Investigating the Grounds, the Motivations and the Role of Ibn Moljam Moradi in Imam Ali's Martyrdom

The present study investigates and reconstructs AbdurRahman bin Moljam Moradi's role and the factors effective in Imam Ali's martyrdom, highlighting the role of the ethnic culture, the social system and the social classes effective in the formation and orientation of the evolutions in the early history of Islam. According to this study, it becomes clarified that Imam Ali's opponents were allied to murder him. The emergence of Khawarej and their interaction with this group prepared an opportunity for the strength of the opponents, which led to the murder of Imam by Ibn Moljam. He acted resolutely and deliberately. He had an origination of the tribal system, Bedouin culture and religious ill-thinking. Ibn Moljam's positions and action and the coalition in Imam Ali's martyrdom were in line with this thought. In the studies conducted, just some of the historical traditions pertaining to Ibn Moljam have been investigated, which are void of critical analysis and documentary and content evaluation. Besides, in those researches, the variables effective in Imam Ali's martyrdom have been neglected, and that incident has been regarded as resulted from Ibn Moljam's violence and his social and moral fluctuations as well as his fanatic leanings. The research method in this inquiry was historical, and – by referring to the related sources – the existing traditions about Ibn Moljam regarding Imam Ali's martyrdom as well as the effective factors and variables were documented, explained, evaluated and critically analyzed.