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Imam Sajj\u0101d
\nThe fourth Sh\u012b\u02bfa Imam is Sajj\u0101d, the son of Imam \u1e24usayn. He was born in 657 AD and passed away in 713 AD. Imam Sajj\u0101d was born at a time when his grandfather Imam \u02bfAl\u012b was still Caliph and grew up when Mu\u02bf\u0101wiya was in power.
\nAfter the martyrdom of Imam \u1e24usayn in the Ashura uprising in 680 AD, God assigned Sajj\u0101d the mission to lead Muslims. He had to endure the reigns of Yaz\u012bd b. Mu\u02bf\u0101wiya, \u02bfAbd All\u0101h b. Zubayr, Mu\u02bf\u0101wiya b. Yaz\u012bd, Marw\u0101n b. \u1e24akam, \u02bfAbd al-Malik b. Marw\u0101n b. \u1e24akam and Wal\u012bd b. \u02bfAbd al-Malik.
\nUpon the ascension of Yaz\u012bd, \u02bfAbd All\u0101h b. Zubayr refused to swear allegiance to the new Caliph and fled to Mecca. After Imam \u1e24usayn was martyred in Karbala, \u02bfAbd All\u0101h collected the people of Mecca and made a speech to them. After his speech, the people of Mecca declared that no one deserved the caliphate more than him and pledged allegiance to him. When he heard about this, Yaz\u012bd had a silver chain made and sent to Mecca with the intention of having Wal\u012bd b.\u02bfUtbah arrest \u02bfAbd All\u0101h b. Zubayr. But it was only many years of bloody warfare that his uprising was ended.
\nImam Sajj\u0101d miraculously survived the events of Karbala. He was among the other prisoners of war taken to Kufa and then Syria. On the way to Sham, Sajj\u0101d delivered speeches in support of the Ashura uprising. Following a debate, \u02bfUbayd b. \u02bfAbd All\u0101h b. Ziy\u0101d got angry and threatened to kill the Imam. In response, Imam Sajj\u0101d said: \u2018Are you threatening to kill me? Do you not know that death is something we are acquainted with and martyrdom is a dignity and virtue for us?\u2019 (Maqtal Khwarazm\u012b) The Imam was also threatened to death by Yaz\u012bd following a debate; the Imam said in response: \u2018Never could freed-slaves like the Umayyads order the murder of the Prophets and their successors unless they abandoned Islam first. But if you are firm on your decision, bring me someone reliable so that I could delegate him the administration of affairs.\u2019 (Dhar\u012b\u02bfat al-Naj\u0101t) Imam Sajj\u0101d never asked for mercy from Yaz\u012bd and he only asked him to appoint someone reliable to lead the prisoners to Medina.
\nHis speech in the Mosque of Damascus
\nIt was not the only case the Imam heaped scorn on Yaz\u012bd. In a general assembly, he exposed the corrupt nature of the Umayyads for all to see. He delivered a fiery sermon in the Mosque of Damascus and called on the people of Syria to overthrow Yaz\u012bd. The sermon by Imam Sajj\u0101d followed a Friday Prayers sermon of praise for Yaz\u012bd and his followers. Imam Sajj\u0101d said: \u2018You mercenary! You sold out people\u2019s happiness and you won God\u2019s fury. Your place is in the Fire!\u2019
\nThe Imam asked Yaz\u012bd to take the podium and speak in a way that would please God. Yaz\u012bd refused to do so. And when the Syrians asked Imam Sajj\u0101d to speak out, Yaz\u012bd said: \u2018They have sucked knowledge with milk since childhood. If they sit on the pulpit they will stay there until they humiliate me and Ab\u016b Sufy\u0101n\u2019s family.\u2019 The Imam finally agreed to deliver a speech. He began his speech by praising God and invoking blessings upon the Prophet. Then he started talking about himself and his family in a way he neutralized twenty-five years Umayyad propaganda: \u2018I am the son of he who submerged in his own blood and was killed with thirsty lips,\u2019 the Imam said. Having heard this sentence, all listeners cried loudly. Yaz\u012bd was scared and ordered a call for prayers in order to cut the Imam\u2019s words. The Imam interrupted his speech in respect for the call for prayers. When the muezzin was saying \u2018I testify that Mu\u1e25ammad is the messenger of God\u2019, the Imam struck a coup de grace to the Umayyad. He turned to the muezzin and said: \u2018Please wait a little in respect for Mu\u1e25ammad.\u2019 Then he turned to Yaz\u012bd and asked: \u2018Yaz\u012bd! Is the Prophet your grandfather or mine? If you say he\u2019s yours you would be lying and if he\u2019s mine why did you kill his children and take his daughters prisoners? Why? Why?\u2019 Frustrated with the Imam\u2019s words, Yaz\u012bd left the mosque. (Bah\u0101\u02bei, K\u0101mil)
\nAfter his return from Medina, the Imam was facing tough restrictions imposed by the regime. He only contacted his close associates but still managed to train one hundred and seventy Companions. (\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b, Rij\u0101l) The most prominent of these companions were Sa\u02bf\u012bd b. M\u016bs\u0101yyib, Sa\u02bf\u012bd b. Jubayr, Mu\u1e25ammad b. Jubayr, Ya\u1e25y\u0101 b. Umm \u1e6caw\u012bl, Ab\u016b Kh\u0101lid K\u0101b\u016bli and Ab\u016b \u1e24amza Thum\u0101l\u012b.
