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Imam Hasan ibn Imam Ali Naqi (AS) was born in Madina on the 10th of Rabi-us-Sani 232 Hijri (845/846 AD).
His kuniyat (or nickname) was Abu Mohammad and titles are Al-Askari and Az-Zaki.
His only son Imam Mohammad Mahdi (AS) is his successor and the Imam of our time.
Imam Mohammad Mahdi (AS) is in occultation
awaiting Allah's command to reappear and clear
the world of injustice, tyranny, and oppression.
Imam Hasan Askari was 22 years of age when his father was martyred.
The period of his Imamate, following his father's death, was six years.
Imam Hasan Askari lived almost his entire life under house arrest in Samarra.
As for the name Al-Askari, there are two interpretations:
[FIRST] The word "Asker" in Arabic is used for army.
According to some, our 11th Imam's title became known as Askari
as he lived all his life in the garrison town of Sura Mun Ra,
60 miles north of Baghdad. Sura Mun Ra is known today as Samarra.
[SECOND] But to most historians the real reason for the 11th Imam to be called
Askari was due to a miracle performed by the Imam
during the time of the usurper caliph Mutawakkil.
Mutawakkil gathered a huge army and boasted in front
of the Imam about the strength of his army.
In response, the Imam asked Mutawakkil to look through the Imam's two fingers.
The Caliph saw a huge army of armed Angels ready for the Imam's orders
and was astonished at this miracle.
Therefore the Imam was named Askari, meaning the man with a big army.
Imam Askari spent 22 years in the care of his father, Imam Ali Naqi (AS).
His upbringing was like the other Imams and members of Ahle Bait,
which was full of divine knowledge and exemplary character.
We present two narrations that reveal his divine self from his very childhood.
Once when Imam Hasan Askari (AS) was a young child
he fell into a well near their house.
When his father Imam Ali Naqi finished praying he was told of the incident.
He went towards the well, the water rose and all saw the eleventh Imam (AS)
sitting peacefully on the water and praying.
In another narration, Bahlool (a companion of Imam Musi Kazim AS)
saw the young Imam Hasan Askari in grief while
other children were busy playing with their toys.
He asked whether the Imam was sad because he had no toys to play with.
The Imam (AS) replied: "We have not been created to play!"
The young Imam went on to say: Have you not read the Qur'an where it says -
"Do you think we have created you in vain and that you will not be returned to us?"
A detailed account of the marriage of Imam Hasan Askari was related by Allama Majlisi in Biharul Anwar.
The Imam's wife, Narjis Khatoon, was a princess -- the granddaughter of the Emperor of Rome.
Her mother was a descendant of the disciple Simon, the vicegerent of Prophet Jesus.
When her grandfather, the Emperor, was to marry her to his nephew,
a great storm arose and people were frightened and left the assembly hall.
Her grandfather who also fell down cancelled the occasion.
The princess had also seen a dream in which Prophet Mohammad (SAAS)
had asked Jesus (AS) for the marriage of Simon's granddaughter to his grandson Hasan Askari."
She had also seen Bibi Fatima (SA) binte Mohammad (SAAS) and
Mariam (SA), the mother of Jesus, in a dream who explained to her
that "Hasan Askari could not come to her unless she became a Muslim
and declare that there is no God but One God and Mohammad is the last apostle of God".
The young lady accepted this and soon after she saw Hasan Askari in her vision.
Imam Ali Naqi (AS) who had sent some of his confidants for her, received the princess in Samarra.
He also informed her that she was to be married to his son Hasan Askari as she had seen in her dream,
and that she was to be the mother of the one who was to bring justice in the world.
Al-Mutawakkil, like other Abbasid and Omayyad caliphs, had a strong animosity towards the Ahle Bait (AS).
He had placed Imam Ali Naqi (AS) and his family (including Imam Hasan Askari)
under house arrest in Samarra and had orders to prevent any Shia from having any contact with them.
The reign of al-Mutawakkil ended when his son, al-Muntasir, assassinated him.
