The Role of Imam Sajjad in Organizing the Islamic Community After Ashura
The final phase of the Imamate of the Imams begins with Imam Sajjad’s (peace be upon him) role after the Ashura incident. Imam Ali ibn Hussain (peace be upon him), known as Sajjad or Zain al-Abidin, is the fourth Shia Imam, born on the fifth of Sha’ban in the year 38 AH in Medina. His father was Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), the third Imam, and most historical and narrative sources identify his mother as Shahrbanu, the daughter of Yazdgerd III, the king of Persia [1]. Imam Sajjad was twenty-three years old during the Ashura event and was present in Karbala, but due to severe illness, he was unable to fight. He became the Imam in 61 AH, having lived during the Imamate of Imam Hassan, Imam Hussein, and part of the life of Imam Ali (peace be upon them) [2].
Many may think that Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) just played a crucial role just for two months after the event of Ashura, unaware of the rest of his Imamate period. This article aims to explore what distinguishes his 34-year Imamate from other periods.
What unique conditions did Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) face during his Imamate?
What role did he play in the path followed by other Imams?
Although Imam Sajjad was known for his piety and worship, earning titles like Sajjad and Zain al-Abidin, and often had to practice taqiyya due to the oppressive atmosphere, this did not diminish his political stance and actions. His Imamate began simultaneously with the Ashura event and the captivity of the family of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). During his Imamate, he faced significant events such as the Harreh incident, the Mukhtar uprising, and the uprising of the Tawwabin (Repenters), responding in ways that ultimately served the well-being of humanity and the true goals of Islam. Over his thirty-four years of Imamate, he experienced the rule of various Umayyad rulers, including Yazid ibn Muawiya (61-64 AH), Muawiya ibn Yazid (a few months in 64 AH), Marwan ibn Hakam (nine months in 65 AH), Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (65-86 AH), and Walid ibn Abd al-Malik (86-96 AH) [3]. Ultimately, he was poisoned by Walid ibn Abd al-Malik in 94 or 95 AH [4] and was buried in the Baqi cemetery in Medina.
The Path Taken by the Society from the Time of the Prophet to the Time of Imam Sajjad
To better understand the era and role of Imam Sajjad (Peace be upon him), we need to look back at the Islamic community established during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). This community was founded on the true principles and values of Islam, based on justice, equality, and brotherhood, and practiced these principles during the brief period of Islamic governance in Medina. It is clear that a decade is insufficient to fundamentally alter a society that had previously abandoned and even acted in opposition to these principles before the Prophet. However, God and His Messenger did not leave the nascent Islamic community to fend for itself. Thus, the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family) introduced the infallible expert after him at the event of Ghadir and took allegiance from the people for Imam Ali (Peace be upon him). Unfortunately, after Ghadir and with the passing away of the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family), only a handful of people remained loyal to their allegiance to Amir al-Mu’minin (Peace be upon him), while the rest, based on their tribal values, chose to act contrary to what God and His Messenger wanted.
Consequently, with the people’s will, the era of non-infallible rule over the Islamic community began, along with Imam Ali’s (Peace be upon him) 25 years of patience against the caliphate of the caliphs, which we refer to as the first era of Imamate in the path taken by the infallible Imams. This period ended with the killing of the third caliph, Uthman, in 35 AH, leading the people to turn to Imam Ali (Peace be upon him) as the fourth caliph and the beginning of Islamic governance under an infallible expert. Although Amir al-Mu’minin (Peace be upon him) was displeased with the people’s lack of cooperation and their failure to do what he wanted, the second era of his Imamate was a remarkable period for its social justice and the renewal of prophetic traditions. Unfortunately, this era was short-lived and ended with the martyrdom of Imam Ali (Peace be upon him) and the brief rule of Imam Hassan (Peace be upon him).
