Imam Ali bin Mousa al-reza (PBUH), the eighth Imam of Shiites , is of the progeny of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and his eighth successor. At age 35 he became the leader of the Islamic union. His life was contemporary to the Abbasid reign and therefore, he suffered great difficulties made by the Abbasids. Finally, he was martyred by Ma"moon (the contemporary Abbasid Caliph) at the age of 55.
The shrine of Ali ibn-e-Musa al Reza is visited by nearly 30 million people annually turning Mashhad into one of the biggest pilgrimage destinations in the world and the holiest spot in Iran.
