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Ibn-Babwiyah has imputedly narrated from Sa'adibn-Abdullah (the one who had been present at the time of Imam Hassan Askari's death and burial ceremony) as such: 'Countless number of people had gathered during Imam Hassan Askari's burial such that it was impossible for anyone to come together and forge a lie.
The narrator says: In the year 288 when eighteen years or more had passed from Imam Hassan Askari's demise, we presented ourselves before Ahmad-ibn Obaidullah-ibn-Khaqan. He was the Caliph's representative in Qum responsible for collecting the tribute. He was amongst the severe enemies of the progeny of Abu-Talib. In that gathering discussion took place about the progeny of Abu-Talib who were the residents of Samerra and their faith, piousness and bravery were such matters which were mooted before the Caliph. Ahmad-ibn-Obaidullah said: In the city of Samerra and amongst the Alawis, I have never come across a person like Hassan-ibn-Ali-ibn-Muhammad ibn-Ridha and I have not heard anyone amongst the kings and all the Bani-Hashim possessing such chastity, nobility, magnificience and munificence like him.
He was given more priority than (ever) the aged people. Similarly the commanders, Ministers, writers and common people respected him very much.
Ahmad-ibn-Obaidullah says: One day I stood besides my father who was in the state of dying. Suddenly, a guard approached my father and said: 'Ibn-Ridha (i.e. Imam Hassan Askari) is standing besides the door.' My father shouted loudly and said: 'Allow him to enter.' Suddenly I saw a young man possessing wheatish complexion broad eyes, good physique, good appearance, good figure and appalling presence approaching us. As soon as my father saw him, he went forward to welcome him. I had never seen my father doing the same for any of the Bani-Hashim or the leaders and companions of the Caliph. When Imam Hassan Askari came near, my father hugged and kissed his blessed face and hands. He caught hold of Hazrat's hands and offered him his own place. He himself sat facing Imam Askari and began to converse with him. He would address Imam by his agnomen (i.e. he would say 'O Abu Muhammad) and would often express his willingness to sacrifice his life for him.
I was surprised by my father's behavious. At that moment, the guard once again approached my father and said: 'M (who was the Caliph) has come.'
Whenever M would come to meet my father it was customary for my father's guards and other special men to line up in two rows right from the place of my father's sitting uptil the doorway of Caliph until M would come and then return back. In spite of realizing that the Caliph was going to come my father was still looking at Hazrat's face and conversing with him until the Caliph's special servants were seen. At that moment, my father told Imam as such: 'May I be sacrificed for you. Whenever you wish, you may go.' My father commanded his servants to take Imam Askari from behind the rows so that the Caliph would be unable to see him. Once again my father hugged and kissed his blessed face and hands and then allowed him to go.
I told my father's door-keepers and servants as such: 'Woe be upon you all. Who was this man that my father respected and honoured him so much?!
They replied: 'This man is from the Alawis whose name is Hassan-ibn-Ali and is famous by the title of Ibn-Ridha.'
My astonishment increased. I passed the whole of that day thinking about the great man, about my father and the actions which had displayed until night approached. After the Isha (night) prayers it was always my father's habit to sit and look over the letters and petitions. After he finished reading the letters, I went and sat besides him. My father said: 'O Ahmad, what do you want? I replied: 'I wish to ask you a question by your permission.' He said: 'Ask me whatever you wish to ask.'
I said: Who was that man whom you respected, honoured, glorified and paid tribute so much so that you expressed your willingness to sacrifice your own life and your parents lives for him?
He replied: 'He was Ibn-Ridha, the Imam of the Shi'ites.' After a moment's silence my father continued and said: If the Caliphate is taken away from the Bani-Abbassids, no person is more worthy to it than this man because of his majesty, chastity, good behaviour, self-continence, piety, worship, good morals and virtuous deeds. If you had seen his father you would have found him to be a great, glorious and benevolent man.'
By listening to these talks, I plunged myself deeper into the sea of thought and amazement and became furious of my father for speaking in this manner. Later on, I did nothing but inquired about Imam Hassan Askari and his affairs. Regarding him, all and all - i.e. leaders, writers, judges, jurisprudents and the common people expressed his grandness, nobleness, dignity and high personality. Moreover they gave him priority over Bani-Hashim, the aged and all other classes of people. All of them would say: 'He is the Imam of the Shi'ites.
This great man's position and dignity increased in my view because, none from the friends and enemies said anything but good things about Imam Hassan Askari.
A person who was from the Ashar'ites said: 'O Abu Bakr! How is this man Jafar, the brother of Imam Hassan Askari?
He replied: 'Jafar is not a man to be asked or rather compared with Imam Hassan Askari. Jafar is a transgressor, adultere, wine-drinker and an ill-behavioured personality. I have found fewer people like Jafar who are disgraceful and ignorant.
I swear by Allah that when news of the demise of Imam Hassan Askari reached the Caliph and his companions I witnessed some unexpected scenes which was very astonishing for me. The incident was as follows:
When Imam Hassan Askari fell ill, the Caliph called for my father to inform him about Imam's illness. My father immediately rushed for the Capital and soon returned back. He came back with five special and trusted men of Caliph who were all reliable to him and one of them was Nuhrair Khadem. He ordered these five men to protect Imam's house and inquire of his health. He called for several doctors and charged them with the responsibility of looking after Imam every morning and night. Two days later, news came of Imam's deteriorating condition. My father rushed to visit him and commanded the doctors not to leave Imam alone. Afterwards, he called for the Chief Judge and ordered him to bring ten of his companions who were reliable from the view-point of faith, trustworthiness and piety. The Chief Judge summoned those ten men to Imam's house and ordered them to remain besides Imam day and night. They too remained at Imam's service until he passed away. Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.) passed away in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal 260 A.H. and a tumult took place in the city of Samerra.
