Sixth lesson

6) Imam al-Sajjad

Ali b. al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAli b. ʾAbi Ṭalib (b. 38/659 – d. 95/713) known as Imam al-Sajjad and Zayn al-ʿAbidīn is the fourth Imam of Shi’a. The period of his imamate was 34 years. He (a) was present in the Battle of Karbala but did not participate in the battle because of sickness and was not martyred. He (a) was taken captive to Kufa and Damascus together with other captives of Karbala. His speech at the presence of Umayyad caliphs created awareness among people about the position of the Ahl al-Bayt (a). After being released, he (a) stayed in Medina until the end of his life. The event of Harra, Tawwabun movement and the uprising of al-Mukhtar happened at his time; however there is no reliable report of his opinions about them.

Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya is a compilation of his supplications which reflect the picture of the society that day and the true path of life through the education of the religion and the Qur’an and purification of souls and connecting souls to God. Risalat al-huquq (Treatise on Rights) is his other work which is a short treatise containing duties a human being has.

He (a) was poisoned and martyred by order of al-Walid b. ‘Abd al-Malik. He (a) was buried in al-Baqi’ cemetery beside his uncle Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a).