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

  |name = Al-Hasan b. 'Ali

  |sequential number = 11th [[Imamate|Imam]] of the Shia<!--e.g. 1st Imam of Shi'a-->

  |main title = Al-'Askari

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

  |kunya =  

  |beginning of imamate = [[Rajab 3]] [[254]]/[[July 2]], 868

  |place of martyrdom =  

  |successor = [[Muhammad b. al-Hasan (a)]]

  |father = [['Ali b. Muhammad al-Hadi (a)|'Ali b. Muhammad (a)]]

  |brothers = [[Muhammad b. al-Imam al-Hadi (a)|Muhammad]], al-Husayn, [[Ja'far b. 'Ali al-Hadi (a)|Ja'far]]

  |sisters = 'A'isha

  |sons =  

  |titles = Ibn al-Rida <small>(son of al-Rida)</small>, al-Naqi <small>(the pure)</small>, al-Hadi <small>(the guide)</small>

'''ʾAbū Muḥammad al-Ḥasan b. ʿAli (a)''' (Arabic:{{iarabic|أبو 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 given the title, '''Imam al-'Askari'''({{iarabic|امام العسکري}}), because he was forced to reside in [[Samarra]] which was also known as "'Askar" (a military camp or town). His other titles include Ibn al-Rida (a), al-Hadi, al-Naqi, al-Zaki, al-Rafiq and al-Samit.

Severe restrictions on Imam al-'Askari's (a) life made him choose agents to communicate with the [[Shi'a]]. [['Uthman b. Sa'id]] was one of his special agents who became the first [[especial deputy]] of [[Imam al-Mahdi (a)]] upon the beginning of his [[occultation]] after Imam al-'Askari (a) was martyred.

Imam al-'Askari (a) was martyred on the 8th of Rabi I, [[260]]/874. He was buried in the same house where his father had been buried. The Holy Shrine of Al-'Askariyyayn was attacked and destroyed two times by terrorists.

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

'''Linage''': The lineage of Imam al-'Askari (a) is as follows: al-Hasan b. [[Imam 'Ali b. Muhammad al-Hadi (a)|'Ali]] b. [[Imam Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Jawad (a)|Muhammad]] b. [[Imam 'Ali b. Musa al-Rida (a)|'Ali]] b. [[Imam Musa b. Ja'far al-Kazim (a)|Musa]] b. [[Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq (a)|Ja'far]]. His mother was a concubine called [[Hudayth]] or Hudaytha.<ref>Kulayni, ''al-Kafi'', vol. 1, p. 503; al-Shaykh al-Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', 1414 AH, vol. 2, p. 313</ref> Some other sources report the name of his mother Susan,<ref>Ibn Talha, ''Matalib al-sa'ul'', vol. 2, p. 78; Sibt Ibn jawzi, ''Tadkhira al-Khawas'', p. 362</ref> 'Asfan,<ref>Nubakhti, ''Firaq al-Shi'a'', p. 96</ref> or Salil and have praised her saying, "she was among the mystic and the righteous."<ref>Husayn b. 'Abd al-Wahhab, '''Uyun al-mu'jiza'', p. 123</ref> He had a brother called Ja'far who is known to Shi'a 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 to be Imam's (a) only heir. [[Muhammad b. al-Imam al-Hadi (a)|Al-Sayyid Muhammad]] and Husayn are his other brothers.<ref>al-Shaykh al-Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', 1414 AH, vol. 2, p. 311-312</ref>

'''Titles''': His titles are al-Hadi, al-Naqi, al-Zaki, al-Rafiq, and al-Samit.<ref>Ibn Rustam Tabari, ''Dala'il al-Imama'', p. 425</ref> Some historians have also mentioned "al-Khalis" as his title.<ref>Ibn Rustam Tabari, ''Dala'il al-Imama'', p. 425</ref> "Ibn al-Rida" is a title [[Imam al-Jawad (a)]], [[Imam al-Hadi (a)]] and Imam al-'Askari (a) were known for.<ref>Ibn Shahrashub, ''Manaqib al Abi Talib'', vol. 3, p. 523</ref>

"Al-'Askari" is a title for both Imam Imam al-Hadi (a) and Imam al-'Askari for they were forced to stay in [[Samarra]]. "Askar" (literally: army) was a less known title for Samarra.<ref>Ibn Khalakan, ''Wafayat al-a'yan'', vol. 2, p. 94</ref> Also he was called "the last Hasan" ({{ia|الحسن الاخیر}}) because he was a namesake of [[Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a)|Imam al-Hasan (a)]].<ref>Ibn Shahrashub, ''Manaqib al Abi Talib'', vol. 3, p. 526</ref>

 

'''Teknonym''': Imam's (a) [[Kunya]] was Abu Muhammad.<ref>Ibn Rustam Tabari, ''Dala'il al-Imama'', p. 424</ref> In some resources, Abu l-Hasan,<ref>Ibn Rustam Tabari, ''Dala'il al-Imama'', p. 424</ref> Abu l-Hujja,<ref>Khaz'ali, ''Masu'a al-Imam al-Askari'', 1428 AH, vol.1 p. 32</ref> and Abu l-Qa'im<ref>Khaz'ali, ''Masu'a al-Imam al-Askari'', 1428 AH, vol.1 p. 32</ref> are also mentioned.

