(This is) an account of the Imam after the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, the date of his birth, the evidence for his Imamate, the period of his succession, the time of his death, the place of his grave and the number of Children. (It also provides) a brief summary of the reports about him.
The Imam after the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, was his son al-Hasan, the son of the mistress of the women of the worlds, Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, the Lord of Messengers, may Allah bless Him and His Family. (Al-Hasan's) Kunya was Abū Muhammad. He was born in Medina, on the night of the middle day of the month of Ramadan, three years after the Hijra (624).
His mother, Fatima, peace be on her, brought him to the Prophet, may Allah bless Him and His Family, on the seventh day in a silken shawl from heaven, which Gabriel had brought down to the Prophet, may Allah bless Him and His Family. He called him Hasan and sacrificed a ram for him (in the ceremony of 'aqīqa).
[It is reported by a group (of authorities), including Ahmad b. Şälib al-Tamīmī, on the authority of Abd Allah b "Isa on the authority of Ja'far al-Sadiq b
Muhammed, peace be on him:] Al-Hasan, peace be upon him, was the most similar person to Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and His Family, in form, manner and nobility.
[It is reported by a group (of authorities), including Ma'mar on the authority of al-Zuhri on the authority of Anas b. Malik, who said:] No one was like the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and His Family, than Al-Hasan b. 'Ali, peace be on them.
[Ibrahim ibn Ali al-Rafi'i reported on the authority of his father, on the
authority of his grandmother Zainab, dauther of Abū Rafi'i, and Shabīb b. Abī Rafi al-Rafi'i on the authority of those who told him - she said:] Fäțima, peace be on her, brought her two sons, al-Hasan and al-Hussain, peace be on them, to the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and His Family, at the time when he was suffering from the sickness from which he died.
"Apostle of Allah," she said, "these are your two (grand)sons. Give them something as an inheritance"
"As for al-Hasan", he replied, "he has my form and my nobility. As for al- Husayn, he has my generosity and my bravery"
Al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be on him, was the testamentary trustee (wasi) of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, over his family, his children and his followers. He bequeathed him to look after his position and (the position of) his taxes (sadaqat) and he wrote him a covenant (of succession) which is well- known. His testamentary trustee is obvious in terms of the outlines of religion, the essential characteristics of wisdom and good-breeding. A great number of scholars have reported this trusteeship and many of the men of understanding have realised the truth of this through his (attitude to) the world.
AL-HASAN'S SUCCESSION TO THE CALIPHATE AND HIS ABDICATION
When the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, died, Al-Hasan addressed the people. He reminded them of his right (to authority). The followers of his father pledged allegiance to him in terms of fighting those he fought and making peace with those with whom he made peace.
[Abū Mikhnaf Lüt b. Yahya al-Azdī reported: Ash ath b. Suwar told me on the authority of Abū Ishaq al-Sabĩ'i and others, who said:
Al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be upon them, addressed the people towards dawn on the night in which the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, died. He praised and glorified Allah and blessed the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and His Family. Then he said: "There has died tonight a man who was the first among the early (Muslims) in (good) actions. Nor did any later (Muslims) attain his level in (good) actions. He used to fight alongside the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and His Family, and protect him with his own life. The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and His Family, used to send him forward with his standard while Gabriel supported him on his right and Michael supported him on his left. He would not return until Allah brought victory through his hands. He, peace be on him, has died on this the night on which Jesus, Son of Mary, was taken up (to Heaven), on which Joshua, son of Nün, the testamentary trustee (wasi) of Moses, peace be on him, died. He has left behind him no gold and silver except seven hundred dirhams of his stipend ('ața), with which he was intending to buy a servant for his family." Then tears
overcame him and he wept and the people wept with him.