The Caliph sent several of his men to Imam's house and they in turn searched Imam's rooms and sealed off everything they could find. They also searched for Imam's son (i.e. Imam of the Age) They brought mid-wives in order to examine the slave-girls (of Imam Hassan Askari). One of the mid-wives said: 'So and so slave-girl is pregnant'. The Caliph charged Nurair Khadem, his companions and other women to keep watch over her.
Thereafter, they became busy in Imam's funeral and the entire city came to a standstill. The Bani-Hashim, the commanders, writers and all the common people attented Hazrat's funeral. On that day, the city of Samerra resembled the day of Judgement. As soon as Imam's body was given the ritual wash and was shrouded, the Caliph sent forward Abu Isa Mutawakkil to recite prayers over Imam's dead-body. When Abu Isa came close to Imam's dead-body, he lifted the shroud and exposed his face to the Bnai-Hashim, (who were from the Alawites) Abbassids, commanders, writers, judges, juisprudents and the common people and then said: This man is Imam Hassan Askari who has died a natural death. During the entire period of his illness, so and so doctor, so and so judge, so and so trusted person and so and so just person had been present and they can all bear witness on this affair.
After this, he covered Imam's face and recited prayers over his dead-body and in his prayers he recited five times 'Takbeer' (inaugural phrase). By his commands, Imam's dead-body was taken out from his house and was laid buried in his great grand-father's house.
After Hazrat's burial and the people's dispersal, the Caliph and his companions engaged in seeking the whereabouts of his son (Imam of the Age). They properly searched various houses. They desisted from distributing Hazrat's inheritance. Those people who were charged with the responsibility of keeping watch over the slave-girl continued their task for two years until they realized that she had not been pregnant. Thereafter, they distributed Hazrat's inheritance between his mother and brother (Jafar-e-Khazzab). Imam Hassan Askari's mother claimed that she was the legatee of Imam and the same too was proved before the Judge. Meanwhile, the Caliph was still in pursuit of the Imam of the Age.
After distribution of the inheritance, Jaffar-e-Khazzab approached my father and said: 'Grant me the status of my father and brother (i.e. the position of Imamat) and I will in turn, give you twenty thousand dinars.' On hearing this, my father became furious and said:
'O stupid person! The Caliph strikes the people with his sword and lashes them with his whip in order to take back their belief in the Imamat of your father and brother. In this regard, he has strived a lot but has remained unsuccessful till today. If, in the eyes of the Shi'ites you are the Imam, then you are no more dependent on Caliph or others for giving you the position of Imamat. Conversely, if you are not the Imam before. the Shi'ites, the Caliph and others cannot procure this position to you.
When my father realized his stupidity and ignorantly ordered his men not to allow him from attending his gathering any more. Thence forth, he did not attend until my father died.
At present too, the Caliph is still in pursuit of the Imam of the Age but with no trace of him.'
Muhammad-ibn-Yaqoub Kulaini has imputedly narrated the afore-mentioned tradition in the first volume of his book 'Usul-e-Kafi' in the chapter 'Birth of Imam Hassan Askari' (A.S.)
Muhammad-ibn-Hassan Tusi in his book 'Fehrest' in the chapter 'Life of Ahmad-ibn-Obaidullah - ibn Yahya' has also narrated the afore-mentioned tradition but with a minor difference.
Ahmad-ibn-Abbass-ibn-Muhammad-ibn-Abdullah a Najashi has also narrated the same tradition in his book 'Fehrest'.
The author says: 'Shaikh Mufid in his book 'Irshad', Fazl-ibn-Hassan Tabarsi in his book 'El'am-ul-Warah' and Muhammad-ibn-Mohsin (Faiz-Kashani) in his book 'Wafi' have narrated the afore-said tradition from Muhammad-ibn-Yaqoub Kulaini.'
Muhammad-ibn-Muhammad-ibn-Nu'man (i.e. Shaikh Mufid) in his book 'Irshad' says: Imam Hassan Askari fell ill on the first day of Rabiul-Awwal in the year of 260 A.H. and passed away on the Friday the eighth of Rabiul-Awwal of the same year. At the time of his demise, Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.) was twenty-eight years old. He was laid to rest in the same house which he had in Samerra and where his great-father was buried and appointed his son for the establishment of the just government. Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.) would keep secret the birth of his son and would conceal his affairs because situation of that time was unfavourable. The Caliph of that time searched severely for Imam's sons and strived to know about their affairs because belief on Mahdi had become widespread amongst the Shiah Imamiah and who were expecting him to come. During his life, Imam Hassan Askari never disclosed his son in public and after his demise too, the enemies never got the chance of recognizing his son. Jafar-ibn-Ali (i.e. Jafar-e-Kazzab) took away Imam Hassan Askari's inheritance and strived hard to imprison his wives and slaves. He rebuked and reprimanded Imam's companions just because they were awaiting his son's appearance and had faith in his Imamat. He even enconraged the people against them so that in this manner he would be able to strike fear in their hearts and bring pressure on them. As such, Imam's followers were subjected to all sorts of persecution like arrest, imprisonment, threat, insult, abasement and abjectness. On the other hand, the Caliph did nothing to assist them. Apparently, Jaffar-e-Kazzab derived inheritance of Imam Hassan Askari and strived to take his brothers place and become the Imam of the Shi'ites. However, none of the Shi'ites accepted his Imamate. Thereafter, he sought the Caliphs help and asked him to bestow the position of Imamate on him. He even agreed to donate huge sums of money but all these were of no avail.
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