Imam al-Hasan b. Ali al-Askari (a): Difference between revisions

|caption= [[Holy Shrine of Imamayn al-'Askariyyan]], [[Samarra]]

'''ʾAbū Muḥammad al-Ḥasan b. ʿAli (a)''' (Arabic:{{iarabic|ابو محمد الحسن بن علي}}) (b. [[232]]/846 - d. [[260]]/874) was the 11th [[Imam]] of [[Twelver Shi'a]] and the father of [[Imam al-Mahdi (a)]]. He was known as '''Imam al-'Askari'''({{iarabic|امام العسکري}}), born in [[Medina]]. "'Askar" means a military camp or town. [[Samarra]] is known with this name and Imam's (a) title as "al-'Askari" was because of his inescapable living in that town.

Many [[hadith]]s have been narrated from Imam al-'Askari (a) on different topics such as the [[commentary of Qur'an]]'s [[verse]]s, [[ethics]], [[fiqh]], Islamic beliefs, [[supplications]] and [[Ziyara]]s.

== Lineage, Kunya and Titles ==

He only had one brother called Ja'far who is known to Shia as [[Ja'far al-Kadhdhab]]. After Imam al-Askari (a) was martyred, Ja'far claimed [[Imamate]]. He rejected that Imam al-Askari (a) had a son and claimed the heritage of Imam (a) as his only heir.

There are other reports about the children of Imam al-'Askari (a) as well. Some have listed 3 sons and 3 daughters for him.<ref>Zarandi, ''Ma'arij al-wusul'', p. 176</ref> Al-Khasibi has listed two sisters named Fatima and Dalala for Imam al-Mahdi (a)<ref>Khasibi, ''al-Hidayat al-kubra'', p. 328</ref> and Ibn Abi l-Thalj has mentioned a brother called Musa and two sisters called Fatima and 'A'isha (or Umm Musa) for Imam al-Mahdi (a).<ref>Ibn Abi al-Thalij', ''Majmu'at nafisa fi tarikh al-'aiymma'', p. 21-22; Razi, ''al-Shajarat al-Mubaraka'', p. 79</ref> However, in some references of lineage, the above-mentioned names are brothers and sisters of Imam al-'Askari<ref>Razi, ''al-Shajarat al-Mubaraka'', p. 78</ref> which may have been mistaken with his children. On the contrary, some Sunni scholars such as Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Yahya b. Sa'id and Ibn Hazm believed that Imam al-'Askari (a) did not have any children at all.<ref>Ibn Hazm, ''Jamharat ansab al-'arab'', p. 61; Dhahabi, ''Siyar a'lam al-nubala''', vol. 13, p. 122</ref>

[[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] believed that due to having all necessary virtues, his superiority over all his contemporary people in issues related to [[imamate]] and also regarding the [[hadith]]s narrated from [[Imam al-Hadi (a)]], after Imam al-Hadi (a), his son, al-Hasan b. 'Ali (Imam al-'Askari (a)) was the 11th Imam of [[Shi'a]].<ref>al-Shaykh al-Tusi, ''al-Ghayba'', Maktaba al-Niynawa, p. 120-122; Irbili, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', 1381AH, vol, 2. p. 404-407</ref> In one of the hadiths from Imam al-Hadi (a), [['Ali b. 'Umar al-Nufayli]] says, "I was with Imam al-Hadi (a) in his house and his son, [[Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Hadi (a)|Muhammad]] –Abu Ja'far– passed by. I told Imam al-Hadi (a), 'May I be sacrificed for you! Will that be our Imam after you?' He (a) said, 'After me, al-Hasan will be Imam."

Except few people who followed imamate of Muhammad b. 'Ali (who passed away at the time of his father, Imam al-Hadi (a)) and very few people who declared [[Ja'far b. 'Ali al-Hadi (a)|Ja'far b. 'Ali]] as their Imam, majority of the companions of Imam al-Hadi (a) accepted the imamate of Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a).<ref>Ja'farian, ''Hayat Fikri wa Siasi imaman-i Shi'a'', p. 537</ref>

Imam Hasan al-'Askari (a) lived most of his life in Samara and it is famously said that he (a) was the only Imam who did not go to [[hajj]]; however, in ''[['Uyun akhbar al-Rida (a)]]'' and ''[[Kashf al-ghumma]]'', there is a [[hadith]], the narrator of which says that he heard that hadith from Imam al-'Askari (a) in [[Mecca]]. Except this trip to Mecca, some sources have also reported his journey to [[Jurjan]] as well.

