Till the downfall of the powerful reign of Ezzod­ dowleh Delami, Sayyid Radi's father together with other exiles remained confined inside the Shiraz Fort. Throughout these eight years long separation period, he spent his childhood years with heart-rending sadness and burning pains and the tire within him occasionally exploded in the form of verses full of sorrow and anguish.

During this period the blood thirsty Abhasids were losing their power and all the pump and glory was almost gone except an empty credit less symbolic name upon the people's tongue, nothing was left of these tyrant Abhasids Caliphs. The state of affairs was completely controlled by the Delamies, and Ezzod-dowleh was still the holder of power. He after de­ feating Bakhtiar, son of Moezod-dowleh, declared himself the absolute ruler of Baghdad the ruling capital of the government, and being possessed with a unique sense of political wisdom and intelligence managed the state of affairs successfully. His influence was such that he removed the Abbasid Caliph al-Mutiullah and place his son al-Tayeullah upon the seat of caliphate.

Ezzod-dowleh during his fire years was able to undertake important public works projects, namely town planning and beautification of cities, dams and bridges construction, canal excavation, and reconstruction of war damaged areas. Also, he undertook important tasks which will keep his name alive forever as a believer of Shi’i Athna Alhari Islam - follower of the twelve infallible Imams from the progeny of the Holy Prophet (S) - such as: reconstruction and complete renovation of the holy tomb of Amir al-Mu'minin Imam Ali (‘a) in Najaf and of the holy tomb of Sayyidush-Shubada' Imam al-Husayn (‘a) in Karbala, repairs of real-estate belonging to trusts, and water streams construction of Najaf etc. During his rule the ceremonies of Eid-e­Ghadir,1 and Day of Ashura,2 in the capital city of Baghdad were celebrated with special pomp and glory.

Of course, social welfare services, public works development schemes, renaissance of education and knowledge, and establishment of cultural centers, were not limited to the period of Ezzod-dowleh, nevertheless such activities were always included in the planning of the majority of the Shi’i rulers of the Delami Dynasty. Apart from these valuable positive contributions, the Ale-Buyeh were also famous for their indecent and negative characteristics such as: breaking of their promises and oaths, trampling all their commitments when it conflicted with their interests, and occasionally becoming extremely hard hearted.3

Ezzod-dowleh himself is regarded as one of the three most cruel persons of the third and fourth century; the other two persons were Moatazid, and Caliph Qahir of Abbasids Dynasty.4

During his reign Ezzod-dowleh staunchly believed in the thesis that; “The politics does not recognize any mother and father”. His actions such as confinement of Sayyid Radi's father and others, as well as his enmity and cruelty while judging the accused ones, resulted from his belief in this theory. He sometimes ordered the sentences persons to he killed by trampling by the elephants (who were specially trained for this purpose). One such incident involved a person named Abdul Aziz Karai who somehow had managed to run away and opened his tongue against him, was brought in front of Ezzod-dowleh by treacherous tactics and false promises and was thrown under the fact of the elephants.

Sayyid Radi witnessed all these historical ups and downs. Eventually after ruling for five years, six months, and four days his reign with all its good and bad came to an end on the eight of Shawal, 372 A.H. (Solar) at the age of forty seven. He was infected with the disease of epilepsy and in his last moment recited the following verse of the Holy Qur'an.

مَا أَغْنَىٰ عَنِّي مَالِيَهْ

"My power had not availed me. (Surah al-Haaqqa 69:28).

هَلَكَ عَنِّي سُلْطَانِيَهْ

My power hath gone from me. (Surah al-Haaqqa 69:29).

According to his death-will, he was buried in the holy shrine of Najaf the tomb of the Commander of the Faithful Imam 'Ali (‘a). He was the first person from the Ale­Buyeh Dynasty who was buried at Najafi Ashraf.5

• 1. Eid-e-Ghadir. The celebrations for the day when Imam Ali (‘a) was appointed as the successor of the Holy Prophet, at Ghadir Khumm on 18 Dhul'-Hijja (10 March 632). For detailed exploration refer to note l (Chapter 48).
• 2. Ashura: The day, when Imam ai-Husayn (‘a) and a small group of followers including most of his immediate family were cruelly massacred at Karbala, on 10th Muharram 61 A.H.
• 3. Ale-Buyeh p. 129
• 4. Ale-Buyeh, p.250.
• 5. Ale-Buyeh, p. 248