Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Tenth Imam Ali An-Naqi (AS)

NAME AND PARENTAGE

His name Ali is usually suffixed by his titles ABU AL-HASAN and AN-NAQI. As both IMAM ALI AL-MURTADA and IMAM ALI AR-RIDA (AS) were also called ABU AL-HASAN, IMAM ALI AN-NABI is known as ABU AL-HASAN III. His mother's name is SUMANA KHATUN.

BIRTH AND UPBRINGING

He was born on the 5th of RAJAB of 214 A.H. (September 8, 829 A.D.) in Medina. He enjoyed the love of his father IMAM MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI (AS) for only six years because his father had then to leave for Baghdad where he died on the 29th of THU AL-QI'DA 220 A.H. (November 24, 835 A.D) and the responsibilities of Imamate devolved on his young son's shoulders. Providence was the only tutor and instructor that reared and raised him to the extreme height of learning.

CHANGES OF REGIME

IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) was still young when the ABBASIDE ruler AL-MU'TASIM died. He was succeeded by AL-WATHIQ BI ALLAH who died in 236 A.H. Then came to the throne AL-MUTAWAKKIL, themost cruel and deadly enemy of AHL AL-BAYT (AS). He died in 250 A.H. (864 A.D.) and AL-MUNTASIR BI ALLAH assumed the caliphate. He reigned for any six months. On his death, AL-MUSTAIN was enthroned. The latter had to pant with his crown as well as his head when he was beheaded in 253 A.H. (867 A.D.). He was succeeded by AL-MU'TAZZ BI ALLAH during whose regime IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) died.

HARDSHIPS AND MISFORTUNES

AL-MU'TASIM remained preoccupied with was against the BYZANTINIANS and also with the troubles created by the ABBASIDE tribesmen in Baghdad. Anyway, he did not harass the young Imam who carried out his responsibilities peacefully. After him, AL-WATHIQ BI ALLAH too, treated him fairly. But when the latter was succeeded by his brother AL-MUTAWAKKIL son of AL-MU'TASIM, the period of persecution and misfortune began on full scale. This ruler exceeded all his predecessors in bearing animosity towards AHL AL-BAYT (AS).

During the 16 years of his Imamate, IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) had become famous throughout the Islamic world. Those who loved to learn the teachings of AHL AL-BAYT (AS) always flocked around him. In the 4th year of AL-MUTAWAKKIL'S reign, the governor of Medina, ABDALLAH IBN HAKIM, started harassing the Imam. After persecuting him personally, he sent hostile reports against him to Baghdad. He wrote the central government saying that he Imam was assembling apparatuses of kingdom and that his followers were in such numbers that he could rise against the government whenever he wished.

IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) became aware of such antagonism in sufficient time. In order to counteract, he too wrote a letter to AL-MUTAWAKKIL explaining the personal enmity the lying governor had borne against him. As a political step, AL-MUHAWAKKIL was quick to dismiss the governor. At the same time he sent a regiment under the command of YAHYA IBN HARTHAMA who explained to the imam in a friendly way that the caliph wished him to stay in the capital for a few days and then go back to Medina.

The Imam knew well the motives behind this request. He knew that the polite invitation actually meant his banishment from his ancestral city. But to refuse was useless, as it would involve a forcible departure later. Leaving the sacred city was as painful to him as it had been for his respectedforefathers viz. IMAM HUSAIN (AS) IMAM MUSA AL-KAZIM (AS), IMAM ALI AR-RIDA (AS) and MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI (AS). This type of harassment had almost become a heritage. Still the observers stated that leaving that native place was so heavy on his heart that friends and followers were shocked to see his plight. AL-MUTAWAKKIL'S letter to the Imam was full of respect and endearment. The military detachment sent to escort him as retinue or body-guards was actually a deceitful show.

