The respected Ali Ghaffarzaadeh...

The respected Ali Ghaffarzaadeh, while providing references from learned scholars, has concluded his research on this topic as follows. He says, “His title was سَمَرِى (Samari) or سَيْمُرى (Saimori) or سَمُرِى (Samori).” In this regard, he records that in Al-Ghaibah of Shaikh at-Tusi (r.a.), Kamaaluddin of Shaikh Sadooq (r.a.), Al-Kharaaej of Qutbuddin al-Raawandi (r.a.) and other authentic books, the title has come with سَمَرِى.

There is little doubt in the fact that in books of traditions and narrators, references to سَيْمُرِىْ or سَيْمَرِىْ are few and far between. Some of the fourth deputy’s contemporaries while recording the events of his life have written his title as سَمُرى , while some have recorded it as سَمَرى. The title سَمَرى is more acceptable and appears more likely vis-vis other titles.

This is because between Basraa and Waasit, there is a place called سَمَر and Aqa Buzurg al-Tehrani (r.a.) has recorded the name with سَمَرِى .[^3] In short, the title of the fourth deputy was سَمَرِىْ. The Period of the Fourth Deputy The period of Ali Ibn Muhammad Samari (r.a.) is remembered as one in which the oppressions and tyrannies of the ruling Abbaside government were at its peak.

Consequently, like his predecessors, socially he was not very active and had deliberately limited his interaction with his representatives. However, despite these constraints, he maintained contact with the Shias. In fact, he continued to enjoy the same respect and position amongst the Shias as the preceding three special deputies. It was for this reason that the Shias continued to send their religious financial taxes to him through his representatives.

The details of his date of birth and life history are few and far in books of history. Nonetheless, the relatively short span of his appointment as special deputy of Imam az-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) has been reported with regular frequency in books. Ali Ibn Muhammad, A Companion of Imam Hasan al-Askari (A.S.) The venerated Shaikh at-Tusi (a.r.) in his book ‘Al-Rejaal’ (p. 432) has regarded Ali Ibn Muhammad Samari (r.a.) amongst the companions of Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.).

Apparently, Imam Hasan Al-al-Askari (a.s.) also corresponded with him through letters. For example, Ali Ibn Muhammad says that on one occasion, Imam Hasan Al-al-Askari (a.s.) wrote to him, ‘A dispute will soon arise which will trouble you such that you will lose your hands and feet.

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