Imam Sajjad’s efforts to guide the Muslims and reconstruct Islamic society had made him the center of attention and respect from the Muslims. For example, the famous reciters of Quran in Medina would not leave for Hajj until Imam Sajjad left the city and they would follow him in large numbers, and the people would not return until the Imam left Mecca. The Umayyads, who were afraid for their own power, could not tolerate the Imam’s social popularity and influence among the people. Thus, Hisham ibn Abdul-Malik, who hated the Imam due to his observations at Hajj, encouraged his brother, Valeed, to order the poisoning of the Imam. After Imam Sajjad was poisoned, he called his children and chose his son, Muhammad, as his successor in the Imamat. He addressed him with the title of Baqir. Imam Sajjad gave him a heavy chest passed down from the Imams. The chest was full of holy books, scriptures, and the swords of the Prophet and Imam Ali. Imam Sajjad (AS) spoke to his son, Imam Baqir (AS), in private for some time. Among his last words, the Imam emphasized the importance of kindness to the people. He also told Imam Baqir what his father, Imam Hossein, had passed down to him on the day of Ashura, which was to avoid oppressing someone who has nobody but God to defend him. Then, the Imam became unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he recited the chapters of Waqi’ah and Fath from the Holy Quran. The chapter of Waqi’ah describes the Day of Judgment and the categorization of the people on that day. The chapter of Fath describes the treaty of Hudaybiyyah during which the Muslims achieved victory peacefully. The Imam then recited the following verse [39:74], “Praise be to God, who has fulfilled His promise to us and made us inherit the land, enjoying paradise as we please. How excellent is the reward of the workers.” Then, his soul ascended, and he passed away on the 25th of Muharram, in the year 95 Hijri, at the age of 58.
Burial While preparing the body of the Imam for burial, calluses were found on his back from carrying sacks of food. The Imam used to distribute food secretly at night to around 100 needy families of Medina. After the Imam’s martyrdom, people discovered that their livelihoods had been coming from him. This was in addition to the two occasions where the Imam had split his entire wealth with the needy in the way of God. The Imam’s martyrdom brought grief to the entire city of Medina. The people of Medina gathered in a large crowd for his funeral. The Imam was buried in the Baqi’ cemetery within the vicinity of his uncle, Imam Hasan (AS).
