From Interaction to Confrontation: the Course of the Umayyads and the Marwanis' ‎Standpoints on Imam Sajjad (A)‎

Yazid's behavior with Imam Sajjad (AS) after the event of Karbala should be considered. He allowed the Ahl al-Bayt to mourn after deciding to correct his behavior. He then respected the captives, placed Imam Sajjad (AS) and the other captives in a house near his palace, and gave them food and gifts. He also invited Imam Sajjad (AS) and his brother, Umar, for serving food with him in the morning and evening. Before moving the captives to Medina, he allowed Imam Sajjad (AS) to choose either to stay in Damascus or go to Medina. He suggested the Imam stay in Damascus so that he would be respected and honored by him. Imam Sajjad (AS) did not accept it and returned to Medina with Imam Hussein’s family. Yazid appropriately treated Imam Sajjad (AS) even until the Harra uprising. He had some advice for Muslim Ibn Aqaba (d. 64 AH), his military commander, one of which was treating Ali Ibn Hussein (AS) kindly.The Umayyad interactions with Imam Sajjad (AS) also continued after Yazid in the period of Marwan. Two reports have been quoted in Sunni historical sources in this regard. First, Marwan lent Imam Sajjad (AS) 4 or 6 thousand dinars after the Imam’s return to Medina and advised Abdul Malik not to take it back from him.We can also refer to Marwan's recommendation to increase the generation of Hosseinians. Continuation of this behavior can be traced to the event of the Harra uprising, in which the Umayyads were expelled from Medina and Marwan asked Imam Sajjad (AS) for asylum for his family and the Imam approved it. Marwan then thanked him and this was probably why he tried to ask the people of Medina to give Imam Sajjad (AS) protection during the allegiance of Muslim Ibn Aqaba. In this story, Muslim Ibn Aqaba summoned Imam Sajjad (AS) to pledge allegiance to Yazid. The Imam (AS) came to Muslim with Marwan and his son, Abdul Malik. He considered this behavior as a kind of request for safety and mentioned Yazid's benevolent advice for appropriately treating Imam Sajjad (AS) as the only reason for not attacking him and just rejecting it.From the very beginning, Abdul Malik, like his father, Marwan, had an interactive approach with the Imam. In the event of the Harra uprising, Abdul Malik had witnessed that Imam Sajjad (AS) had given his mother (Ayesha/Aban’s mother and Uthman’s daughter) protection. Hence, the Imam was revered by Abdul Malik from the very beginning of his rule. Abdul Malik always praised him and said that Ali ibn Hussein (AS) had a position beyond what people had known for him. He provided financial assistance to the Imam and set a pension for him. He entrusted the charities of the Prophet (PBUH) and Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) to Imam Sajjad (AS) and even stood against other Hashemites on this issue. The culmination of the relationship between Abdul Malik and the Imam can be seen in the report saying that Abdul Malik ibn Marwan has been willing to marry one of his daughters to Imam Sajjad (AS), but he has refused to accept it.The interactions of the Umayyads with Imam Sajjad (AS) were not permanent. Their confrontations with him began at the end of Abdul Malik's period. The historical reports show that Abdul Malik's attitude towards the Imam has changed from a certain time, which can be probably from the early 80s after the removal of Ibn Zubayr’s sedition (AD 72 AH) when the Umayyads have been relieved of the danger of the Zubayris and have not needed to interact with and satisfy the Alawites. Also, there are reports of Abdul Malik spying on the Imam. Abdul Malik asked Imam Sajjad (AS) to send him the sword of the Messenger of God, which was one of the symbols of Imamate and leadership in the eyes of Shiites and had been claimed to now belong to the Imam. Abdul Malik's request was met with a negative response from the Imam and thus, he threatened him in a letter to cut his pension from the treasury. Abdul Malik's same concerns probably led him to finally summon the Imam to Sham (today’s Syria) in the early 90s. This confrontation continued during Walid's time. In political matters, Walid had maximum pressure on the Hashemites. His pressures were specifically on Imam Sajjad (AS) as well. Concerning alms, which were one of the most important financial sources for Imam Sajjad (AS), the alms related to Imam Ali (AS), the Imam’s grandfather, were entrusted to Hassan Muthanna during the period of Walid (Late 90s AH). The Umayyads' confrontation with Imam Sajjad (AS) had reached a point where he kept defending Hassan Muthanna, who was a clear opponent of the Umayyads. Eventually, Walid and the Umayyads could not tolerate Imam Sajjad (AS) and poisoned and martyred him like other opposing Hashemites.