Imam Hasan (a.s.) - A brief look into his life - Part 1

The Imam after the Commander of the faithful (a.s.), was his son Hadhrat Hasan (a.s.), the son of the best among the women of the worlds, Fatima (s.a.), daughter of Mohammed (s.a.w.). (Imam Hasan (a.s.)'s kunya was Abu Mohammed. He was born in Medina, on the night of the middle day of the month of Ramadhan, three years after the hijrat (624).

His (a.s.) mother, Fatima (s.a.), brought him to the Prophet (s.a.w.), on the seventh day in a silken shawl from Heaven, which Gabriel had brought down to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w). He named him Hasan and sacrificed a ram for him (in the ceremony of aqiqa).

Imam Hasan (a.s.), was the most similar person to the Apostle of Allah, in form, manner and nobility.

No one was more like the Apostle of Allah, than Imam Hasan ibne Ali, peace be on them.

Fatima (s.a.) brought her two sons, al-Hasan and al- Husayn, peace be on them, to the Apostle of Allah, at the time when he was suffering from the sickness from which he died. "Apostle of Allah," she said, "these are your two (grand) sons. Give them something as an inheritance." "As for al-Hasan," he replied, "he has my form and my nobility. As for al-Husayn, he has my generosity and my bravery."

Imam Hasan (a.s.)'s Succession to the Caliphate and his Abdication.

When Hadhrat Ali (a.s.), died, al- Hasan addressed the people. He reminded them of his right (to authority). The followers of his father pledged allegiance to him in terms of fighting those he fought and making peace with those with whom he made peace.

Imam Hasan (a.s.), addressed the people towards dawn on the night in which Hadhrat Ali (a.s.) was Martyred. He praised and glorified Allah and blessed His Apostle. Then he said:

There has died tonight a man, who was the first among the early (Muslims) in (good) actions. Nor did any later (Muslims) attain his level in (good) actions. He used to fight alongside the Apostle of Allah, and protect him with his own life. The Apostle of Allah, used to send him forward with his standard while Gabriel supported him on his right and Meekail supported him on his left. He would not return until Allah brought victory through his hands. He, has died on this the night on

which Jesus, son of Mary, was taken up (to Heaven), on which Joshua, son of Nuh, the testamentary trustee (wasi) of Moses, died. He has left behind him no gold and silver except seven hundred dirhams of his stipend (ata'), with which he was intending to buy a servant for his family.

Then tears overcame him and he wept and the people wept with him.

When Mu'awiya ibne Abi Sufyan learnt of the death of the Hadhrat Ali (a.s.), and the people's pledge of allegiance to his son, al-Hasan, he sent a man secretly to Kufa and a man from Banu al-Qayn to Basra. They were to write reports to him to undermine affairs for Imam Hasan, (a.s.). Imam Hasan, (a.s.) learned of that. He ordered the Himyari to be brought out from among (the tribe) of Lakhm in Kufa. He had him brought out and executed. (Al-Hasan) wrote to al-Basra, ordering the Qayni to be brought out from among the Banu Sulaym. He was brought out and executed.

Then Imam Hasan (a.s.), wrote to Mua'wiya:

You sent men to use deception and to carry out assassinations and you sent out spies as if you want to meet (in battle). That is something which will soon happen so wait for it, if Allah wills. I have learnt that you have become haughty in a way that no wise man would become haughty. In that you are just as al-Awwal described:

Say to him who desires the contrary of the one who has died:

Prepare for another like him, as if (from the same) root.

I and the one among us who has died are like the one who goes in the evening so that (the other) may come in the morning.

Muawiya replied to him with his letter, which there is no need to mention.

Muawiya set off towards Iraq. When he reached the bridge of Manbij, Imam Hasan (a.s.), reacted. He sent Hujr ibne Adi to order the leaders of Amman to set out and to call the people together for war.

They were slow to (answer) him and then they came forward. (Imam Hasan) had a mixed band of men: some of them belonged to his Sh'ia and to his father's: some of them were members of the Muhakimma (i.e. Kharijites) who were influenced by (the desire of) fighting Muawiya with every means (possible); some of them were men who loved discord and were anxious for booty; some of them were doubters; others were tribal supporters who followed the leaders of their tribes without reference to religion.