Then he continued: "I am the (grand)son of the one who brought the good news. I am the (grand)son of the warner. I am the (grand)son of the man who, with Allah's permission, summoned (the people) to Allah. I am the (grand)son of the light which shone out (to the world). I am of the House, from whom Allah has sent away abomination and whom Allah has purified thoroughly. I am of the House for whom Allah has required love in his Book, when Allah, the Most High, said: Say: I do not ask you for any reward except love for (my) near relatives; Whoever earns good, will increase good for hmself (XLII 23). The good is love for us, the House." Then he sat down.
Abd Allah b. al-Abbās, may Allah have mercy on him, arose in front of him and said: "People, this is the son of your Prophet, the testamentary trustee (wasi) of your Imam. So pledge allegiance to him
The people answered him saying: "No one is more loved by us nor has anyone more right to succession (khilafa)."
They rushed forward to pledge allegiance to him as successor. That was on Friday on the eleventh of the month of Ramadan in the year 40 A H. (660). Then he assigned (the posts of) the tax collectors and he gave instructions to the governors (or the provinces). He sent Abd Allah b. al-'Abbās to Basra. He took charge of all the matters.
When Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan learnt of the death of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, and the people's pledge of allegiance to his son, al- Hasan, peace be on him, he sent a man of Himyar secretly to Küfa and a man from Banü al-Qayn to Başra. They were to write reports to him to undermine affairs for al-Hasan, peace be on him. Al-Hasan, peace be on him, learned of that. He ordered the Himyarī to be brought out from among (the tribe) of Lakhm in Küfa. He had him brought out and executed. (Al-Hasan) wrote to al-Başra, ordering the Qaynī to be brought out from among the Banü Sulaym. He was brought out and executed.
Then al-Hasan, peace be on him, wrote to Mu'awiya:
You sent men to use deception and to carry out assassinations and you sent out spies as if you want to meet (in battle). That is something which will soon happen so wait for it, if Allah wills. I have learnt that you have become haughty in a way that no wise man would become haughty. In that you are just as al-Awwal described: Say to him who desires the contrary of the one who has died: Prepare for another like him as if (from the same) root. I and the one among us who has died are like the one who goes in the
evening so that (the other) may come in the morning.
Mu‘āwiya replied to him with his letter, which there is no need to mention.
There followed between him and al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, correspondence,
messages and disputes regarding the right of al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, to
authority, and the unlawful seizure of power of those who came before his father,
peace be on him, and of Mu‘āwiya’s attempt to strip the cousin of the Apostle of
Allāh, may Allāh bless Him and His Family, from his authority and of their (the
House’s) right to it apart from them. (All these) matters would take too long to
describe.
Mu‘āwiya set off towards Iraq. When he reached the bridge of Manbij, al-Ḥasan,
peace be on him reacted. He sent Ḥujr b. ‘Adī to order the leaders (‘ummāl) to
set out and to call the people together for war.
They were slow to (answer) him and then they came forward. al-Ḥasan had a
mixed band of men: some of them belonged to his Shī‘a and to his father’s; some
of them were members of the Muhakkima (i.e. Khārijites) who were influenced
by (the desire of) fighting Mu‘āwiya with every means (possible); some of them
were men who loved discords and were anxious for booty; some of them were
doubters; others were tribal supporters who followed the leaders of their tribes
without reference to religion.
He set off until he came to Ḥammām ‘Umar, then he went on to Dayr Ka‘b.
He stopped at Sābāṭ, just before the bridge and spent the night there. In the
morning, He peace be on him, wanted to test his followers and make their
situation clear with regard to obedience to him, so that in that way he might be
able to distinguish his friends from his enemies and be in a clear mind (about his
position) to meet Mu‘āwiya and the Syrians.
He ordered the call to be made:
“The prayer is a general one (which all should attend) (al-ṣalāt jāmi‘a).” They
gathered and he went up on the pulpit and addressed them. He said: “Praise
belongs to Allāh whenever a man praises Him. I testify that there is no God but
Allāh whenever a man testifies to Him. I testify that Muḥammad is His servant
and His apostle whom He sent with the truth and whom He entrusted with
revelation, may Allāh bless Him and His Family. By Allāh, I hope that I shall
always be with Allāh’s praise and kindness. I am the sincerest of Allāh’s creatures in giving advice to them. I have not become one who bears malice to
any Muslim, nor one who wishes evil or misfortune for him. Indeed what you
dislike about unity (jamā‘a) is better for you than what you like about division.
