It is narrated regarding the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) that during the day he devoted himself to cultivating gardens and digging qanats for the poor and the needy, and by night he stood in worship until dawn.
Imam al-Sajjad (peace be upon him) followed the same path. How many gardens and water channels were developed or brought into being by his hands for the benefit of others. His worship and prostration reached such an exalted degree that he came to be known as Zayn al-Abidin (the Adornment of the Worshippers) and al-Sajjad (the One Who Prostrates Abundantly).
Imam al-Sadiq’s (peace be upon him) Description of the Worship of Imam al-Sajjad (peace be upon him)
- “When Ali ibn al-Hussain (peace be upon him) stood in prayer, he was like an ear of grain, completely motionless. His prayer resembled the prayer of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), such that one who looked at him would imagine he was a palm trunk firmly planted, unmoving.”
- “When Ali ibn al-Hussain (peace be upon him) entered into prayer, he was like a pillar that did not move, and he would enliven the night with prayer just as his grandfather, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), used to do.”
- “When Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) stood in prayer, he would weep so intensely that he would lose consciousness. Likewise, his grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), would weep in his prayer niche until the angels showed him mercy.”
Narrations from Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) Concerning the Devotion of His Father, Imam al-Sajjad (peace be upon him)
- “My father (peace be upon him) had a prayer mat made of palm leaves, upon which he would prostrate at night, weeping just as his grandfather, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), wept in his prayer niche.”
- “Ali ibn al-Hussain (peace be upon him) would fast continuously and give charity openly and secretly, just as his grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), used to do.”
- “Ali ibn al-Hussain (peace be upon him) would carry sacks of food on his back at night and distribute them among the poor. He concealed this act, and no one became aware of it until after his passing. This was also the practice of his grandfather, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him).”
Testimony of Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri
Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri, a renowned scholar among the Sunni authorities, narrated several reports concerning Imam al-Sajjad (peace be upon him). He stated:
“I have not seen anyone more knowledgeable than Ali ibn al-Hussain (peace be upon him), nor anyone more ascetic than him—except for what has reached us concerning his grandfather, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him).”