The Imamate of Imam Hasan al-'Askari (a) was contemporary with three [[Abbasid]] caliphs: Mu'tazz Abbasi (252/866 – 255/869), Muhtadi (255/869 – 256/870) and Mu'tamid (256/870 – 279/892). During the life of Imam al-'Askari (a), Abbasid government was turned to a puppet in the hands of rival commanders; when especially Turk military commanders were influential in the government. Perhaps, the first political stance recorded in the life of Imam al-'Askari (a) was when he (a) was 20 years old and his father was still alive. He (a) wrote a letter to 'Abd Allah b. 'Abd Allah b. Tahir (an influential commander in Abbasid government who was an enemy of Musta'im, the caliph) and called the caliph, a transgressor and asked his downfall from God. It happened some days before Musta'im's downfall.

After Musta'im was killed, Mu'tazz, Musta'im's enemy reached power and since he knew Imam's (a) stance toward the murdered caliph, he did not show any hostile behavior toward Imam (a) and his father (at least in practice). After the martyrdom of [[Imam al-Hadi (a)]] and the imamate of Imam al-'Askari (a), evidences suggest that with all the restrictions applied about the activities of Imam (a), he (a) had some freedom. Some meetings between Imam (a) and [[Shi'a]] at the beginning of his imamate proves this; however, after one year, the caliph became suspicious about Imam (a) and imprisoned him in 255/869. Imam (a) was still in prison until one year after the [[caliphate]] of the next caliph (Mu'tamid).

At the time of Imam Hasan al-'Askari (a), some protesting actions were made, some of which were made by Shi'a and some were made in the name of [[Alawis]].

He made an uprising in [[Egypt]], between Barqa and Alexandria, at the time of Mu'tamid Abbasi and claimed the caliphate. Ahmad b. Tulun, the Turk agent of the caliph in that region, sent an army toward him until his followers abandoned him and he was killed after some resistance.

'''The Uprising of Sahib Zanj'''

Ali b. Muhammad 'Abd al-Qaysi made an uprising in 255869 at the time of Mu'tamid. Imam Hasan al-'Askari (a) clearly said that Sahib Zanj was not from the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]].

Strict limitations of the caliphs on the life of Imam (a) made him benefit from agents to communicate with Shi'a, among whom was 'Aqid, the special servant of Imam (a) who was raised by Imam (a) and delivered many of his letters to Shi'a.<ref>al-Shaykh al-Tusi, ''al-Ghayba'', 1411AH, p. 272</ref> Another agent was a person whose kunya was Gharib Abu al-Adyan who was another servant of Imam (a) and delivered some of the letters.<ref>al-Shaykh al-Saduq, ''Kamal al-din'', p. 475</ref> However, [['Uthman b. Sa'id]] was a particular person in some [[Twelver Shi'a]] sources who was called [[Bab]] (representative and the connection with Imam (a)). Upon entering the age of [[Minor Occultation]] after Imam al-'Askari (a) was martyred, 'Uthman b. Sa'id became the first [[special deputy]] of [[Imam al-Mahdi (a)]].<ref>''Da'irat al-ma'arif buzurg Islami'', vol. 20, p. 626</ref>

Another teaching, repeatedly seen in the speeches of Imam (a) due to the pressures on [[Shi'a]], is calling them to patience and believing in relief and waiting for it. Also, in hadiths from him, there is an especial emphasis on respecting internal relations of Shia society and associating with religious brothers.

Interpreting the [[Qur'an]] was among the activities Imam Hasan al-'Askari (a) cared about so much that an extensive text on the interpretation of the Qur'an (among the oldest exegetical Shia heritage) is attributed to him. Even if this attribution is not correct, it should be noted that Imam's (a) emphasis on exegetical discussions made the grounds for this attribution.

Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (a) took the leadership of Shi'a when some ideological problems had emerged among [[Twelver Shi'a]] prior to his time and some emerged at his time. For example, one of the topics of discussions was "rejection of the embodiment of God" which was mentioned since some years ago and there were some disagreements between [[Hisham b. Hakam]] and [[Hisham b. Salim]], two distinguished companions of Imams (a). At the time of Imam al-'Askari (a), this disagreement became so serious that [[Sahl b. Ziyad al-Adami]] wrote a letter to Imam Hasan al-'Askari (a) and asked him for a guidance.

[[Sa'd b. 'Abd Allah al-Ash'ari]], among famous Shi'a scholars who probably had met Imam al-'Askari (a) said, "In [[Sha'ban]] of 278/891 – 18 years after demise of Imam al-'Askari (a), we were in a meeting where Ahmad b. 'Ubayd Allah b. Khaqan was there, whose father was a trustworthy minister of Abbasids who was in charge of taking the tax of [[Qom]] and was an enemy of [[descendants of the Prophet (s)]]. The discussion was led to where [[Talibids]] of [[Samarra]], their religion, and their position before the caliph were mentioned. Ahmad said, "I had not seen an [['Alawi]] like al-Hasan b. 'Ali al-'Askari (a) in Samarra who would be known among his relatives with dignity, modesty, intelligence, and honor and would be so honorable before Sultan and [[Banu Hashim]], as they know him superior to the elderly and even commanders, ministers and secretaries. Once I was standing beside my father when he sat to meet with people. One of the doorkeepers came and said, Ibn al-Rida [i.e. Imam al-'Askari (a)] is standing at the door.' My father loudly said, 'Let him in!'. When he (a) entered and my father saw him, went forth to him with some steps -which I had not seen he would ever do even for commanders and princes. When my father reached him [Imam (a)] hanged his hand on his [Imam's (a)] neck and kissed his face and forehead; then, took his hand and placed him in his own seat. My father sat in front of him and began speaking with him. In his speech, he addressed him [Imam (a)] in a manner which implied respect and frequently said, "My father and mother be sacrificed for you…". At night, I went to my father and asked him, 'O father! Who was that man you respected and venerated him so much and even said you would sacrifice your father and mother for?' He said, 'He (a) was Imam of [[Rafidi]]s.' Then, he became silent. After a moment, he continued, 'my son! If one day caliphate goes out of the hands of the [[Abbasids]], among Banu Hashim, there is no one competent to take it except him. He (a) deserves to have the position of caliphate due to his merits, dignity, piety, worship, and good manner. If you saw his father. He (a) was a very noble, wise, benevolent, and meritorious.' Hearing these words, I became so angry; however, I was curious to know him. I asked everyone from [[Banu Hashim]], secretaries, judges, scholars of [[fiqh]] and even common people about him and found him extremely great, noble and superior to others among the descendants of [[the Prophet (s)]] among them. Everyone said, 'He (a) is Imam of Rafidis.' Since then, he (a) became more important in my mind because friends and enemies of him admired him well."

This report, by looking to the fact that its narrator is himself one of the old enemies of the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]], shows the moral and social positions of [[Imam]] (a) among common people and the noble.

Naturally, most of the people would be [[Shi'a]] who came to Samarra from around and far places to see Imam (a), although the love of other people towards the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] made them excited to see Imam (a) more and made the crowd more massive.

Imam al-'Askari (a) became sick on the beginning of [[Rabi' I]] [[260]]/874 and passed away on [[Rabi' I 8]]/[[April 23]], 864 at the age of 28 in Surra man ra'a ([[Samarra]]). He (a) was buried in the same house his father (s) had buried.

{{main|Demolition of Shrine of Imamayn al-'Askariyyan}}

 

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* Shaykh al-Tusi, Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-. ''Al-Ghayba''. Tehran: Maktaba al-Niynawa.

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* [http://www.alkafeel.net/samarra/arabic/arabic.php Website of Shrine of Imamayn al-'Askariyyan]