I see what is better for you better than you see for yourselves. Therefore do not
oppose my commands and do not reject my judgement. May Allāh forgive both
me and you and may He guide me and you to that in which there is love and
satisfaction.”
[He reported:]
The people began to look at one another and asked each other, “What do you
think he intends by what he has just said?”
“We think that he intends to make peace with Mu‘āwiya and hand over the
authority to him” they answered.
“By Allāh, the man has become an unbeliever,” they declared and they rushed
towards his tent. They plundered him to the extent that they even took his prayer
mat from under him. Then ‘Abd al-Raḥmān b. ‘Abd Allāh b. Ja‘āl al-Azdī set
on him and stripped his silk cloak from his shoulder. He remained sitting, still
girt with his sword but without his cloak. He called for his horse and mounted it.
Groups of his close associates and his Shī‘a surrounded him and kept those who
wanted (to attack) him away from him. He said: “Summon (the tribes of) Rabī‘a
and Hamdān to me.”
They were summoned to him and they surrounded him and defended him, peace
be on him, from the people. A mixed group of others went with him (as well).
When he was passing through the narrow pass of Sābāṭ, a man of Banū Asad
called al-Jarrāḥ b. Sinān caught hold of the reins of his mule. He had an axe in his
hand. He cried: “Allāh is greater (Allāhu akbar)! You have become a polytheist,
Ḥasan, just like your father became a polytheist before.”
Then he stabbed him in the thigh. It penetrated right through to the bone. He
seized (al-Ḥasan) by the neck and they both fell to the ground. A man from
al-Ḥasan’s Shī‘a called ‘Abd Allāh b. Khaṭal al-Ṭā’ī pulled the axe away from
his hand and struck him with it in the stomach. Another man called Ẓubyān b.
‘Umāra attacked him, struck him upon the nose and killed him. Another man
who had been with (al-Jarrāḥ) was caught and killed.
Al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, was carried on a stretcher to al-Madā’in where
he was lodged with Sa‘d b. Mas‘ūd al-Thaqafī. The latter was the governor of
(‘Alī), the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, there and al-Ḥasan had
confirmed him in that position.
Al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, was distracted by his own (discomfort) and with
treating his wound. (In the meantime) a group of the tribal leaders wrote secretly
to Mu‘āwiya offering to accept his authority (lit. to listen and obey). They urged
him to come to them and they guaranteed to hand over al-Ḥasan, peace be on
him, when they got to his camp, or to kill him treacherously.
Al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, learnt of that when a letter came to him from Qays
b. Sa‘d, may Allāh be pleased with him. He had sent Qays with ‘Ubayd Allāh
b. ‘Abbās (to go on ahead) when he had set out from Kūfa to meet Mu‘āwiya
and to drive him out of Iraq, and make himself a commander of a unified
people (jamā‘a). He had said to ‘Ubayd Allāh: “If you are struck down, then the
commander will be Qays b. Sa‘d.”
Qays b. Sa‘d’s letter arrived informing him that they had stopped Mu‘āwiya
at a village called al-Ḥabūbiyya opposite Maskan. Then Mu‘āwiya had sent to
‘Ubayd Allāh b. ‘Abbās, urging him to come to him and offering him a million
dirhams, half of which he would give him immediately, and the other half on
his entry into Kūfa. ‘Ubayd Allāh had slipped away in the night with his close
associates to (join) Mu‘āwiya’s camp. In the morning the people found their
leader missing. Qays b. Sa‘d, may Allāh be pleased with him, said the prayer
with them and took charge of their affairs.6
Al-Ḥasan's awareness of the people’s desertion of him increased; (as did his
awareness) of the corrupt intention of the Muḥakkima (the Khārijites) against
him, which they made obvious by cursing him, accusing him of disbelief, and
declaring that it was lawful to shed his blood and plunder his property. There
remained no one to protect him from his unfortunate predicament except the
close associates from his father’s Shī‘a and his own Shī‘a, and they were a group
which could not resist the Syrian soldiers.
