Al-Hassan Al-Mujtaba (AS)
Birth and Childhood
In the mid of the month of Ramadan, the
3rd year of Hijrah, a son was born in the small mud house of Hazrat Ali
(A.S.). The Prophet (P.B.U.H), on behalf of Almighty God, named him
Hassan (A.S.). Imam Hassan (A.S.) was brought up in the lap of his
father Ali (A.S.) and mother Fatima Zahra (S.A.) and learnt lessons from
the school of his grandfather.
He had a great worth and status in the
eyes of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.). Such as, one day he (P.B.U.H.) was on
the tribune, delivering a speech to the people, he heard the voice of
his weeping. He came down from the tribune, went to calm him down, and
then returned to his place. When the people asked him the reason for
this act. He said, "Whenever I hear the voice of his weeping I get
restless". The Prophet (P.B.U.H.), having offered his prayer along with
the people, would lift Imam Hassan (A.S.) into his lap and would say,
"Whosoever loves me, must love this child as well". Sometimes, he lifted
this child upon his shoulder and said, "It is hoped that God will purify
this Ummah through him". Or he would say, "Whosoever loves Hassan (A.S.)
and Hussain (A.S.) he loves me and whosoever nurses grudge and has
enmity against them has enmity with me". "Hassan (A.S.) and Hussain
(A.S.) are the two chiefs of the youths of the paradise". Then he said,
Hassan (A.S.) and Hussain (A.S.) are the two earrings of the Empyrean,
paradise of God takes pride and potentates due to them.
Awareness and Courtesy
One day, an old man was performing
ablution. His ablution was futile and invalid. Imam Hassan (A.S.) ought
to make him aware of his fault but how? If he said to him you are wrong
possibly his heart might break and he got annoyed and did not accept it.
He along with Imam Hussain (A.S.) decided to create a scene and ask the
old man to make the judgment. Imam Hassan (A.S.) addressed Imam Hussain
(A.S.) and said, "I perform a better ablution as compared to yours."
Imam Hussain (A.S.) said "I perform it better than you do." Both of them
approached the old man and said, "You come and see our ablution and
decide who performs a better ablution." Both of them got busy with
performing ablution and ended it in a correct and nice way. The old man
understood what was the secret of their act and became aware that they
meant him to find out his fault, in this way. So he said to them "The
ablution performed by both of you is correct, I am an old man, who did
not know how to perform the ablution correctly. You made me aware about
my fault. I am much thankful to you."
Piety and Purity of Imam (A.S.)
Imam Hassan (A.S.) was the most pious,
devout and ascetic worshiper and adorer of God. Whenever he went to
Mecca for pilgrimage, he would go walking on foot. Whenever he performed
ablution or stood for his prayers he saw himself in the court of God and
his body started trembling he said, "The time has come for me to submit
the deposit of God to Him."
When he came to mosque, he would raise
his head, in the prayer place, towards the sky and say, "Oh God this is
your guest standing in your court. Your defaulter servant has come
towards you. And he hopes that you will forgive his bad deeds, by virtue
of your kindness and forgiveness."
The Fortitude and Forbearance of
Imam (A.S.)
One day he was crossing a street riding
a horse. On the way he came across a man who was one of the friends of
"Muawiyah". When that man knew he was Imam Hassan (A.S.) he started
using an un-respectful language. Imam (A.S.) stopped and listened to him
and then facing him said, "I think you are a traveler and stranger and
not a local person. You have been provoked by the enemies about us and
their false words about us have made you cynical and pessimistic about
us. If you have a need I may fulfill that need. If you are hungry, I
will order to feed you. If you require a dress and clothes, I will order
to dress you up. If you don't have residence to live in I will take you
along with me to my house and extend hospitality and give you treatment.
When that disrespectful person heard those words from the Imam (A.S.),
he got very much ashamed and repented. He was so upset and uneasy about
what he had done that he started weeping and apologized and said, "The
words of your enemies had affected me. Before this (event) you and your
father were the greatest enemies of mine among all the people. But now
that I have witnessed this courtesy of yours, you are the most
respectful and gracious to me among all the people.
I became aware that you are a family
who has the capability of becoming the heirs of the Prophet (P.B.U.H).
Till the time I am living I will be a friend and devotee of you and
would defend your right. So he did what he had said.
