When the Abbasid Caliph al-Mutawakkil—whose intense hatred and animosity toward the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and their followers is well-known—ascended to the caliphate, he feared that Imam Ali al-Hadi (peace be upon him) might rise up against him. So, he summoned the Imam to his court, intending to keep him under close surveillance and be able to pressure him easily or, if necessary, end his life at will. However, the Imam, with God’s permission, devised a plan and decided to penetrate the very heart of the ruling class, gradually bringing the caliph’s closest allies under his influence, which he succeeded in doing. Perhaps narrations like the following reveal some aspects of Imam al-Hadi’s (peace be upon him) influence in the government’s palace:
Some individuals spoke ill of Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him) in front of al-Mutawakkil, claiming that the Imam had letters and weapons from his supporters in Qom at his house and that he intended to seize the caliphate.
Al-Mutawakkil sent some of his soldiers to raid the Imam’s house. They attacked during the night, but they found nothing. They discovered the Imam in a locked room, wearing a woolen cloak, sitting on the sand and dirt, completely absorbed in worship, reciting verses from the Qur’an. They brought him to al-Mutawakkil, informing him that they found nothing at the Imam’s house and saw him facing the Qibla, reciting the Qur’an. At that moment, al-Mutawakkil was sitting in a drunken gathering, holding a goblet of wine. The Imam was brought before him while he was in this state. As soon as al-Mutawakkil saw the Imam, he ordered him to sit beside him and offered him the goblet of wine.
Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him) replied, “By God, my flesh and blood have never touched alcohol. Forgive me.”
Al-Mutawakkil excused him and then asked, “Recite a poem for me.”
The Imam responded, “I know only a little poetry.”
Al-Mutawakkil insisted, and so the Imam began reciting the following verses:
“On the peaks of mountains, they slept, guarded by them, yet the mountains did not benefit them.
After a period of glory, they were brought down from their strongholds and settled in a pit. Woe to them, what a miserable place they have come to!
A caller shouted after they were buried: ‘Where have those bracelets, crowns, and fine silk garments gone?
Where are the faces that were pampered, with curtains and canopies drawn before them?’
When inquired about them, the grave clearly spoke: These are the faces upon which worms now crawl.
For a long time they enjoyed and lived in luxury, but today, after all the eating and indulgence, they have become food for others.”[1]
Upon hearing these verses, al-Mutawakkil wept so profusely that his beard became wet with his tears, and the courtiers also wept. The Imam was then sent back to his home with great respect.
With these profound verses, Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him) delivered a wake-up call to those who were heedless, reminding them that death is inevitable. At that moment, wealth, status, or anything that might be a source of pride in this fleeting world would no longer be of benefit. Truly, remembering death and the passing nature of this life is the most effective reminder.
(Adapted from the book Guides on the Path of Light: The Life of Imam Ali al-Hadi (peace be upon him), by Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Taqi al-Modarresi)
Footnote:
[1] “They rested on the peaks of mountains, guarded by them,
but men overcame them, and the peaks were of no use to them.
After a period of honor, they were brought down from their fortresses,
and they settled in a pit; woe to them, what a miserable place they came to!
A caller shouted after burying them: ‘Where have the bracelets, crowns, and fine garments gone?
Where are the pampered faces that had curtains and canopies drawn before them?’
Then the grave spoke clearly about them: ‘These are the faces upon which worms crawl.
They ate and drank for a long time, and now, after all their indulgence, they have been consumed.'”