Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Lesson 46: The Ninth Imam (Muhammad bin ‘Ali)

1. Birth & Imamate in Childhood

Imam Muhammad at-Taqi was born in 195/809 in Medina.

The news of his birth caused extraordinary joy among the Shi’as of that time. Imam ar-Rida was childless till the age of forty, and some Shi’as were concerned about the continuation of imamate: who would succeed Imam ar-Rida? So the birth of the ninth Imam brought about a mood of festivity among the Shi’as of Ahlul Bayt.

Imam ‘AH ar-Rida died in 203 A.H.; and Muhammad at-Taqi became the Imam at the age of eight. The age of the Imam caused a concern in the minds of some elder members of the Shi’a community because no Imam had reached the position of imamate at this young age.

Mu’alla bin Muhammad narrates that after the death of Imam ar-Rida, he saw Imam at-Taqi and closely observed his physical size and age in order to report it to others. At that moment, Imam at-Taqi said, “O Mu’alla, Allah has argued about imamat just as he argued about nubuwwat when He said, ‘And We gave prophethood to him [i.e., Yahya] when he was still a child.”

After the death of Imam ar-Rida, a group of eighty scholars from Baghdad and other places came to Mecca for hajj. On the way, they stopped at Medina and met Imam at-Taqi. They were particularly interested in meeting the young Imam and wanted to satisfy themselves about his capabilities. The meeting went on for a long time with the visitors asking him questions and the Imam replying in a convincing and satisfying manner. All left fully convinced that he truly was the Imam appointed by Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, and endowed with knowledge.

Ishaq was one of the eighty persons in that meeting. He narrates his impression as follows: I had written ten questions in a letter for the Imam and had decided that if he answers my questions, then I will ask him to pray for me that the child that my wife is carrying be a male child.

The meeting, however, went on for a long time so I decided to present my letter to him the next day. But as I was about to leave, the Imam called me and said, “O Ishaq! Allah has accepted my prayer; therefore, name your son ‘Ahmad’.”

The answer to his prayer without even stating it to the Imam fully convinced Ishaq that Muhammad at-Taqi, inspite of his young age, was the Imam!

2. Ma’mun & Imam at-Taqi (a.s.)

Caliph Ma’mun ar-Rashid, in pursuing the same policies as mentioned in the previous lesson, asked that Imam Muhammad at- Taqi (a.s.) be brought from Medina to Baghdad. This journey took place in 204 A.H., a year after the death of the eighth Imam.

When Ma’mun met the young Imam, he was impressed with the latter’s knowledge; and he proposed to marry his daughter Ummul Fazl to the Imam. When the elders of the ‘Abbasid clan learned of this decision, they tried to change Ma’mun’s views: they reminded him of dangers in promoting the decendants of ‘Ali, and the possible loss of power.

Realizing that their words had no effect on Ma’mun, they finally said, “Although you are impressed by this child; but he is still a child. Wait till he grows up and gets educated, then you may marry your daughter to him.”

Ma’mun: “Woe unto you! I know this child better than you; he comes from a family which is bestowed with knowledge by God. His ancestors were never in need of knowledge and character from others. If you wish, you may examine him.”

The elders of the ‘Abbasid agreed to examine him. They approached Yahya bin Aktham, the chief judge (qazi) of the ‘Abbasid court, and asked him to prepare some difficult questions which the Imam would not be able to answer.

At an appointed time, the meeting between Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s.) and Yahya bin Aktham took place in the presence of Ma’mun and the elders of the ‘Abbasid clan. After the formalities, Yahya asked: “What is your view about a person who hunts while he is in the ihram?” (Ihram means pilgrim’s garment; a person in ihram is not allowed to hunt.) Imam at-Taqi: “This question has many facets:

“Was the person outside the boundary of the holy territory or inside?

“Did he know that it was forbidden to hunt while in ihram or he did not?

“Did he do it intentionally or was it an accident?

“Was he a free man or a slave?

“Was he minor or an adult?

“Was this his first hunting in the state of ihram or a second time?

“Was the hunted creature a bird or something else?

“Was it big or small?

“Was the person sorry that he committed the offence or was he careless about such issues?

“Was it in the night or during the day?

“Was he in the state of ihram for the minor pilgrimage or for the major pilgrimage?”