The Charity and mercifulness of Imam
(A.S.)
1. A person came to Imam Hassan (A.S.)
and said "poverty and bad luck is torturing me. You are a family of
chastity, purity and infallibility. Get me saved from this cruel enemy?"
Hazrat Imam Hassan (A.S.) called his servant and said, "How much money
do you have available?" He replied "five thousand Dinnars" He said,
"Give all of this money to this man so that it may become the capital of
his business and life and he may relieve himself off and get rid of
poverty and resource less ness.
2. One day, Imam Hassan (A.S.) went to
the house of God. In the very condition when he was busy praying he
heard a man addressing his God and saying, "Oh God, I need ten thousand
dirhams to get it shaped as the capital of my life and you the merciful
one give me this boon and blessing". The moment Imam returned back, he
sent the said amount for him.
3. A poor and distressed man came to
Imam Hassan (A.S.) and recited a rhyme meaning thereby, "I am left over
with nothing, not even a single dirham. You can perceive my condition
fully well and know it. I have nothing left with me to sell except my
honor. I know you are the purchaser and buyer of it." The Imam (A.S.) at
once called his servant and said, "Whatever money you have got with you,
give it to this man."
The servant gave ten thousand dirhams
to him. Hazrat Imam (A.S.) asked the servant to make excuse as well,
because, he did not possess more than that amount to be given out to
him. He advised him to take that money and use it for his life and
running the wheels of it and possibly getting rid of poverty and
distress.
These few stories exhibit this fact
that in the same way Imam (A.S.) was thoughtful and consider ant about
the dooms day of the people, he was careful and considering about their
Worldly affairs, for, the World is connected and patched up with the
justice day. And the hunger and poverty stricken man cannot think about
his dooms day. We must fully know that the Imam's helps and aids to the
people as were not of the sort to encourage people about begging.
Instead, these were extended in a manner to extend job and activity
chances for them.
His Caliphate
On the 21st night of the Ramadan of
40th Hijra his father Ali ibn-e-Abi Talib (A.S.) passed away making all
the people sorrowful and grieved. Imam Hassan (A.S.) who was 27 years of
age came along with the people to the mosque and climbed the tribune and
said, "Last night, a man, who was unique in knowledge piety, conduct and
character among the previous ages people as well those to come in
future, has gone out of you. He participated the battles along with the
Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and strived hard to guard Islam. A person who was the
thorn of the eyes of the enemies and the fruit of the heart of friends.
And he did not spare and accumulate anything from the wealth of the
world for himself, except for seven hundred dirhams by which he wanted
to provide a servant for his family."
At this moment, the Imam (A.S.) wept
bitterly and the people too wept. Then he spoke about himself. So that
the people may know that the Imamate has been handed over to him and
that people might not go astray and did not get misled. He said, "I am
the son of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), Ali (A.S.) and Fatima (S.A.). I am
the flame of the lighted lamp of Prophet hood. The families from which
God has driven the dirt, contamination and pollution away.
Then Abdullah Ibn-e-Abbas stood up and
said "Oh people this is the son of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and your Imam,
beware, that he is the right heir and successor of Ali (A.S.). So take
the oath of allegiance and loyalty for him".
People moved in shape of groups towards
Imam Hassan (A.S.) and took the oath of alIegiance for him. Imam (A.S.)
made it a condition that they would fight anyone against whom he fought
and whenever he deemed it fit to make peace, they would also accept it.
All of them accepted it, and willingly agreed and submitted to his
Imamate.
The Conspiracies of Muawiyah
Muawiyah had established a government
and dominion in Syria and for years he had played tricks with cunning
ways and means against Ali (A.S.). He killed the friends of Ali (A.S.)
and brought into existence the perverted group and sect of Khwaraj Now,
when he heard that people, after the martyrdom of Ali (A.S.), took oath
of allegiance to elect Imam Hassan (A.S.) for the caliphate post as the
successor of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.). This thing was very hard for him to
tolerate. He sent spies to Kufa and Basra to find out and get him
informed about what was going on. And thereafter, they may plot and
hatch conspiracies against Imam (A.S.) if they deem fit and suitable
they might start subversion and sabotage and create chaos, and disorder.
