Ali ibn Husayn, also known as al-Sajjad
Surviving Karbala
Ali ibn Husayn was present at Karbala but did not fight because of illness. He survived the killing of his father Husayn and returned to Madinah after captivity. He is the fourth Imam in Twelver Shi‘i tradition.
Life in Madinah
His later life is associated with worship, learning and transmission of reports. He generally avoided armed rebellion. Sunni hadith collections also preserve transmissions through him, showing that his scholarly importance is not confined to one community.
Family and historical caution
Muhammad al-Baqir was his son. Stories linking his mother to the Sasanian royal family are widespread in later tradition, but their genealogy is not confirmed by early evidence. Reports also differ about his birth and death dates; these differences are retained rather than resolved by guesswork.
Sources and further study
Encyclopaedia Iranica — Ali ibn Husayn
An introductory, source-attributed profile. Dates and disputed reports are qualified where necessary. The linked works represent their authors’ historical or religious approaches; linking a source does not endorse every interpretation it contains.