Ijtihad Network Being Wise and Faithful Muslim in the Contemporary World
Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as) was born in Medina in 232/846. His dignified mother, Susan or Salil, was a competent and virtuous woman who took extreme care to rear her son, the Hujja (proof) of Haqq as he really deserved. This pious lady accompanied Imam al-‘Askari (as) to Samarra and passed away there.
The martyrdom of Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as) is reported to be on Friday, Rabi al-Awwal 8, 260/January 1, 874. The way that noble Imam (as) was martyred is related as follows: ‘Ubayd Allah b. Khaqan’s son said: “One day my father (who was the vizier to the ‘Abbasid Mu‘tamid) was informed that Ibn al-Ridha, i.e., Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as) had fallen sick. Upon hearing this, my father rushed to the caliph to tell him the news.
The caliph sent five of his trustees and courtiers along with him. One of them, called Nahrir the retainer who was one of the special trustees to the caliph, ordered the rest to keep a constant watch over the house of that Holy Imam, and to keep him posted on the things happening to the Imam. He also assigned a physician to visit and check him every morning and evening.
After two days my father was informed that the Imam’s illness had been deteriorated and weakness had overwhelmed him. So, early in the morning, he personally went to the Imam (as) and ordered the physicians – mostly Christian and Jewish – not to leave the Imam (as) and summoned the supreme judge and ordered him to bring ten well-known scholars to remain constantly in his company. He did all this in order to conceal from people the poison he had given him and to pretend to the people that his Holiness (as) had died a natural death.
They were continually in and around the Imam (as)’s house until a few days after the beginning of Rabi al-Awwal, 260/January, 874, when the tyrannized Holy Imam (as) gave up his carnal body and joined the Eternal Abode of Allah at the age of 29. Thereupon, the caliph launched a thorough search for the Imam (as)’s son, having heard that his son would one day dominate the entire world and overthrow the wrongdoers and false-minded. This search continued for two years.[1]
The inquiry and searching was the outcome of the fear nested in the heart of the Abbasid Mu‘tasim and the caliphs before and after him regarding the advent of Imam al-Mahdi (as). They had heard through traditions related from the Holy Prophet (S) that a pure-natured child would be born to Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as) and Nargis Khatun by the name of al-Mahdi of the End of the Time, who has the same appellation of the Holy Apostle (S), and would overthrow the despotic rule of the tyrannical powers and put an end to their domination and sovereignty. On this ground, they frequented the Holy Imam (as)’s house by various pretexts, looking around to find any possible sign of that noble baby in order to kill him.
Verily the story of Nimrud and Pharaoh in the advent of the Prophets Abraham (as) and Moses (as) was repeated. Even midwives were assigned to look into this crucial matter. But as you will read in the next chapter, Allah Almighty has secured His Hujja (proof) from receiving any harm by the enemies and any detriment from the inflicts of time; and He will keep doing so until he gets his Divine mission accomplished.
Anyway, the martyrdom of the Holy Imam (as) has been reported to be due to the poison Mu‘tamid had fed him in his meal; later on, however, he repented for this sordid action. Perforce, he called for Christian and Jewish physicians who were practicing medicine then in Baghdad and Samarra, especially for the purposes like plotting the murder of such a noble Imam (as) as Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as). Nevertheless, he had other intentions by this ostentatious compassion, and that was pleasing people and keeping them unaware of the true event.
When the Shi‘as were informed of the heart-rending demise of Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as), the whole city of Samarra was overshadowed with deep sorrow and lamentation being heard from every corner. People prepared to carry out the funeral and mourning processions.
The Rightful Successor to Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as):
Abu al-Adyan said: “I was at the service of Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as). I used to deliver his letters to various cities. One day, on his deathbed, he called me and gave me several letters to be delivered to Mada’in. Then he said: ”You will return to Samarra only to hear wails and laments from my house; at that time my body will be given ghusl (major ablution).”
Abu al-Adyan said to the Imam (as): “O my master, whenever this tragic event occurs, to whom the Imamate shall be handed over?”
“Whoever demands from you the reply to my letter.” The Imam answered.
