Lesson twenty seven:
the tenth Imām and the twelfth infallible figure, Imām Hādī (‘a)
He was called ‘Alī and his best known epithets are Naqī and Hādī. Imām Jawād was his father and his mother was called Sa‘īdah who is said to have been peerless in piety and devoutness. He was born on Dhūl-Ḥijjah 15, 212 and assumed leadership after his magnanimous father.
Ismā‘il ibn Mihrān says, “When Imām Muḥammad Taqī was traveling from Medina to Baghdād, I told him, ‘may my life be sacrificed to you! I am afraid that your life may be threatened during this trip. Who would be our leader after you?’ He glanced at me and said, smiling, ‘I won’t die this year.’ (He went to Baghdād and as he had said he returned safe). But when the ‘Abbasī ruler summoned him to Baghdād again, I called on him once more and said, ‘May my soul be sacrificed to you! You are leaving, who will be the leader after you?’ He cried profusely and then turned to me and said, ‘I will be killed during this trip and my son, ‘Alī, will succeed me as the following leader.’”[60]
Qoṭb Rāwandī says, “Imām Hādī like his forebears possessed all the great virtues and he spent nights in praying.” Among people, he always smiled and his lips were moving, praying to God.
He spent the bulk of his leadership in the city of Sāmirrā under the surveillance of the ‘Abbasī regime and finally he was poisoned to death by them on Rajab 3, 254 and at 42 and was buried in Sāmirrā.
A man called on Imām Hādī and while trembling, timidly said, “My son has been arrested due to your friendship and they are going to kill him tonight. Imām said, “what do you want now?” The man replied, “I want what every parent desires, that is, the release of my son.” Imām said, “Go, your son will be released tomorrow and will return to you.” Tomorrow, his son came back and told him how he was saved from imminent death through the prayers of Imām Hādī.[61]
Some remarks by the Imām
In this world, people are evaluated by their wealth but in the hereafter, they will be assessed by their good deeds.
This world is like a bizarre where merchants and businessmen are engaged in trade, some will gain (they earn God’s pleasure) and some will do poorly (with their own hands, they kindle the flames of hell for themselves).[62]
[60] ‘Uṣūl al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 323.
[61] Al-Manāqib by Ibn Shahr Āshūb, vol. 3, p. 518.
[62] Tuḥaf al-‘Uqūl, p. 483.