Imam Al-Hadi

Compiled by: Syed Zainul Abideen, Tehran, Iran Name: Ali Title by name: Al Naqi , Al Hadi , Abol Hassan Father: Imam Mohammad Taqi , Al Javad(A.S) Mother: Samanah (S.A) Date of birth: 15th Zilhajj 212 A.H at Medina Period of Imamat: 36 years Date of Martyrdom: 3rd Rajab 254 A.H (Poisoned by Abbasid Khalifa Mo’taz Billah) Age: 42 years (before Imamat 6 years) Cemetery/Tomb: buried at Samarra, North Iraq Imam Ali Naqi (A.S) was a child when his father Imam Mohammad Taqi (A.S) was poisoned by Mo’tasam Billah, the eight Khalifa of the Abbassid dynasty. Prophethood and Imamat are divine positions, which are nominated by God and all the people of the world, cannot elect a prophet or an Imam. Jesus (A.S) declared his prophethood when he was a new born baby in the lap of his mother- it was a miraculous defense of chastity of his mother Mary. Similarly Imam Naqi (A.S) attained Imamat in his childhood, Moreover Imam Mahdi (A.S) led the funeral prayers for his father when he was a child. Imams possess Knowledge inspired by God even in their childhood. Why Imam Naqi (A.S) is renowned as Al Hadi, although all Imams were divine guides? It is said that he converted a staunch enemy of Ali (A.S) as an affectionate friend of him by guiding him with politeness and convincing reasons. Once Motavakkel invited the Imam for a meal and to ridicule him he appointed a magician. When the Imam wanted to eat chicken it flew off. Then the Imam pointed towards a curtain on which there was a picture of lions. The lions became alive and ate the magician and became picture again. Motavakkel asked the Imam to bring the magician back to life. But the Imam replied: you shall never find him again. Do you want that enemies of God should prevail over the dignitaries who love God? Once Motavakkel was suffering from extreme pain from an abscess. All his physicians could not cure him. Motavakkel\'s mother asked Imam Naqi (A.S) to prescribe a medicine for her son the prescription of Imam was ridiculed by the court’s physicians but khalifa’s mother preferred that medicine and applied on the abscess, it immediately opened and expelled out all its pus. The khalifa was relieved of its pain and he sent a sealed bag of coins for the Imam. Later on, the physicians and others who were jealous of Imam told the khalifa that the Imam was buying weapons for a coup d’état against him. So the khalifa told his vazir Saeed to enter the Imam’s house by means of a ladder at midnight and bring all the weapons for him. His Vazir obeyed the khalifa but he could not find any weapons except the sword of the Imam and the sealed bag of gold coins. Motavakkel was ashamed and apologized for his behavior for believing the hearsay of the enemies of the Imam. Once a woman claimed that she is Zainab the daughter of Fatima Zahra (S.A) Motavakkel called her to his court but he could not convince her that she is mistaken because she claimed that the holy prophet has blessed her and she becomes young every forty years. So he sought help of Imam Ali Naqi (A.S). The Imam told her that the flesh of children of Fatima (S.A) is illegitimate for ferocious beasts, and she was threatened that she will be admitted into the cage of lions if she did not confess the truth. The woman told the Imam to enter into the cage first if his statement was correct, so the Imam entered the cage of lions and the lions behaved with him like pet animals, then the Imam came out and asked her to enter the cage. The woman was afraid and apologized and confessed that her claim was false and she had adopted that artifice to combat her destitution and poverty. (Manaqib V:4 P:416) Some of the distinguished students of Imam Ali Naqi (A.S) were Abdul Azeem Hassani, Ibne Sikkit, Abu Hashim Ja’fari, Hosain ibne Saeed Ahvazi and Khair al Khadim. Abul Qhasim Abdul Azim was in the eighth generation of Imam Ali (A.S). He was a contemporary of Imam Javad & Imam Hadi (A.S). He once explained all his beliefs to the Imam and told him he loves Imam Mahdi (A.S) very affectionately. The Imam approved all his beliefs and said that’s the true religion of Islam. He was appointed by the Imam as his representative for answering religious questions & problems of people and he prayed for him to be revived during the universal kingdom of justice of God when established by Imam Mahdi (A.S). Imamzadeh Hamzah is buried in a garden donated as cemetery and Hazrate Abdul Azim used to recite Fateha on his grave. When Abdul Azim died he was also interred in the same cemetery and now it’s a place of pilgrimage for all the believers. Imam Ali Naqi (A.S) has said that one who performs pilgrimage of Hazrate Abdul Azim’s grave is granted the reward of performing pilgrimage of Imam Husain (A.S). Ibne Sikkit was a very great scholar and has written a number of useful books on religion. He was representative of Imam Javad and Imam Hadi (A.S). Motavakkel the Abbasid khalifa had appointed him as a tutor for his two sons and he asked him whether his sons are better than Imam Hasan & Imam Husain. Ibne Sikkit told him Qhanbar the servant of Ali (A.S) is better than him and his two sons; whereupon Ibne Sikkit was killed by cutting off his tongue. Motavakkel and his officers considered Public treasury as their own property and misappropriated it instead of spending it for public welfare with justice like Imam Ali (A.S) who was famous for his justice in distribution of the public treasury. Accusation of the Imams and their followers was a common practice of the low & base people to get into good books of the khalifas. Imam Ali Naqi (A.S) was extremely respected & loved by the people of Madina where he lived, so the governor of Madina wrote a letter to Khalifa stating that the presence of Imam Ali Naqi (A.S) is a potential danger for his Khilafat. Motavakkel dismissed the governor and regarded him as a liar. However he made the Imam to leave Madina and move over to Samera, where he was under strict surveillance as Samera was a base for army. Once Motavakkel showed Imam Ali Naqi (A.S) parade of his army with pride, then the Imam (A.S) asked Motavakkel to look through Imams two fingers so when the khalifa saw a far bigger army of angels his pride was shattered and he felt afraid of the Imam (A.S). Imam Ali Naqi (A.S) once prophesied that Motavakkel will die after three days and his prophecy came true. Imam Ali Naqi (A.S) was poisoned by the son of Motavakkel at the age of 42 years.