The revered Imamzadeh, Hazrat Abdolazim (peace be upon him), whose noble lineage reaches, through four intermediaries, to the illustrious grandson Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him), is thus: Abdolazim ibn Abdullah ibn Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Zayd ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them all). His honorable tomb in Rey is well known and serves as a refuge for the public. The loftiness of his rank and the greatness of his station are clearer than the sun. In addition to being of the Prophet’s household, he was counted among the foremost hadith transmitters, the eminent scholars, the ascetics and worshippers, and a paragon of piety and God-consciousness. He was a companion of Imam Jawad and Imam Hadi (peace be upon them), devoutly and exclusively devoted to their service, and he transmitted many hadiths from them. He is credited with the book Khutab Amir al-Mu’minin and with a work titled Yawm wa Laylah. It is related that he presented his religion to his Imam, Imam Hadi (peace be upon him), who affirmed him and said: “O Abu al-Qasim, this, by God, is the religion God has chosen for His servants — remain steadfast in it; may God make you firm with the word that is firm in this world and the Hereafter.”
Sahib ibn ‘Abbad wrote a brief treatise on his life; our sheikh, the late Thiqah al-Islam Nuri, quoted it in the appendix of Mustadrak, and he is also mentioned in the rijal of Sheikh Najashi.
Abdolazim feared the ruler of his time and fled, wandering covertly between towns as if he were a courier. Finally he came to Rey and went into hiding among caravan drivers — according to Najashi’s report, in a cellar of the house of a Shi‘i in Sikkeh-al-Mawali — where he devoted himself to worship: fasting by day, praying by night. He would secretly go out to visit a grave located opposite his own (with a path between them) and say that it belonged to a descendant of Imam Musa (peace be upon him). He remained there continually, and for a time only one or two Shi‘a knew of him, until most people of Rey recognized him. Then a Shi‘i dreamed of the Master of the Message, who said: “A man of my descendants will be taken from Sikkeh-al-Mawali and buried by an apple tree in the garden of ‘Abd al-Jabbarin ‘Abd al-Wahhab,” pointing to the very place where he would be interred. The dreamer went to buy that apple tree and spot from the landowner and told of his dream; the owner replied that he had had the same dream and had endowed that tree and plot for that Sayyid and other Shi‘a to bury their dead there. Abdolazim fell ill and passed away to God’s mercy. When they removed his garments for the ritual washing, they found a slip in his pocket on which he had recorded his noble lineage: “I am Abu al-Qasim Abdolazim, son of Abdullah, son of Ali, son of Hasan, son of Zayd, son of Imam Hasan, son of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them).”
Sahib ibn ‘Abbad, describing Abdolazim’s knowledge, reports that Abu Turab Ruyani heard Abu Hamad al-Razi say that he visited Imam Ali al-Naqi (peace be upon him) and asked many questions; when he sought permission to depart, the Imam told him: “O Hamad, whenever a difficulty concerning your religion arises in your locality — that is, in Rey — ask Abdolazim ibn Abdullah al-Hasani about it, and give him my greetings.” Muhaqqiq Damad in Rawaish records many traditions extolling the virtue of visiting Abdolazim’s grave, including reports that whoever visits his tomb is granted Paradise. Sheikh al-Shahid al-Thani, in his marginal notes, cites the essence of this narration from certain genealogists. Ibn Babawayh (al-Qummi) and Ibn Qulawayh have transmitted it on reliable chains: a man from Rey once visited Imam Ali al-Naqi, who asked where he had been; the man replied that he had visited Imam Husayn (peace be upon him). The Imam said: “Had you visited the grave of Abdolazim that is among you, you would be like one who has visited Imam Husayn.” Scholars have transmitted specific ziyarat formula for him; Fakhr al-Muhaqqiqin Aqa Jamal al-Din deemed the visitation formula given in Mafatih appropriate for his shrine. (Mafatih al-Jinan, p. 1309.)
