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IMAM AL-HASAN BIN ‘ALI (A.S.)
Birth: 15th Holy Ramadhan 3 A.H. in Madina
Parents: Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (as) & Sayyida Fatima Zahra (as)
Titles: Al-Mujtaba
Death: 28th Safar 50 A.H. in Madina (Poisoned by
Mu’awiya)
Buried: Jannatul-Baqee’, Madina
One day, in the days of
Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.), a man was caught holding a knife that
was stained in blood besides a dead body of a person who was stabbed.
When they asked him as to who had killed the man, he admitted that it
was he. However, as the people were taking him to the court, another man
came hurriedly and said to them, “Leave this man alone for he is
innocent, and I am a true killer”. People did not know what to do so
they arrested him too and brought both the men to Imam ‘Ali (a.s.).
Imam (a.s.) first asked the man who was caught with a knife in hand,
“Why did you agree to the killing when you
are not the real killer?”
The man said,
“O Maula! I am a butcher. I was
slaughtering an animal when I felt like answering to nature’s call. I
went to this place with my knife in hand and I found this dead body.
Before I could do anything, people gathered and seeing me with the
knife, they assumed I was the killer. How could I have denied the
killing when all the evidences were against me?”
Imam (a.s.) then turned towards the other man and asked,
“Are you the true killer?”
The man replied,
“Yes! I had killed that person and then
escaped from the place. However, when I saw an innocent man (butcher)
would be punished for the crime he had not committed, I surrendered
myself”.
Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said,
“Call my son Al-Hasan
and he will issue a ruling in this matter”.
Imam Al-Hasan (a.s.) came and after listening to the incident, gave the
following ruling,
“The lives of
both men will be spared. The butcher is innocent; therefore he is not
liable to any punishment. As for the other man, although he admitted to
the killing, but on the other hand came out on time to save the
butcher’s life. The Holy Quran says:
‘Whoever saves a life is as though he has saved the entire mankind’
(5:32) The
blood money of the person killed will therefore be paid from the public
treasury”. (Chauda Sitaare)
HIS WISE SAYINGS
“There is no poverty like ignorance”.
(Bihar al-Anwaar)
“Teach others your knowledge and learn the
knowledge of others so you will bring your knowledge to perfection and
learn something which you do not know”.
(Bihar al-Anwaar)
A
person once asked Imam Al-Hasan (a.s.), “What is generosity and
magnanimity?” Imam (a.s.) replied,
“To protect the religion; self-respect;
softness of conduct (gentleness in behaviour); and consistency in
favour, kindness and the discharging of rights (of others)”.
(Bihar al-Anwaar)
Mulla Mujahidali
Sheriff
mulla@almahdi.org.uk |