Yahya bin Aktham was dumbfounded by this thorough analysis of the question by the ten year old Imam Muhammad at- Taqi! He could not even utter a word, and the audience clearly saw the signs of defeat on his face!

Ma’mun broke the silence by saying, “Praise be to Allah who proved me right in my estimation of this young man.” Then he faced the elders of the ‘Abbasids and rebuked them: “Now do you realize what I was saying?” .

Then he proposed the marriage of his daughter to the Imam, and the Imam accepted it. The young Imam also recited the khutba (sermon) before the actual marriage which has become a common khutba in the Shi’a marriage ceremonies. The khutba is as follows:

“All praise is due to Allah, in recognition of His blessings. [I declare that) there is no god but Allah, in sincere belief in His oneness. And may Allah send His blessings upon Muhammad, the leader of His creatures, and upon the chosen one of his family.

“It is Allah’s grace upon the people that He has made them free from the forbidden [means of fulfilling sexual urge] by the permissible [institution of marriage].

He, the Exalted, said: ‘And marry the single among you (those who are good ones from among your slaves and maids)-if they are poor, Allah will make them free from need from His grace; Allah, indeed, is Generous, All- Knowing.’”

After the marriage ceremony, when only a few people had remained in the gathering, Ma’mun requested the Imam to provide the answer for the various situations that he had derived from Yahya’s single question. The holy Imam gave -a detailed answer to all those situations.

Then Ma’mun proposed that now the Imam should ask a question to Yahya bin Aktham. The latter replied, “If I know the answer, I will reply; otherwise, I will learn from you.”

Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s.) asked: “Can you describe the situation in which a man looked at a woman at dawn while it was forbidden (haram) for him to do so; but then at sunrise, it was permissible (halal) for him to look at her?

Then at noon hour, it became haram for him to look at that woman; but in the afternoon, it became permissible for him to look at her? Then at sunset, it became haram for him to look at that woman; but at night, it became halal for him to look at her? Then at midnight, it became haram for him to look at her; but at dawn, it became halal for him to do so?”

Yahya bin Aktham said, “By Allah! I do not know the answer to this question. We would, however, benefit from your answer.”

The Imam explained the answer as follows:

“At dawn, the woman was the slave of someone else;

however, by sunrise, the man had already bought her for himself and so it became halal for him to look at her.

“At noon, he made her free, and so she became haram for him; but by afternoon, he had married her, so she became halal for him.

“At sunset, he did zihar45 by which one’s wife becomes haram for a person; but by night time he paid the penalty for zihar, and so she became halal for him again.

Thus the ten year old Imam, from the descendants of ‘Ali and Fatimah, proved to the caliph and his entourage that God had endowed them with the knowledge to guide the Muslim ummah as the Prophet had truly said, “Do not try to teach them, because they are- not in need of your teaching.”

One must remember that Ma’mun was a very shrewd politician. This marriage between his daughter and Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s.) should not be taken as proof that he was a Shi’a. As mentioned in the previous lesson, these actions were all politically motivated by Ma’mun to calm the opposition of the Shi’a masses. Other motives for the marriage can be described as follows:

• By having his daughter as Imam’s wife, Ma’mun was guaranteed a continuous flow of information about the Imam’s activities.

• By becoming the son-in-law of Ma’mun at this young age, the caliph hoped that the personality of the Imam would be tarnished with worldly luxuries and entertainment of the establishment, and thus lose the respect in the eyes of his Shi’as.

• By this marriage, prove to the Shi’a masses that he respects the Ahlul Bayt, and thus neutralize their opposition to his rule.

• Ma’mun was hoping that if Imam at-Taqi gets a child through his daughter, he can claim to be the grandfather of a child from the descendants of Imam ‘Ali and Fatimah (a.s.). But Allah, until he atones by fasting for two successive months, or if that is not possible, then feeding sixty poor people, littering such a statement is known as zihar.

subhanahu wa ta’ala, did not fulfill this hope because none of the children of the Imam were born from Ma’mun’s daughter! Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s.) did not stay for long in Baghdad. He insisted on returning to Medina with his wife, the daughter of Ma’mun.

His return to Medina where he stayed till the year 220 A.H. foiled the plans of Ma’mun ar-Rashid.

