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Sayings of Imam Hasan Askari (A.S.)
Compiled By; Syed Zainul Abideen Razavi, Tehran, Iran
1. God
God is the one to whom all His creatures implore in necessities and calamities when their expectations are cut off from all others and when all means of help are severed from everyone else. (Bihar al-Anwaar, V3 p 41)
Fear of God
a) Fear God and be a credit for us and not an object of shame. (Tuhaf al-Uqool, p 488)
b) A person who commits sinsand crimes openly in presence of people has no fear of God. (Bihar al-Anwaar, V 78 p 377)
Note: A person should not commit sin in presence of God; be aware that God is Omnipresent.
2. Two Gods or dualism
Mohammad bin Rabie Shaybani has said that once in Ahwaz he encountered a person who believed in two Gods (God of virtue and God of evil) and he had a discussion with him then he travelled to Samerah with some doubts about arguments for two Gods.
Once when he was sitting at the threshold of a house in Samerah, suddenly he noticed Imam Hasan Askari (A.S) in that street and before he asked him anything, the Imam pointed his finger at him and said: “He is One, and One only so believe in Him as One.” Shaybani said: “I fainted with enormity of emotions, when the Imam clarified my doubts prior to my asking him.” (Kashful Ghumma V 3 P305)
3. Son of Imam Askari (A.S)
Isa Ibne Sabie says: “once when I was in prison Imam Hasan Askari (A.S) visited us. He told me my exact age. I calculated my age from my birthday, which was written in a particular book. I wondered when I found it correct up to the month and day.
Then I asked the Imam whether he has a son? The Imam replied: “By God! I shall soon have a son (the promised savior) who will fill this world with justice and equity (after indefinite concealment by the will of God) but at present I do not have a son. (Bihar al-Anwaar, V50 P274)
4. Imam Mahdi (A.F)
Imam Hasan Askari (A.S) has taught this salawat to Abu Mohammad Abdollah and it is quoted from Sheikh Toosi in Misbah of Mohadith Qummi.
Salawat on Imam Mahdi (A.F)
O God! Send blessings on Thy guiding authority, the descendant of Thy guiding authorities, whose obedience and rights are incumbent on mankind; and every pollution is kept away from them and Thou hast purified them thoroughly.
O God! Help him and through him help Thy religion, Thy loving followers, and his friends and loving followers and helpers and include us amongst them.
O God! Protect him from the evil of every rebel and tyrant and from the evil of everything that Thou hast created; and guard him from all sides, front, behind, right and left. Protect him and do not allow evil to reach him, and safeguard all that he has inherited* from Thy messenger and descendants of Thy messenger and manifest justice through him and help him with Thy infinite power. And help his helpers and humiliate his deserters and enemies and through him give a fatal blow to the tyrannical infidels, and annihilate the skeptics and hypocrites and all the disbelievers on land and seas, in the East and the West of the earth and through him fill the earth with justice and manifest the religion of Thy prophet (S.A.) and on him and his Aal, be salam.
O God! Include me amongst his helpers, subjects, supporters, and loving followers; and let me see in Mohammad\'s Aal what we *expect and what their enemies fear O! the Truthful God.
Approve my prayers. (Amen)
Note1*: Inheritance of the last Imam Mahdi (A.S) would not only be their material relics but also ‘shariah’ and ‘sunnat’ of God’s best messenger (S.A) and his Aal as followed by all the previous sinless Imams.
Note2*: the reciters of this salawat expect to be revived during the minor resurrection to see the universal kingdom of justice of God and annihilation of satanic tyrants all over the world.
5. Defending the Holy Quran
Ishaq Kindi, a philosopher in Iraq, commenced writing a book criticizing the holy Quran. He was extremely interested in writing this criticism, so much so, that he gave up other affairs and continued this work all alone. One of the students of this philosopher went to see Imam Hasan Askari (A.S). The Imam asked him: “Is there none amongst you who can prevent Kindi from continuing his criticism?” The student said: “I’ll be pleased to do it.”
The Imam told him to go and see Kindi and help him in his work in a friendly manner. Then with his permission, ask him this question” Is it probable that the person to whom the Quran has been revealed tell you that the meaning of the Quranic Aayat is different from what you have understood? Your tutor will reply: “yes it is possible.” Then ask him: “Is it reasonable to criticize Quran when your meaning does not conform with its real meaning?
The student complied with the Imam’s instructions exactly as he was told. The philosopher asked the student to repeat his question and began to think deeply and considered the probability of a different meaning.