Imam gave the order that the spies
should be arrested and killed. Then he wrote a letter to Muawiyah: "Oh
Muawiyah! You send spies and set your hands upon subversion? I presume
that you intend to fight a war and you like war. If it is so, then I am
also ready for it and the war is at hand. Do wait "Insha Allah".
Muawiyah! I am surprised over you that
you are the candidate for a job, which you don't deserve and are not
worthy for it. Neither you have any superiority in the religion nor you
have left any good effect, mark or impression from yourself as a
monument and memorial. Muslims have taken oath of allegiance for me
(caliphate). It would be to the interest and benefit of Islam that you
too accept this act (caliphate) like the rest of the Muslims. Oh
Muawiyah! Do not move the untrue and illusive (Batil) ahead, and you
also take the oath and allegiance of faithfulness to me like the others,
and do consider the blood of the Muslims respect worthy. If you do not
accept my advise and wish to create disorder and chaos and spill the
blood of Muslim I will quickly attack you along with the other Muslims,
and will put you on trial.
Muawiyah in reply to the Imam wrote:
In the same way as Abu Bakr, due to his
experience and expertise took the caliphate from Ali (A.S.), I am more
deserving than you and have more experience and it is better that you be
my follower so that you get the caliphate after myself, and I will give
you, whatever is the income of Iraq.
Muawiyah not only denied and turned his
face from taking the oath of allegiance, he also sent spies to kufa to
martyr the Imam. Thus the Imam (A.S.) was forced to wear armored Jacket
under his clothes and then stand for offering the prayers. Once when one
of the agents of Muawiyah threw an arrow towards him the arrow got
ineffective due to the armored Jacket and so the Imam (A.S.) remained
safe.
War Begins
It did not take long that Muawiyah, on
the pretext of bringing into effect Islamic unity, gathered a huge army
and mobilized it to fight the Imam in Iraq. When the news of the
movement of Muawiyah's army I reached the Imam, he invited the people to
the mosque. He climbed the tribune and after the praise of God and the
salutation to the holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said, "Muawiyah has moved
towards Iraq along with his army. It is your turn to get ready for the
war and defend your honor and religion." But those despicable,
vanquished and comfort loving people did not give a response to Imam
(A.S.) Addi Ibn-e-Hatim stood up from among the people and very sadly
addressed them saying, "What kind of people are you. What does this dead
silence mean? Why do you not reply to the Imam (A.S.) and the son of
your Prophet (P.B.U.H.)? Are you not afraid of abjectness and suffering?
Be afraid of God's anger and torment and chastise and obey the order of
your Imam (A.S.). Get up and manly press your weapon in your hands and
defend your honor, respect and religion. So that the God and Imam (A.S.)
are pleased with you.
These words alerted a group so they
announced their readiness to take part in the battle. Addi Ibn-e-Hatim
told the Imam (A.S.), "We are ready and waiting for your order." Imam
(A.S.) said, "I am proceeding towards the Nakheela Camp and whosoever is
prepared and willing may go to that place, although I know that you will
not practice upon your promise and Muawiyah will deceive you.
Disobeying the Imam (A.S.)
When Imam reached most of those who
were shouting the slogans of "war" "war" were not present there and had
gone back and turned their back upon the promise they had made with him.
Because those who had participated were comprised of:
1. Khawarij who had come to fight
against Muawiyah and not for the sake of obeying the command of Imam
(A.S.).
2. Those materialist and world adorers
and greedy ones who were after the war booty.
3. Those who had participated for the
sake of accompanying and following their tribal chiefs and not due to
any religious inspiration.
This is the reason Imam (A.S.)
addressed them saying, "You betrayed me, like you had betrayed my
father, who was your Imam before me. I don't know whether you will fight
siding with Imam or someone who absolutely does not believe in God and
His Prophet (P.B.U.H.).
Then he selected a man named Hakam as
the army commander and put four thousand men under his command so that
he moves to the city of Ambaar and stays there and applies restraint to
the forces of Muawiyah till getting further orders. But Muawiyah
deceived him by giving him money and making false promises. And he
joined his army along with his two hundred men.
Imam (A.S.) selected another man from
the tribe of Bani Murad as his successor and said, "Although I do not
have trust upon you. But this is a trial, you may also proceed."