\nThrough training such companions, the Imam became popular in the Islamic community and in the eyes of Umayyad rulers. During a \u1e24ajj pilgrimage, the Imam refused to salute \u02bfAbd al-Malik b. Marw\u0101n and even frowned at him. Infuriated with this gesture, Adul-Malik held the Imam\u2019s hand and said: \u2018Look at me! I\u2019m \u02bfAbd al-Malik and not the murderer of your father.\u2019 The Imam replied: \u2018The murderer of my father destroyed his afterlife. Do you want to follow in the footsteps of the murderer of my father? That\u2019s ok!\u2019 \u2018I would never want to do such a thing! But I expect you to be in touch with us and to benefit from generosity,\u2019 said \u02bfAbd al-Malik. The Imam said: \u2018I don\u2019t need your world or your properties.\u2019 (Bi\u1e25\u0101r al-Anw\u0101r)
\nThe Umayyad party\u2019s heinous treatment of the Household of the Prophet furthered added to the latter\u2019s dignity and elevated their status. During one \u1e24ajj pilgrimage, Hish\u0101m b. \u02bfAbd al-Malik wanted to touch the Ka\u02bfba\u2019s Black Stone but the throng of the pilgrims meant he could not reach it. So he sat down in a corner and watched. In the meantime, a handsome and slender man was stepping slowly towards the stone and everyone was stepping aside to let him advance. The people of Syria, who were around Hish\u0101m, asked him who the man was. Hish\u0101m knew Sajj\u0101d well, but he claimed: \u2018I don\u2019t know him!\u2019
\nAt this point, the famous Arab poet Farazdaq, who was present with the entourage, extemporised the following words in praise of Imam Sajj\u0101d:
\n\u2018This man is he whose footsteps the desert soil knows. Ka\u02bfba and its surroundings are familiar with him. He is pious, clean and famous. The Black Stone would have fallen on earth to kiss his feet would it know who was going to touch it. Hish\u0101m! It is not significant at all when you claim you don\u2019t know him. Arab and non-Arabs know him well.\u2019 (Kit\u0101b al-Agh\u0101n\u012b)
\nFarazdaq\u2019s poem was so powerful that Hish\u0101m became angry and ordered his arrest. The Imam then sent a message of sympathy to the poet.
\nAlthough he detested the Umayyad rulers, Imam Sajj\u0101d never missed an opportunity to guide them. During the reign of \u02bfAbd al-Malik, the Christian Trinity was visible everywhere; the Trinity was pressed even on fabrics woven in Egypt, a Muslim territory. The Muslims objected to this practice and asked \u02bfAbd al-Malik to replace the Trinity with symbols of monotheism. The Roman Empire heard about the request and demanded that \u02bfAbd al-Malik not allow any change in the Egypt-woven fabric. The empire threatened to mint coins emblazoned with insults to the Prophet if they did so. At that time, Roman-minted coins were used throughout the Islamic world. \u02bfAbd al-Malik sought assistance from Imam al-Sajj\u0101d and the Imam suggested that they mint their own coins bearing the Islamic slogans; \u2018I testify that there is no god but God\u2019 and \u2018Mu\u1e25ammad is the messenger of God\u2019 engraved on each side. Islamic coins were minted and the economic clout of the Roman Empire was diminished. (A\u02bfy\u0101n al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa)<\/p>\n
The Imam\u2019s prayers and supplications
\n\u1e62a\u1e25\u012bfa Sajj\u0101diyya contains fifty-four prayers \u2013 all narrated from the Fourth Imam. This book also contains a comprehensive set of beliefs as, due to restricted freedom of expression, Imam Sajj\u0101d had to express his views about socio-political lifestyle in the form of prayers. Renowned Egyptian exegete Tant\u0101w\u012b says: \u2018\u1e62a\u1e25\u012bfa Sajj\u0101diyya is the book with unique tips and teachings which are not found in other books. The Egyptians did not understand the value of this priceless manual\u2026\u2019
\n\u2018O God, bless Mu\u1e25ammad and his Household, appoint for me a hand against him who wrongs me, a tongue against him who disputes with me, and a victory over him who stubbornly resists me!\u2019 (\u1e62a\u1e25\u012bfa Sajjadiyah, 20)
\nThe \u1e63a\u1e25\u012bfa also contains some scientific findings which the world was unaware of: \u2018Lord! You know the weight of darkness and light. You are aware of the weight of shadow and air.\u2019 (\u1e62a\u1e25\u012bfa Sajjadiyah, 51)
\nIn the twenty-seventh prayer, the Imam curses the enemies of God:
\n\u2018O God! Mix their waters with pestilence and their foods with maladies, hurl down their cities, harass them with pelting, hinder them through drought, place their supplies in the most ill-omened part of Thy earth and the farthest from them, bar them from its fortresses, and strike them with constant hunger and painful illness!\u2019<\/p>\n