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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islamic Correspondence Course (book 4) Lesson 47 : the Tenth Imam (‘ali Ibn Muhammad) 1. Birth & Early Years Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi (also known as al-Hadi), was the son of the ninth Imam. He was born on 15th Dhil Hijja in 212/827 in Sarya, outside Medina. At the age of eight in 220, he became the Imam. After having seen his father’s example, the Shi’a community had no more problems in accepting such a young Imam. 2.

Rulers of the Time The thirtythree years of imamate of Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi coincided with the caliphate of the following six caliphs Mu’tasim bin Harun, Wathiq bin Mu’tasim, Mutawakkil bin Mu’tasim, Muntasir bin Mutawakkil, Musta’in, and Mu’tazz bin Mutawakkil. Wathiq bin Mu’tasim had a very promiscuous lifestyle, and had no time to harass the Shi’as and the Imams of the Ahlul Bayt.

During his caliphate, a large number of the descendants of Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) had settled in Samarra, the ‘Abbasid capital. But the peaceful days for the ‘Alids and the Imam did not last long. After Wathiq, his brother Mutawakkil, came to power. Mutawakkil was the most cruel of all the ‘Abbasid caliphs; he is comparable to Yazid bin Mu’awiyah of the Umayyads. Mutawakkil, on the one hand, started promoting the Shafi’i madhhab in order to distract the masses away from the Ahlul Bayt.

And, on the other hand, he intensified harassment of the Shi’as. He had such hatred for the Ahlul Bayt that in 236 A.H. he ordered the grave of Imam Husayn (a.s.) be leveled to the ground, and that the surrounding area be transformed into farmlands so that no trace of the grave be left. This all was done to stop the Shi’as from visiting (ziyarat) the graves of Imam Husayn (a.s.) and the other martyrs of Karbala. But when Allah wishes to protect His “light” no human can do anything about it!

The attempt to erase all traces of Imam Husayn’s grave angered many Muslims; people starting writing anti-’Abbasid slogans on the walls. Opposition poets also expressed their feelings on this issue. A famous poem against Mutawakkil is given below: By Allah, if the Umayyids unjustly killed Husayn, son of the Prophet’s daughter, his cousins9 have committed a similar crime for I swear that Husayn’s grave has been erased.

It seems that they regret for not participating in the massacre, so they now go after the grave!