When Muawiyah came to know about his
arrival, he sent his delegates with five thousand dirhams for him and
promised to give him a governorship. He was too deceived by Muawiyah and
joined him.
Imam's Grief
When the news of the joining of tribal
chiefs with Muawiyah reached the Imam (A.S.). He was much affected and
shocked and said, "Did I not say several times that you do not have any
faithfulness and trustworthiness, and your conduct with me is that of
artifice, and cunningness? He then decided to gather an army himself and
move. By the efforts of his friends nearly four thousand men gathered.
Imam (A.S.) along with "Sabaat" went to Madayan and sent twelve thousand
men under the command of Obaidullah bin Abbas and his helper Qais bin
Saad, as a file leader and fore runner to meet and resist Muawiyah, so
as to test their spirit and strength of devotedness. Muawiyah sent his
agents along with one million Dirhams among the forces of Imam (A.S.) to
get Qais deceived but Qais did not yield to his desire and answered
them, "tell Muawiyah you cannot take my faith from me and I will not
desert and leave Imam by any of your artifices and frauds."
The agents who got disappointed by Qais
and went towards the real Commander Obaidullah bin Abbas and lured and
deceived him and he along with a group of his followers joined Muawiyah
at the nighttime. When the army men of Imam (A.S.) became commander
less, Qais took over the Command and lead the Jamaat prayers. Qais was
fighting fiercely and ferociously and had made Muawiyah harassed and
fearful. As a result, he sent a few spies among the army men of Qais, so
that they may make this propaganda that Imam Hassan (A.S.) has entered
into peace treaty with Muawiyah and you are fighting for no reason. By
this way Muawiyah succeeded in separating and detaching the group of
Khawarij from the Imam's forces and in deceiving them to attack the Imam
(A.S.) and what he desired did materialize.
The Rioter Khawarij
This stupid and silly group did believe
in what spies of Muawiyah told them and disobeyed the orders of Imam
(A.S.) and they raised a hew and cry that Imam Hassan (A.S.) had also
become an infidel like his father (Maaz-Allah) and had joined hand with
Muawiyah. Suddenly, a platoon attacked the tent of Imam (A.S.) and
looted whatever they found, to the extent that they even pulled out the
carpet of Imam (A.S.) from beneath him.
Imam (A.S.) was forced to leave that
place and he rode upon horse and a group of his friends were all around
him. One of them (the attackers) rushed out of his hiding place and
injured the Imam (A.S.). Imam (A.S.) was carried to one of his friend's
house and provided medical care and treatment. It came to it, that most
of his governors, secretly and confidentially, wrote letters to Muawiyah
saying we are at your command and disposal as soon as possible come to
Iraq, we will arrest the Imam (A.S.) and hand him over to you. Muawiyah
sent all those letters to Imam (A.S.) along with a covering letter
saying, "These people did not remain faithful to your father and they
will not remain on your side either. I am ready to sign a pact with you
and overlook the war.
Why Imam (A.S.) accepted the Truce?
The adventurer Khawarij and the
dishonest friends of Imam (A.S.) made it inevitable for the Imam (A.S.)
to accept truce with Muawiyah. But truce did not mean that Imam (A.S.)
colluded and put up with Muawiyah and agreed to his cruel and brutal
activities. But it meant to make a no war pact with Muawiyah for a
certain period. Because, if Muawiyah became victorious he would had
smashed and destroyed all the hopes of Islam and would have destroyed
the foundation of Islam and killed all the true Muslims. Besides, the
Roman Empire was seeking a chance to attack the Islamic lands, and this
mutual difference of Muslims was the best opportunity for it. Thus Imam
(A.S.) who was smoldering with pain spoke to his untrue and unfaithful
friends, "I know that you would practice craftiness and artifice, a
group who do not have neither shame nor religion have unconditionally
handed themselves over to Muawiyah, woe to you, By God, Muawiyah will
not fulfill his commitments. I wanted to establish for you the religion
of the right but you did not help me. You started moving on the path of
opposition and confrontation and committed dishonesty with me, which
forced and obliged me to sign the treaty. By God, if I had friends and
helpers I would not have surrendered the work to Muawiyah because, I
consider the caliphate to be prohibited for Bani Ommayide. You will soon
taste the bitterness of the conduct of Muawiyah, day and night. After
the Imam (A.S.) was forced to make truce with Muawiyah, he wrote a
letter to him saying, "I wanted to revive the right and put an end to
rescinded and vanity and establish the ruler ship of God and the sunnah
of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) but people did not agree and accompany me.