3. Mu’tasim’s Rule

Ma’mun ar-Rashid died in the year 218 A.H. He was succeeded by his brother, Mu’tasim billah. In the year 220, Mu’tasim ordered that Imam Muhammad at-Taqi be brought from Medina to Baghdad.

One day a person came to the court of Mu’tasim and confessed that he had committed theft and would like to be punished so that he could be free from the guilt and punishment in the hereafter.

The Qur’an says that the punishment for theft (with some conditions) is cutting off the thief’s yad. Yad means: hand, forearm and elbow. So the caliph called all the prominent religious scholars, including Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s.), and asked:

“From where should the yad of the thief be cut?” (The Qur’an is asking for the definition of “yad”.)

Ibn Abi Da’ud, the chief judge, said, “From the wrist.” Mu’tasim: “What is your proof for that?”

Ibn Abi Da’ud: “The word ‘yad’ has been used in the verse of tayammum -so wipe your faces and your hands(5:5)- for the hand.”

Some scholars agreed with Ibn Abi Da’ud but others disagreed and said: “Cut the thief’s yad from the elbow.” Mu’tasim: “What is your proof?”

The scholars: “The word ‘yad’ has been used in the verse of wudhu - wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows(5:5)- for the fore-arm.”

Then Mu’tasim turned towards Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s.) and asked his opinion. The Imam first declined to give his view because he was aware of the court’s politics. But when Mu’tasim insisted, the Imam finally said, “All these gentlemen are mistaken because only the [four] fingers have to be cut.” Mu’tasim: “What is your proof?”

The Imam (a.s.): “The Prophet (s.a.w.) has said that sajdah is done on seven parts of the body: forehead, palms, knees and two big toes [of the feet). If a thief’s hand or forearm is cut, then it would not be possible for him to do the sajdah whereas Allah has said, ‘And verily the masajid [the body parts on which sajdah is done] belong to Allah...;’ and what belongs to Allah should not be cut.”

The caliph liked the answer of the Imam and ordered that the four fingers of the thief be cut.

This extraordinary event, in the public’s view at Mu’tasim’s court, proved the superiority of the Imams of Ahlu ‘1-Bayt. It, however, also created an extreme feeling of jealousy and hatred in the heart of Ibn Abi Da’ud.

On finding an appropriate moment, Ibn Abi Da’ud cautioned the caliph against inadvertantly promoting Imam Muhammad at- Taqi (a.s.) by publicly following his view and rejecting those of the other scholars. He filled the caliph’s ears to the extent that the caliph started looking at the Imam as a threat to his own caliphate.

During the last days of Dhul Qa’dah 220 A.M., the Imam was poisoned by his wife, the niece of Mu’tasim, and he died as a martyr. His body was buried next to his grandfather’s grave in the Qurayshi cemetary in Baghdad which is now known as Kadhimayn.

* * *

This lesson has been written and compiled by Sayyid M. Rizvi by using the following sources.

1. Shi’a Islam’ of Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba’i.

2. Pishway-e Nahum: Hazrat Imam Muhammad al-Jawad (a.s.)

by Dar Rah-e Haq, Qum.

The main sources have been extensively edited in order to fit the requirements of our course. Also, for the sake of brevity, we have not included the references quoted by our sources. Those who are interested to know the sources may refer to those mentioned above.

Question Paper on Lesson 46

Question 1: [10 points]

True or False:

(a) Imam Muhammad at-Taqi was born in 195 A.H.

(b) Imam at-Taqi became the Imam at age of ten.

(c) The Shi‘as were very happy with the birth of Imam at-Taqi; but some became concerned when his imamate began at the age of eight.

(d) One hundred and eighty scholars came from Baghdad to meet their young Imam.

(e) Ishāq’s prayer for a son was accepted before he even asked the Imam to pray.

(f) Imam at-Taqi was taken to Baghdad in 204 A.H.

(g) Ibn Abi Da’ud was the judge who prepared the question on hunting in the state of ihrām.

(h) None of the Imam’s children were born from Ma’mun’s daughter.

(i) The Imam was buried next to his grandfather in Kazimayn.

(j) Imam at-Taqi returned to Medina in 220 A.H.

Question 2: [20 points]

Give two examples from the Qur’ān which prove that young age or being a child is not an impediment in the Divine representatives.

