Hasan al-Askari facts for kids
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Hasan al-Askari
ٱلْحَسَن ٱلْعَسْكَرِيّ 11th Imam of Twelver Shia Islam
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Arabic text with the name of Hasan ibn Ali and one of his titles, "Al-Askari"
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| Born | 10 Rabi' al-Thani 232 AH (c. 4 December 846 CE) |
| Died | 8 Rabi al-Awwal 260 AH (c. 4 January 874 (aged 27)) |
| Cause of death | Poisoning by Al-Mu'tamid according to Shia Muslims |
| Resting place | Al-Askari Mosque, Samarra, Iraq |
| Other names | Al-Hasan al-Khalis ibn Ali ibn Muhammad |
| Era | Abbasid era |
| Office | 11th Imam (Twelver Shia) |
| Term | 868–874 CE |
| Predecessor | Ali al-Hadi |
| Successor | Muhammad al-Mahdi |
| Spouse(s) | Narjis, Sawsan, Sayqal |
| Children | Muhammad al-Mahdi Sayyid Ali Akbar, Musa, Fatima, Ja’far, Ibrahim, Ayesha |
| Parent(s) | Ali al-Hadi Saleelb |
| Relatives | Muhammad (brother) Ja'far (brother) |
| Notes | |
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aalso referred to as Susan or Sevila (Savīl)
bdisputed |
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Hasan ibn Ali al-Askari (Arabic: ٱلْحَسَن ٱبْن عَلِيّ ٱلْعَسْكَرِيّ, Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī al-ʿAskarī, c. 846 – 874 CE) was an important Muslim leader and the 11th Imam for Twelver Shia Islam. He followed his father, Ali al-Hadi. He is also respected by Sunni Sufis. People called him Abu Muhammad and Ibn al-Ridha. He was known as al-Askari because he lived in Samarra, which was a military town (Askar means military in Arabic).
Al-Askari married Narjis Khatun (also known as Sawsan or Mariam). He spent much of his life under close watch or in prison. According to some Shia sources, he died at age 28. They believe he was poisoned by order of the Abbasid ruler Al-Mu'tamid. He was buried in Samarra. Twelver Shia Muslims believe his son, Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi, is the twelfth Imam. They believe he will one day return to bring fairness and peace to the world.
Contents
Birth and Early Life
Hasan al-Askari was born around 846 CE (232 AH). It is not fully clear if he was born in Medina or Samarra. His father, Ali al-Hadi, was moved from Medina to Samarra by the ruler Al-Mutawakkil. Hasan al-Askari spent most of his life in Samarra under house arrest.
During his time in Samarra, al-Askari studied the Quran and Sharia (Islamic law). He was also known to speak different languages. He could speak Hindi with pilgrims from India, Turkish with people from Turkey, and Persian with Persians. Shia beliefs state that Imams have special divine knowledge. This knowledge allows them to understand and speak all human languages.
Even as a child, al-Askari was seen as very wise. One story tells of a man who saw him crying and offered to buy him a toy. Al-Askari replied, "No! We were not created for play." The man asked what they were created for. Al-Askari answered, "For knowledge and worship." He quoted from God, "Did you then think that We had created you in vain?" The man was surprised. Al-Askari then explained that he feared becoming like small pieces of wood used to start a fire, fearing Hell.
Al-Askari's mother was named Hadith, though she was also called Susan, Ghazala, Salil, or Haribta. She was given the title umm walad (mother of offspring) after having children. Hasan al-Askari had brothers, including Ja'far and Husayn. Hasan and Husayn were known as "as-Sibtayn," a title also given to their grandfathers, Hasan and Husayn.
Family Life
Some sources say that al-Askari's wife, Narjis Khatun, was a "Roman (Byzantine) princess." She supposedly pretended to be a slave to travel from her kingdom to Arabia. She was the mother of the twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi.
