Martyrdom Anniversary of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (p) 1447 A.H.

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, is the 21st of the month of Ramadan, 1447 A.H. which marks the martyrdom anniversary of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (p).

The Nights He Refused to Sleep

There are nights most of us pass through without realizing their weight. Nights that come and go like any other. But Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him) tells us that the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (p), did not sleep on three specific nights: the 23rd of Ramadan, the night of Eid al-Fitr, and the middle of Shaban. “mam al-Rida (p) has reportedly said, “The Commander of the Faithful, Ali bin Abi Talib (p), did not sleep for three nights: the night of the twenty-third of the month of Ramadan, the nigh [Eid] al-fitr, and the night of the middle of Shaban, [This is because on these nights] livelihoods are distributed and lifespans and what is in the year are decided” [Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 88, Pp 123].

Imam Ali (p) remained awake because, on these nights, livelihoods are distributed, lifespans are decreed, and the unfolding of the coming year is decided. Imagine that while the world rests, destinies are being written. Provision is being assigned. The pages of our lives are quietly turning. And Imam Ali (p) chose to stand before his Lord in those decisive hours.

This is what makes the hadith so moving. If someone like Imam Ali (p) whose worship, sacrifice, and closeness to God are beyond comparison, would not sleep on the nights when fate is sealed, what does that say about us?

It teaches us that these nights are not ordinary; they are sacred opportunities. They are moments when dua is not just recited, but felt. When a tear can carry weight. When turning to God can shape what is written for the year ahead. Imam Ali (p) stayed awake because he understood that destiny is a gift from God, and the believer meets it with humility, prayer, and hope.

May God grant us the awareness to value these nights, the strength to stand in worship, and a decree filled with mercy, provision, and nearness to Him.

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 For more information about Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (p), click here.

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