Al- Mu'alla Bin Khanis

Al- Mu'alla b. Khanis was a freed servant of Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him. Whoever studies his traditions knows that he was among the people of jurisprudence and knowledge, in the position of the Imam, and among the prominent companions. The thing that denotes his high position with the Imam was that the Imam became sad when he was killed, went out of his house angrily pulling his cloak, his son Isma'il was following him, and saying: "Indeed, the person can endure losing a child but cannot endure war." Then he came to his killer, Dawud b. 'Ali al- Abbasi (the governor. of al- Mansur) and said to him: "Dawud, you have killed my servant and have taken my money." The Imam did not become calm till he punished the person who killed his servant. That person was al- Sirafy, the chief of the police of Dawud. When they wanted to kill him, he began shouting: "They order me to kill men for them then they are going to kill me!"

When al- Mu'alla was killed, al- Sadiq, peace be on him said: "By Allah, sure he has entered Paradise!" Also he said: "Fee on this world! Allah empowered His enemy on His friend in it!" Besides, there are other traditions with the same meaning denote the high position of al- Ma'allah. Dawud killed al- Ma'allah because he was among the followers of Abu Abd Allah. Dawud sent for al- Mu'alla to show him the places of the followers and companions of al- Sadiq. Al- Mu'alla refused that So, Dawud threatened him with killing if he refused to how him the places of the followers and companions of al- Sadiq. However, he insisted on keeping their places a secret. This is strong evidence for his piety in the religion and his readiness to die for those chosen men. We ask Allah to be pleased with him and with them.

Adapted from: "Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.)"