Question 3: [10 points]

Describe the motives of Ma’mun in giving the hand of his daughter to Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s.).

Lesson 47: The Tenth Imam (‘Ali ibn Muhammad)

1. Birth & Early Years

Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi (also known as al-Hadi), was the son of the ninth Imam. He was born on 15th Dhil Hijja in 212/827 in Sarya, outside Medina. At the age of eight in 220, he became the Imam. After having seen his father’s example, the Shi’a community had no more problems in accepting such a young Imam.

2. Rulers of the Time

The thirtythree years of imamate of Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi coincided with the caliphate of the following six caliphs Mu’tasim bin Harun, Wathiq bin Mu’tasim, Mutawakkil bin Mu’tasim, Muntasir bin Mutawakkil, Musta’in, and Mu’tazz bin Mutawakkil. Wathiq bin Mu’tasim had a very promiscuous lifestyle, and had no time to harass the Shi’as and the Imams of the Ahlul Bayt.

During his caliphate, a large number of the descendants of Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) had settled in Samarra, the ‘Abbasid capital. But the peaceful days for the ‘Alids and the Imam did not last long. After Wathiq, his brother Mutawakkil, came to power. Mutawakkil was the most cruel of all the ‘Abbasid caliphs; he is comparable to Yazid bin Mu’awiyah of the Umayyads.

Mutawakkil, on the one hand, started promoting the Shafi’i madhhab in order to distract the masses away from the Ahlul Bayt. And, on the other hand, he intensified harassment of the Shi’as.

He had such hatred for the Ahlul Bayt that in 236 A.H. he ordered the grave of Imam Husayn (a.s.) be leveled to the ground, and that the surrounding area be transformed into farmlands so that no trace of the grave be left.

This all was done to stop the Shi’as from visiting (ziyarat) the graves of Imam Husayn (a.s.) and the other martyrs of Karbala. But when Allah wishes to protect His “light” no human can do anything about it!

The attempt to erase all traces of Imam Husayn’s grave angered many Muslims; people starting writing anti-’Abbasid slogans on the walls. Opposition poets also expressed their feelings on this issue. A famous poem against Mutawakkil is given below:

By Allah, if the Umayyids unjustly killed

Husayn, son of the Prophet’s daughter,

his cousins46 have committed a similar crime

for I swear that Husayn’s grave has been erased.

It seems that they regret for not participating

in the massacre, so they now go after the grave!

Mutawakkil enjoyed torturing the followers of the Ahlul Bayt;

even the persons appointed by him as governor in Medina and Mecca were instructed to prevent people from being kind and courteous towards the Ahlul Bayt.

In 234 A.H., Mutawakkil ordered Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi (a.s.) to be brought from Medina to Samarra where he was placed in a house next to the caliph’s garrison. The Imam lived under constant surveillance until Mutawakkil was murdered by his own troops at the instigation of his own son, Muntasir.

Musta’in came to power after Muntasir and continued the oppressive policies of his ancestors. But soon his own Turkish troops rebelled against him and pledged allegiance to Mu’tazz bin Mutawakkil whom they rescued from prison. Finally, Musta’in was killed and Mu’tazz become the caliph.

It was during the reign of Mu’tazz bin Mutawakkil that Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi was martyred by poisoning.

3. Two Companions of the Imam

One of the most distinguished of all the companions of Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi was ‘Abdul ‘Azim al-Hasani (a descendant of Imam Hasan) whose grave outside the city of Tehran has become a famous place for visitation (ziyarat). ‘Abdul ‘Azim had met and heard ahadith from the companions of the sixth, seventh and eight Imams; and he himself has narrated many ahadith from the ninth and tenth Imams.

Abu Hammad Razi narrates that once Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi

(a.s.) told him that “whenever you have religious problems, go to ‘Abdul ‘Azim and also convey my salaams to him.”

Once ‘Abdul ‘Azim al-Hasani came to Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi (a.s.) and said, “O son of the Prophet! I would like to describe my faith to you so that if you agree with it then I will stay firm upon it till the last moment of my life.” When the Imam gave his approval, ‘Abdul ‘Azim described his faith as follows:

“I believe that God is One; there is nothing like Him; He is free from ibtal (i.e., saying that He is ‘nothing’) and tashbih (i.e., comparing Him to a created thing). Allah has no body or figure; neither is He substance nor form; intead, He is the creator of body and figure, and of substance and form. He is the creator and sustainer of everything.