Although the oppressive atmosphere of Abdolazim’s era greatly limited access to the Imams, some seekers of Qur’anic and Ahl al-Bayt knowledge were nevertheless able, according to their capacity, to benefit from Imam Hadi and attain high degrees of faith and gnosis. Shaykh Tusi lists 185 transmitters from Imam Hadi, among whom many distinguished figures appear; below we briefly mention some.
Hazrat Abdolazim al-Hasani was a great scholar, transmitter, and man of learning, esteemed for asceticism and piety. Several prominent companions of the sixth, seventh, and eighth Imams (peace be upon them) knew him, and he himself was a renowned student and narrator from Imam Jawad and Imam Hadi (peace be upon them). Abu Hamad al-Razi relates: “I had the honor of visiting Imam Hadi and posed questions; when I prepared to leave, he said: ‘Whenever a problem arises, ask Abdolazim al-Hasani, and convey my regard to him.’” Sahib ibn ‘Abbad says Abdolazim was well versed in religious matters and the rulings of the Qur’an and had reached such ranks of faith and knowledge that Imam Hadi told him: “You are truly one of our sincere friends.”
Once Abdolazim presented his creed to the Imam, and Imam Hadi approved it. Abdolazim reports: “I entered upon my master, Imam Hadi. When his gaze fell upon me he said, ‘Welcome to you, O Abu al-Qasim! You are truly our friend.’ I said: ‘O son of the Messenger of God, I wish to present my religion to you so that, if it is pleasing to you, I may remain firm in it until I meet God.’ He said: ‘Speak.’ I said: ‘My belief is that God, blessed and exalted, is One; nothing is like Him; He is free from negation and from anthropomorphism. He is neither body nor form nor accident nor substance; rather, He is the Creator of bodies and the Shaper of forms and the Maker of accidents and substances, the Sustainer, Owner, Ordainer, and Creator of everything. I believe Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is His servant and Messenger and the final envoy until the Resurrection. I believe the rightful Imam and successor after the Prophet is Amir al-Mu’minin Ali, then Hasan, then Husayn, then Ali ibn Husayn, Muhammad ibn Ali, Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, Musa ibn Ja‘far, Ali ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn Ali, and then You, my master.’ The Imam said: ‘After me my son Hasan will be Imam.’ I asked: ‘How do you regard the son of Hasan?’ He said: ‘He is not to be seen, and it is not permissible to name him until he rises; he will fill the earth with justice as it was filled with injustice.’ I also confessed that the friend of them is the friend of God, and their enemy is the enemy of God; obedience to them is obedience to God, and disobedience to them is disobedience to God. I affirmed belief in Isra and Mi‘raj, questioning and answering in the grave, Paradise, Hell, the Sirat, and the Scales; I affirmed the Resurrection and the obligations of religion after the principle of Wilaya: prayer, zakat, fasting, pilgrimage, jihad, enjoining good and forbidding wrong.’ The Imam said: ‘O Abu al-Qasim, by God, this is the very religion God has chosen for His servants; remain steadfast. May God preserve you in this world and the Hereafter with the firm word.’”
Historical reports indicate that Abdolazim was pursued by the government and came to Iran for safety, hiding in Rey. His death occurred during the Imamate of Imam Hadi. The pinnacle of his spiritual stature is evident in a narration transmitted by Muhammad ibn Yahya Attar. Abdolazim is regarded as one of the most successful Shia scholars and narrators in the era of the Imams; he was also an author, reportedly composing a book on the sermons of Amir al-Mu’minin and another entitled Yawm wa Laylah.
In short: dear reader, you are advised, wherever you are, to go to Shahr-e Rey and visit Hazrat Abdolazim (peace be upon him) and the other Imamzadehs, Ibn Babawayh, and Sheikh Saduq (may God be pleased with them). Do so to obtain felicity, salvation, and Paradise, and encourage others to visit these venerable figures. It is especially recommended that whenever you intend to travel to Tehran, begin your journey with the intention of pilgrimage so that your needs may be fulfilled and you may attain the reward equivalent to visiting Imam Husayn (peace be upon him).
