Times were hard in Madina for the family of the Prophet. Imam Ali Ibne Hussain (Sajjad became his title because of his intense prostrations in prayers) lived for another 35 years after the event of Karbala. He was the Imam of the time and it was his duty to spread guidance to the people. But how he would do that when a single word in favor of the Ahlulbayt would have meant certain death. No one dared to say that he followed the family of the Prophet. The Imam survived with the sheer will power and providence.

He used to go to the mosque of the Prophet and some times prayed there all night. These were special prayers in the shape of supplications with great significance than mere ritual. These prayers were memorized by his companions, written down by his two sons, Mohammad and Zaid.

 Mohammad became the 5th Imam after the death of his father while Zaid rose against the rulers of his time and was martyred in Kufa.

All these supplications were later collected by his companions in the shape of a book which was named "Al Saheefa el Sajjadiya". Several copies of the book were made and distributed among the followers.

Normal teachings of the Qur’an by the family of the Prophet were not allowed. With these supplications Imam taught his followers the relationship between God and the people. In ordinary language it is not possible to enhance the knowledge of God. But in the language of prayer, when one bows down before the creator, one realizes ones own meager self, in comparison with the immensity of the universe. All vanity or ego disappears. All thoughts of self indulgence vanish. He relates himself with his creator in all humility and sublime self. His true self awakens which only exists to help others for they are all creatures of God. Emotions that were attached to his own Self disappear.

He feels alone in the wide world. His only hope rests with his creator. God alone gives him hope and meaning of existence on earth. Side by side these supplications also gave the human race their Rights and duties with each other.

 In the name of "Risalat-el- Huqooq" which was an addition to Saheefa, completed the meaning of Islam as a Deen of deeper spiritual understanding as well as the ways and means of lion this planet earth with other people.

Imam’s whole life was spent in helping all the people in the city of Madina. He was seen going during the darkness of the night with a sack full of bread for the hungry people of the city. They never knew the identity of the person, who gave them food night after night, but Imam’s own companions knew the fact and they passed it on to the later generation to know and to learn. It was after his death that those hungry souls came to know the identity of their benefactor.

Imam performed thirty pilgrimages in all after the event of Karbala. Sometimes he would go for Hajj on the back of a camel, but sometimes on foot for 250 miles to Makka. Once he was traveling with a companion. When they reached the outskirts of Makka, the crowd of pilgrims going towards Makka was enormous.

His companions shouted, "There is a lot of crowd for Hajj this year." Imam replied, "There is only you and me and this camel, the rest are animals." He was again teaching the meaning of Hajj which was to reach out for God with all your heart and do not just regard it as another ritual.

An incident occurred that is said to have provoked the jealousy of Hisham Ibn Abdul Malik who was heir apparent to his father and arrived in Makka with great pomp and a retinue of servants. But in spite of this, he was not able to reach for the Black Stone in the Kaba. In pilgrims garb Hisham was unrecognizable. He sat down on a high place waiting for the crowd to move so that he could also kiss the black stone. While he was waiting he saw an old man arrive and watched the crowd give way for him.

 He reached the Black stone, kissed it and returned back to his place. Hisham, being the son of the caliph was astonished and enquired about the identity of the person. Farazdaq the famous poet was standing right there. He composed a Qaseeda in praise of the Imam to introduce him to the Heir apparent of the throne. He said, "He is who that the whole Makka knows him, every stone in the Kaba knows him. He is the son of the grand son of Fatima and Ali and of the Holy Prophet. Hisham, in his arrogance of power, imprisoned the poet who died in prison some years later.

In another incident while the Imam was about to begin his prayers a man came round and began to use abusive language against him. Imam ignored the man first. But when he repeated the abusive language pointing to him directly, Imam said to him, "what you are saying about me, if it is true then I asks God’s forgiveness, but if it is not true, then only God can forgive you." The man was thoroughly ashamed of his behavior and apologized. Later on he became a great devotee of the Imam.

Some people say that the Imam spent his life after Karbala in weeping and crying for the atrocities committed to his family.

 Indeed it was true that he wept profusely and that some times the glass of water he drank would soil with tears so that he would not be able to drink that water. And when people said why you weep so much, for martyrdom is the inheritance of the Ahlulbayt. He would say, "Yes indeed, I do not weep for the killing of my family, but for the humiliation we the whole family faced on the way to Damascus which was beyond description. I weep for that disgrace of women and children." He would then call the people around and tell them the story of Karbala and the plight of the captives after Karbala. People would also weep and cry loudly. The message spread. This was the means to tell the people otherwise people would not want to know. Through tragedy the message reached the hearts of the people and that message is still alive after 1400 years. And with this the line of demarcation drawn in Karbala between truth and falsehood is still visible.

Imam’s aunt Hazrat Zainab was organising gatherings in the city of Madina to tell the assembled ladies in the majlis the events of Karbala and these participants spread the message to all corners of the town and in Makka and other cities of the province of Hejaz. This method was so successful that the Governor of Madina wrote to Yazid about it and on the orders from Yazid, Hazrat Zainab was escorted back to Damascus. She lived there for a while then she was moved to Egypt on the orders of the monarch because even in Damascus her speeches in private gatherings were successful in spreading the story of Karbala.

