Hasan al-Askari

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Hasan al-‘Askarī Imams of Twelver Shi'a Islam
A modern depiction by a Shi'a artist
Rank	Eleventh Twelver Imām
Name	Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Muhammad
Kunya	Abū Muhammad[1]
Birth	8th Rabī‘ al-thānī 232 AH ≈ 1 December 846 C.E.
Death	8th Rabī‘ al-awwal 260 AH ≈ 1 January 874 C.E.
Birthplace	Madīnah[1]
Buried	al-‘Askarī Mosque, Sāmarrā'
Life Duration	Before Imāmate: 22 years (232 - 254 AH) Imāmate: 6 years (254 - 260 AH)
Titles	*al-‘Askarī[1] (Arabic for : citizen of a garrison town) *az-Zakī[2] (Arabic for Pure) *Onbirinci Ali (Turkish for Eleventh Ali)
Spouse(s)	Narjis
Father	‘Alī al-Hādī
Mother	(Hadīthah or Sūsan)[1][2] or Salīl[2]
Children	Muhammad al-Māhdī (successor)
Ali · Hasan · Husayn al-Sajjad · al-Baqir · al-Sadiq al-Kadhim · al-Rida · al-Taqi al-Hadi · al-Askari · al-Mahdi

Hasan al-‘Askarī (Arabic: الإمام الحسن بن علي العسكري‎) (Eighth of Rabi' al-thani 232 AH – Eighth of Rabi' al-awwal 260 AH^[1] ; approximately: 1 December 846 - 1 January 874) was the eleventh of the Twelve Imams. His given name was Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Muhammad. Hasan al-‘Askarī was 22, when his father was killed and the period of his Imāmate, following his father's death, was six years. Hasan Al-‘Askarī was 28, when martyred by Al-Mu'tamid (the Abbasid caliph) in the year, 260 Hijra and was buried in Samarra.

• Quotations related to Hasan al-‘Askarī at Wikiquote

Contents 1 Birth and family life 2 House arrest 3 Expertise 4 Hasan Al-Askari’s morality 5 Son 6 Death 7 Timeline 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

Birth and family life

Hasan al-Askari, whose ancestor was the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, was born in Medina to Ali al-Hadi and Saleel. His title al-Askari derives from the Arabic word Asker which means Army. Hasan's title was reflective of his living most of his life in a garrison town. He married a Byzantine princess who was the granddaughter of a Byzantine emperor, named Narjis.

His name was Hasan and his surname was Abu Mohammad, and the well-known titles were Zaki and Askari.

House arrest

Hasan al-Askari lived almost his entire life under house arrest in Samarra and under supervision of Abbasid caliphs. Despite his confinement as a prisoner, he was occasionally allowed to go to Baghdad, although it was under guard.

Expertise

He was very knowledgeable and despite being confined to house arrest for almost his entire life, Hasan al-Askari was able to teach others about Islam, and even compiled a commentary on the Qur'an that would be used by later scholars.

Hasan al-Askari was like a roaring river of wisdom, which quenched the thirst of those thirsty for it. As per Khawarzami’s statement, eighteen thousand men, thirsty for knowledge, benefited from Hasan al-Askari assembly. The first one out of Al-Mu'tazz’s (Abbasid caliph) court, who took an oath of allegiance for him was the famous Iranian genius and talented person named Mohammad ibn Masood Shirazi.

It is narrated that such was Hasan al-Askari’s wisdom that even Kindi the teacher of Abu Nasr Farabi, was defeated and failed in discussion with him, and burnt down his book which he had written against Islam.

Hasan Al-Askari’s morality

Hasan al-Askari was a gracious personality and an unmatched knowledge of the Quran. More than a hundred well-known wise men remained continuously present in his assembly. During a period of sixteen years, when he lived in Iraq, the territories from Syria up to Medina, particularly Iran was under his influence. Hasan al-Askari’s spiritual and knowledge’s influence went to the extent that it overwhelmed the court of Al-Mu'tazz and all the wise men busy in his government missionary got enamored enticed, and fascinated by Hasan al-Askari. When Hasan al-Askari traveled to Iran and crossed over the Lawasan via Qum and Rai, the people captivated and fascinated by the school of Ahl al-Bayt, gathered all around him and expressed their warm feelings and sentiments for him. He made a speech before the people of Lawasan and ordered them to build a mosque and declare it as their base.