'''Birth and Martyrdom''': Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a) was born in [[Medina]]<ref>Mas'udi, ''Ithbat al-easiyya'', p. 258, 266; al-Shaykh al-Mufid, al-Irshad'', 1414AH, vol. 2, p. 313</ref> on [[Rabi' II]],<ref>Nubakhti, ''Firaq al-Shi'a'', p. 96; al-Shaykh al-Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', 1414AH, vol. 2, p. 313; Ibn Rustam Tabari, ''Dala'il al-Imama'', p. 423</ref> 8<ref>Ibn Shahrashub, ''Manaqib al Abi Talib'', vol. 3, p. 523; Kulayni, ''al-Kafi'', vol. 1, p. 503</ref> or 10,<ref>al-Shaykh al-Mufid, ''Masar al-Shi'a'', p. 52; See: Ibn Tawus, ''al-Iqbal'', vol. 3, p. 149; al-Shaykh al-Tusi, ''Misbah al-mujahid'', p. 792</ref> [[232]]/846<ref>Kulayni, ''al-Kafi'', vol. 1, p. 503; al-Shaykh al-Mufid, al-Irshad'', 1414AH, vol. 2, p. 313; Nubakhti, ''Firaq al-Shi'a'', p. 95</ref> and lived for 28 years. Some reported his birth in [[231]]/845.<ref>Ibn Abi al-Thalj', ''Majmu'at nafisa fi tarikh al-'aiymma'', p. 14; Mas'udi, ''Ithbat al-easiyya'', p. 258</ref>

Imam al-'Askari (a) was martyred on [[Rabi' I 8]], [[260]]/874;<ref>Kulayni, ''al-Kafi'', vol. 1, p. 503; al-Shaykh al-Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', 1414AH, vol. 2, p. 314</ref> however, some have reported it in [[Jumada I]]<ref>See: Muqaddasi, ''Bazpazhuhi tarikhi'', p. 530-533</ref>.

'''Wife''': According to the famous report, Imam al-'Askari (a) never married and his lineage continued only through a concubine who was the mother of [[Imam al-Mahdi (a)]].<ref>''Da'irat al-ma'arif buzurg Islami'', vol. 20, p. 618</ref>

Different sources have mentioned the name of the mother of Imam al-Mahdi (a) differently. It has been mentioned in sources that Imam al-'Askari (a) had several Roman, Turk and Sicilian servants and maids<ref>Mas'udi, ''Ithbat al-easiyya'', p. 266</ref> and maybe this difference of opinion about the name of the mother of Imam al-Mahdi (a) was because of having several servants or in order to hide the birth of Imam al-Mahdi (a).

'''Children''': Since Imam al-'Askari (a) was the father of Imam al-Mahdi (a),<ref>Ibn Talha Shafi'I, ''Matalib al-sa'ul'', vol. 2, p. 78</ref> this aspect of his life has always been prominent and known to Shi'a. According the [[Twelver Shi'a]], Imam al-Mahdi (a) was born on [[Sha'ban 15]], [[255]]/[[August 2]], 869, but there are other less frequent reports mentioning 254/868 and 256/870.<ref>Turayhi, ''Jami' al-maqal'', p. 190; Abu al-Ma'ali, ''Bayan al-adyan'', p. 75</ref>

There are other reports about the children of Imam al-'Askari (a) as well. Some have listed three sons and three 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-Thalj', ''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>

Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a) was brought to [[Samarra]] with his father in [[233]]/847 when he was one year old and lived there until the end of his life.<ref>Nubakhti, ''Firaq al-Shi'a'', p. 92</ref>

Imam al-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]].<ref>al-Shaykh al-Saduq, '''Uyun akhbar al-Rida'', vol. 2, p. 135; Irbili, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', 1405AH, vol, 3. p. 198</ref> Except this trip to Mecca, some sources have also reported his journey to [[Jurjan]] as well.<ref>Irbili, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', 1405AH, vol, 3. p. 198</ref>