Mu‘āwiya wrote to him about a truce and peace treaty. He also sent him the
letters of his followers in which they had guaranteed to kill him treacherously
or to hand him over. He offered him as many conditions as he wanted, to
answer his (call) for peace and he gave his (sworn) covenant by whose fulfilment
everybody’s interests would be served. Al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, did not trust
him. He was aware of his deception and his attempts at assassination. However
he could find no escape from assenting to his demands to abandon the war and
bring about a truce because of the weakness of his followers’ understanding
of his right, their corrupt attitude towards him and their opposition to him. (In
addition, he was aware) of the view of many of them in declaring it lawful to shed his blood and to hand him over to his rival. (He also knew) of his cousin’s
desertion (of him) and his joining his enemy, as well as the inclination of the
people towards the immediate present and their reluctance (to show concern) for
the future.
Therefore he, peace be on him, bound himself (in a treaty) with Mu‘āwiya as
a result of the confirmation of the proof (of his situation) and with the excuses
before Allāh, the Most High, and all the Muslims, of what had taken place among
them, He stipulated:
That the cursing of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him,
should be abandoned and the practice of using the personal prayer (qunūt)
in the formal prayer (ṣalāt) (as prayer) against him should be set aside;
That his Shī‘a, may Allāh be pleased with them, should be given security
and that none of them should be exposed to any evil; That each of them
who had certain rights should attain those rights.
Mu‘āwiya accepted all that and made a treaty with him to observe that. He swore
to him that he would fulfil it. When the truce had been concluded, Mu‘āwiya
went on until he reached al-Nukhayla. That was on a Friday; he prayed the midmorning prayer (ḍuḥā al-nahār) with the people, and he addressed them. In his
address, he said: “By Allāh, I have not fought against you to make you pray,
nor to fast, nor to make the pilgrimage, nor to pay zakāt. Indeed you do that
(already). I fought so that I might have power over you and Allāh has given that
to me when you were reluctant to (obey) Him. Indeed I have been requested by
al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, (to give him) things and I have given things to him.
All of them are now under my foot. And from now on I will not fulfil anything.”
Then he went on until he entered Kūfa. He resided there for several days. When
the pledge of allegiance by its inhabitants had to be carried out, he went up on the
pulpit and addressed the people. He mentioned the Commander of the Faithful,
peace be on him, and that he had taken from him and from al-Ḥasan, peace be on
him, what he had taken.
Al-Ḥasan and Al-Ḥusayn, peace be on them, were present. al-Ḥusayn, peace be
on him, rose to reply but al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, took him by the hand and
made him sit down. Then he himself, (al-Ḥasan) arose and spoke: “O you who
mention ‘Alī, I am al-Ḥasan and ‘Alī was my father. You are Mu‘āwiya and your
father was Ṣakhr (Abū Sufyān). My mother was Fāṭima and your mother was
Hind. My grandfather was the Apostle of Allāh and your grandfather was Ḥarb. My grandmother was Khadīja and your grandmother was Futayla. May Allāh
curse him who tries to reduce our reputation and to diminish our nobility, who
does evil against our antiquity and yet who has been ahead of us in unbelief and
hypocrisy.”
