Library Islam Islam: Faith, Practice & History Part III: History Lesson 43 4. Rulers & their Attitude
4. Rulers & their Attitude
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4. Rulers & their Attitude
Imam as-SÄdiq’s imamate coincided with the rule of the last five Umayyad rulers (HishÄm bin ‘Abdu ’l-Malik, WalÄ«d bin YazÄ«d, YazÄ«d bin WalÄ«d, IbrÄhÄ«m bin WalÄ«d, and MarwÄn al-HimÄr) and the first two ‘AbbÄsid caliphs (Abu ’l-‘AbbÄs SaffÄh and MansÅ«r DawÄniqi).
As mentioned in the previous lesson, the Muslim people were gradually turning away from the Umayyads. The anti-Umayyad sentiment which had started with the massacre of Karbala, finally led to the fall of the Umayyads in 132 A.H. However, those who were leading the revolt in the name of Ahlu ’l-Bayt could not resist the temptation of power, and seized the seat of caliphate for themselves. These were the descendants of ‘AbbÄs bin ‘Abdul Muttalib, the uncle of the Prophet. Hence the next dynasty to rule the Muslim world was known as Banu ‘AbbÄs or the ‘AbbÄsids.
HishÄm, the Umayyad caliph, had ordered the sixth Imam to be arrested and brought to Damascus. The later Umayyad rulers were not strong enough to harass the Imam.
The Imam was then arrested by SaffÄh, the first ‘AbbÄsid caliph and brought to Iraq. After some time, he was allowed to return to Medina. The reign of MansÅ«r, the second ‘AbbÄsid caliph, was even worse for the Shi’as. He ordered such torture and merciless killing of many of the descendants of the Prophet who were Shi’ite that his actions even surpassed the cruelty and heedlessness of the Umayyads. At his order they were arrested in groups, some thrown into deep and dark prisons, and tortured until they died, while others were beheaded or buried alive or placed at the base of or between walls of buildings, and walls were constructed over them.
Once MansÅ«r wrote to Imam as-SÄdiq (a.s.) asking him why he did not visit him like other dignitaries. The Imam wrote in reply: “Neither do we possess any worldly treasure for which we may fear you, nor do you possess any spiritual virtue for which we may seek your favour. So why should we come to you?” MansÅ«r replied, “Then come for admonishing us.” The Imam replied, “Those who seek this world will never admonish you, and those who seek the hereafter will never come to you.”
