Some historians did not mention the month and the day of his...

Some historians did not mention the month and the day of his birth but said he was born in Medina.[^15] His Name His father Imam al-Jawad (a.s.) named him ‘Ali like the blessed name of his two great grandfathers Amir’ul- Mu’minin Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) and Imam ‘Ali bin al-Husayn Zaynul Aabidin (a.s.). He resembled his grandfather Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) in eloquence and rhetoric, and his grandfather Imam Zaynul Aabidin in piety, worship, and asceticism.

His Surname Giving a surname to a child was a way of honoring the child which helped his personality grow well towards perfection. The infallible Imams (a.s.) paid attention to this important fact and therefore, they surnamed their children in their early childhood. The Arabs were proud of their surnames. Imam al-Jawad (a.s.) surnamed his son, Imam al-Hadi (a.s.), as Abul Hasan, which was the same as the surnames of his two grandfathers Imam Musa al-Kadhim (a.s.) and Imam ar-Ridha (a.s.).

Narrators differentiated between these three Imams in this surname by saying Abul Hasan the First (Imam Musa al-Kadhim), Abul Hasan the Second (Imam ar-Ridha), and Abul Hasan the Third (Imam ‘Ali al-Hadi). His Epithets His epithets expressed the high qualities he possessed. His epithets are as follows: An-Nasih (loyal); he was called so because he was the sincerest advisor to the nation. Al-Mutawakkil (reliant on Allah); he disliked this epithet and ordered his companions not to call him with it.

I think he hated this epithet because it was the epithet of the Abbasid caliph Ja’far al-Mutawakkil who held a bitter grudge and enmity, and was spiteful, towards the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). At-Taqiy (pious, devout); he was called so because he feared Allah and turned to Him. Al-Mutawakkil, the tyrant Abbasid caliph, tried his best to attract Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) to the fields of amusement and debauchery but he failed. Al-Murtadha (being pleased with Allah); it was his most famous epithet.

Al-Faqeeh (jurisprudent); he was the most informed person of his age in jurisprudence, and was the authority that jurisprudents and scholars turned to. Al-Aalim (knowledgeable); he was the most knowledgeable one among the people of his time, not only in the Islamic laws, but all branches of knowledge and sciences.