25th of Muharram Marks Sorrowful Martyrdom Anniversary of Imam Sajjad
25th of Muharram Marks Sorrowful Martyrdom Anniversary of Imam Sajjad
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The 25th of Muharram marks the sorrowful martyrdom anniversary of Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein, peace be upon them both, known as Imam Sajjad and Zain al-Abidin, the fourth Imam of the Muslims.
Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, was born in Medina on the 5th of Sha’ban in 38 AH. Among his well-known titles are Zain al-Abidin, Sayyid al-Sajidin, Sajjad, Zaki, Amin, and Dhul-Thafanat.
He lived during part of the lifetime of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, and witnessed the eras of Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein, peace be upon them. He was present in Karbala and saw the martyrdom of his father, brothers, and uncle. By divine wisdom, he was ill on the day of Ashura, so that the line of Imamate would continue after Imam Hussein, peace be upon him.
After Karbala, Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, was taken with the captives to Kufa and Damascus. Together with Lady Zainab, peace be upon her, he exposed the crimes of the Umayyads and preserved the message of Karbala. One of his most famous acts was his powerful sermon in the mosque of Damascus before Yazid, which shook hearts and brought tears to people’s eyes.
During the oppressive Umayyad and Marwanid period, Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, adopted prayer and supplication as a profound method of guidance and resistance. His great work, Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, remains one of the deepest collections of Islamic supplications. His Treatise on Rights is another lasting legacy, presenting a profound vision of human dignity and responsibilities.
The famous poem of Farazdaq also reflects Imam Sajjad’s high status among Muslims, describing how people made way for him during Hajj while ignoring Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik.
According to some historical sources, Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, was martyred by poison on the 25th of Muharram in 94 AH by order of Walid ibn Abd al-Malik.
His holy body was buried in Al-Baqi Cemetery in Medina, beside Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba, later accompanied by Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, and Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq, peace be upon them all.