There are different ideas about how many children al-Askari had. Many Sunni and Shia traditions say his only son was Mohammed, born in 869 CE (255 AH). Some sources list up to three girls and three boys as his children. Others say he had no children. However, family records from the Middle East, especially Persia and Khorasan, suggest he had a second son named Sayyid Ali Akbar. These records support the idea that Imam al-Askari had children, including Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi.
His Role as Imam
Shia Muslims believe that Hasan al-Askari became the Imam after his father's death. This happened by divine command and through the decisions of earlier Imams. He was 22 years old when he became Imam. During his seven years as Imam, Hasan al-Askari lived very carefully. He avoided much social contact because the Abbasid rulers were worried about the growing popularity of Shia Islam. The rulers also knew that Shia leaders believed the eleventh Imam would have a son who was the promised Mahdi.
Because of these fears, the rulers wanted to stop the Imamate of Shi'ism. Hasan al-Askari spent almost his entire life under house arrest in Samarra. He was watched closely by the Abbasid rulers and was not allowed to talk freely with others. However, he still found ways to guide the Shia community.
Leading Under Abbasid Rule
Hasan al-Askari appointed a personal deputy to help guide the Shia. This deputy also collected religious taxes like Khums and Zakat. He set up a system of representatives called the wikala. Al-Askari criticized the rulers for taking the nation's wealth and treating people unfairly.
The Abbasid government was in a difficult time. The rulers were often controlled by Turkish military leaders. After al-Askari's father died, the ruler Al-Mu'tazz put him in prison. He spent most of his prison time during the rule of Al-Mu'tamid. Shia sources often say Al-Mu'tamid was the main oppressor of the Imam. Many believe Al-Mu'tamid was responsible for al-Askari's death by poisoning.
During Al-Mu'tamid's time, there was a rebellion by the Alawites. Because of this, al-Askari was released from prison for a few years. News of his death was announced at his home.
Different Groups of Shia
Over time, different groups formed within Shia Islam. One group, the Waqifiyya, believed the Imamate stopped with the seventh Imam, Musa al-Kadhim. They did not accept the next five Imams.
After al-Askari's death, his brother Ja'far claimed to be the next Imam. Some Shia followed him for a short time, but this group soon broke apart when Ja'far gave up his claim. Most other small Shia groups also disappeared over time, except for the Zaidiyyah and Isma'ilism, which still exist today.
His Wisdom and Teachings
Even though he was often confined, Hasan al-Askari taught many people about Islam. He even put together a commentary on the Quran called Tafsir al-Askari. However, some people doubted if this work was truly his. They questioned it because the way it was passed down seemed weak. Also, some parts of the tafsir seemed inconsistent. The main reason for doubt was that the Imam was constantly watched by the government. This made it very hard for him to share knowledge with other Shia.
Despite these challenges, al-Askari continued to speak out against those who questioned the Quran. There is a story about a book called The Contradiction of the Quran by Abd al-Masih ibn Ishaq al-Kindi. When al-Askari heard about this book, he met one of al-Kindi's students. He asked the student if there was anyone wise enough to stop al-Kindi from writing such things. The student said they were just his students and could not object.
Hasan al-Askari then told the student how to question al-Kindi. He advised the student to be polite and pretend to help al-Kindi. Once al-Kindi felt comfortable, the student should ask him: "If someone reads the Quran, is it possible that he means something different from what you think you understand?" Al-Kindi would likely say "yes." Then the student should ask, "How do you know? He might mean something else, and you are making up meanings that are not there."
The student followed al-Askari's advice. Al-Kindi was smart enough to realize that such a question could only come from someone with special knowledge. He said, "No one like you could come up with this. Tell me where you got this from?" When he heard the true story, al-Kindi said, "Now you speak the truth. Such wisdom could only come from that house (meaning the Imam's family)." It is said that al-Kindi later burned his book.
Death
There are different ideas about how Hasan al-Askari died. Some believe he died from an illness. However, many Shia sources believe he was poisoned. They say he died at the age of 28, around January 4, 874 CE (8th Rabi' al-Awwal 260 AH), in his home in Samarra. He was buried next to his father.
