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Issue #3 2009

Imam Ali Naqi (AS)

Imam Ali Naqi (A.S.)was born on Friday 15thDhulhijjah 212 a.h. inSurba, Madina. He isthe son of the ninthImam, ImamMuhammad At-Taqi(A.S.). His mother'sname was BibiSumaana (Seyyida).She was a very piouslady who spent her whole life fasting.Imam Ali Naqi (A.S.) became the Imam atthe age of eight. He is the eleventhdescendant of our beloved Prophet

Muahammad (SAW).It is reported that hehad five children: Imam Hasan Askari(AS), Husayn, Muhammad, Jafer, andAaliya.

During this time the Abbasid Empire werethreatened by the Turks and had to movethe capital of Iraq from Baghdad toSamarrah. It was when Mutawakkilbecame caliph in 236 Hijiri (847 AD) theImam was called over to the Abbasidcapital Baghdad. Mutawakkil, was the

most cruel and deadly enemy of theAhlulbayt (AS), who tried to drown theGrave of Imam Hussain (AS) in Kerbala.He also tried to remove Imam Hussain(AS) body from his grave and burn but hedid not succeed. He realized he could notharm the grave so he warned all thepeople who wanted to visit his grave, that

their fingers and feet would be cut off ifthey did. Imam still asked Shias to visitKerbala.

Imam Ali Naqi (as) served the longestperiod of Imamate (besides the 12thImam) - 34 years which can be dividedinto two parts - 17 years of freedom and17 years under arrest. In 234 a.h.Mutawakkil called Imam to Samarra.Imam was aware of Mutawakkil'sintentions but went knowing that thiswould be an opportunity to show the Turkswhat true Islam was. On arriving inSamarra the Turkish spies sent with Imamwere amazed at Imam's knowledge of theTurkish language when he had nevervisited the Turks before.

It was anopportunityfor Imam toprepare themen inSamarra forghaibat.Imam was putup in an innwhich wasmeant for

beggars andcriminals.From this innhe wasremoved andput into thecustody of anevil man

10th Imam Ali Al-

Hadi(AS)

When Allah

intends

goodness for

somebody,

He makes

him accept

the blame of

the friends.

Imam Ali

Naqi (AS)

In This Issue

Imam Ali Naqi (AS)

Grave of ImamHussain (AS)

Junaydi

Poem by Imam (AS)

Featured crossword

Jaffar Al-Tayyarpuzzle solution

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called Zarraqui (whochanged to be asupporter of theImam).

While he wasunder house arrestImam Naqi (AS)continued to spreadknowledge of Islamand of the Ahlulbayt(AS). He spent mostof his life trying tomake the ghaibat ofour twelfth Imameasier. Soon

afterwardsMutawkkil was killedby his own son whocould not stand thebehavior of hisfather. After he waskilled, his sonMuntasir lifted therestrictions ofKerbala and freedthe Imam. But thisdid not last long as

Muntasir was killedsix months later atthe age of 25. Thencame Mustan Billahfollowed by Mo'tazBillah whocontinued the cruelpunishment on theImam.

Even thoughImam Naqi (as) wasunder house arrest,he was still able toaccomplish manythings. During hisimprisonment, theImam had a gravedug up ready by theside of his prayermat. Some visitors

expressed concernor surprise. TheImam explained, " Inorder to remembermy end I keep thegrave before myeyes."

Mo'taz arranged forthe poisoning ofImam through anambassador andImam was martyredon Monday 3rdRajab 254 a.h.nobody except

Imam Hasan Askery(a.s.) was present atthe time of hisdeath. he gave hisfather ghusl andkafan and weptbitterly.

The tyrant'streatment ofImamHussain (AS)grave

The AbbasidCaliphate was builtafter the Umayyadswere overthrown.Their rule ended in

1258 AD whenHalgu Khan aMongol emperorsacked Baghdad.Mutawakil was the9th Caliph of thisdynasty and wasone of the mosttyrannical rulers.

During the rule ofthe first AbbasidCaliph Al-Mansurthe roof of theShrine of ImamHussain had beendemolished. Duringthe reign of Mahdithe roof wasreconstructed.During Al-Rashid'sreign the dome andthe roof weredemolished and theplam tree near thegrave was cut down.Mutawakkil due tohis hatred of theAhlul Baytprohibited thevisitation to thegrave of ImamHussain (AS). In

addition he divertedthe river to drownthe grave and it issaid that heintended to removethe body and burn it.He also had orderedthe land over the

grave of ImamHussain (AS) beplowed over. Heordered the limbs ofthe pilgrims cut.Imam Ali Naqi (AS)continued toencourage thevisitation to thegrave of ImamHussain (AS).Mutawakkil then letone pilgrim visit ifanother pilgrim fromthe same family waskilled. When Heordered that theriver be diverted toerase the traces ofthe gravemiraculously thewater diverted andeven though the

grave was at a lowerlevel than thesurrounding land theriver did not flowover it. Finally thetyrant banned allvisitation to Karbala.

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Once Mutawakkil invited Imam Ali Naqi (AS) to his court and served him wine. Imam (AS) recited thefollowing poem.

Protected by valiant warriors they passed the night on the summit of their mountainsbut these mountains did not protect them. Afterall their power and pomp they had to descend

from their lofty fortresses to the custody of thetombs. Owhat a dreadful change their graveshad hardly received them when a voice heardexclaiming, Where are the thrones and thecrowns and the robes of State? Where are nowthe faces of the delicate, which were shaded byveils and protected by curtains. To this thetomb replied. The worms are now revellingupon these faces. Long were these men eatingand drinking, but now they are eaten by theworms in their turn.

Imam Ali Naqi (AS) became Imam at the death of his fatherat age 8. In order to insult the Imam (AS) the caliphappointed a renowned sunni scholar Junaydi as his 'teacher'.Junaydi was a well known hater of the ahlul bayt of his time.After some time had passed Junaydi was summoned and

asked about his student's progress.

I am the student and he is the teacher. I now know what

knowledge is. What I say is because of what I have beentaught by Imam (AS)

Junaydi

Across

5) Imam Naqi's (AS) mother.

6) Name city where he was forced to live

8) Country where he is buried

Down

1) Caliph at the time of the Imam

2) Empire during the Imam's time

3) Name of shrine bombed in Iraq

4) Imam Naqi (AS) prepared us for

5) One of Imam Naqi's names

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www.muslimcongress.org

Washington Post Foreign Service

Askari shrine bombed

Thursday, February 23, 2006; Page A01

BAGHDAD, Feb. 22 -- Bombers blasted thegilded dome of one of Shiite Islam's holiestshrines into naked steel and gaping blue sky