Thus, the movement of the Imams entered another phase. This period began with the conspiracies of Muawiya and the acceptance of peace treaty and ceasefire by Imam Hassan (Peace be upon him) in 41 AH and ended with the uprising of Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him) in 61 AH, which we have discussed in detail in another article. During this time, Imam Hassan (Peace be upon him), due to the enemy’s dominance, shifted the struggle against the oppressive government from an open to a covert one, establishing a secret Shiite organization to train righteous individuals and prepare for the establishment of an Islamic government in the near future. Thus, with the Ashura uprising, the third era of the Imamate of the Imams also concluded, and the path taken by the Imams entered the most difficult and longest phase of their 250-year existence. Understanding Imam Sajjad’s (Peace be upon him) role in the path taken by the Imams and the significance of his Imamate period is impossible without grasping the social conditions he faced and the factors that led to the Ashura uprising.
The Islamic Community at the Beginning of Imam Sajjad’s Imamate
After the Ashura incident, the Islamic community was in turmoil and disarray. The era of Imam Sajjad’s (Peace be upon him) Imamate coincided with a time when the infallible expert, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), was removed from among the people in the most painful and horrific manner, not by an individual but by a group of people. The Imam (Peace be upon him) faced a fragmented society that gradually distanced itself from Islamic values, and instead of recognizing the need for an infallible expert and the importance of his existence, had reached a point where they brought the infallible Imam to the battleground or at least remained silent in the face of the events that befell him. In the lands controlled by Yazid ibn Muawiya, who held the Prophet’s family captive, the Muslim community accepted him as a just leader and regarded the Prophet’s family as either foreign to the faith or as having strayed from it. As mentioned in the Ashura article, Imam faced a group that, except for a few, had either succumbed to fear, weakness, worldly desires, and power-seeking or had lost the ability to recognize their duty and act upon it due to ignorance and weakness. Naturally, when the elite do not act correctly, the masses, who lack analytical power and follow the elite, also make mistakes. In such circumstances, Imam Sajjad’s (Peace be upon him) role in organizing and revitalizing the Islamic community was crucial.
At the time of the Ashura incident and upon assuming the Imamate, the Imam (Peace be upon him) faced three different groups of people:
-The people of Medina, who had been under the leadership of the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family), were well acquainted with his family and acted more freely in their allegiance to the Imams and opposition to the Umayyad regime, but overall, they did not support Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him) in his movement toward Kufa.
- The people of Kufa, who had witnessed the rule of Amir al-Mu’minin (Peace be upon him), had been criticized for their weaknesses and laziness in supporting their Imam at various times, and although they had invited Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him) to Kufa, they not only failed to assist him, but most of them joined the ranks of Yazid’s army.
-The people of Sham, who had been under the control of the Umayyads from the beginning, interpreted Islam from the perspective of the Umayyads. They regarded Muawiya and Yazid as just rulers, had an inadequate understanding of the Prophetic and Alawi Islam, and were unfamiliar with the family of the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family).
Thus, with the occurrence of Ashura, the Islamic community was in mourning over the bloodshed of the beloved of the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family), while in another place, they were stunned by the events they had brought upon themselves, and in yet another place, they were celebrating the victory of Yazid ibn Muawiya. Therefore, Imam Sajjad’s (Peace be upon him and his family) role alongside his aunt, Lady Zainab (Peace be upon her), in enlightening various groups was very sensitive and vital. In each of these situations in Kufa, Sham, and Medina, he explained the truths according to the community’s conditions and the level of people’s understanding.
The Role of Imam Sajjad and His Actions After Ashura
Upon the arrival of the captives in Kufa, the Imam (Peace be upon him) rebuked the Kufans and delivered a sermon highlighting the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him) and the treachery and deceit of the people of Kufa, holding them accountable to the extent that the people of Kufa wept over their actions against the infallible Imam and offered to seek revenge. However, Imam (Peace be upon him) reminded them of their betrayals, saying: “I ask you not to support us nor to fight against us [5].”
Imam Sajjad’s (Peace be upon him) role in Sham [a], facing a people who had no familiarity with true Islam and the family of the Prophet, was different. In the Umayyad Mosque, before the tyrant Yazid, he delivered fiery sermons exposing the truth about the Umayyads and what had happened during Ashura, speaking of his connection to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and the virtues of Amir al-Mu’minin and Lady Fatimah (Peace be upon them) [6]. In this way, he not only weakened the enemy’s morale and inflicted a psychological defeat but also uplifted the spirits of his companions and the captives.
