To meet the needs of the growing Shia community, Imam Sadiq had established a network organization of his trusted companions as his representatives in various cities around the Islamic territory. This organization was further developed during the Imamat of the next Imams and became an effective way of communication between the Shias and their Imam. The organization’s representatives were responsible for answering the questions about the Islamic laws and principles, transferring letters between the Imam and his Shias, and resolving any division between the Shias to keep the Shia community united. They were also collecting the Islamic dues (Zakat) and transferring it to the Imam or spending it on situations per his instructions.
During Imam Hadi’s time, his life in the Abbasid Capital was under intense surveillance by the government. Due to this, the Imam was not always able to manage this secret organization, so he built it to a unique status of managing itself with his limited direct involvement. This organization was structured hierarchically, where the Imam appointed representatives for each geographical region, and the representatives in turn managed the local representatives of their regions.
Imam Askari, led this hidden organization and took on its responsibility from the day that Imam Hadi was martyred in such a way that the Shias and the representatives felt Imam Hadi’s presence even after his martyrdom. Imam Askari would respond to the questions raised by the Shias, and would guide them for their religious and political affairs. The names of 21 of the Imam’s representatives are recorded in history. The Imam’s leadership led to the expansion of the Shia community and prepared them for Imam Mahdi’s occultation, a time during which they would not have direct access to their Imam.
Due to the intense surveillance and pressures on Imam Askari, there were times when communication with the Imam would endanger the lives of his followers and representatives. During those difficult times, any communication with the Imam was done in secret using undercover methods. Uthman ibn Saeed al-Amri was the Imam’s top representative in Samarra. He would manage the other representatives in the Imam’s network organization. He was often the point of contact for the Imam’s representatives who wanted to transfer the collected Islamic dues or letters to the Imam and get his response. His cover up job was as an oil seller. He would often hide the collected Islamic dues and the letters to the Imam inside oil containers. He would then send those oil containers to the Imam’s house. The Imam would also communicate with Uthman ibn Saeed al-Amri using other secretive means.
For example, once the Imam hid some letters inside a hollow, long piece of wood to pass it to Uthman. The Imam asked someone who was working inside his house to pass the wood to Uthman. That person took the wooden log and left the Imam’s house. However, on his way, he was blocked by a mule, and he us
During Imam Hadi’s time, his life in the Abbasid Capital was under intense surveillance by the government. Due to this, the Imam was not always able to manage this secret organization, so he built it to a unique status of managing itself with his limited direct involvement. This organization was structured hierarchically, where the Imam appointed representatives for each geographical region, and the representatives in turn managed the local representatives of their regions.
Imam Askari, led this hidden organization and took on its responsibility from the day that Imam Hadi was martyred in such a way that the Shias and the representatives felt Imam Hadi’s presence even after his martyrdom. Imam Askari would respond to the questions raised by the Shias, and would guide them for their religious and political affairs. The names of 21 of the Imam’s representatives are recorded in history. The Imam’s leadership led to the expansion of the Shia community and prepared them for Imam Mahdi’s occultation, a time during which they would not have direct access to their Imam.
Due to the intense surveillance and pressures on Imam Askari, there were times when communication with the Imam would endanger the lives of his followers and representatives. During those difficult times, any communication with the Imam was done in secret using undercover methods. Uthman ibn Saeed al-Amri was the Imam’s top representative in Samarra. He would manage the other representatives in the Imam’s network organization. He was often the point of contact for the Imam’s representatives who wanted to transfer the collected Islamic dues or letters to the Imam and get his response. His cover up job was as an oil seller. He would often hide the collected Islamic dues and the letters to the Imam inside oil containers. He would then send those oil containers to the Imam’s house. The Imam would also communicate with Uthman ibn Saeed al-Amri using other secretive means.
For example, once the Imam hid some letters inside a hollow, long piece of wood to pass it to Uthman. The Imam asked someone who was working inside his house to pass the wood to Uthman. That person took the wooden log and left the Imam’s house. However, on his way, he was blocked by a mule, and he us
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