The reign of Al-Muntasir was succeeded by al-Musta'een, al-Mu'tazz, al-Muhtadi, and finally, al-Mu'tamid.
The repression under these caliphs increased now that the Shia population
had reached a considerable level in both numbers and power.
The Abbasids knew that Shia Muslims believed in the Imamate
and that the Eleventh Imam would have a son who was the promised Mahdi.
Also, the coming of the Mahdi had also been foretold in by the Prophet (SAAS) in many ahadees.
In order to prevent Imam Mahdi's (AS) birth, Imam Hasan Askari (AS) was kept under close watch.
After bribing the guards, Ahmed Bin Ishaq was able to visit the Imam.
He noted that Imam Hasan Askari was imprisoned in a tunnel under the Caliph's palace.
His food consisted of only one glass of water and some dry bread per day.
Ahmed says he wept when he saw the Imam's condition.
Even though the Imam was in prison, he continued teaching
as the Prophet and his Ahle Bait had taught before him.
He also blessed the Ummah with unparalleled services.
For example, during a severe drought in Samarra, due to the prayers of a Christian priest, rainfall occurred.
Some of the Muslims, who were weak in their faith, began considering to embrace the faith of the priest.
Caliph Mo'taz Billah requested Imam Hasan Askari for help.
The Imam came where people had gathered and asked the priest to pray again for rain.
When the priest raised his hands to pray, it started to rain.
The Imam asked that whatever was in priest's hand should be taken away.
The Imam because of his divinely-gifted knowledge knew that
the priest concealed in his hand, a bone acquired from the grave of one of the Prophets.
It was due to the divine blessings on the bone of this Prophet that it rained.
Once that bone was taken away from him, his prayers were ineffective and no rain occurred.
After this, the Imam performed two rakaat of prayers, and he raised his bare hands
to Almighty God and begged for rain to come and wipe out the drought.
Soon the rain fell so much that the land became fertile again and crops began to grow.
Although the Imam endured great sufferings and was confined under house arrest for most of his life,
many students benefited from his divine knowledge and later became scholars in their own field of study.
The Imam taught the Quran and instructed his followers in the true teachings of Islam
as taught by the Prophet of Islam and his Ahle Bait.
In fact, Imam Hasan Askari wrote a complete Tafseer or Exegesis of the Quran
which was mentioned by many scholars and historians, including Kulaini and Saduq.
Another famous student of the Imam, Abu Ali ibn Khalid, prepared a commentary of the Quran as dictated by the Imam.
Imam Hasan Askari also dictated many traditions of the Holy Prophet.
He discussed with the non-believers about God and the reasons for the necessity of the Prophets and Imams.
Consequently, many atheists converted to Islam at his hands.
The Imam also defended Tauheed (Oneness of God), the Quran, and Sunnah in effective ways.
Once a philosopher, Isaaq al-Kindi wrote a book "The Contradictions of the Quran".
Imam Askari instructed one of the philosopher's disciples to present the following question to the philosopher:
"Is it possible that what the Master of this Quran means is different from what you think you understand?
So what is the benefit of writing about contradictions in the Quran if the divine meaning is different from what you think?
If God means other than the meanings that you think, then you have fabricated what the Quran means".
The Philosopher was perplexed at the soundness of the argument and was convinced that no one besides
a member of the Ahle Bait could present this argument and that he must truly be the eleventh Imam.
The philosopher then burned his entire book.
According to Imam Hasan Askari (AS) a mo'min (true believer) is the one who:
Prays 51 rakaat of salaat daily (17 of these rakat are obligatory and 34 are nafal rakaat);
Prostates on Khake Shifaa -- the earth around the shrine of Imam Hossain (AS) in Karbala;
Wears agate or carnelian rings on his right hand;
Recites Ziarat of Imam Hossain (AS)/other martyrs, or at least recite Ziarat of the Holy Imam;
(The Imam advised reciting Ziarat-e-Arba'een on the Day of Arba'een);
(The momin) pronounces "Bismillahir-Rah'maanir-Rah'eem" in clear and loud voice while praying;
Repeats the verses of Azan and Ikama twice;
Prays Fajr Salaat before the stars disappear and Asr prayers before the sun disappears over the horizon;
Recites Qunoot in Salaat;
Dyes hair and beard;
Recites five Takbirs in Salatul Mayyit.