So when the Imam reached SAMARRA (SURRA MAN RA'A), and AL-MUTAWAKKIL was informed, he neither arranged for his reception nor for his stay. He ordered to accommodate him in a wilderness where the city's beggars usually dwelt. Although the Prophet's descendants gladly associated with the poor and the destitute, and they did not covet luxurious living, AL-MUTAWAKKIL meant to thus insult the Imam who stayed there for three days; thereafter, AL-MUTAWAKKIL handed him over to the custody of his secretary RAZAQI, and prohibited his meeting with others.

It has been seen that during the imprisonment of IMAM MUSA AL-KAZIM (AS), his moral charm had softened the stone hearts of the guards. In the same way, RAZAQI also was impressed by the greatness of IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) and he began to provide for his comfort. This leniency could not remain hidden from AL-MUTAWAKKIL who transferred the Imam to the custody of SA'ID, a cruel and ruthless man in whose imprisonment he spent full twelve years. In spite of all the hardships he had to suffer there, he passed all his time worshipping his Maker. He fasted during the day and prayed during the night. Although confined within the four walls of a dark dungeon cell, his fame was on the wing. It was known in every house of SAMARRA', rather throughout Iraq. Millions hated the cruelwho had put such a man of noble character in prison.

AL-FADL IBN KHAQAN, a lover of the Prophet's Progeny, had risen to the post of Minister in the cabinet of AL-MUTAWAKKIL solely by virtue -of his intellectual and administrative merits. On his recommendation, AL-MUTAWAKKIL ordered that the Imam's imprisonment be changed to house arrest. He granted him a piece of land and allowed him to build his house and live in it. But he was forbidden from leaving SAMARRA'. SA'ID was directed to keep a close watch on his movements, contacts and correspondence.

During this period, too, IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) set an admirable example of trust in God, ignoring all worldly gains. In spite of permanent residence in the capital, he neither made a protest to the caliph, nor did he ever ask him for a favor. The same worshipping and hermit-like life that he led during his imprisonment was passed in confinement as well. The tyrant had changed his behavior but the saint had maintained his own. Even in such circumstances, he was not allowed to live peacefully. He was not harassed physically but psychologically. His house was searched for arms or dissenting correspondence undermining the position of the government. Such an act is certainly painful for a man of an innocent and noble character.

To top all this, the Imam was once summoned to the royal palace where the cups of wine were in rotation. Surrounded by his courtiers, AL-MUTAWAKKIL was very much given to merry-making, so much so that in the excess of vanity and lewdness, that arrogant and shameless ruler handed the cup of wine to the Imam and asked him to drink. This order was surely more painful than a thousand strokes of the sword, but the guardian of faith said with unruffled dignity: "Spareme this order, for the flesh and blood of my forefathers and my own have never mixed with wine". Had there been a slight sense of faith in AL-MUTAWAKKIL,

he would have been impressed by the dignity of this saintly reply. But he was dead to such a feeling; he therefore said: "Well, if you do not like it, then sing a song for us". The Imam replied: "I do not know that art, either". At last the haughty monarch said: "You shall have to recite a few verses of poetry, then, in any tone you like". This crude and ridiculous behavior would have maddened any ordinary person, but the dignified Imam remained undisturbed and sought to do what he was compelled to. He turned the ruler's order for recitation of poetry into an opportunity for preaching, and he recited the following verses with a firm and impressive tone:

The glories of our blood and stat,

Are shadows, not substantialthings.

There is no armor against the fate;

Death lays its icy hand on kings.

Scepter and crown

Must tumble down.

And in the earth be equal made

With thelaborer's scythe and spade.

No fortress on the mountain peak

Could save the kings from the jaws of death.

Their pomp and power proved too weak;

The cold earth asks them in contempt;

"Whither is the robe, the crown, the throne?!

"Did cruel Death thy beauty exempt?!

"Did it respect thy royal blood and bone?!"

The grave replies

With sorrowful sight:

"Those beautiful forms

"Are but food for the worms!"

Having heard these lines recited by the Imam so profoundly, the gathering became spell-bound. The drunkards making merry just a moment before now burst into tears. Even the proud king began to weep and wail. As soon as he recovered a bit, he allowed the Imam to go home.

