Imam Hasan Al-Mujtaba (a.s.)

Imam Hasan (a.s.)

Name :	Hasan (a.s.) - the 2nd Holy Imam
Title :	al-Mujtaba
Agnomen :	Abul-Mohammad
Father :	Imam Ali (a.s.) - the 1st Holy Imam
Mother :	Bibi Fatima Az-Zahra (s.a.) bint-e-Mohammad Rasool-Allah(saww)
Birth :	At Madina on 15th of Ramzan 3 AH (624 AD)
Death :	In Madina at age 47, on 28th of Safar 50 AH (670 AD)
Cause of Death/Burial :	Martyred by means of poison and buried in the cemetery of Baqi in Madina.

The Imam after the Commander of the faithful Imam Ali (a.s.), was his son al-Hasan, the son of the mistress of the women of the worlds, Janab-e-Fatima Zahra (s.a.), daughter of Muhammad (s.a.w.w.), the Lord of messengers, may God bless him and his pure family. (Al-Hasan's) kunya was Abu Muhammad. He was born in Medina, on the night of the middle day of the month of Ramadan, three years after the hijra (624).

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

The birth of Imam Hasan Mujtaba (as), the 2nd infallible successor of Prophet Mohammad (saww) was a very sweet and pleasant occasion. It was a joyful event for the blessed family, since Imam Hasan (as) was the first grandson of the Prophet, and certainly a gift from God.

It is matter of regret that many aspects of Imam Hasan’s (as) dynamic personality still remain unknown because of the ignorance of some people who have actually oppressed him. However, his merits have continued to shine more brilliantly as time goes by.

Imam Hasan’s policies were identical to that of his father Imam Ali (as), the first infallible successor of Prophet Mohammad (saww). His authority was also like that of Imam Ali (as). Imam Hasan Mujtaba (as) could also be called “the son of the battlefield” - in the struggle against oppression and injustice.

As a matter of fact, Imam Hasan (as) paved the ground for the immortal epic of Ashura and ensured the righteousness of Imamate (divinely decreed leadership) in the Prophet"s blessed household.

The name of Imam Mujtaba (as) is a very great and endeared name. We should bear in mind that it was the policies of Imam Hasan (as) that ripped apart the mask of hypocrisy from certain faces.

The Treaty with the rebel Mu’awiyah (l.a.) and the conditions he set (for relinquishing the caliphate) was indeed a Divine Plan. He is thus one of our Great Leaders and serves as our spiritual and political role model.

Imam Hasan Mujtaba (as) is indeed a source of blessings and munificence. He is truly a Chosen of God.

Imam Hasan’s (as) bravery is unique among all the other Imams.

During his days, he was faced with only two options: martyrdom or life. He thus made the most difficult choice, and continues to live forever.

His Burial
Sibt b. al-Jawzi reported on the authority of b. Sa'd on the authority of al-Waqidi, who said: "When Imam Hasan(a.s.) was about to die, he said: `Bury me beside my father.' He meant the Apostle of Allah (saww). However, banu (the sons of) Umayya and Marwan b. al-Hakam and Said b. al-As, who was the governor over Medina, prevented him." Ibn Sa'd said: "Among them was `A'isha (l.a.), who said: `No one is buried beside the Apostle of Allah.'


Abu al-Faraj al-Amawi al-Isfahani reported on the authority of Yahya b. Imam Hasan (a.s.), who said: "I heard Ali b. Tahir b. Zayd say: `When they wanted to bury Imam Hasan (a.s.), she (`A'isha) mounted a mule and asked the help of banu (the sons of) Umayya, Marwan, those who were there from them (banu Umayya) and from their servants. So someone said: `One day (she was) on a mule, and one day (she was) on a camel.'"


Al-Mas'udi has mentioned that `A'isha mounted a gray mule and led the Umayyads to declare a second battle against the members of the House (Ahl al-Bayt(a.s.)). He (al-Mas'udi) said: "So al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abu Bakr came to her (`A'isha) and said: `Aunt, we, have not washed our heads since the Battle of the Camel. Do you want people to call this day the Battle of the Gray Mule?' So she came back."


Many people gathered together with Imam Husain (a.s.) and said to him: "Leave us with the children of Marwan. By Allah (swt), they are, with us, nothing but an itching of the head." Imam Hussain(a.s.) said: `By Allah (swt), if there had been no injunction to me from Imam Hasan (a.s.) to prevent bloodshed and that I should not even pour blood into a cupping-glass in (carrying out) his command, you would have known how the swords of Allah (swt) would have taken their toll from you. You have broken the agreement which was made between you and us. You have ignored the conditions which we made with you for ourselves." Here Imam Husain (a.s.) reminded them of the conditions of the Peace Treaty.


Then they went on with (the body of) Imam Hasan (a.s.) and they buried him in (the cemetery of) al-Baqi beside his grandmother, Fatima bint-e-Asad (a.s.) bin Hashim bin Abd Manaf.


In his book `al-Isaba', Ahmad Shahab al-Din al-`Asqalani said: Dawud b. Sinan informed us: Tha'laba b. Abu Malik told us: "I (Tha'laba b. Abu Malik) saw Imam Hasan (a.s.) on the day when he died and was buried in (the cemetery of) al-Baqi`. I saw that if a needle had been thrown away in (the cemetery of) al-Baqi`, it (the needle) would have not fallen but on the head of a person."

Posted in: 04 Imam Hasan (a.s.)