(The Imam said) There are two characteristics which surpass all others: having faith in Allah, & benefiting one's brothers;
To fulfil one's duties is the best ibadah;
(And,) Behind every trouble is a blessing and boon.
With all their repression and power, the Abbasids rulers could not prevent the birth of Imam Mahdi (AS).
As the Holy Quran promises in Surah Aal-e-Imran:
and the best of planners is Allah[3:54]
Imam Mahdi's (AS) zahoor (birth) occurred on 15th Sha'ban 255/256 Hijra.
Imam Hassan Askari (AS) had a great responsibility to inform the Shias about the next Imam and his occultation.
Also, Imam Hassan Askari had to hide his son— in order to save his life from most of the people.
One fortunate exception was Imam's close companion, Ahmad ibn Is'haq.
On one occasion, the Imam told Ahmad ibn Is'haq:
"O Ahmad ibn Is'haq! From the creation of Adam, Allah has never left the earth without His successor,
and will never do so until the Day of Judgment[...]"
Then the Imam went to his house and returned with a three year old boy whose face was filled with a halo of light.
He said: "O Ahmad! If it were not for your eminence in the eyes of Almighty Allah and His chosen people,
I would not have shown you my child.
His name and nickname are the same as that of Prophet Mohammad (SAAS);
and it is he who will fill the earth with justice after it has been corrupted with oppression.
By Allah! He will live through a long occultation from which people
will not survive perdition and deviation, except for those who stand firm on believing in his Imamate,
and those who are honored with the opportunity to pray for haste in his reappearance."
Ahmad ibn Ishaq narrates: "the minute I asked Imam Askari (AS):
Will any sign or miracle appear to make me confident, the child began speaking:
I am the remainder of Allah (Baqiatullah) on earth; the one who will take revenge on the enemies of Allah;
and after seeing me, do not search for any other signs!"
Like the Bani Ummayads, the Abbasids were afraid of the exalted status of the Imams,
their divine knowledge, and their rule over the hearts and minds of the people.
So like his predecessors, in a rage of jealousy, Al-Mu'tamid decided to put an end to the Imamate
through every possible means once and for all.
Thus, on the orders of Al-Mu'tamid, Imam Hasan Askari (AS) was poisoned
and was martyred on 8th Rabi-al-Awwal 260 Hijri.
He was only 28 years old.
Imam Mohammad Mahdi (AS) was five years old when his father was martyred.
When people, including Al- Mu'tamid, lined up for the funeral prayers,
the young Imam came out of the house and told his uncle, Jafar
who was leading the funeral paryers, that "only an Imam can lead the funeral prayer of an Imam".
Many Shia saw the Twelfth Imam for the first time.
Immediately after the the prayer, the Imam went inside his house and was not seen by his pursuers.
Imam Hasan Askari (AS) was buried in the same house where he had died,
by the side of his father Imam Ali Naqi (AS).
In the passage of time, the house was transformed into a great mausoleum
and pilgrims from all over the Islamic lands came to pay their homage
to the two Imams of Ahle Bait who were buried there.
Sadly, the enemies of Ahle Bait bombed the mausoleum thereby
destroying most of the building in 2006 and 2007.
But in best tradition of the love of Ahle Bait, the rebuilding of the shrine soon began and,
presently, it is nearing completion.
The martyrdom of Imam Hasan Askrari (AS) is commemorated
every year on the 8th Rabi al Awwal by Shia Muslims throughout the world.
This day is regarded as the last day of the mourning period that begins in the Islamic month of Muharram.
In some places in Pakistan and India, the commemoration is observed
through a procession called Chup Ta'azia which can be defined as a silent procession carrying a Ta'azia.
The procession under the name of Chup Ta'azia is believed to have originated in Lucknow, India.