Now, I am making a truce with you upon the conditions, which I know that
you will not fulfill and comply with. But soon you would repent, but
that will be a time when it will not be of benefit to you.
Then, he sent his cousin Abdullah Bin
Harris to see Muawiyah so that he should get him committed upon the
conditions, which he had presented after a negotiation with him, and
write down the agreement, and treaty of truce.
A part of the truce treaty is as
under: -
1. The blood of the Shias must remain
respect worthy and their rights must not be confiscated and crushed.
2. Filthy language must not be used
against Ali (A.S.) and his Shias.
3. Muawiyah should practice upon the
Book of God (The Quran) and the Sunnah of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.).
4. The friends and companions of Imam
(A.S.) must remain safe and secure from his mischiefs and brutalities
wherever they live and no one has the right to resist them.
5. Imam (A.S.) does not call Muawiyah,
Ameerul Momineen and will not take his name in the Khutbas (sermons).
6. Muawiyah must not hand over the
caliphate to anybody after himself.
The Breaking of the Pact
After the peace pact was conducted,
Muawiyah focused his attention upon Kufa and held the Juma prayer
congregation at Nakheela. He evidently and clearly said in his Jumma
speach "Oh people I did not fight against you so that you should offer
your prayers and keep fast, instead, it was for the reason that I rule
over you although you do not like it. I will crush all the conditions of
truce pact conducted with Hassan bin Ali (A.S.) under my feet. But the
conduct of Muawiyah in certain matters showed that he was strongly
embarrassed and harassed due to the influence of Imam (A.S.) so that
sometimes he was obliged to put into practice few of the points of the
peace pact.
So that once when Ibn-e-Ziad the
governor of Kufa followed and chased (to punish) one of the friends of
Imam (A.S.), Imam wrote about the incident to Muawiyah, who at once
reprimanded Ibn-e-Ziad about this event.
Finally Muawiyah Decided to make
Yazeed his successor
But the pact, which he had signed with
Imam Hassan (A.S.), stopped him from this act. He decided to poison the
Imam (A.S.) so that the way to the succession of his son Yazeed should
become open and clear. And then make the people forcibly take oath of
allegiance (for Yazeed's). Therefore, he contacted "Jaada" the wife of
Imam (A.S.) and deceived by luring her and sent a poison for her, with
the message that if you make your husband take this poison you will get
a prize of one hundred thousand Dirhams from me. Besides, I will select
you as the wife of Yazeed and you will become the wife of the caliph of
Muslims.
The dishonest hand poisoned the
Imam's Utensil (food)
The womanly scruples regarding the
money and fame blinded the eyes of the wife of Imam (A.S.) and made her
accept the suggestion of the cunning fox and commit such a dishonesty
which history will never forget. Although Imam (A.S.) had said several
times that I will get martyred by my wife. And people had requested him
that if it is so then divorce her and turn her out of your house. But
Imam (A.S.) replied, "She has not yet committed any crime and if I turn
her out of the house, I would not have done a right thing. Because, she
will make this step an excuse and will say, Imam has turned me out of
his house without any fault. So that by this means she may cover her
crime up and show her work as correct. Beware; Muawiyah will not let me
go. If I leave my wife, even then she will not abandon her dishonesty
except this that she will carry her program forward under the cover of
her being oppressed.
Finally on the 28th day of Safar, 50th
Hijrah when the weather was extremely hot and the Imam (A.S.) was
fasting, Jaada, poisoned his milk pot and presented to him for breaking
the fast.
Imam drank a portion of the poisonous
milk and then addressed her, "Oh the enemy of God and Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
you have killed me. God kill you. By God, you and Muawiyah both will
become abject, despised and helpless." And the same happened as he bad
fore told, and predicted. Jaada was turned out of Muawiyah's court with
humility and not very long had passed that she died. And Muawiyah too
died of a terrible life taking pain.
Imam Hassan (A.S.) passed away having
faced pain and discomfort. And was buried in the graveyard of Baqi in
Medina.
God and Prophet's blessings be upon his
pure soul. |