer from
a serious malady which was eventually declared incurable by his physician, When the Imam
was approached for some a spontaneous cure. Once al-Mutawakkil was informed that the Imam
was preparing a revolt against him. Thereupon, he ordered a detachment of the army to
launch a raid on the Imam's residence . When the soldiers entered his house, they found
him sitting on a mat, reciting the Holy Qur'an. Not only al-Mutawakkil, but his
successors' opposition to the Imam was fierce. After the death of al-Mutawakkil,
al-Mustansir, al-musta`in and al-Mu`tazz carried on the some mission of harassment against
the family of the Imam. al-Mu`tazz, understanding the uncontrollable and intense devotion
of the people towards the Imam, eventually contrived the Imam's assassination. He got him
poisoned through an ambassador which resulted in the Imam's death within a few hours . The
martyrdom occurred on 26th Jumada' th -thaniyah 254 AH, and his funeral prayer was
conducted by his son, Imam Hasan al-` Askari. The Imam was only forty - two years old at
the time of death . the period of his Imamate was thirty- five years. He was buried in
Samarra`, Iraq.
- al-Imam al-Hadi, peace be Upon him, said to
al-Mutawakkil,the `Abbasid caliph:
- Do not expect honesty and purity of
intention from someone who has suffered from your malice; do not expect loyalty from one
to whom you have been disloyal do not expect goodwill from someone whom you regard with
ill-will : his heart towards you is the some as your heart towards him.
(A Brief History of The Fourteen Infallibles, p.
151-154)