The Speech of H.E. Mr. Mohammadi, Consul General of the Islamic
Republic of Iran
in the Ceremony of Birthday Anniversary of Imam Reza (S.A) in
IslamJimkhana on 10 November 2008
POLITICAL LIFE OF IMAM REZA (AS)
He was elder son of Imam Moosa al-Kazem, the 7th descendant of the holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW). He was born on 1st January 756 A.D. in Madina. He was born one month after the martyrdom of his grandfather Imam Jafar Sadegh (AS). Like his ancestors he got his education at the hands of his holy father. Ummul Banin Najma who was considered to be the most notable and distinguished lady in the realm of wisdom and faith was his mother. Imam Reza’s father was martyred in 799 A.D. when Imam Reza was of the age of 35 years. Therefore, from the age of 35 years he got the responsibility of Imamate.
POLITICAL SCENARIO OF THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY
DURING THE IMAMATE OF IMAM REZA (AS)
The life of Imam Reza saw the three caliphs consequently during the period his Imamate. First 5 years period of his Imamate coincided with the suffocating security of Haroon al-Rashid.
Haroon al-Rashid, provided full secure atmosphere to his officials to run the government and to further consolidated his caliphate. One of the examples of this suffocating security was imprisonment of Imam Moosa al-Kazem (AS) which ultimately ended in Imam’s martyrdom at the hands Haroon al-Rashid.
One of the important aspects of this period was the propagation of the Islamic teachings and enlightenments among all the Muslims, especially among the Ulemas, which started from the period of the Imamate of Hazrat Jafar Sadegh (AS). If this trend would have been continued during the Imamate of Moosa al-Kazem, certainly the order of Islam would have been different today.
Haroon al-Rashid observing these religious and cultural activities used all his might to control these actions. These difficulties culminated in the imprisonment of Imam Moosa al-Kazem and eventually his martyrdom and the same environment continued during the period of Imamate of Imam Reza also. During this period Imam Reza faced lots of restrictions. Haroon al-Rashid’s two sons Amin and Mamoun governed parts of the Islamic territories. But each one of them wanted to have complete control over the entire Islamic territory therefore they fought among themselves for the worldly gains. Mamoun’s mother was of Iranian origin whereas Amin was born to an Arab mother. Mamoun wanted to use all his potentials to control the entire Islamic Society and finally reach to the Caliphate.
He killed his brother Amin and consequently the situation in Iraq and Syria was become unstable. The people suffered from injustice and tyrannical behaviour of his government officials.
Hence, the people were thirsty for justice and real Islam and were also looking for justice through the clan of Imam Ali (AS). Mamoun has recognized this trend and also the position of Imam Reza (AS) among the Muslims. Therefore, he sent a delegation to Madina and psychologically forced Imam to immigrate to Iran.
Mamoun wrote to Imam Reza to come to Khorasan via Basra, Ahwaz, Fars, Rey and Neishbour and he were afraid that he may travel through Koofa and Qom. He thought because of the Shiite majority in these cities, the people over there may choose Imam as their Caliph.
Finally, Mamoun forced Imam to accept the succession to his Caliphate. Holy Imam (AS) put forward certain conditions. Such as that he would not interfere in governmental affairs or in the appointment or dismissal of government officials because these officials were used to taking orders from the dictator-like peoples and may not accept the just and Islamic orders from him. Such acceptance by Imam would also have provided legitimacy to the rule of Mamoun.
Imam had the divine assignment and therefore was able to guide all the people at all the places and time. Because of this Imam’s followers were growing day by day. The vicious caliph was scared of the ever-increasing popularity of Holy Imam. He decided to eliminate Imam.
In 818 A. D. Mamoun first imprisoned him in Sarakhs then he was taken to Sanabad and finally was martyred by poisoning on his instructions.
Imam’s route to enlighten society and introduce the real Islam and justice to people caused such kind of consequences. After his martyrdom the Islamic society has started to struggle with the legitimacy of Mamoun’s caliphate and the revolts were seen in many parts of the Islamic territories.