Iran (IMNA) - Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (AS) was born in Medina on the 8th day of Rabi' Thani in 232 A.H. His name was Al-Hasan. He was known as Al-'Askari because he resided in 'Asgar, a suburb of Samarra'. His father was Imam 'Ali An-Naqi (AS), while his mother, Salil Khatun, was known for her piety, worship, chastity, and generosity.
Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (AS) remained under the care of his respected father until the age of 11. When his father was required to leave for Samarra', he accompanied him and shared the hardships of the journey with his family. In Samarra', he spent his time with his father, sometimes in imprisonment and at other times in partial freedom. Despite these circumstances, he benefited from his father's teaching and guidance.
The Era of Imamate
Imam 'Ali An-Naqi (AS) was martyred when Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (AS) was 22 years old. Four months before his death, his father had declared him to be his successor and executor of his will, asking his followers to bear witness to this declaration.
Thus, the responsibilities of Imamate were entrusted to Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (AS), which he fulfilled despite great difficulties and a hostile environment.
In the early days of his Imamate, Al-Mu'tassam Al-'Abbasi was the caliph. Following his deposition, he was succeeded by Al-Muhtadi. After Al-Muhtadi's brief reign of 11 months and one week, Al-Mu'tamad came to the throne.
Throughout these periods, Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (AS) did not enjoy peace. Although the Abbasid dynasty was itself facing constant complications and disorders, each ruler considered it necessary to keep the Imam (AS) under imprisonment.
Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (AS) lived only 28 years. Despite his short life, marked by a continuous chain of hardships and tribulations, several high-ranking scholars benefited from his vast knowledge.
Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (AS) was distinguished by his knowledge, forbearance, forgiveness, generosity, sacrifice, and piety.
Whenever Al-Mu'tamad asked anyone about his captive Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (AS), he was told that the Imam fasted during the day and worshipped during the night, while his tongue uttered nothing but the remembrance of his Creator.
Like his noble forefathers, Imam Al-'Askari (AS) was a prominent scholar and a leader whom the people of his time could not ignore. He was regarded as a chief among religious scholars and an ideal of worshippers.
At the same time, Imam (AS) and his companions continuously faced persecution and oppression by the government of the time and were subjected to imprisonment.
Cultural and Scholarly School
One of Imam Hasan Al-'Askari's (AS) main responsibilities was to safeguard the message of Islam, call people toward it, and convey its principles and values.
He spared no effort in defending Islamic faith and thought and preserving its sciences.
Like his forefathers, Imam Al-'Askari (AS) carried out his cultural and scholarly role within the school of Ahlul-Bait (AS), whose activities focused on the Quran and the prophetic traditions, safeguarding the originality of the Islamic message and discovering its contents.
Martyrdom
Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (PBUH) was poisoned by the caliph Al-Mu'tamad. He suffered severely before being martyred on the 8th of Rabi' Awwal in 260 A.H., at the age of 28.
He was buried in the house in which his father had been buried in Samarra'.
He left behind his son, the Living Holy Awaited Savior, Imam Muhammad Al-Mahdi (PBUH), who is awaited to bring about the heavenly rule of truth throughout the world.
Short Sayings of Imam Hasan Al-'Askari (AS)
-
Those who are scrupulously pious by attribute, generous by personality, and lenient by nature will win many friends.
-
The worst servants of God are those who are two-faced and two-tongued; they praise their present friends and backbite those who are absent, envy them for obtaining blessings, and disappoint them when they suffer a misfortune.
-
Do not dispute with others, lest you lose your splendor, and do not joke with everyone, lest you be disrespected.
-
The mutual love of the pious is a reward for them. The love of the sinful for the pious is a virtue for the pious. The hatred of the sinful toward the pious is an advantage for the pious. The hatred of the pious toward the sinful is a debasement for the sinful.
Your Comment