“I believe that Muhammad (s.a.w.) is a servant and prophet of God, and His last Messenger. There will be no prophet, shari’ah or religion after him till the day of judgement.

“I believe that the Imam and successor of Prophet

Muhammad (s.a.w.) was ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.), and after him Hasan, then Husayn, ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, Muhammad bin ‘Ali,

Ja’far bin Muhammad, Musa bin Ja’far, ‘Ali bin Musa,

Muhammad bin ‘Ali, and then you are my master.”

Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi (a.s.) then said, “After me, my son Hasan,

will be the Imam. How do you think the people will react in regard to Hasan’s son [i.e., the Mahdi]?”

‘Abdul ‘Azim: “O my master! How will he [i.e., Hasan’s son] be?”

Imam an-Naqi (a.s.): “He will not be seen; and mentioning his name is not permissible until he rises and fills the earth with justice just as it would be filled with injustice and tyranny.” ‘Abdul ‘Azim then continued: “I testify that their [i.e., Imams] friend is God’s friend; and their enemy is God’s enemy; obeying them is obedience to God; and disobeying them is disobeying God.

“I believe in the mi’raj, the questioning in the grave, paradise, hell, the path (sirat), the scale-all these are truth. I believe that the day of judgement is sure to come without any doubt, and that God will resurrect the dead people.

“I believe that my religious obligations after wilayah (love and obedience to the Imams) are prayers, alms-giving, fasting, pilgrimage to Mecca, jihad, bidding good and forbidding evil.”

Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi (a.s.) said, “O Abul Qasim! By Allah, this is the same religion that Allah has chosen for His servants! So remain firm on it; and may Allah keep you steadfast on this truth.” Musa bin ‘Abdullah an-Nakha’i was another learned companion of the Imam.

Once he went to the Imam and requested him for a comprehensive ziyarat he could use to recite whenever he visits the graves of any of the Imams of Ahlul Bayt. This ziyarat became famous as Ziyarat-e Jami’a whose selected parts are presented below:

“...May peace be upon you O the People of the house of prophethood, the source of messengership, the people on whom angels descend and where revelation used to come down; the family which is the source of mercy, custodians of knowledge, peaks of forbearance, foundations of generosity, leaders of nations, masters of blessings, the cream of pious people, pillars of kindness, leaders of people...doors of iman, trustees of the Merciful God, family of prophets and messengers, and descendants of the best of those chosen by the Lord of the Universe...

“May peace be upon the Imams of guidance, lamps in the darkness, signs of piety, those who possess wisdom and intelligence, the refuge for people, the heirs of prophets, the best of examples...the proofs of God upon the people of this world and the hereafter...

“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, He has no partner just as Allah has declared it Himself and so have the angels and the knowledgeable among His servants. There is no god but He, the Powerful, the Wise.

I bear witness that Muhammad is His chosen servant and a messenger with whom He is pleased, and whom He has sent with guidance and the religion of truth so that He may give victory to it over all religions even if the polytheists dislike it.

“I bear witness that you are the rightly-guided leaders, the infallibles, the respected ones, those who are closest to Allah, the pious, the truthful, the chosen ones; those who are obedient to Allah, who are firm in His command, who act according to His wish, who have attained His respect. Allah has chosen you by His knowledge, and He has chosen you for His [knowledge of the] unseen and His secret...

“One who turns away from you has gone out of religion; one who stays with you reaches the religion; and one who lowers you from your status is lost.

The truth is with you, in you, from you, towards you-you are its owners and custodians...One who loves you, loves Allah; one who hates you, hates Allah; one who seeks refuge with you has sought refuge with Allah...

“O Allah! If I could find any intercessors closer to You than Muhammad and his good progeny, the pious Imams, I would have made them my intercessors. [But there is no one closer to you than Muhammad and his family.]

So by the right that You have given to them over Yourself, I pray to You to include me among those who truly know them and their rights, among those on whom You have showered mercy through their intercession. You are indeed the most merciful of all. And may Allah send His blessings upon Muhammad and his pure progeny. Indeed Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best of agents.”

* * *

This lesson has been written and compiled by Sayyid M. Rizvi by using the following sources.