Historians like Shaykh Tabarsi and Ibn Shahrashub, based on Shia traditions, believed that all Shia Imams would be killed by others. So, they thought al-Askari was poisoned. Rasul Jafarian, looking at historical records, noted that al-Askari was politically against the Abbasid ruler. This suggests his early death was not natural. The Encyclopaedia of Islam mentions that all sources agree that the ruler, Al-Mu'tamid, wanted doctors to declare that al-Askari died naturally.
When Al-Mu'tamid heard al-Askari was sick, he sent a doctor and trusted men to watch him. After al-Askari died, they even had all his female servants checked. For two years, they searched for the Imam's successor but eventually gave up hope. Al-Askari died on the same day his young son, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who was about five years old, disappeared. This event marked the beginning of what is known as the Minor Occultation.
Genealogy records from the Middle East show that Imam Hasan al-Askari had seven children and six survived him. Their names were Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi, Musa, Ja’far, Ibrahim, Fatima, Ayesha, and 'Ali (also called Akbar or Asghar). Early books on Sayyid (descendants of the Prophet Muhammad) family trees also mention that descendants of Sayyid Ali ibn Imam Hassan Askari lived in Sabzevar, Iran.
His Son, Muhammad al-Mahdi
Twelver Shi'ites believe that the birth of Al-Askari's son, like that of the prophet Moses, was kept secret. This was due to the difficult times and the belief that this son was the promised Muhammad al-Mahdi. The Mahdi is an important figure in Shia teachings. It is believed he will reappear before the end of time to bring justice and peace to the world and establish Islam as a global religion. Al-Askari's death happened at the same time as the beginning of the Mahdi's Imamate.
Ja'far al Zaki, al-Askari's brother, claimed that his brother never had a son. However, it is said that at al-Askari's funeral, as Ja'far was about to lead the prayer, a young child appeared. This child, described as having curly hair and shining teeth, took Ja'far's cloak and insisted on leading the prayer.
A few days later, a group of Shia pilgrims from Qom, who did not know of al-Askari's death, came to visit him. Ja'far claimed to be the next Imam. The pilgrims said they would accept him if he could prove himself by telling them their names and how much money they had. While Ja'far was protesting this test, a servant of Hasan's son appeared. He said his master had sent him to tell them their names and the exact amounts of their money. Ja'far searched everywhere but could not find the boy. The belief of his ghaiba (occultation) means that the Mahdi has been "hidden by God from the eyes of men." It is believed his life has been supernaturally extended, and he has been seen at times, communicating with others and guiding his followers.
Other Views on the Mahdi
Most Sunnis do not believe the Mahdi has already been born. However, about 40 well-known Sunni scholars, including Al-Dhahabi and Ibn-Hajar, believed that he was indeed the son of Hasan al-Askari. In the 13th century CE, a Syrian scholar named Muḥammad b. Yusuf al-Gandji al-Kurashi wrote a book proving the Mahdiship of the Twelfth Imam using Sunni traditions. Another scholar, Kamalal-Din Muḥammad b. Talha al-ʿAdawi al-Nisibini, wrote a book answering Sunni objections to the belief that the Twelfth Imam was the Mahdi.
Among Sufi groups, some mystics agreed with the Twelver Shia belief about the Mahdi's identity and his ghaybah (occultation). The Persian Sufi Sadr al-Din Ibrahim al-Hammuyi also supported the Twelver doctrine on the Mahdi. The Egyptian Sufi al-Shaʿrani, in his book written in 1551, stated that the Mahdi was a son of Imam al-Hasan al-ʿAskari, born in 869 CE, and would remain alive until he meets Jesus.
Images for kids
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The tomb of the supreme leaders of the order in Kashmir, who claim descent from Al-Askari
See also
In Spanish: Hasan al-Askari para niños