Another event that caused a great deal of unrest to him was the oppressive order of AL-MUTAWAKKIL forbidding the public from visiting KARBALA, and NAJAF. Throughout his territories ran the order that people should not go to visit the tombs of Imam Ali (as) and IMAM HUSAIN (AS). Anybody disobeying this order would do so under the penalty of death. He further ordered that the buildings in NAJAF and KARBALA' be leveled to the ground, that all the mausoleums be razed and all the land around IMAM HUSAIN'S bomb be ploughed. It was not, however, possible to stop the fond lovers of AHL AL-BAYT (AS) from visiting those holy shrines. They disobeyed, and thousands of them were put to death indiscriminately. No doubt the Imam was as sorry for each one of them as he could have been on the death of a near relative of his. Due to this oppressive and choking environment, he could not even preach or convey to the faithful the necessary instructions. This sorrowful situation lasted till AL-MUTAWAKKIL'S death.

In the court of AL-MUTAWAKKIL, IMAM ALI IBN ABU TALIB (AS) was mimicked and mocked by the buffoons while AL-MUTAWAKKIL and his courtiers burst into laughter. It was such an insulting scene that once AL-MUTAWAKKIL'S son could not help protesting and saying: "It was somewhat tolerable if you spoke ill of Imam Ali (as) yourself, but since you yourself say that he was related to you, how do you suffer these wretched buffoons to mock him?" instead of being sorry, AL-MUTAWAKKIL jested with his son and composed two couplets abusive of his mother which he instructed the singers to sing. They used to sing those lines while AL-MUTAWAKKIL laughed heartily.

Another event of those wretched times is equally painful. IBN AS-SAKKIT of Baghdad, the acknowledged scholar of lexicography and syntax, was the tutor of AL-MUTAWAKKIL'S son. One day the cruel ruler asked him: "Are my two sons more respectable than HASAN and HUSAIN (AS)?" IBN AS-SEKKIT was a lover of AHL AL-BAYT. On this question, he could not control his feelings and flatly replied: "Not to speak of HASAN and HUSAIN (AS), Imam Ali's slave QANBAR is more respectable than both of your sons". Hearing these words, AL-MUTAWAKKIL flew into a passion and ordered that IBN AS-SEKKIT'S tongue be cut off. The order was carried out immediately leading to the death of one of the lovers of the Prophet's Progeny. IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) was not physically connected with these events.

But each of these was like a blow of the sword, not striking his neck but torturing his soul. AL-MUTAWAKKIL'S cruelties caused common hatred and even his own children set their hearts against him. One of them, AL-MUNTASIR, conspired with his chief slave BAQIR AR-RUMI to murder AL-MUTAWAKKIL while the latter was asleep, using his own sword, thus the world heard a sigh of relief; the death of the tyrant and the caliphate of AL-MUNTASIR were proclaimed. After assuming the throne, AL-MUNTASIR revoked the unjust orders of his father. Visiting the shrines of NAJAF and KARBALA' was permitted without any restriction. The tombs received minor repairs. AL-MUNTASIR'S conduct towards IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) was fair. But his life proved to be short and he died after a brief rule of only six months. After him, AL-MUSTA'SIM too displayed no maltreatment of the Imam.

As stated, IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) had built a house in SAMARRA' and did not go back to Medina either out of his own free will or under the orders of these rulers. Due to his continued stay there and the lack of interference by the regime, the students of the teachings of AHL AL-BAYT (AS) thronged around them. This alarmed AL-MU'TAZZ who put an end to his life.

CHARACTER AND VIRTUES

IMAM ALI AN-NAQI'S conduct and moral excellence were the same as those displayed by each and every member of this sacred series of Infallibles. Imprisonment, confinement or freedom, in every case these sacred souls were engaged in worship and in helping the poor. Totally refraining from desire, greed or worldly ambitions, they lived dignified in misfortune; to deal fairly even with the foes and to help the destitute were the qualities making their conduct. The same virtues were reflected in the life of IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) as well.