He set off until he came to Hammam Umar, then he went on to Dayr Kab. He stopped at Sabat, just before the bridge and spent the night there. In the morning, he (a.s.) wanted to test his followers and make their situation clear with regard to obedience to him, so that in that way he might be able to distinguish his friends from his enemies and be in a clear mind (about his position) to meet Mu'awiya and the Syrians. He ordered the call to be made:

The prayer is a general one (which all should attend) (al-salat jamia).

They gathered and he went up on the pulpit and addressed them. He said:

Praise belongs to Allah whenever a man praises Him. I testify that there is no god but Allah whenever a man testifies to Him. I testify that Mohammed is His servant and His apostle whom He sent with the truth and whom He entrusted with revelation, may Allah bless him and his family. By Allah, I hope that I shall always be with Allah's praise and kindness. I am the sincerest of Allah's creatures in giving advice to them. I have not become one who bears malice to any Muslims nor one who wishes evil or misfortune to him. Indeed what you dislike about unity (jama'a) is better for you than what you like about division. I see what is better for you better than you see for yourselves. Therefore do not oppose my commands and do not reject my judgement. May Allah forgive both me and you and may He guide me and you to that in which there is love and satisfaction.

The people began to look at one another and asked each other, "What do you think he intends by what he has just said?

"We think that he intends to make peace with Muawiya and hand over the authority to him" they answered.

"By Allah the man has become an unbeliever, they declared and they rushed towards his tent. They plundered him to the extent that they even took his prayer mat from under him. Then Abd al- Rahman ibne Abd Allah ibne Ja'al al-Azdi set on him and stripped his silk cloak from his shoulder. He remained sitting, still girt with his sword but without his cloak. He called for his horse and mounted it. Groups of his close associates and his Shia surrounded him and kept those who wanted (to attack) him away from him. He said:

Summon (the tribes of) Rabia and Hamdan to me.

They were summoned to him and they surrounded him and defended him, from the people. A mixed group of others went with him (as well). When he was passing through the narrow pass of Sabat, a man of Banu Asad called al-Jarrah ibne Sinan caught hold of the reins of his mule. He had an axe in his hand. He cried:

Allahu Akbar! You have become a polytheist, Hasan, just like your father became a polytheist before.

Then he stabbed him in the thigh. It penetrated right through to the bone. He seized (al-Hasan) by the neck and they both fell to the ground. A man from al-Hasan's Shi'a called Abd Allah ibne Khatal al- Tai; pulled the axe away from his hand and struck him with it in the stomach. Another man called Zubyan ibne Umara attacked him, struck him upon the nose and killed him. Another man who had been with (al-Jarrah) was caught and killed.

Imam Hasan (a.s.), was carried on a stretcher to al-Mada'in where he was lodged with Sa'd ibne Masud al-Thaqafi. The latter was the governor of (Ali), the commander of the faithful, peace be on him, there and al-Hasan had confirmed him in that position.

Imam Hasan (a.s.), was distracted by his own (discomfort) and with treating his wound. (In the meantime) a group of the tribal leaders wrote secretly to Mu'awiya offering to accept his authority (lit. to listen and obey). They urged him to come to them and they guaranteed to hand over Imam Hasan (a.s.), when they got to his camp, or to kill him treacherously.

Imam Hasan (a.s.), learnt of that when a letter came to him from Qays ibne Sa'd, may Allah be pleased with him. He had sent Qays with Ubayd Allah ibne Abbas (to go on ahead) when he had set out from Kufa to meet Muawiya and to drive him out of Iraq, and make himself a commander of a unified people (jama'a). He had said to Ubayd Allah:

If you are struck down, then the commander will be Qays ibne Sa'd.

Qays ibne Sad's letter arrived informing him that they had stopped Muawiya at a village called al-Habubiyya opposite Maskan. Then Muawiya had sent to Ubayd Allah ibne Abbas, urging him to come to him and offering him a million dirhams, half of which he would give him immediately, and the other half on his entry into Kufa. Ubayd Allah had slipped away in the night with his close associates to (join) Muawiya's camp. In the morning the people found their leader missing. Qays ibne Sa'd, may Allah be pleased with him, said the prayer with them and took charge of their affairs.

(to be concluded)