Groups of the people in the mosque shouted out: “Amen, Amen”
When the peace between al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, and Mu‘āwiya was
concluded in the way we have mentioned, al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, left for
Medina. He resided there, restraining his anger, staying close to his house,
and awaiting the command of his Lord, the Mighty and High, until Mu‘āwiya
had completed ten years of his administration. (Then) the latter decided to
have the pledge of allegiance given to his son, Yazīd, (as his successor). He
communicated secretly With Ju‘da, daughter of al-Ash‘ath b. Qays - she was
the wife of al-Ḥasan, peace be on him - to urge her to poison him. He gave an
undertaking to her that he would marry her to his son, Yazīd, and he sent her a
hundred thousand dirhams. Ju‘da gave him the poison to drink but he lingered on
sick for forty days. He passed along his (final) road in the month of Ṣafar in the
year 50 A. H. (670). At that time, he was forty-eight years of age. His succession
(to the Imamate) had been for ten years. His brother and testamentary trustee
(waṣī), al-Ḥusayn, peace be on him, undertook the washing and shrouding of his
body, and buried him with his grandmother, Fāṭima, daughter of Asad b. Hāshim
b. ‘Abd Manāf, may Allāh be pleased with her, in (the cemetery of) al-Baqī‘.
Reports of the Cause of the Death of al-Ḥasan, Peace be on him, and
of Mu‘āwiya Poisoning him, the Story of his Burial and the Actions
and Statements Concerning that.
‘Īsā b. Mihrān reported: ‘Ubayd Allāh b. al-Ṣabbāḥ told us: Jarīr told us on the
authority of Mughīra, who said:]
Mu‘āwiya sent to Ju‘da daughter of al-Ash‘ath b. Qays: “I will arrange for you
to marry my son, Yazīd, on condition that you poison al-Ḥasan.”
He, also, sent her a hundred thousand dirhams.
She did that: she poisoned al-Ḥasan, peace be on him. (Mu‘āwiya) gave her the
money but did not marry her to Yazīd. Instead he gave her a man from the family
of Ṭalḥa as a substitute. The latter gave her children. Whenever any argument
occurred between them and the clans of Quraysh, they would revile them saying:
“Sons of a woman who poisons her husbands[‘Īsā b. Mihrān reported: ‘Uthmān b. ‘Umar told me: Ibn ‘Awn told us on the
authority of ‘Umar b. lsḥāq, who said:]
I was with al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn, peace be on them, in the house. al-Ḥasan,
peace be on him, came in from outside and then went out again. He said: “I have
been given poison to drink several times but I have never been given poison like
this. A bit of my liver has come out or my mouth and I began to turn it over with
a stick I had.”
“Who gave you the poison to drink,” al-Ḥusayn, peace be on him, asked him,
“and what do you want for him? Do you want him killed? If he may remain as
he is, then Allāh will be more terrible in His vengeance than you. If he may not
remain as he is, then I should like to be free of any blame,”10
[‘Abd Allāh b. Ibrāhīm reported on the authority of Ziyād al-Makhāriqī, who
said:]
When death was close to al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, he summoned al-Ḥusayn,
peace be on him, and said: “My brother. I am leaving you and joining my Lord.
I have been given poison to drink and have spewed my liver into a basin. I
am aware of the person who poisoned me and from where I have been made a
subject to this deceitful action. I will oppose him before Allāh, the Mighty and
High. Therefore by the right I have with regard to you, say nothing about that
and wait for what Allāh, the Mighty and High, will decide concerning me. When
I have died, shut my eyes, wash me and shroud me. Then carry me on my bier
to the grave of my grandfather, the Apostle of Allāh, may Allāh bless Him and
His Family, so that I may renew my covenant with him. After that take me to
the grave of my grandmother, Fāṭima, daughter of Asad, may Allāh be pleased
with her, and bury me there. My brother, the people will think that you intend
to bury me with the Apostle of Allāh, may Allāh bless Him and His Family. For
that reason, they will gather to prevent you from doing it. I swear by Allāh that
you should not shed even your blood into the cupping-glass in (carrying out) my
command.”
Then he made his testamentary bequests to his family and his children. (He gave
him) his heirlooms and the things which the Commander of the Faithful, peace
be on him, had bequeathed to him when he had made him his successor, had
declared him worthy to occupy his position, and had indicated to his Shī‘a that he
was his successor, and set him up as their sign-post after himself.