Hazrat Zainab stayed in Egypt for few years but then she was brought back to Damascus where she was martyred. Her mausoleum is in Damascus, just outside the City and pilgrims visit the place all the time. Many miracles have appeared at this place and people suffering from incurable diseases have come to pray on her grave and have found good health.

Imam (as) in Madina through his silent teachings left many pupils; the most prominent of them was Abu Hamza-e-Thumali, who remained to spread the teachings of Ahlulbayt in the Islamic world. Abu Mikhnuf was also one famous pupil of the Imam who later on the instructions of the fifth Imam wrote the story of Karbala in the narrative form which became the part of the Majlis all over the world.

The calm and peaceful life of the Imam was not

Imam Sajjad (as) after Tragedy of Karbala

When the young Ali took the mantle of Imamat, times were hard on the Ahlulbayt of the Prophet. His is the saddest story of all time. On the 10th of Muharram at the time of Asr Prayers, when his father Hussain (AS) was alone in the battlefield ready to do battle, he withdrew to the camp of his ailing son, came beside his bed, woke him and told him that the story of Karbala was over, that he was about to go to sacrifice his own life for the cause of Islam. It was at that time the father transferred the mantle of Imamat, the spiritual guidance, to his son to lead the Muslim Ummah towards the Right Path.

He was born in Madina some 22 years ago, on 5th Shabaan 38 year of Hijra. In some history books his date of birth is shown as 15th Jumada Awwal 38 AH. His mother was Shahr Banu the daughter of Yazdjurd II, the last of the Persian Kings before Islam. She was taken prisoner when Muslim armies conquered Persia. When she was brought in Madina Imam Ali (AS) spoke to her and she embraced Islam and was married to his 2nd son Imam Hussain (AS). She had died after giving birth to her only son. He was only two years old when his grand father Ali (AS) was martyred in the Mosque at Kufa. After that the whole family of the Prophet returned to live in Madina. For the next 10 years under Imam Hasan (AS) as Imam and after his martyrdom, his father Imam Hussain (AS) as the Imam, the young Ali was growing in their shadow and watching the workings of the Imamat without the worldly authority. People knew they were the grand sons of the Holy Prophet and followed them by their hearts but outwardly because of the fear of the Ummayad ruler in Damascus, there was very little following of the Ahlulbayt of the Prophet.

In 60 Hijri when his father Imam Hussain (AS) had to leave Madina for Makka and then for Karbala, he was with him all the time.

In Karbala all male children of Ali (AS) and Hussain (AS) were killed except Ali Ibne Hussain (AS) who with providence became so ill that he was unable to participate in the Jihad with his father and survived the massacre. His life and with that the line of descendents of Hussain (AS) survived because the Imamat had to go on.

 He became the 4th Imam on the 10th of Muharram 61 Hijri. He was taken captive and was brought to Kufa and then to Damascus in chains. In spite of his illness and humiliating position in front of Yazid the Ummayad ruler, when Yazid addressed him in an insulting manner saying that his father wasted his life by refusing to give the oath of allegiance to Yazid, Imam replied, it was to save Islam. They were wondering how Islam was saved. When time for Azan came and the Moazzin screamed from the minaret "I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah", Imam shouted to Yazid, this is the way Islam was saved. People would have forgotten the name of Muhammad as the Messenger of Allah if his grand son would not have shown the world that you were a ruler by default. Yazid ordered his swordsman to kill this young man, but by the intervention of his aunt Zainab his life was spared. He remained in prison for one year with the whole family. There was turmoil in all parts of the Islamic empire on this brutal killing.

In the end Yazid was afraid that if he kept the family of the Prophet in prison any longer, he will loose his kingdom. So he sent orders to bring the family before him and told him that he was releasing them. He also asked what they wish to do now. In reply to this His aunt Zainab said that they would wish to hold a gathering in Damascus so that she can tell the people what happened in Karbala. Yazid agreed and the first Majlis was held in Damascus.

In this Majlis most of the women of Damascus took part who were secretly following the path of Ahlulbayt which included Yazid"s wife Hind. Then they all returned to Karbala to pay homage over the graves of their beloved father, uncles and brothers.

 It was on the 20th of the month of Safar 62 Hijri that they arrived back in Karbala. The first Majlis of Arbaeen was held in Karbala in which his aunt Zainab and all the surviving family attended. It was at that time that one of the companions of the Prophet Jabir Ibn Abullah Ansari visited the grave of Hussain (AS) who later narrated the whole story of Karbala to many of his listeners in Madina and many other towns he visited. The message of Hussain (AS) was spreading from town to town and from country to country.

The whole family then returned to Madina except the wife of Imam Hussain (AS). Her name was Umm-e-Rabab. She said that she would not return back home, for her home was here where her husband lay buried. She stayed in Karbala until she died a few years later. A small town flourished for the up keeps of pilgrims who began to visit the grave of Hussain (AS) and all the martyrs of Karbala.