During imprisonment, the Imam had a grave dug ready by the side of his prayer-mat. Some visitors expressed their apprehension or surprise. The Imam explained: "In order to remember my end, I keep the grave before my eyes". Be it so, but in reality it was a silent, un-worded protest against those cruel rulers who wanted the Imam to give up his pure Islamic teachings. It was a negation of their demand of obeisant. It showed that the worldly rulers who can frighten common men with death can never bend a saint who is himself ready to embrace death at any moment. In spite of this fearlessness, he never took part in any secret or subversive activity against the government. Living permanently in a capital where daily conspiracies were sapping the roots of the ABBASIDE regime, he could never be accused of treason by the strong secret intelligence of those kings.

Can you imagine the extent of the political turmoil of those unstable days? AL-MUTAWAKKIL was opposed by his own son AL-MUNTASIR and he ended in being slain by his own slave BAQIR AR-RUMI. After AL-MUNTASIR'S death, the court nobility decided to take away the government from the ruling dynasty. The regime of AL-MUSTA'IN was troubled by the uprising of YAHYA IBN UMER IBN YAHYA IBN ZAID AL-'ALAWI in KUFA, and by the occupation of TABARISTAN by HASAN IBN ZAID (titled DA'I AL-HAQQ) and his establishment of a permanent government there; the revolt of the Turk salves in SAMARRA' and AL-MUSTA'IN'S flight to Baghdad to take refuge in its fort, and in the end his compulsory abdication and his murder by AL-MU'TAZZ; the BYZANTINE aggression during the reign of AL-MU'TAZZ who feared the danger of his own brother; MUAYYAD'S demise; MUWAFFAQ'S imprisonment in Basra - it was a continuous chain of chaos of which an opportunist could easily take advantage.

But IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) could not b suspected even of taking part in any of these temporal struggles for power. A common opportunity seeker, excited by greed or revenge will always take arms against a regime which not only harassed him but also exiled, insulted and imprisoned him. Yet, these sacred souls considered it below their spotless honor and mountain-high dignity to partake in those vainglorious bids for power. They looked down upon all these struggles and always rose above the vile level of temporal temptations, declaring that all such acts were below them and their standard of virtue.

DEATH

The Imam died during the reign of AL-MU'TAZZ BI ALLAH in SAMARRA' on the 3rd of RAJAB 254 A.H. (June 28, 868 A.D.). He was attended only by his son IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI who led the funeral prayers and arranged his burial, laying him to rest in his personal apartment. Now high stands his mausoleum which is being visited daily tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.

TheEeleventh ImamHasan Al-'Askari (AS)

NAME AND PARENTAGE

His name is AL-HASAN, ABU MUHAMMAD. Being a resident of 'ASKARI, a suburb of SAMARRA', he is titled AL-'ASKARI. His father was IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) and his mother was SALIL KHATUN, an ideal woman impiety, worship, chastity and generosity. He was born in Medina on the tenth of RABI' AL-AKHIR, 232, A.H. (December 4, 846 A.D.)

UPBRINGING AND INSTRUCTION

He lived under the care of his respected father up to the age of 11. Then his father had to leave for SAMARRA' and he was to accompany him and thus share the hardships of the journey with the family. At SAMARRA', he passed his time with his father either in imprisonment or in partial freedom. He had, however, the chance to benefit from his father's teaching and instruction.

IMAMATE

His father died in 254 A.H. (868 A.D.) when he himself was twenty-two. Four months before his death, the father declared his son to be his successor and executor of his will, asking his followers to bear witness to the fact. Thus the responsibilities of Imamate were vested upon himwhich he fulfilled even in the face of great difficulties and hostile environment.

BEHAVIOR OF CONTEMPORARY KINGS

As stated above, it is peculiar to IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS) that he partook in all misfortunes and hardships suffered by his father, whether imprisonment or confinement. In the early days of his Imamate, AL-MU'TAZZ AL-ABBASI was the caliph. When the latter was deposed, he was succeeded by AL-MUHTADI. After his brief reign of only eleven months and one weak, AL-MU'TAMAD came to the throne. During their regimes, IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS) did not enjoy peace at all. Although the ABBASIDE dynasty was involved in constant complications and disorders, each and every king thought it necessary to keep the Imam imprisoned.