1. Shi’a Islam’ of Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba’i.

2. Pishway-e Dahum: Hazrat Imam ‘Ali bin Muhammad al-Hadi (a.s.)

by Dar Rah-e Haq, Qum.

The main sources have been extensively edited in order to fit the requirements of our course. Also, for the sake of brevity, we have not included the references quoted by our sources. Those who are interested to know the sources may refer to the sources mentioned above.

Question Paper on Lesson 47

Question 1: [10 points]

True or False:

(a) Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi was born in 212 A.H.

(b) Imam an-Naqi’s imamate coincided with the reign of six Umayyid caliphs.

(c) Mutawakkil was the “Yazid” of the ‘Abbāsids.

(d) Mutawakkil attempted to level the grave of Imam Husayn (a.s.) to the ground in 236 A.H.

(e) Muntasir’s peaceful reign lasted for six years.

(f) The later ‘Abbāsid caliphs were at the mercy of their Turkish troops.

(g) ‘Abdul ‘Azim al-Hasani was not a reliable narrator of hadith.

(h) Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi taught the ziyārat-e jāmi‘a to Musa bin ‘Abdullāh an-Nakha‘i.

(i) The Imam was poisoned during the reign of Mu‘tazz bin Mutawakkil.

(j) Imam an-Naqi is buried in Kazimayn.

Question 2: [20 points]

In his conversation with ‘Abdul ‘Azim, Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi (a.s.) talked about the ghaybat of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.). Explain in your own words the significance of this talk on the issue of Mahdism in Islam.

Question 3: [20 points]

List at least five qualities of the Imams of Ahlul Bayt mentioned in the Ziyārat-e Jāmi‘a.

Lesson 48: The Eleventh Imam (Hasan bin ‘Ali)

1. Birth & Early Years

Imam Hasan al-’Askari was born in the year 232 A.H. in Samarra, Iraq during the tenth Imam’s stay in that city. “Al- ’Askari” is from al-’askar which means “the army”. Our eleventh Imam is known as al-’Askari because he lived in al-’Askar neighbourhood which was the military garrison of the Turkish troops of the ‘Abbasids.

His imamate began at the age of twentytwo, and continued for just six years when he was poisoned in 260 A.H.

2. Political Circumstances of His Imamate

The short period of Imam al-’Askari’s imamate coincided with the caliphate of Mu’tazz, Muhtadi and Mu’tamid. Mu’tazz is the same caliph during whose reign Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi was martyred.

More than seventy members of the Hashimites were arrested on his orders and brought from Hijaz to Samarra. The Shi’as were truly suffering under the tyranny of Mu’tazz; but soon he was deposed from his caliphate by the Turkish troops.

Muhtadi assumed the pretence of a pious caliph, forbade the presence of female singers in the court and even fixed a time to hear the grievances of the people.

But when it came to the Shi’as and their Imam, he was no different from the other rulers. Imam Hasan al-’Askari was even imprisoned for a short while during Muhtadi’s caliphate. But even Muhtadi’s rule was ended by the Turkish troops who rebelled against him and killed him.

Mu’tamid led a promiscuous lifestyle and left the management of the state to his brother Muwaffaq. After the death of Muwaffaq, the control of the state came into the hands of his son, Mu’tazid who succeeded his uncle, Mu’tamid, in the year 279 A.H.

Mu’tamid’s reign was full of civil strife and tyranny; thousands of people were killed, especially the descendants of Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) whose bodies were mutilated. Imam Hasan al- ’Askari was put in the prison of Nahrir who used to mistreat the Imam in whatever way he could.

3. The Miracle of Rain

Once there was a severe famine in Samarra. Mu’tamid ordered the people to organize a salat known as salatu ‘l-istisqa’ (the prayer for rain). For three days, people went outside the city to take part in the istisqa’ prayer but there was no sign of any rain.

On the fourth day, the Christian high priest went to the desert and prayed for rain; and lo! heavy rain started to fall. The same thing was repeated the next day.

The Muslims were surprised; doubts started occuring in their minds about the truth of Islam vis-a-vis Christianity. Mu’tamid realized the danger and ordered that Imam Hasan al-’Askari be brought from the prison. After explaining his problem, the caliph asked the Shi’a Imam to rescue Islam!

The Imam said, “Ask the Christian priests and monks to go to the desert tomorrow on Tuesday.”

