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The Tenth Imam
Al-'Imam Ali
al-Hadi (AS)
Our tenth Imam is al-'Imam Ali al-Hadi (AS) who
is also called al-'Imam Ali al-Naqi.
He was born to
al-'Imam Muhammad al-Jawad (AS) on 15th
Dhu al-Hijjah, in one of the villages
around Madinah.
According to the Divine decree
and the command of the
Prophet (SA), al-Imam Muhammad
al-Jawad designated
Ali al-Hadi (AS) as his successor,
the Imam
and leader of the people after
himself.
Like his father, al-'Imam Ali al-Hadi (AS) attained
the position of Imamate at a very
tender age, and in
this position he guided and led
the people.
From his early childhood al-'Imam
al-Hadi (AS) was
a perfect model of Islam.
He was
free of all faults and
defects, and was adorned with all
good qualities and
virtues.
It was for this reason
that the people called
him al-"Naq"' which means pure
and holy, and
al-Hadi" which means guide.
With great determination and effort
al-'Imam
al-Hadi (AS) worked hard to
guide the people, and he
taught them the correct manner
of living.
The people
were extremely fond of him, and
they benefited greatly
from his guidance, his knowledge
and his awareness.
Through him they found the right
path in life.
Al-Mutawakkil, the bloodthirsty
Abbasid tyrant,
was envious towards al-'Imam al-Hadi (AS) and fearful
of the lmam's powerful influence.
For this reason he
summoned the Imam from al-Madinah
to Samarra, in
present day Iraq and placed him
under surveillance
in an army camp.
Al-Imam al-Hadi (AS) lived
in this world for forty
years.
He was always opposed to
the oppression of the
ruling Abbasids.
and used to condemn
their tyranny
and oppression.
The result was
that on 3rd Rajab, 254 AH
he was martyred in Samarra' through
poison.
His
sacred body was buried in Samarra'.
May eternal peace
be upon him.
Midnight Advice
AI-Mutawakkil, the tyrant, was also
a drunkard.
He
did not follow the laws of religion
and the Qur'an, and
he committed hideous crimes just
to preserve his
throne.
He was pained by the people's
affection for
al-'Imam al-Hadi.
and afraid of
the Imam's powerful
influence.
Late one night al-Mutawakkil was
sitting on a beautiful
couch in his palace, feasting,
drinking and carousing
with his guests.
His poets were
reciting verses for him
and his minstrels were singing
songs for him.
The doors
and walls of the palace were decorated
with gold, and
outside the palace, the guards
stood on watch.
Amidst his drunkenness al-Mutawakkil
suddenly
began to wonder whether anyone
could take all his
power and luxury away from him.
After thinking about
it for a moment he answered his
own question: "Yes,
Ali the son of Muhammad, called
al-Hadi and al-Naqi,
could do that, for the people love
him affectionately".
At this al-Mutawakkil became very
agitated and
disturbed.
He angrily called his
guards: "Arrest Ali ibn
Muhammad, and bring him to me"
His guards and attendants, that
is, the people who
had sold him their freedom and
humanity along with
their honor rushed to the house
of the Imam.
They
found him sitting while facing
towards the Ka'bah and
reciting the Qur'an.
The voice
of his recitation was
heavenly.
The guards immediately
arrested him and
took him off to the palace.
AI-'Imam al-Hadi (AS) entered
the palace.
His face
was radiant and calm.
He was murmuring:
"In the
name of Allah, Most Merciful and
Compassionate".
Al-Mutawakkil looked at the Imam.
His eyes were
dull and bloodshot as he looked
into the shining eyes
of the Imam.
As he stared fiercely
at the Imam, those
same thoughts came back to his
mind.
It was as if he
wanted to have the Imam killed
that very night.
However, instead of having the
Imam killed he
decided to belittle him in front
of all the gathering.
Rudely, he shouted to him, "O Ali
ibn Muhammad,
amuse our party and recite for
us some rhyme!"
AI-Imam al-Hadi (AS) was silent
and said nothing.
Again, this time in an even more
harsh tone,
al-Mutawakkil repeated his demand:
"O Ali ibn
Muhammad, I am commanding you to
entertain our
gathering with some rhyme."
Ali
Imam al-Hadi (AS)
remained silent and refused to
meet the shameless gaze
of the Abbasid tyrant.
AI-Mutawakkil was now angry as
well as drunk.
Once more he repeated his demand,
and this time
added: "You have no choice but
to recite for us"
The Imam raised his gaze and looked
sternly at
al Mutawakkil's bloated face, and
said: "Since I am
obliged, so listen"
Then the Imam recited a poem in
Arabic the sense
of which is something like this:
Among those in power they are without
measure,
Who not from Allah but from His
signs take pleasure.
To building palaces of stone they
are dedicated,
And these they have finely decorated.
Around each palace for fear of
their lives,
Are watchmen, armed with swords
and knives.
* *
But all this power, finery and
land,
Reject these men with death's sure
hand
Death arrived suddenly and captured,
By the neck those men, in evil
enraptured.
Took by the collar those filled
with malice,
Towards pain and miseries, far
form the palace.
Along with the outcome of every'
deed,
In the Hereafter are they received.
While the bodies of these foul
creatures lie,
In the heart of the earth, hidden
from the eye.
The souls of these felons taken
at a time,
When they were engaged in the vilest
crime.
* *
Of these evil ones, depressed and
remanded,
A host of questions will be demanded.
Where Is now your arrogance and
pride,
That your body in the earth you
did hide?
Where is your self-worship and
vanity,
That you return with the worst
of humanity?
Where all that luxury with no mitigation?
Where all your drunken profligation?
Where are your looks on which you
enslaved,
Your hands and face on which lavish
attention you paid?
* *
There is no couch, no bed, no rest,
No perfume, jewelry and no fine
dress.
In place of the praise of those
you were choosing,
In and out of your body worms are
oozing.
You left behind the wealth you
had saved
You couldn't take it with you past
the grave.
On hearing the poem from the Imam (AS), the entire
gathering was disrupted and everyone
was shaking.
Al-Mutawakkil too, despite all
his hard-heartedness
and cruelty, was standing shaking
like a madman.