One of the holy Prophet's traditions ran that the Prophet would be succeeded by twelve princes, the last of whom would be the MAHDI, QA'IN ALLI MUHAMMAD. The ABBASIDES knew well that the true successors of the Prophet were these very Imams. AL-HASAN (AS) being the eleventh of thisserried , his son would surely be the 12th or the last. They, therefore, tried to put an end to his life in such a way which would ensure that there would be nobody to succeed him. Therefore the simple confinement inflicted on IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) was considered inadequate for IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS),

so he was imprisoned, away from his family. No doubt the revolutionary intervals between two regimes gave him brief periods of freedom. Yet as soon as the new king came to the throne, he followed his predecessor's policy and imprisoned the Imam again. The Imam's brief life, therefore, was mostly spent inside dungeon cells.

The hardship of imprisonment reached its extremity during the reign of AL-MU'TAMAD, although the latter knew the rank and righteousness of the Imam as did all other preceding rulers. Once during a devastating drought, a Christian hermit was able to demonstrate that he could being rain whenever he prayed to God. This led many Muslims to convert to Christianity. In order to save Islam from this calamity, IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS) was brought out of jail. He noticed how that Christian hermit raised his hands in prayers, and how as soon as he did so rain started pouring down. Approaching him, the Imam opened the Christian's hand and took away from it a piece of bone the hermit was holding. Turning to the crowd, the Imam explained that it was that piece of bone,

not the Christian that caused the rain to pour. He told them that that piece of bone belonged to the corpse of one of the Prophets of God, and he proved his point upon raising it himself in his hand, an upon doing so, lo, rain started pouring down again, as if the skies were weeping for the prophet. The Imam thus removed the common doubts from the hearts of the people and kept them firmly on Islam. AL-MU'TAMAD was so impressed that he felt too ashamed to send the Imam back to prison; so, he put him under house arrest instead. Complete freedom, however, was not granted.

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTIES

Under all circumstances, the Imams carried out their duties of guiding the people. IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS) was subjected to numerous restrictions, so much so that those who sought to learn the teachings of AHL AL-BAYT (AS) and their SHI'AH point of view could not reach him. In order to solve this problem, the Imam appointed certain confidants as his deputies in view of their knowledge of jurisprudence. These persons satisfied the curiosity of inquirers as much as they could. But if they could not solve certain theological problems, they would keep them pending the acquisition of their solutions from the imam whenever they got the opportunity to see him. Of course the visit to the imam by a few individuals could be allowed by the government but certainly not by groups who wished to see the Imam on a regular basis.

The KHUMS (1/5 of total savings) which was being paid to the Imams by the believers who cherished these Imams and regarded them as representatives of the Divine Law was spent by these sacred saints on religious matters, and to sustain the Prophet's descendants. This KHUMS was now secretly collected by these deputies who spent it according to the directives of the Imam. They accordingly were in constant danger of being identified as such by the government's secret intelligence service. In order to divert this danger, UTHMAN IBN SA'ID and his son ABU JA'FAR MUHAMMAD, two prominent deputies of the Imam in the capital Baghdad, ran a big shop trading in oils. This provided them with free contact with the concerned people. It was thus that even under the very thumb of the tyrant regime that those devotees managed to run the system of the Divine Law unsuspected.

CHARACTER AND VIRTUES

IMAM HASAN AL'ASKARI (AS) was one of that illustrious series of the immaculate Infallibles each member of whom displayed the moral excellence of human perfection. He was peerless in knowledge, forbearance, forgiveness, generosity, sacrifice and piety. Whenever AL-MU'TAMAD asked anybody about his captive IMAM HASAN AL'ASKARI (AS), he was told that the Imam fasted during the day and worshipped during the night, and that his tongue uttered no word but remembrance of his maker. During the brief periods of freedom and stay at home, people approached him hoping to avail from his benevolence, and they went back well rewarded. Once when the ABBASIDE caliph asked AHMED IBN ABDALLAH IBN KHAQAN, his Minister for Charities (AWQAF), about the descendants of Imam Ali (as), he reported: "I do not know anybody among them who is more distinguished than HASAN AL-ASKARI.