Transfer of Imamate from Imam Hussein to Imam Sajjad

The transfer of the Imamate to the next Holy Imam has to occur at the death of the previous Holy Imam and the transfer of the Imamate of

Imam Hossein to Imam Sajjad was under particularly distressing circumstances with the severe illness that Imam Sajjad was suffering and the martyrdom of so many family members and companions.

In the book Kitab al-Irshad, it is quoted that:

The Shia gives an account of the tablet which Gabriel, peace be on him, brought down to the

Prophet, may God bless him and his family, from Heaven. The Prophet gave it to Fatima, peace be on her. In it are the names of the Imams after the Prophet.

The Shia also reports that God, the Mighty and High, sent down to His Prophet, the blessings and peace be on him, a document sealed with twelve seals. He ordered him to give it to Imam Ali, peace be on him, and to tell him to break the first seal, and he should act according to what is in that part of the document.

 At the time of his death, he should pass it to his son,

Imam Hassan, peace be on him, and tell him to break the second seal and act according to what is in that part of the document. At the time of his death, he should pass it to his brother Hossein, peace be on him. He should tell him to break the third seal and act according to what is below it. Then at his death, he should pass it to his son, Ali bin Hosein and he should instruct him in a similar way. (Mufid 1981, pg. 395)

It could therefore be concluded that this document was given to

Imam Sajjad just prior to his father’s martyrdom although there are disputed opinions surrounding this matter.

An account concerning the testamentary of bequests (wasiyya) made by

Imam Sajjad’s father, Imam Hosein was that they were deposited with Umm Salama for him. He received them when his father died. Imam Hosein made the request for these from Umm Salama, the sign of the Imamate of the one who should request them among men. (cf. al-Kafi, I, 204, tradition number 3), but other sources say that these things were in the hands of Fatima, his daughter, (cf. al-Kafi, I, 363-4} in Al-Mufid 1981, pg.381). The facts do tend to favor the opinion that the bequests were left in the trusted care of Imam Hossein’s daughter, Fatima, as she was present at Karbala, whereas Umm Salama was in Medina at the time, and according to the information above, Imam Sajjad received these bequests at his father’s death.

It has been narrated in, Hossein The Saviour of Islam by Ahmed Ali (1964), that Imam Sajjad, the eldest son of Imam Hossein, was

lying unconscious on his sick bed at the time when Imam Hossein was preparing to part with the remaining members of his family and the families of his martyred companions. Imam Hossein went to Imam Sajjad and handed over the charge of the sacred office of Imamate to him. Imam Hossein enumerated the difficulties and the tortures that would befall him immediately following his martyrdom and advised him to observe the highest degree of patience and fortitude against every aggression and oppression that would be inflicted on him and his dear ones, and never to get angry or curse the people (Mir Ahmed Ali, pg 183). Martyrdom Anniversary of Imam Sajjad (as), the Guide of Muslims

The father gently touched the fevered forehead of his son. He was Hussein Ibn Ali (as) who was sitting on the bed of his son Ali Ibn al-Hussein and had pinned hope in his luminous eyes. Imam Sajjad (as) opened his eyes after feeling his father’s caress. The father’s kind face always boosted his morale. But this time it was different. The day after, the father was about to set off for an unequal battle, but the son was unable to join and help his father, since he had fallen sick. Imam Hussein (as) looked at his son kindly and whispered the following sentences:

“O time, shame on you, everyone will die one day and it is the custom of time which is loyal to no one. All return to God and all of those alive should traverse this path.”

Imam Sajjad (as) realized what his father meant. He felt a knot in his throat but he tried to conceal his grief from his father. He realized that tomorrow a huge calamity would fall upon them.

From that moment Imam Sajjad understood the great responsibility which was entrusted to him after the martyrdom of his father and history proved that he well succeeded in fulfilling his duty.

 Today on the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Sajjad (as) we will talk about the fruitful life of the Imam.

Imam Sajjad (as) was born in Medina in 38 AH and he was about 23 years old during the Karbala tragedy. Regarding the night of Ashura (the 10th day of Moharram when Imam Hussein (as) and his companions attained martyrdom in the Karbala tragedy), Imam Sajjad says:

“On the night of Ashura, my father called his companions, and I too while being sick went to my father to listen to his words. “

Hamid Ben Moslem the writer of the Karbala tragedy account says: “On the day of Ashura, after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (as), the army of the Umayyad ruler Yazid went to Ali Ibn al-Hussein. He was ill in his bed. Since they were ordered to kill all members of Hussein’s family, they intended to martyr Imam Sajjad. But since they saw him in bed, they changed their mind and left him alone.”

One can say that a divine philosophy lay in the illness of Imam Sajjad (as) to keep him alive. The history of Islam also showed that the Imam had an effective role in the incidents after the Karbala uprising. Actually, the other stage of Imam Hussein’s movement started under the leadership of Imam Sajjad (as).