However, the situation in Medina was different from that in Kufa and Sham. The people of Medina, rather than being reprimanded by the Imam (Peace be upon him), shared in the grief of losing the beloved of the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family) and empathized with the family of the Prophet. Therefore, upon returning to Medina, Imam (Peace be upon him) engaged in public mourning and, while maintaining a principled but non-confrontational approach, recounted the sufferings and sorrows that befell the family of the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family), speaking of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him) and the captivity of the family of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). He sought to keep alive the goals of Imam Hussain’s uprising and the memory of the martyrs of Karbala [7]. In this way, the Imam (Peace be upon him) engaged in a form of passive resistance against Yazid, consistently mourning and grieving for Sayyid al-Shuhada (Peace be upon him), safeguarding the events of Karbala from distortion and misrepresentation.
After the Ashura incident, apart from Kufa, which was influenced by the Mukhtar uprising and the uprising of the Tawwabin, a state of terror, fear, and severe oppression prevailed throughout the Islamic community. Although prior to this, there had been an atmosphere of murder, threats, torture, and pursuit against the Imams, the killing of the Prophet’s son, displaying his head on a spear, and taking the family of the Prophet (peace be upon him) captive were unprecedented [8].
This period of Imam Sajjad’s (Peace be upon him) Imamate was fraught with difficulties and was almost equivalent to the period of the Prophet’s (Peace be upon him) covert invitation in Mecca [9]. On the one hand, due to the severe oppression imposed by the unjust caliphs, there was no opportunity for the Imam to speak freely with the people, and on the other hand, the people, stunned and terrified, or sometimes indifferent, showed little interest in hearing the Imam’s words. Additionally, the Shiite organization, which had been established during the Imamate of Amir al-Mu’minin (Peace be upon him) and strengthened during the Imamate of the Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain (Peace be upon them), had been nearly dismantled and severely weakened due to the Ashura uprising, the battle of Harrah, the Mukhtar uprising, and the killing of most of the Imam’s companions. Furthermore, many prominent individuals and elites in the society had become politically corrupt and had become enslaved to worldly desires, which they sought to fulfill through government officials.
In such circumstances, the Imam (Peace be upon him) viewed a public uprising against the ruling regime as leading to the loss of the remaining true followers of Islam and the destruction of the foundations for the growth of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt and the system of leadership and Imamate [10]. Therefore, to preserve and revive Islam and the Shiite organization, he refrained from openly opposing the government; in some cases, he practiced taqiyya and opposed certain uprisings formed in the name of seeking revenge for Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him). Due to the severe oppression prevailing in society, he expressed his thoughts in the form of prayers and supplications, guiding the community patiently toward the direction he envisioned. Thus, Imam Sajjad’s (Peace be upon him) role became clearer through the patience that gradually yielded results, leading the people to join him.
Long-Term Policies of Imam Sajjad During His Imamate
The important goal of Imam (Peace be upon him), like that of other Imams, was to pave the way for the establishment of an Islamic government, which, given the prevailing conditions in society, required a long-term plan. In fact, Imam Sajjad’s (Peace be upon him) role against the Umayyads, who had no aim or policy other than erasing the traces of Islam and destroying the spirit of Islam, was very significant and crucial. Yazid not only instilled fear in the people during the Harrah incident, bringing them under his control and binding them, but he also aimed to eliminate the spirit of Islam and Shi’ism by distracting the people with trivial worldly matters.
In such conditions, Imam, seeing the formation of an Islamic government as nearly impossible due to the oppression, tyranny, and pressures of the ruling regime, took three essential steps to lay the groundwork for the long-term preparation toward the establishment of an Islamic government [11]:
–Establishing Correct and Appropriate Intellectual Foundations: The correct Islamic thought should not only serve as the basis for the Islamic government but also be documented, taught, and disseminated after years of distortion and neglect.