Abu al-Adyan asked again: “Present me with another sign.”
The Imam (as) said: “The one who performs funeral prayer for me.”
Abu al-Adyan further requested: “Let me know one more sign.”
The Imam (as) responded: “The one who can tell what is in the satchel will be your Imam.”
Abu al-Adyan goes on to say: “The bravery and dignity of the Imam (as) was so awe-inspiring that I could not ask further questions. I set off to deliver the letters and returned in fifteen days. When I reached the door of the Holy Imam (as)’s house, a loud wailing and crying was heard from the house.
Once inside, I saw Ja‘far Kadhdhab, the Imam (as)’s brother, sitting down and the Shi‘as who were expressing their condolences to him and congratulating him on his Imamate. I was so surprised at this. I approached him and expressed my condolences and congratulations. He did not say anything and asked nothing.
When the sacred body of the Imam (as) was shrouded and prepared for funeral prayer, a retainer came in and called on Ja‘far Kadhdhab to perform the prayer for his brother’s body. When Ja‘far stood up to say the funeral prayer, a very handsome child, with curly hair, wide apart teeth and swarthy face went toward him, held on the Ja‘far’s robe, and said : “O uncle step aside, for I am more deserved to perform the prayer.”
Ja‘far’s face paled at the sight of his nephew. He stepped back, then the boy came to the front, said prayer for his father’s body and then had the sacred body buried next to the grave of Imam ‘Ali al-Naqi (as).
He then faced me and told me to hand him the answers to the letter that were with me. I gave the answers to that child. After a while, Hajiz Washsha’ asked Ja‘far who that child was. Ja‘far said: “By Allah I do not know him and I have never seen him.”
At this time, a group of Shi‘as arrived in from the city of Qum. When they found out about the Holy Imam (as)’s death, the people present there beckoned them to ask Ja‘far. Several of them went to Ja‘far and inquired: “Tell us who the letters we are holding are from and how much the money is.” Ja‘far said: “Look people! They are asking me the knowledge of the hidden things! Thereupon a retainer of the Imam of the age (as) came along and quoted the Imam (as) as saying:
“O people of Qum! There are letters with you from so and so as well as a satchel in which there are a thousand gold coins and among them there are ten coins coated with gold.”
The Shi‘as who had come from Qum said: “Whoever has sent you is the Imam of the age (as). Hand in these letters and the satchel to him.”
Ja‘far Kadhdhab went to caliph, Mu‘tamid, and related the event. The latter told his agents to search into the house of Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as) to find the child. They did so but of no avail. Perforce they arrested Sayqal, the woman retainer to Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as) and kept her under arrest for a long time imagining that she was pregnant. But the more they searched the less they found.
Allah Almighty preserved that blessed and auspicious child who has been under His protection up to the present time and is apparently hidden from views.[2] May the praise of Allah keep showering upon him.
Some Sayings of His Holiness Imam al-‘Askari (as):
- There are two attributes that have no superior: Believing in the Lord of the world and helping out brothers in faith.
- No powerful authority gives up the Truth unless they fall into baseness and misery; and no miserable one sticks to the Truth unless they turned into powerful authorities.
- How evil is the one who is double-faced and is double-tongued toward his brothers in faith; the one who praises them in their presence and reproaches and slanders them in their absence. If the same brother in faith is generous to him, he will envy him, and if he falls into trouble, he will betray him.
- Anger is the key to all kinds of vices.
- The most pious and most God-fearing people are those who abstain from the unlawful.
- People attributing partners to Allah is more unnoticed than the movement of an ant on a black rock at a dark night.
- Constantly remember Allah and death and attend to reciting the Qur’an and sending greetings to the Holy Prophet (S).
- Acts of devotion are not merely restricted to fasting and saying prayers, but it also includes deliberating on the signs of the magnificence of God and the world of creation.[3]
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References
[1] Imam dar ‘Ayniyat-i Jami‘a, p. 92 (related from Muntahi al-Amal).
[2] Muntahi al-Amal, (with a slight change).
[3] Tuhaf al-‘Uqul ‘an Al al-Rasul, p. 516.