None can surpass him in dignity, knowledge, piety and abstinence, nor can anybody match him in the point of nobleness, majestic grandeur, modesty and honesty".

When his father IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) died and the family was busy arranging his burial, some servants stole certain articles, thinking that none would notice it. When the burial was over, he called the servants and said: "I ask you about some items; if you tell me the truth, I shall pardon you; but if you speak falsely, I shall get all those items from your possession and punish you fully". Then he asked each for the items he had stolen. When they confessed their guilt, he got the articles back from them and spared them the penalty.

AS CENTER OF LEARNING

IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS) had a brief span of life, only twenty-eight years, but even in this short period, which was ruffled by a chain of troubles and tribulations, several high ranking scholars benefited from his ocean of knowledge. He also stemmed the flood of atheism and disbelief which ensued from the philosophers of that age, winning conspicuous success over them. One of those was ISHAQ AL-KINDI. He was writing a book on what he called "self-contradictions" in the holy QUR'AN. When the news reached the Imam, he waited for an opportunity to refute and rebut him. By chance, some of ISHAQ'S students came to him. The imam asked them: "Is there anyone among you who can stop ISHAQ from wasting his time in this useless effort fighting the holy QUR'AN?" The students said: "Sir, we are his students; how can we object to his teaching?" The Imam urged that they could at least convey to their teacher what he had to tell them. They replied that they would be ready to cooperate as much as they could in that respect.

The Imam then recited a few verses from the holy QUR'AN which the philosopher thought as contradictory of one another. He then explained to them thus: "Your teacher thinks that some of the words in these verses have only one meaning. But according to the Arabic tongue, these words have other meanings too which, when taken into consideration, indicate no contradiction in the overall meaning. Thus, your teacher is not justified for basing his objections and claim of contradictions on the premises of the 'wrong meaning' he himself selects for such verses". He then put up some examples of such words before them so clearly that the students conceived the whole discussion and the precedents of more than one meaning.

When these students visited ISHAQ AL-KNIDI, and after routine talk, reproduced the disputed points, he was surprised. He was a fair-minded scholar and he listened to his students' explanations. Then he said: "What you have argued is above your capacity; tell me truly who has taught you these points?" The students said that it was their own reflection, but when he insisted that they could never have conceived those points, they admitted that it was explained to them by ABU MUHAMMAD IMAM AL-'ASKARI (AS). The instructor said: "Yes, this level of knowledge is the heritage of that House, and only that House". Then he asked the students to set fire to all such works of his. This and so many other religious services were performed silently by the Prophet's descendants. The ABBASIDE dynasty, which unfairly claimed to be "the defender of the faith", was deeply drunk with lustful merriment. Had it ever come to its senses, it would not have thought that those sincere and saintly souls were a "danger" to its power. Therefore, it gave orders to put some more restrictions on them. IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS), that mountain of dignity, bore all this with determined fortitude.

IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS) was a reliable authority for traditionalists who have recorded several traditions in their collections on his own authority. One tradition about drinking runs thus: "The wine drinker is like an idolater". It has been recorded by IBN AL-JAWZI in his book TAHRIM AL-KAMR (prohibition of wine drinking) with continuous chain of references tracing its narrators. ABU NA'IM FADL IBN WAKI states that the tradition is true as it has been narrated by the Prophet's descendants and some of his companions such as IBN ABBAS, ABU HURAYRA, ANAS, ABDALLAH IBN 'AWF AL-ASLAMI and others.