Then he asked the student: “By God! tell me truly wherefrom have you learnt this question?” The student told him: “I was instructed by Imam Hasan Askari (A.S) to put this question to you.” Kindi remarked: “Such a question can never be asked by anyone other than a person from the holy prophet’s family.
Then he burnt all that he had written in criticism of the holy Quran. (Manaqeb V4 P424)
6. Honor
An honorable person has never given up truth without becoming contemptible and a contemptible person has never followed truth without becoming honorable. (Tuhaf al-Uqool, p489)
• Beware! Imploring with insistence is detrimental for honor and invites grief and worry. (Bihar al-Anwaar, V 78 p 378)
Note: The holy Quran states: All might and honor is for God, His messenger and the believers. (S 63: A 8)
Whoever seeks honor (should know that) honor is entirely for God. (S 35:A10)
God possesses all good qualities so He is most honored, glorified, worshiped with love and obeyed. Those who are close to God, such as, God’s messengers and the divine sinless Imams, are honored more than others. The criterion of honor is closeness to God. A qualified person is always humble and does not regard a sweeper, a scavenger or any person as inferior to himself because they may be closer to God.
Note: A rich person, if his wealth is not ill-gotten, may be close and obedient to God therefore he should be honored for his virtues.
7. Praise
A person, who praises the undeserving, is open to accusation. (Bihar al-Anwaar, V 78 p 378)
8. The manifest enemy
The weakest enemy is one who exposes his enmity. (Bihar al-Anwaar, V 78 p 378)
Note: Allamah Iqbal has said that once the angel Gabriel encountered Satan and asked him: “How are things going on?” The Satan boasted: “I am busy with storms of injustice and tyranny in every nook and corner of the world and I prick like a thorn in the heart of God, whereas you are engaged every moment in glorifying and obeying God.”
Note: Satan is a jinn and a manifest enemy of mankind.
The holy Quran states: indeed he (satan) has no authority over those who have faith and rely on God. Satan’s authority is only over those who befriend him and those who associate others with God (i.e. polytheists).(Nahl :A 98-100)
Enemies are of two categories, Jinn and men. Let us consider amongst men who is the manifest enemy of mankind?
All the good people of the world should unite to put an end to those satanic terrorists with the advent of Imam Mahdi (A.S.) the savior promised by God, whose strategy can never be defeated by the satanic tyrants, who are being tested by God.
If Jesus (A.S.) returns today he should be pleased to see people following him and should not be aggrieved to see them disabled and unable to give a blow in the teeth of a wrong.
9. A way of learning
Refrain from what is hateful in others, that is enough to teach you good conduct and etiquette.
10. Salawat on God’s best messenger (S.A)
O God! Bless Mohammad (S.A) as he had borne the burden of Thy revelations and conveyed all Thy messages (to mankind idolaters and infidels)
And bless Mohammad (S.A) as he considered legal whatever was legalized by Thee and had prohibited whatever was prohibited by Thee and had taught Thy Book (Quran).
And bless Mohammad (S.A) as he had established Salaat and paid zakat and invited people towards Thy religion.
O God! Bless Mohammad (S.A) as he had testified Thy promise (paradise with Thy mercy) and frightened the people about Thy punishment (hell with Thy wrath)
O God! Bless Mohammad as sins are forgiven, faults and follies are concealed by Thee, agony and distress of people are removed by Thee through his means.
O God! Bless Mohammad (S.A) as Thou hast removed misery of people, relieved their grief and answered their prayers and released them from troubles through his means.
O God! Bless Mohammad (S.A) as Thou hast been merciful to mankind and towns were made alive (by educating Thy Heavenly Book to those with dead souls and ignorant people) and Thou hast broken the backbone of the tyrants and slaughtered the tyrants like the pharaohs through his means.
And bless Mohammad (S.A) as Thou hast increased (material and spiritual) wealth and property of people and Thou hast liberated the community from calamities, and broken the idols and Thou hast shown mercy upon mankind (blessing them with Thy Oneness) through his means.
And bless Mohammad (S.A) as Thou hast revealed the best religion to him and made the believers honorable, and had broken the idols and slaughtered the idol-worshippers, and venerated Thy House Kaaba (by cognizance of the real Originator of the universe) through his means.
