The Struggle of Imam Hasan Askari (A.S)

Compiled By; Syed Zainul Abideen Razavi, Tehran, Iran
Name: Hasan
By name/ title: Zaki, Askari, Abu Mohammad
Father: Imam Ali Naqi (A.S)
Mother: Salil, Hudaysah Khatun A.H
Date of Birth: 8th Rabi os sani 232
Place of Birth: Medina
Period of Imamat: 6 years
Date of Martyrdom: 8th Rabi ol aval 260 A.H
Place of Martyrdom: Samera
Age: 28 years (22 years before Imamat, 6 years as Imam)
Shrine/ Cemetery: Samera
Imam Hasan ibne Ali Naqi (A.S) had prior knowledge about all persons and events like the previous Imams. He was a pivot of struggle against the tyrant rulers because the imams wanted true Islam to dominate the world with justice instead of the incompetent oppressive rulers.
Imam Hasan ibne Ali Naqi (A.S) was contemporary with four Abbasside rulers Motavakel, Wasiq, Mo’taz and Mo’tamed, The Abbasside rulers were aware of the holy prophet’s narration that the son of the eleventh Imam from his linage of Imams shall be the promised savior for establishing the universal kingdom of justice of God, so they were afraid of losing their kingdom and domination hence they appointed secret agents in the Imam’s house for obtaining every information about him. They kept the Imam (A.S) under surveillance in a military area (Askar) therefore the Imam is known as Askari (A.S).
Ultimately Imam Mahdi the promised savior shall establish the universal kingdom of divine justice, although God’s enemies and the Abbasside opportunist and usurpers may not like it. The son of Imam Askari (A.S) is at present in concealment like the prophet Khizr (A.S)
The best and last of God’s messenger (S.A) and the immaculate Imams (A.S) are loved by all Muslims. They are in the heart of Muslims, and their graves and shrines are visited by pilgrims from all over the world and have good influence on the pilgrims, whose soul is purified by reciting ziarat , Quran and saying prayers and listening to sermons. Thus they are helped in attaining excellent conduct and character. Mosques adjacent to their shrine are holy places where congregation prayers religious teaching, and ziarat and Quran are recited.
There are four graves under one big golden dome in Samera. Imam Mohammad Taqi, Imam Askari, Hakimah Khatun, Narjis Khatun are buried therein. Hakima Khatun, the paternal aunt of the Imam was responsible for delivery (midwife) of Narjis Khatun, the mother of Imam Mahdi (A.S), the promised savior, who was born but now he is in concealment. God’s strategy can never be defeated by satanic plots. Pharaoh had killed thousands of male children to prevent the birth of Moses but God cherished Moses (A.S) right in the palace of Pharaoh.
The tomb of Imam Askari (A.S) was destroyed by the enemies of God and its gold was robbed. The robbers and criminals cannot escape God’s punishment. They will definitely be punished by God in this world or in the hereafter.

Status of Imam
Once Abi Hashim was drowned in his thoughts about the status of the Imams. The Imam read his thought and told him “The status of Imam (A.S) is higher than what you could imagine”
There is not a nation but a divine warner has been amongst them. If they falsify you (you need not lose heart) those (prophets) before them have been falsified (likewise). (Fatir 35 A:24-25)

Salawat on Hasan bin Ali Naqi , Imam Askari(A.S)
On request of Abu Mohammad Abdillah bin Mohammad- Abed Badaliah, Imam Hasan Askari (A.S) taught him the manner of blessings (Salawat) on the fourteen Masumin (A.S).The Imam dictated salawat on each Masum. After completion of salawat on his father Imam Naqi (A.S) the Imam remained silent, Abu Mohammad requested him to continue the manner of sending blessings on the rest of the Imams as well.
The Imam said: “If salawat were not a sign of religion, which God has commanded us to convey these to the deserving Muslims I would have preferred to remain silent, but as it is a mark of religion so continue to write down.”

Salawat on Hasan bin Ali Naqi , Imam Askari (A.S)
O God! Bless Hasan bin Ali bin Mohammad, the pious, the God fearing, the truthful, the one who honors his promise, the radiant light (for the Islamic world) the treasurer of Thy secret unseen knowledge and the reminder of Thy unique Oneness, and guardian of Thy commandment and the successor of the Imams who safeguarded religion, the reasonable guides, leaders, and God’s appointed authorities over mankind. So O God! Send on him Thy blessings, the most excellent blessings which Thou hast sent on an individual from Thy distinguished and convincing authorities, the followers and descendants of Thy messengers, O God of the inhabitants of the worlds.
Status of Imam can be recognized from Salawat on Imams and his students and by the following Aayat of the holy Quran.
You cannot make those who are in the graves hear , you are but a Warner. (Fatir 35 A:23)
Some people possess souls so dead that they are considered as dead bodies that can walk and talk. Thus their bodies are actually graves for their souls, whereas the bodies of Imams were not graves but buildings, as their divine and wise teachings revive the dead souls.

Memoirs of the Imam
1. Salawat on the fourteen Masumin is a memoir of Imam Hasan Askari.
2. Imam Hasan Askari (A.S) taught explanation of the holy Quran to two of his students , Yusuf bin Mohammad and Ali bin Mohammad by dictating to them exegesis of the Aayaat of Quran during seven years. Some doubts by Scholars (ulamas perhaps because of taqiah) have been cleared by Sheikh Saduq –ibne Babewyh, this exegesis was printed three times and is known as ‘Tafsir of Imam Hasan Askari.
3. A book named ‘al Muqnaeh’

Some Distinguished students of the Imam Askari (A.S.)
1. Abu Ali Ahmad bin Ishaq. He was a great person from Qum, He was a contemporary and agent of ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth Imams for explaining religious problems. He wrote a letter to Husain bin Ruh, the third special representative of Imam Mahdi (A.S) seeking permission for Hajj, he was granted permission and a cloth was sent for him while returning from Hajj He died and the cloth was used as his shroud.
2. Ahmad bin Mohammad bin Mokhtar. He was especially in charge of affairs of Imam Askari (A.S). He accompanied the mother of Imam Askari (A.S) and Imam Mahdi (A.S) when they were going to Mecca.
3. Abu Hashim Davood ibne Qasem al Jafri. He was from the descendants of Ja’far Tayyar (A.S) and lived in Baghdad. He was a representative and agent of four Imams (Imam Javad to Imam Mahdi (A.S) .He was a valiant and dauntless person when Yahya’s head was brought for Mutahhar, the governor of Baghdad, he went to see Mutahhar and unlike the flatterers said: “I have come to congratulate you, for Yahya (son of Zaid) if the messenger (S.A) were alive he would mourn for him.”
4. Abu Sahl Esmaiel bin Ali. He was a prominent religious person from Nobakht in Baghdad, He wrote a book ‘Ketab e Anvaar’ which deals with the history of the immaculate Imams and he has written some books in his own handwriting on ‘Ilm e Kalaam’ and philosophy.
5. Abu Omru Osman bin Saied. He was in service of Imam Hadi (A.S) from eleven years of age and was appointed as agent of Imam Hadi and Imam Askari (A.S) and was the first representative or deputy of Imam Mahdi(A.S) during his major concealment for explaining religious problems and divine laws and his son was the second trustworthy representative of the twelfth Imam, the promised savior.