5. Last Days & Death
Finally,MansūrhadImamas-Sādiq(a.s.)arrestedandbroughttoSāmar-
rah(Iraq)wherehehadtheImamkeptundersupervision,wasinevery
wayharshanddiscourteoustohim,andseveraltimesthoughtofkilling
him. Eventually the Imam wasallowed to return to Medinawhere he
spenttherestofhislifeundersevererestrictionsplaceduponhimbythe
Abbasidruler,untilhewaspoisonedandmartyredthroughtheintrigue
of Mansur.
Upon hearingthe news ofthe Imam’s martyrdom, Mansur wroteto
thegovernorofMedinainstructinghimtogotothehouseoftheImam
onthepretextofexpressinghiscondolencestothefamily,toaskforthe
Imam’s will and testament and read it. Whoever was chosen by the
Imamashisinheritorandsuccessorshouldbebeheadedonthespot.Of
course,theaimofMansurwastoputanendtothewholequestionofthe
imamateand toShi’ite aspirations.When thegovernor of Medina,fol-
lowing orders, readthe lastwill andtestament, hesawthat the Imam
hadchosen five peoplerather than one to administerhis lastwill and
testament:thecaliphhimself,thegovernorofMedina,‘AbdullahAftah,
theImam’solderson,Musa,hisyoungerson,andHamidah,hiswife.In
this way the plot of Mansur failed.
AbuBasīr, aclosecompanionof Imam Ja‘faras-Sādiq (a.s.), wentto
theImam’shouseforexpressingcondolencesonthedeathoftheImam.
UmmHamīdah, the wife ofthe Imam, said, “OAbu Basīr,ifyou had
beenattheImam’ssidewhenhedied,youwouldhavebeensurprised.
Inhislastmoments,theImamopenedhiseyesandaskedthatallfamily
members come closeto his bed.When everyone hadgathered around
him,hesaid,‘Verily,thepersonwhoconsidersthesalātasatrivialissue,
he will not deserve our intercession.”
* * *ThislessonhasbeenwrittenandcompiledbySayyidM.Rizvibyus-
ing the following sources.
1.Shi’a Islam’of Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-
Tabataba’i.
2.Pishway-eShishum:HazratImamJa‘far-eSādiq(a.s.)byDarRah-
e Haq.