After explaining the main layout of Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) Imamate, we briefly refer to the goal and the approach adopted by the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.) and then we review the details of the life of the Imam (P.B.U.H.) based on this approach.
There is no doubt that the ultimate goal of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) was establishing an Islamic government, and as stated in the narration of Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.), Allah the Almighty had considered 70 A.H. / 690 C.E. for the establishment of an Islamic government yet the martyrdom of Imam Ḥusayn (P.B.U.H.) around 60 A.H. / 680 C.E. put it off to the year 147 A.H.–148 A.H. / 764 C.E.–765 C.E. This clearly indicates that the ultimate goal of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) and other Imams (P.B.U.T.) has been to form an Islamic government. But how the Islamic government can be established in such circumstances? This requires several things:
Compiling, teaching and propagating the true Islamic school of thought–which the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.) are the real holders and should be the basis of the Islamic government. After such a long time that the Muslim community had been separated from true Islamic thought, how could one establish a government on the basis of authentic Islamic thought while the intellectual ground had not become prepared among the people and the original rulings had not been written down?
Indeed, the greatest role played by Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) was the compilation of the authentic Islamic thought which means monotheism, prophethood, [the true] spiritual status of humans and their relation with Allah, etc. The most important role played by Ṣaḥīfat al-Sajjādīyya is in this regard. If you consider this book in relation to the Islamic intellectual situation of the people of that era, you will see how much the gap is widened between the two. In such a time when the Muslims all over the Islamic world marched toward material life and sought pleasures, and everyone−ranging from someone like ‘Abdul Malik b. Marwān who was the then caliph up to his advocate scholars (including Muḥammad b. Shahāb Zuhrī and surly I will talk about these scholars later)–pursued worldly desires and materialism, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) addressed people as, “Is there no free man who can leave this chewed morsel (of the world) to those who like it?”.
In this sentence, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) explains that the authentic Islamic thought means to target spiritualties, move toward spiritual and Islamic goals, and make humans connected with Allah through obligations. This is exactly opposite to the material trend of the people at that time. This was only an example which I mentioned here and Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) had done such great things for the sake of preserving the authentic Islamic thought, in the Muslim community. This incident was the beginning of the mission of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.).
Making people familiar with the rightfulness of those by whom the government must be established. How could the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) form a government at a time when the propaganda against the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) had filled the Islamic world for decades, until the era of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.), and many false traditions from the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H. & H.H.)–which were contrary to the movement of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) and even in some cases included insulting and cursing the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.)–had been made and promoted among people who did not have any information about the moral and true status of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.)?
Therefore, one of the important goals and actions of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) was to enlighten and acquaint people about the definition of the eligibility of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) as well as this issue that Wilāya, the Imamate and the government are their inalienable rights and they are the true successors of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.). In addition to its ideological and intellectual importance, this matter has also a political nature which means a political movement against the ruling regime.
Establishing an organization that could be a cornerstone for future political moves. In such a torn society where people lived under repression, poverty as well as financial and moral pressure and harassment–and used to be alone, detached and disarray–even the Shi‘ites were posed in an atmosphere of terror and harassment to the point that their organizations were disbanded, how should Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) have begun his mission alone or with a small disorganized and unaligned group? In this aim, the next task of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) was to renovate and restore the Shi‘ite organizations, which–in our opinion−existed in the days of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) but were weakened and diminished after the incident of ‘Āshūrā, al-Ḥarra and Mukhtār [’s uprising].
As a result, the mission of the Imam (P.B.U.H.) was going on within the three basic themes:
First: To codify and compile Islamic thought, authentically and according to what Allah has revealed, after a long period of being distorted and consigned it to oblivion.
Second: To prove the eligibility of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) for the caliphate, Wilāya and Imamate.
Third: To find consistent organizations for the followers of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.)–i.e. the Shi‘ites.
These are the three basic themes which we should study and find out which one of them had been achieved in the life of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.). In addition to these, there were also other marginal or implied actions including the movements or the statements made by the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and his followers in order to break through such an awful oppressive atmosphere.
In numerous events, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) or his followers–of course when they were more organized–made statements the goal of which was to break the repression barriers and create some friendly and nice atmosphere. This is only one of the marginal actions for which I will give more examples later.
Another marginal action is the slightly testing in combat with the governing bodies or its subsidiaries, such as the incidents occurred between the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and ‘Abdul Malik several times, or things took place between the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and the delinquent and advocate scholars of ‘Abdul Malik (such as Muḥammad b. Shahāb Zuhrī) as well as some of the skirmishes occurred between the followers of the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and the caliphs in order to breach such a tough atmosphere.
When one reviews moral narrations, advice, letters or other sayings which are quoted from Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.), or even the conflicts happened in the life of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) on the basis of what we have pointed out, he would find the proper meanings; in other words, he would find that all those moves and statements are in line with the three above-mentioned themes and are all for establishing an Islamic government. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) certainly was not thinking of forming an Islamic government in his time because he knew that it would have been established in the era of Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.).
These three actions would have prepared the ground to establish an Islamic government and an ‘Alawite rule. As previously mentioned and emphasize it now, this point that Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) (unlike Imam Ṣādiq–P.B.U.H.) had no intention of changing the government and establishing an Islamic government in his time because it had been evident that the ground in the era of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) was not prepared for it. The injustice, oppression and ignorance were immense to the point that their removal was not possible during the thirty years [of his Imamate], yet Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) was making every endeavor for the future. Through numerous clues, we find that Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) also did not intend to establish an Islamic government in his time. This means that from the year 61 A.H. / 681 C.E. to the year 95 A.H. / 714 C.E. (when Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) was martyred) and from the year 95 A.H. / 714 C.E. to the year 114 A.H. / 732 C.E. (when Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) was martyred), none of them were thinking of forming an Islamic government. Therefore, they made any endeavor for future. As it was mentioned, Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) method was long-term plan.
Here, we intend to look at the words and sayings of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) and extract from them what we mentioned before. When one seeks to analyze the life of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.), his words and sayings are the best and authentic source for us to this end, just as our method is the same for all the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.).
We–as noted earlier–consider the Infallibles’ (P.B.U.T.) sayings and narrations as the best source for understanding their lives; however, we understand these sayings and words appropriately in case we are familiar with the movements of the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.), their aims and ends of such strivings, endeavors and manners. If not, we may misunderstand the meanings of the words I say. And as we get familiar to them (which is indeed due to the Infallibles’ (P.B.U.H.) sayings), we will see how we can enjoy the benefit.
Before getting into the heart of discussion, we should mention a small point and it is that as the Imam (P.B.U.H.) was living in a severe repressive era and could not explain these concepts clearly and publicly, he benefitted from the method of preaching and supplicating. Supplicating is related to Ṣaḥīfat al-Sajjādīyya–which we talk about later–and preaching is related to statements and narrations quoted from the Imam (P.B.U.H.). In the majority of Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) statements or perhaps in all of them, the tone is the tone of preaching. While preaching, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) had stated what I have referred to earlier and when you look at these statements, you would find a wise and highly skilled method which the Imam (P.B.U.H.) had applied; and by such a method he could instill what he wanted into the people’s minds as he was preaching to them and this is truly one of the best forms of conveying and inculcating true ideologies and thoughts.