And bless Mohammad and his Ahle Bayt (his house folk) the distinguished, immaculate ones, Salam on them, Salam greetings as worthy of them. (Salawat by Imam Askari A.S)
Note: The holy Quran states: Wabtaghu Alayhe wasilah one should seek help of means. (The holy prophet Mohammad and Aale Mohammad)
11. Never forget
Always remember: 1. God 2. Death 3. Recitation of Quran 4. Sending Salawat on the holy prophet and his Aal. Salawat has ten benefits. (Tuhaf al-Uqool, p 489)
Note: Surely God and His Angels bless (send salawat on) the Prophet; O you who believe! Pray for blessings on him as well as salam - a worthy salam on him. (S 33:A 56)
12. Almost a miracle
It\'s almost miraculous to make an addict give up his habit, and to educate an imbecile. (Tuhaf al-Uqool, p 489)
13. Sow and Reap
Your life is short and time is fleeting and death approaches suddenly; whoever sows the seeds of beneficence shall reap happiness, and whoever sows the seeds of viciousness shall harvest remorse. (Tuhaf al-Uqool, p 489)
Note: All the farmers harvest what they cultivate in their fields. Those who cultivate good deeds in this world shall reap the reward in the hereafter.
14. Blessing
No one recognizes a blessing except a grateful person and no one thanks for a blessing except the cognizant. (Bihar al-Anwaar, V 78 p 378)
15. Limits
Generosity when it exceeds a limit becomes extravagance.
Prudence when it exceeds a limit becomes cowardice.
Economy when it exceeds a limit becomes miserliness.
Bravery on exceeding beyond a limit becomes Recklessness or Rashness. (Bihar al-Anwaar, V 78 p 377)
Note: Possession of good qualities in moderation is often better than crossing their maximum or minimum limits.
16. Love of Fame and Domination
Refrain from seeking fame and from love of domination as both of these call you towards destruction. (Bihar al-Anwaar, V 78 p 371)
17. The Greed
The greedy cannot acquire what is not destined for him. (Tuhaf al-Uqool, 489)
18. Friends
a) A person will have many friends when his natural disposition is piety, his attribute is generosity and his trait is forbearance. (Bihar al-Anwar V 78 p 379)
b) The best of your friends is the one who forgets your sins and remembers your favors and praises you for them.
19. Guaranteed Sustenance
Work and compulsory duties should not be given up because of guaranteed sustenance. (Tuhaf al-Uqool, p489)
Note: A person should utilize his brain for planning and physical vigor for working hard to earn guaranteed sustenance and should not neglect his compulsory spiritual duties. Sustenance is guaranteed for all from the heaven by providing sunshine, rain, air, fertile soil, various seeds and different natural resources. Therefore a person should work to produce fruits, vegetables, agricultural and dairy products, milk, cattle, fish, poultry etc. and utilize all natural sources for handicrafts and industries. Discovery and utilization of talents is essential for employment. God has made some people rich to employ the poor. God should not be blamed for injustice in distribution of wealth, one should blame lack of planning and laziness for earning guaranteed sustenance.
20. Salawat on Fatima Zahra (A.S)
O God! Send blessings on the truthful Fatima (S.A) the pure one, loved by Thy beloved ones, and by Thy Nabi (S.A.) and send blessings on mother of Thy chosen beloved ones, she has been distinguished by Thee; Thou hast given her excellence and Thou hast preferred her to be superior to all women of the worlds. O God! avenge the tyrants and those who disdained and underestimated her rights.
O God! avenge the blood of her descendants (who were slain mercilessly).
O God! as Thou hast made her mother of the guiding Imams and heavenly pair for the bearer of flag of victory
(Ali A.S) and venerable in the world of angels hence bless her and her mother (Khadija tal Kubra) with blessings that venerate the personality of her father Mohammad (S.A) at this very moment, May God bless him and his posterity, and by this blessing illuminate the eye of her posterity and convey from us at this moment the most honorable greetings and salaam.
Note: Fatima Zahra has said: “first pray for the neighbors and next for the house folk.”
And Jesus (A.S) has said: “love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Good neighborly relations are of paramount importance in maintaining peace in this world. Every country is neighbor of all the countries around it, so no country remains without a neighbor, hence every person should pray and love people of all other countries prior to himself and should not be selfish and exploit others. When a person gives up petty patriotism and provincialism and adopts global patriotism as during the promised universal kingdom of justice of God, there will be spirit of mutual help , welfare and love of all neighboring countries as one’s own native land and there will be no exploitation of neighbors and no sanctions will be imposed on them.
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