History Books

Adopted from the book : "Story of the Holy Ka’aba And its People" by : "S.M.R. Shabbar"

The last days of the Ummayads were ruffled by political disturbances. Changes in Gwere many and Imam Sadiq (AS) witnessed the rise and fall of many kings. After Hisham, Walid, then his son Yazid, then Ibrahim, then Merwan al-Himar came to the throne. The capture of the latter terminated the monarchy of the tyrannical Ummayads.

During the last phase of the tottering Ummayad rule, the Abbasids were actively engaged in their anti Ummayad activities. They took advantage of the situation and formed an association with the slogan that “ Right to rule is for the family of the Holy Prophet.” They pledged in one of their meetings in Madina in which Muhammad Nafse Zakiya, the great grandson of Imam Hasan(AS) was present, that when the Ummayads state topples, the Khilafat will be reverted to the Ahlulbayt. It is clear that to rule the Islamic world was not the job of every Hashemite or Abbasid. It was the right of those divinely appointed descendants of the Holy Prophet whom God had chosen to lead humanity. But these high-thinking souls never wished to take undue advantage of the situation with the aid of cunning tactics. In short, the Imams, the descendants of Ali (AS) never tried to acquire power through political trickery. But the Abbasids no doubt took the opportunity of the situation. Availing themselves of the silence shown by the Imams and of the compassion people had for the Hashemites (the Abbasids too were Hashemites) they saw their chances to rise to power. But when they established themselves on the throne, they became the enemies of Ahlulbayt, in the same degree or more than that which had been adopted by the heartless Ummayads.

One of the prominent agents of this revolution was Abu Salma al-Khallal who was especially compassionate towards the Ahlulbayt. When he gained power in Iraq he wrote letters to Imam Sadiq inviting him to accept and share the royal power. In political struggles, such opportunities are considered golden, but the Imam who was an embodiment of selflessness and self respect, declined the offer and remained devoted to his duties of imparting knowledge. The supporters of the Abbasid cause and the followers of Abu Muslim Khorasani then took the oath of allegiance at the hand of Abul Abbas as Saffah on 14th Rabiusani 132 Hijri (30.11.749AD) he was acknowledged as the ruler and caliph of the muslim world. In the year 136 Hijri Saffah died and his brother Abu Ja’afar Mansur succeeded to the throne.

It has already been indicated that the Abbasids took advantage of the popularity of the Ahlulbayt and had made their slogan to stand and protect the rights of Ahlulbayt. They gathered the public around them on this pretext. But when they came to power and destroyed the Ummayads, they turned against the Ahlulbayt, particularly the descendants of Imam Hasan (AS). Abu Salama who was known for his love of the Ahlulbayt, was killed by Saffah. Abu Muslim Khorasani whose armies marched into Iraq leading to the Abbasids gaining power was also murdered by Mansur. He then turned all his tyranny against the descendants of Imam Hasan.

Imam Jafar Sadiq (As) was watching all this with great sadness but was unable to do anything about it. He expressed his sorrow for them in these words.

“The early Madinites (Ansars) had invited the Holy Prophet to Madinah under the oath that they would protect him and his descendants just as they would protect their own kith and kin. But today the descendants of those very Ansars act as silent onlookers and none stands up to protect the Prophet’s offspring.”

Having said these words, the Imam returned to his house and fell ill, and was unable to move for twenty days.

Among the prisoners of Mansur was also the aged Abdullah-e-Mahedh, the grandson of Imam Hasan(AS). His son Muhammad Nafse Zakiyah rose against the oppressive regime and fell fighting near Madinah in 142 Hijri. The head of the young warrior was sent to his aged father in prison who died at the sight of this atrocious act. Another son Ibrahim rose in Kufa and was killed in the year 143 Hijri. Many Sayyids, the descendants of Imam Hasan were killed and many of them were buried alive as part of the building walls in the city of Baghdad. Even today a wall exists on the northern side of the River Tigris near the Jisre Atiq (the Old Bridge) with an inscription on the wall in Kufic script "In the building material of this wall many descendants of Imam Hasan Ibn Ali were buried alive.