This command of Hasan al-Askari proved so effective that they got busy in building seventy mosques on a single day. One of the courtiers of Abbasid government named Ahmed bin Khaqan, who was an enemy of the Ahl al-Bayt, and one day said, "I have not seen anybody in Samarra, among the Bani Hashim family, more pious, virtuous and chaste than Hasan al-Askari. If the caliphate goes out of the Bani Abbasid's hands then no one except Hasan al-Askari will be capable and fit for it. Then he said, "one day I was present with my father when Hasan al-Askari arrived there, although he was the enemy of the Ahl al-Bayt, yet he got up from his place, kissed his hand and made him seated upon his own place and sat before him like a pupil in front of a teacher and lent ears to his wards.

Son

Hasan al-Askari died without apparent issue. However, Twelver Shi'a believe that he had one son, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who was five at the time of Hasan al-Askari's death and was hidden from the Abbasids. Many Muslims and scholars however question the historical existence of this son.

Twelver Shi’ahs believe him to be the Mahdi; a very important figure in Islamic teaching who is believed will reappear at the end of time to fill the world with justice, peace and to establish Islam as the global religion.

Death

Hasan al-Askari was four years old, when he was exiled to Samarra along with his father. He was placed under the caliph's observation at a point, which was the center of the armed forces.

Following the death of his father, Al-Mu'tamid (Abbasid caliph) imprisoned him. The piety and chastity of Hasan al-Askari attracted the attention of all the prisoners towards him, and made them all enticed and enchanted. The officials and agents of the caliph daily reported to the caliph as to his condition. Eventually, Hasan al-Askari was killed on the 8th Rabi' al-awwal 260 AH (approximately: 1 January 874).

After his death, his brother Ja'far ibn Ali, who was counted as one of the helpers of the caliph, in order to keep the Imam safe from caliph, stood up to offer the funeral prayer upon the body of Hasan al-Askari. But as he was about to start the prayers, the son of Hasan al-Askari, who was a minor, came forward and said to his uncle to step aside because only an Imam can lead the funeral prayer of another Imam. After the funeral prayer Muhammad al-Mahdi went into the house and disappeared.^{[citation needed]} This was the beginning of the Minor Occultation (ghaybat-e-sughra).

Hasan al-Askari died at the age of 28 by poison. Hasan al-Askari’s funeral was attended by many people, including the Abbasid caliph Al-Mu'tamid who is accused of being secretly responsible for the poisoning of Hasan al-Askari.

Hasan al-Askari is buried in the mausoleum containing the remains of his father, Ali al-Hadi - The Al Askari Mosque in Samarra, Iraq. The site is considered a holy shrine for the Sunnis and Shi’a's, though a bomb blast on 22 February 2006 destroyed much of the structure, and another bomb blast on 13 June 2007 destroyed the two remaining minarets of the Al-Askariya Mosque. [1].

Timeline

Hasan al-Askari of the Ahl al-Bayt Banu Hashim Clan of the Banu Quraish Born: 8th Rabī‘ al-thānī 232 AH ≈ 1st December 846 CE Died: 8th Rabī‘ al-awwal 260 AH ≈ 1st January 874 CE
Shī‘a Islam titles
Preceded by Ali al-Hadi	11th Imam of Twelver Shi'a Islam 868 – 874	Succeeded by Muhammad al-Mahdi

See also

Muhammad Fātimah ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib Hasan ibn ‘Alī Husayn ibn ‘Alī ‘Alī Zaynul ‘Ābidīn Muhammad al-Bāqir Ja‘far as-Sādiq Musā al-Kādhim ‘Alī ar-Ridhā Muhammad at-Taqī ‘Alī al-Hādi Hasan al-Askarī Muhammad al-Mahdī

Zaynab Umm Kulthūm ‘Abbās ‘Alī al-Akbar ‘Alī al-Asghar Qāsim Sukayna Ma'sūmah Qum Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah Fadhl ibn ‘Abbās Shī‘ah Islām Battle of Karbalā Battle of Siffīn Battle of Nahrawān

References

External links

• Roshd foundation
• ABU MOHAMMAD HASAN B. ALI ASKARI by H. Halm, An article of Encyclopedia Iranica
• [2]
• The Eleventh Imam
• Hasan Askari

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