Imam al-ʿAskari (peace be upon him) is a shining star in the constellation of divine light and infallibility. When he stands on his prayer mat, he disconnects from the whole world, filling the devout with awe, and guiding those estranged from their nature and longing for union back to the shore of servitude to God. Ṣāliḥ ibn Wasīf, the warden of the Imam, admitted this truth. When others urged him to be harsher with the Imam, he replied: “What can I do? I appoint the most wicked men over him, yet after a short while his spiritual attraction transforms them into men of prayer and fasting.”
In social and political arenas as well, the Imam (peace be upon him) was a comprehensive model for truth-seekers and justice-lovers. His courageous endurance of imprisonment, his organization of the Shiʿa, and his safeguarding them from the tyranny of the rulers were among his key undertakings in the turbulent fields of society and politics.
Although the Imam’s enforced residence in the military district (ʿAskar) of Samarra—which gave him the title “al-ʿAskari”—was itself a kind of imprisonment, the tyrants did not stop there; they repeatedly cast him into dark prisons. Without doubt, these imprisonments were the result of his confrontation with four Abbasid caliphs (al-Mustaʿīn billāh, al-Muʿtazz billāh, al-Muhtadī billāh, and al-Muʿtamid ʿalā-llāh). A brief look at these struggles is illuminating.
Shaykh al-Kulaynī relates: Imam al-ʿAskari (peace be upon him) was once imprisoned under ʿAlī ibn Nārmesh, a staunch enemy of the Prophet’s household who treated them harshly. Courtiers instructed him to be severe with the Imam, yet before a single day had passed, Ibn Nārmesh was transformed—such that he could not raise his eyes from the ground in awe of the Imam’s majesty.
Later, Caliph al-Mustaʿīn resolved to kill the Imam. He ordered his gatekeeper Saʿīd to escort the Imam toward Kufa and assassinate him along the way. News of this spread among the Shiʿa, who wrote to warn the Imam. In reply, the Imam wrote: “I have asked God to remove this tyrant within three days.” His prayer was answered: on the third day, the Turks deposed al-Mustaʿīn from the caliphate.
One of the Imam’s methods in resisting oppressive caliphs was to establish deep, organized ties with the Shiʿa. Abū Hāshim Jaʿfarī narrates: “One day the Imam summoned me, gave me a stick, and said: ‘Deliver this to ʿUmarī.’ On the way, I encountered a water-carrier whose donkey blocked my path. I refused to step aside and struck the donkey with the stick. Suddenly, the stick split open and letters hidden inside scattered to the ground! I hurried to gather them while the water-carrier cursed me, and I continued my mission. When I returned to the Imam’s house, his servant ʿĪsā came to me and said: ‘My master says: Why did you strike the donkey and break the stick? Do not do that again. If you hear someone insulting us, conceal your identity and go your way—for we live in an evil land.’”
Similarly, Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq recounts: “I asked Imam al-ʿAskari (peace be upon him) to write something so I could recognize his handwriting and verify his letters. The Imam said: ‘My writing may sometimes appear in thick script, sometimes in fine script—so do not let doubt enter your heart.’ He then called for ink and began writing. I thought to myself, ‘It would be good if I could have his pen.’ Before I uttered a word, the Imam gave me the pen.”
These reports show the precision and subtlety of the Imam’s communication with his followers, and how he constantly guided them in a unified and organized movement.
For a movement to endure, it must preserve its existence and employ its followers wisely. Unprincipled and reckless actions are a grave danger that can even destroy divine movements. For this reason, the infallible Imams (peace be upon them) always urged their Shiʿa to observe the Qur’anic principle of taqiyya (prudential concealment).
Imam al-ʿAskari (peace be upon him), while emphasizing disavowal of the enemies, continuously reminded the Shiʿa of this principle. One report says: “We were waiting outside the Imam’s house in Samarra, hoping to see him, when a letter arrived from him. It said: ‘Let no one greet me or signal to me, for in doing so, he would endanger his life.’”
9 ربیع الاول 1447
01 September 2025