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The Eleventh Imam
Imam Hasan ibne Ali (AS)
by Dr. Syed Haider Husain Shamsi
Name: Hasan
Title: al-Askari
Epithet: Abu
Muhammad
Father: Ali
bin Muhammad
Mother: Saleel
Date of Birth: Rabi-ul
Akhir 8, 232 AH (December 3,846
AD)
Place of Birth: Madinah
Progeny: From
Nargis Khatoon
One
son: Muhammad al-Mahdi
Date of Death: Rabi-ul
Awwal 8, 260 AH (January 1, 874)
He
lived for only 28 years
Place of Death: Samarah
Place of Burial:Samarah
THE TIMES AND LIFE OF IMAM HASAN
AL-ASKARI
Imam Hasan (Al-Askari) was bom
in Madinah in 232 AH, during the
reign of the Abbasid caliph
Wathiq. When
Mutwakil had his father moved
from Madinah to Samarah in 236
AH, he was only four years of
age. He
suffered deprivation of the
patronage of his father, Imam
Ali Naqi, owing to the long
spells of house arrests and
formal prisons. He
was only twenty-two years of age
at the martyrdom of his father
in 254 AH. He
took up the responsibilities of
Imamate according to the
declaration that his father had
made in Madinah eighteen years
earlier.
During the life of his father,
he endured the reign of terror
under Mutwakil followed by the
chain of several caliphs until
the martyrdom of his father. There
was much oppression and
persecution of the Alkyds during
those years, and the Imam had to
remain in hiding. He
used to communicate with his
followers only through his most
reliable representatives. During
the next five and a half years,
he saw the caliphate change
hands twice. Muhtadi
succeeded the Caliph Mutazz in
255 AH, followed by the Caliph
Mu'tarnid in 256 AH.
Just as Umar bin Abd al-Aziz was
the only benevolent caliph from
the Umayyad dynasty, Muhtadi was
perhaps the ordy caliph in the
chain of the Abbasids who could
also be called benevolent. However,
the rule of Muhtadi last for
less than one year, and the hnam
saw a brief period of reprieve
during his reign. Not
withstanding the urgency to have
an heir, the Imam married Nargis
Khatoon. There
was a general air of uneasiness
about this. A
rumor was circulating that the
awaited Mahdi would be bom from
this union. The
Imam was twenty four years of
age at that time.
The rule of tyranny returned
with the Caliph Mu'tamid. He
was a stonehearted ruler who
took pleasure in having people
beheaded for trivial faults. He
had the Imam placed in a formal
prison under strict isolation. He
had instructed the wardens to
inflict torture to the Imam. However,
when they went to carry out the
Caliph's orders, they found the
Imam either in prayers or
reading the Quran. He
rotated several prison wardens
with the intention to inflict
harm to the Imam, but faded in
his HI-destined schemes. Most
of these wardens became
followers and devotees of the
Imam.
Despite the difficulties imposed
upon the Imam, he continued to
receive deputations from his
devotees from far and wide, and
he continued to serve the
followers with the true values
of Islam through the meanings
and interpretations of the
Qur'an and his personal conduct
of life. Many
senior and older followers of
the Imam attended his sittings
and clarified many questions
about the Quran and the Hadith. Seeing
that there would be a continued
need for correct interpretation
of the Qur'an, he took up the
project of writing, a
comprehensive commentary of the
Qur'an before he passed away.
The Caliph finally prevailed and
had the Imam martyred with
poison in the year 260 AH. He
sent a team of his trusted
physicians to ensure the
condition of the Imam and to
certify his death before his
burial. Having
thus completed the assignment as
ordered by the Caliph, the body
of the Imam was laid to rest in
the same house where he had
died. He
was buried in the same room
where his father had died and
was buried.
Contrary to the previously
established tradition, the Imam
did not announce the name or the
identity of his successor,
although there was some evidence
that he had left a four-year-old
heir to the Imamate. As
expected, there was considerable
doubt and confusion among the
followers regarding the
continuation of the series of
Imamate after the death of the
Eleventh Imam. The
Aliyyids were in revolt in the
empire at the time, and some
were claiming to be the Awaited
One, the
Twelfth Imam contacted his
followers through his safirs for
their guidance.
REFLECTIONS FROM THE LIFE OF
IMAM HASAN AL-ASKARI
The Imam obtained his title of
al-Askari because of his
residence in the garrison
precinct of the Samarah. He
was able to communicate with
people in their mother-tongues
as he was fluent in several
languages that were spoken in
the empire at the time.
The Imam participated in many
debates and contests held by the
Caliph in an attempt to slight
his dignity. But
instead, the Imam shone like
full moon in the dark night of
ignorance.
Despite the short span of his
life that was available to his
followers, he left many,
respected students who continued
to write and carry out
researches in the path of the
Truth.
Selected
Quotes:
1.He
told his followers: -Be obedient to Allah, keep adherence to the practice of your Faith, never tell lies, keep the trust of some one who has placed it with you, keep good relations with your neighbors, prolong your sajdah in prayers.
-Life is but a short span and
the end comes suddenly. One
who plants the seedling of good,
would reap an enormous harvest
of reward. One
who plants a seedling of
mischief, would reap the fruit
of bitterness, shame and regret.
-Being Thankful to Allah brings
rewards of His great
benevolence.
2. He
told one of his companions:
-Trust in
Allah and keep steadfast in your
prayers.
-Never refrain
from paying the poor dues, lest
your prayers go waste.
-Repent for your sins.
-Do not give in to anger.
-Be charitable towards your
brethren, in plenty and in
deprivation.
Show forbearance to peoples'
ignorance.
-Ponder on ordinances of Faith.
-Forever remain within the
circle of the Qur'an. -Guide
others to the Truth when you
have found it.
Selected
Sayings:
1. Do
not indulge in unnecessary
discussion with people lest you
lose your respect. Do
not indulge in too much humor
with people lest they pick up
courage to slight you.
2. It
is among good manners to wish
well to someone who passes you
by. When
in a communal gathering, do not
look for a high place for
yourself
3. It
is ill manners to express
happiness to someone who is
grieved by some event.
4. That
person Is most cautious who
pauses at place of suspicion. That
person is most reliable who
fulfills his commitments. That
person is most pious who
exercises avoidance of all
forbidden things. That
person is performing the hardest Jehad who
is committed to avoid sin.
5. The
provisions that are a promise
from the Lord, are rewards
earned by fulfilling the duties
of obedience.
6. One
who renders advice to a fellow momin on
his fault away from the public
eye, has decorated him; but one
who does so in the open, has in
fact stripped him.
7. Every
thing has a limit, you would
harm yourself if you exceed it.
8. One
who has built relation with the
Allah, loves solitude.
9. Do
not choose a method of respect
to someone by which his feelings
would be hurt.
TAFSEER-EASKARI
The Commentary on Holy Qur'an By
Imam Hasan Askari
As the grip of the rulers
tightened and degree of
suppression of the Imams
increased, it became harder and
harder for the followers to gain
access to him to obtain direct
guidance. Since
most of the questions asked used
to be on the interpretation and
expounding the meanings of the
Book of Allah, the Imam found it
necessary to have this material
committed to his pen. This was
collected in the form of a book
known as the "
Tafseer-e Askari. " |
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