Caliph: “Enough rain has come; so why should we ask them to go to the desert tomorrow?”

The Imam: “So that I may dispell the doubt by the will of God.”

The caliph issued the order. The priests and the monks gathered in the desert, and the Imam and Muslims also were present there. The Christians lifted their hands in prayer for rain; the sky became cloudy and rain started to fall.

“ Imam al-’Askari pointed at one of the monks and ordered the soldiers to take whatever they found in his hand. They discovered that the monk was holding a piece of human bone in his hand. The Imam placed that bone in a piece of cloth and covered it. Then he asked the priests and the monks to pray again. But this time there was no sign of any cloud or rain!

Everyone was surprised at this turn of events. The caliph asked the Imam: “What bone is this?”

The Imam (a.s.): “This is a bone of one of the prophets of God which they have taken from his grave; and one of the miracles of a prophet’s bone is that whenever it is exposed from the grave, it will start to rain.”

The caliph’s people examined the bone and found that what our Imam was saying was the truth. Thus, a descendant of ‘Ali and Fatima, rescued the ummah of his grandfather from the enemies of Islam!

4. Ishaq al-Kindi & the Qur’an

Ishaq al-Kindi was a famous philosopher known for materialistic views about the world and religion. Once he started writing a book in which he intended to show the contradictions in the holy Qur’an.

One day, some students of his came to visit Imam Hasan al- ’Askari (a.s.). The Imam: “Isn’t there anyone among you who can stop your teacher from such a useless task?”

The student: “We are his students; how can we stop him from what he is doing?”

The Imam: “Are you prepared to convey to him the argument that I would teach you?”

The students: “Yes, of course.”

The Imam: “Be courteous towards him and gain his confidence. Then tell him that you have a question about his work. When he permits you to ask the question, say: If the Writer of the Qur’an comes to you; is there a possibility that what He intends by His words was different from what you have understood?”

“He [i.e., Ishaq Kindi] will obviously say, Yes, it is quite possible.’ Then you should say, With that possibility in mind, how can you be sure that what you have understood from the Qur’an is really the intent of the Qur’an? Isn’t it possible that the Writer of the Qur’an means something different from what you have understood?”

Having learnt this argument from the Imam, the students went to al-Kindi. At the right moment, one of the students presented the argument they had learnt from Imam al-’Askari (a.s.). Ishaq al-Kindi asked the student to repeat the question. After thinking for a while, al-Kindi replied, “What you say is quite possible.”

Ishaq al-Kindi knew the intellectual level of his students. So he asked, “How did this idea come to you?”

The student: “It just came to my mind, and so I asked you.” Al-Kindi: “You are incapable to get such ideas; now, tell me the truth where did you get this idea?”

The student: “Abu Muhammad (al-’Askari) has taught us this.” Al-Kindi: “Now you have uttered the truth. Such ideas cannot emerge from anywhere but that family!” Then al-Kindi got rid of whatever he had written on the contradictions in the Qur’an.

5. Imam’s Letter to Ibn Babawayh al-Qummi

‘Ali bin Husayn bin Babawayh al-Qummi, the father of the famous scholar Shaykh Saduq, was a prominent scholar of his time. Imam Hasan al-’Askari (a.s.) sent a letter which is enough to show his honour and dignity in the eyes of the Ahlul Bayt. After the preliminary text about praising Allah and the Prophet, the Imam wrote:

“...O respected and reliable Shaykh, and O faqih (jurist) of my followers, Abul Hasan ‘Ali bin Husayn al-Qummi, may Allah bless you with what He pleases and may He bring forth worthy sons from you.

“I advise you to fear [displeasing] Allah, to establish prayer and pay alms-because the prayer of one who does not pay alms is not accepted.

I advise you to forgive the mistakes of others and control your anger, and to be kind and generous to your relatives, and to be helpful and concerned for your brethren, and to be patient in response to the deeds of the ignorant people.

“[I advise you] to be learned in religion, steadfast in your work, familiar with the Qur’an, and to acquire the noble character, bid the good and forbid the evil.

Allah, the Almighty, says: There is no use in much of your whispering except [in case of] one who recommends [others) to give charity or do good deeds or make peace between people.’