SAM'ANI in his KITAB AL-ANSAB states that "ABU MUHAMMAD AHMED IBN IBRAHIM IBN HASHIM AL-'ALAWI AL-BALATHIRI heard many traditions in Mecca from the Imam of AHL AL-BAYT (AS) IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS) and recorded them". The names of some of his prominentstudents who, availing of his discourses, speeches and addresses, became authors of some books, are given here:

1- ABU HASHIM DAWUD IBN AL-QASIM AL-JA'FARI, one of the deputies of the imam, was a scholar of advanced age. He acquired learning from IMAM AR-RIDA (AS), his son IMAM MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI (AS), his son IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) and his son IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS).

2- DAWUD IBN ABU ZAID AL-NAYSHABURI. He often visited IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) and IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS).]

3- ABU TAHIR MUHAMMAD IBN ALI IBN BILAL.

4- ABU AL-ABBAS ABDALLAH IBN JA'FAR AL-HUMAIRI AL-QUMMI. He was a scholar of a high caliber. He authored many books including QURB AL-ASNAD which is a major source of AL-KAFI, etc.

5- MUHAMMAD IBN AHMED IBN JA'FAR AL-QUMMI was the Imam's chief deputy.

6- JA'FAR IBN SUHAIL SAIQAL was one of the most distinguished deputies.

7- MUHAMMAD IBN AL-HASAN AS-SAFFAR AL-QUMMI. He was high ranking scholar, author of several books including BASA'IR AD-DARAJAT, a famous book. He sent written inquiries to the Imam and received their answers from him.

8- ABU JA'FAR HAMANI AL-BARMAKI; he obtained written answers to his questions in jurisprudence from the Imam and compiled a book.

9- IBRAHIM IBN ABU HAFS ABU ISHAQ AL-KATIB is a companion of the Imam and author of a book.

10- IBRAHIM IBN MEHR-YAR. He has a book to his credit.

11- AHMED IBN IBRAHIM IBN ISAM'IL IBN DAWUD IBN HAMDAN AL-KATIB AL-NADIM. He was an authority on literature and lexicography, author of many books, and a confidant of the Imam.

12- AHMED IBN ISHAQ AL-ASH'ARI, ABU ALI AL-QUMMI was an acknowledged scholar and author of several books including HILAL AS-SAWM, etc. These are but a few names; the details of all the students and companions' would require a whole volume. ABU ALI AL-HASAN IBN KHALID IBN MUHAMMAD prepared a commentary of the holy QUR'AN which should be considered the work of the Imam himself. The Imam used to dictate its contents and ABU ALI went on writing down his dictation. Scholars indicate that the book consisted of 1,920 pages.

Unfortunately, these storehouses of knowledge are not available. A book recently published under the title TAFSIR AL-HASAN AL-'ASKARI is a separate work which was traced and rendered to the 4th century A.H. SHAIKH AS-SADUQ MUHAMMAD IBN ALI IBN BABAWAIH AL-QUMMI says it was actually dictated by the Imam. But the SHAIKH'S sources from which he copied are obscure. The biographers are not, however, sure in ascribing it to the Imam and we are inclined to think that it is not the Imam's dictation. A considerable collection of his wisesayings, discourses and speeches, and a lengthy letter to ISHAQ IBN ISMA'IL AL-ASH'ARI have been preserved in the book TUHAF AL-'UQUL' AN 'AL AR-RASUL, an excellent source of knowledge for the seekers of enlightenment.

These are the details of the Imam's scholarly attainments, a wonderful performance when one reflects on the fact that he died at the young age of twenty-eight, having served as Imam for only six years, a period constantly disturbed by the troubles already stated above.

DEATH

A busy man who is engaged in the service of religion and scholarship usually does not have time for politics or subversive activities. But the Imam's spiritual supremacy and his increasing popularity made him intolerable to his contemporary monarchs. AL-MU'TAMAD, the ABBASIDE ruler, administered his poisoning and the Imam martyred on the 8th of RABI' AL-AWWAL, 260 A.H. (January 1, 874 A.D.) and was buried in SAMARRA' by his father's side. His mausoleum in spite of hostile circumstances has been a sacred shrine for his admirers ever since.