Thus, the Imam (Peace be upon him) elucidated topics such as monotheism, prophethood, the spiritual status of humans, the relationship between humans and God, and everything necessary for reaching our goals through the prayers and supplications of Sahifa Sajjadiya. In this way, he not only preserved correct Islamic thought in society but also awakened and revitalized the motivations for an Islamic life among the people.
Additionally, in his Treatise of Rights, he established the foundations of future relations in the Islamic government by mentioning our reciprocal rights toward God, ourselves, relatives, neighbors, property, and so on.
–Familiarizing People with the Legitimacy of Infallible Experts: This refers to those who should establish the government. It was not only an ideological movement but also a political action against the ruling system.
Imam Sajjad (Peace be upon him) assumed this role at a time when the Umayyad regime had long propagated against the family of the Prophet ((Peace be upon him and his family) and fabricated numerous hadiths contrary to the practices and movements of the Ahl al-Bayt, to the extent that the people had no awareness of the true status and position of the Ahl al-Bayt as infallible experts who were meant to guide them to bliss in this world and the hereafter.
–Creating an Organization to Serve as the Main Axis of Future Political Movements:
Such an organization had been established since the time of Amir al-Mu’minin (Peace be upon him) and had been significantly strengthened during the Imamate of Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain (Peace be upon them). However, events like Ashura, the Harreh Battle, and the Mukhtar uprising had led to the disintegration of the organizational foundations, and Imam Sajjad (Peace be upon him) felt the necessity of rebuilding and revitalizing it.
During his thirty-four years of Imamate, Imam Sajjad (Peace be upon him) took steps to create a community or a great Islamic movement through letters, sermons, and interactions. He reminded the general public, who had become preoccupied with superficial matters, of the verses of the Quran and Islamic beliefs.
He urged his followers, supporters, and believers to avoid worldly distractions and reminded them of the actions of tyrannical rulers, keeping alive the spirit of resistance against oppressive regimes. In this way, he organized the Shiite community and explicitly invited his followers to establish a special Islamic organization [12]. Additionally, he dealt harshly with court scholars and maintained a very intelligent and context-sensitive approach toward the ruling authorities. However, the education and training of believers and spreading the message of the Ahl al-Bayt were not without cost for the Imam (Peace be upon him), as he faced harassment and torture multiple times due to his cultural and political activities, and at least once, he was sent on a camel, bound and chained, from Medina to Sham, the center of the government. Ultimately, in the month of Muharram in 95 AH, during the caliphate of Walid ibn Abd al-Malik, he was poisoned by the agents of the caliphate and martyred.
In this article, we examined the role of Imam Sajjad in organizing and reconstructing the Muslim community after Ashura, discussing how he laid the necessary intellectual and political foundations for the establishment of an Islamic government during his thirty-four years of Imamate. We explored Imam Sajjad’s role in thwarting the plots of the Umayyads and how he advanced the overall goals of the infallible Imams.
Notes
[a] The area commonly referred to as ash-Shām, or the Levant, encompasses present-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine within its historical boundaries.
Reference
[1]. Shaykh Al-Mufid. Kitab Al-Irshad: The Book of Guidance into the Lives of the Twelve Imams. Al-Buraq, 1982.
[2]. Ashub, Ibn Shahr. Manaqib Ale Abi Talib. Qom: Institute of Allameh Publications, 1956.
[3]. Al-Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir. Bihar al-Anwar.
[4]. Al-Shirawi, Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Amer. Al-Ithaf bi Hub Al-Ashraf [The Gift in Love of the Noble]. Dar Al-Kitab Al-Islami, 2002.
[5]. Makarem Shirazi, Naser. Ashura: Roots, Motives, Events & Consequences. Qom: Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Publications, 2008.
[6]. Ashub, Ibn Shahr. Manaqib Ale Abi Talib. Qom: Institute of Allameh Publications, 1956.
[7]. Al-Majlisi, Allama Baqir. Bihar al-Anwar.
[8]. Hosseini Khamenei, Imam Ali. A 250-Year-Old Person. Independently published, 2020.
[9]. Ibid.
[10]. Ibid.
[11]. Ibid.
[12]. Ibid.