When he passed on his (final) journey, al-Ḥusayn, peace be on him, washed and
shrouded his (body). Then he carried him on his bier. Marwān and those of the Banū Umayya who were with him had no doubt that they would try to bury him
beside the Apostle of Allāh, may Allāh bless Him and His Family. They gathered
together and armed themselves. When al-Ḥusayn, peace be on him, approached
the tomb of the Apostle of Allāh, may Allāh bless Him and His Family, with
(the body of al-Ḥasan) so that he might renew his covenant with him, they came
towards them with their group. ‘Ā’isha had joined them on a mule and she was
saying: “What is there between you and me that you should allow someone I
don’t want to, to enter my house?”
Marwān began to recite:
O Lord, battle is better than ease.
(Then he went on:) “Should ‘Uthmān be buried in the outskirts of Medina and
al-Ḥasan be buried alongside the Prophet, may Allāh bless Him and His Family?
That will never be while I carry a sword.”
Discord was about to occur between the Banū Umayya and the Banū Hāshim.
Ibn ‘Abbās hurried to Marwān and said to him: “Go back to where you came
from, Marwān. Indeed we do not intend to bury our companion with the
Apostle of Allāh, may Allāh bless Him and His Family. But we want him to be
able to renew his covenant with him by visiting him. Then we will take him back
to his grandmother, Fāṭima, and bury him alongside her according to his last
instructions concerning that. If he had enjoined that he should be buried
alongside the Prophet, may Allāh bless Him and His Family, you know that you
would be the least able to deter us from that. However, he, peace be on him,
was much too aware of Allāh and His Apostle and the sacredness of his tomb
to bring bloodshed to it as others have done (who) have entered it without his
permission.”
Then he went to ‘Ā’isha and said to her: “What mischief you bring about, one
day on a mule and one day on a camel! Do you want to extinguish the light of
Allāh and fight the friends (awliyā’) of Allāh? Go Back! You have been given
assurance against what you fear and have learned what you wanted (to know).
By Allāh, victory will come to this House, even if it is after some time.”
al-Ḥusayn, peace be on him, said: “By Allāh, if there had been no injunction to
me from al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, to prevent bloodshed and that I should not
even pour blood into a cupping-glass in (carrying out) his command, you would
have known how the swords of Allāh would have taken their toll from you.
You have broken the agreement which was made between you and us. You have
ignored the conditions which we made with him for ourselves.” Then they went on with (the body of) al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, and they buried
him in (the cemetery of) al-Baqī‘ beside his grandmother, Fāṭima daughter of
Asad b. Hāshim b. ‘Abd Manāf, may Allāh be pleased with her.
An Account of the Number and Names of the Children of al-Ḥasan
b. ‘Alī, Peace be on them, and an Extract from the Reports about
them..
- Zayd b. al-Ḥasan
- Umm al-Ḥasan
- Umm al-Ḥusayn
- Al-Ḥasan b. al-Ḥasan
His mother was Khawla, daughter of Manẓūr al-Faẓārī.
- ‘Umar b. al-Ḥasan
- Al-Qāsim
- ‘Abd Allāh
- ‘Abd al-Raḥmān b. al-Ḥasan
His mother was a slave-wife (umm walad).
- Al-Ḥusayn b. al-Ḥasan (nicknamed al-athram, the one with the broken tooth)
- Talḥa b. al-Ḥasan
- Fāṭima, daughter of al-Ḥasan
- Daughters of al-Ḥasan, peace be on him, by various mothers:
- Umm ‘Abd Allāh
- Fāṭima
- Umm Salama
- Ruqayya
Their mother was Umm Bashīr, daughter of Abū Mas‘ūd ‘Uqba ‘Amr b. Tha‘laba al-Khazrajī.
Their mother was a slave-wife (umm walad).
Their mother was Umm Isḥāq, daughter of Ṭalḥa b. ‘Ubayd Allāh al-Taymī.
Reference: Kitab al Irshad