“Refrain from all bad deeds; and be diligent about the night vigil prayer (namaz-e shab/salatul layl) because the Prophet (s.a.w.) recommended it to ‘Ali (a.s.) and said, ‘O ‘Ali, be diligent about the salatul layl; be diligent about the salatul layl; be diligent about the salatul layl. Whoever considers salatul layl as worthless is not one of us.’

“Therefore, follow my advice, and advise my Shi’as what I have advised you with. You should have forebearance and be patient; verily the Prophet said, The best deed of my Ummah is waiting for the deliverance.’

Our Shi’as will constantly be sad and anxious until my son [Imam al-Mahdi] makes his appearance, the one about whom the Prophet had given good tidings that he will fill the earth with justice and equality just as it would be filled with injustice and tyranny.

“So O my trustworthy Shaykh, Abul Hasan, be patient, and advise my Shi’as to be patient because surely the earth belongs to Allah and He will make his virtuous servants its masters-the final victory will be for the God-fearing people!

“May peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you and upon my Shi’as. Indeed, Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best of agents, the best Master and the best Helper.”

6. Words of Wisdom

Abu Hashim al-Ja’fari narrates that once a person asked Imam Hasan al-’Askari (a.s.) the following question:

“Why does a woman get half of the share of a man in inheritance?” The question is about a son and a daughter inheriting from their father or mother: the son gets twice the share of the daughter.

The Imam: “Because jihad and maintenance of the family is not among the responsibilities of a woman. Even payment of the monetary compensation in case of an accidental homocide is upon the male members of the murderer, not the female members.”

When he heard this answer, Abu Hashim said to himself: ‘I have heard that Ibn Abil ‘Awja’ asked the same question from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq and he received the same answer.’

Imam Hasan al-’Askari looked at Abu Hashim and said, “Yes! The question of Ibn Abil ‘Awja’ was the same; and when the question is same, our answer is also the same...The first and the last of us [i.e., Imams of Ahlul Bayt] are equal in knowledge and position; of course, the Messenger of God and ‘Ali, the Leader of the Faithfuls, have their own privileged status.”

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“I advise you to be moderate and refrain from extravagance.”

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“To be humble means to greet whoever you pass by, and to sit wherever you find room [without waiting for the seat of your ‘status’].” He also said, “Humility is a blessing of which no one will be envious.”

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“One who admonishes his brother in private has decorated him; and one who admonishes him in public has disgraced him.”

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“The best self-discipline is to refrain [from doing to others] what you would dislike from others.”

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“Beauty of the face is an apparent beauty, and beauty of intelligence is a hidden beauty.”

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“All evil has been placed in a house whose key is lying.”

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“Generosity has a limit; when one exceeds it, it becomes extravagance.”

* * *

This lesson has been written and compiled by Sayyid M. Rizvi by using the following source: Pishway-e Yazdahum: Hazrat Imam Hasan ‘Askari (a.s.) by Dar Rah-e Haq, Qum.

The main source has been extensively edited in order to fit the requirements of our course. Also, for the sake of brevity, we have not included the references quoted by our sources. Those who are interested to know the sources may refer to the source mentioned above.

Question Paper on Lesson 48

Question 1: [20 points]

True or False:

(a) Imam Hasan al-‘Askari was born in Baghdad.

(b) “Al-‘Askari” is the Imam’s title because he was born in Samarra.

(c) Mu‘tazz, Muhtadi and Mu‘tamid were caliphs during the imamate of the eleventh Imam.

(d) Mu‘tazz forbade the presence of female singers in the court as a pretence of being pious.

(e) Mu‘tamid’s reign was full of civil strife and tyranny.

(f) ‘Ali bin Husayn bin Bābawayh was the father of Shaykh al-Mufīd.

(g) In inheriting from the parent, the daughter gets half of the share of a son.

(h) Mu‘tamid asked Imam al-‘Askari for help in disclosing the monk’s deceit.

(i) Al-Kindi was writing a book to challenge the Nahju ’l-Balāgha.

(j) Ibn Abil ‘Awjā’ was a companion of Imam al-‘Askari.

Question 2: [15 points]

Describe and comment on the method used by Imam Hasan al-‘Askari (a.s.) to prevent Ishāq al-Kindi from writing the response to the Qur’ān.

Question 3: [15 points]

Describe the Imam’s miracle of rain in your own words.