Two Day ago was the ninth of Rabi al-Awwal and yes we know it’s the happy occasion of Imam Mahdi’s appointment but let’s not forget about yesterday, which marked the martyrdom anniversary of an imam who we unfortunately don’t hear about very often.

If you go around your community, you will find only very few know about the life of this infallible imam.

Also, not many Islamic centers or organizations are named after him.

And this is sad.

All twelve imams’ lives should be known by everyone, Muslims and non-Muslims because they have set examples for all humanity to learn from.

Born in Medina, on 6th of Rabi' Thani, in the year 232 A.H, and known as the father of the final Imam from the Imams of Ahlul-Bait, Imam Hassan Al-Askari was revered as the embodiment of knowledge, wisdom, humility and patience… and indeed an Imam whose life has to be examined in great depth.

Now the first thing that we see different from any other imam is the title al-Askari.

Before we dive into the stages of the life of this significant character, I would like to begin tonight’s episode by touching upon who were the mother and father of this great personality and what was the reason behind his most famous title “Al-Askari”.

As everyone knows, an Imam can only be succeeded by another Imam. In this case Imam Hassan… succeeded his father, the 10th Imam, the 12th infallible, Imam Ali Al-Hadi.

Furthermore, the mother of each and every one of the Imams, must be a pure, pious, and a devout lady.

Now what’s interesting about the mother of Imam Hassan Al-Askari, is that she is of African descent. According to some narrations, her name was Hudaitha, other narrations she is known as Saleel, and in other traditions she is known as Sawsan (Susan).

The Imam’s mother was revered as one of the most pious women of her time.     

The era that the Imam’s was living in, people of different races were looked down upon. What’s funny is that this still kinda exists in our society. If you get married to a girl from a different background, people start talking.

Yet we find the Ahlul-Bait getting married to ladies who were not from the same tribe, region or race. Now people tend to ask “why did the Imam’s of Ahlul-Bait marry from Africa, why not get married to a woman from Medina?”

The first reason was because they wanted to break the racial boundaries which existed at the time. Unfortunately, not many people know this today.

The second reason, is that Ahlul-Bait wanted us to learn from the examples they set. Prophet Muhammad, states: “the one who possesses the highest rank in the eye of Allah is the one with the highest level of piety.”

Now why was he called al-Askari? We’ll answer this question once we go into the life of Imam al-Askari.

According to narrations, the 10th and 11th Imams were both called Al-Askariyain as they lived in an area of an army base. Askar means army base.

The ruler at the time was Al-Mutamid Al-Abbasi. As the Turks were abusing the people of Baghdad, the citizens protested against the “Caliph” to do something and threatened him to fight him with Dua Al-Sahar.

So Al-Mutamid thought to him “I need a new city to make capital” so he went on a journey and came across Samara.

Samara’ derives from the 3 words. Sur Man Ra’ah – It’s pleasing to the eyes when someone gazes upon it.

For the people who have been to Samara’ you’ve seen the beautiful Tigris river, the forests, the trees it was a beautiful Area.

For this reason, Al-Mutamid decided to turn this army base area to a city and making it the new capital for the Abbasid Empire.

From a very young age, Imam Hassan Al-Askari, showed remarkable wisdom like his forefathers.

A man narrates that one time I was passing through the streets and boys were playing with toys– except for one boy, who stood amongst his peers with tears streaming down his cheeks.

“Would you like me to buy you a toy to play with?” asked the man.

“…We have not been created for (such) play…” responded the crying boy.

The stunned man inquired, “…and what have we been created for?”

The boy replied, “For knowledge and worship.”

The man then asked, “Where did you get that from?”

“From the words of (God), the Exalted, ‘Did you suppose that We created you aimlessly and that you will not be brought back to Us?” said the boy…

“What’s wrong with you? You are a small innocent child!” exclaimed the man.

The boy dismissed the man’s words saying, “Leave me be… Indeed, I have seen my mother try to start a fire with big logs but the fire does not start without using the small ones first… I fear that I would be among the small logs of hellfire!”

The young boy from this story is reported to have been the eleventh immaculate Imam – Hasan, son of Imam Ali al-Hadi.

From a young age the Imam had extraordinary abilities and the Abbasids knew that from now on the final Imam will be born.

Hence, they lessened their persecution from the 10th imam but focused mainly on Imam Al-Askari.

They imprisoned him with his father. But after the martyrdom of his father. Imam Al-Hassan was imprisoned in Baghdad.

While he was a prisoner in Baghdad there was a severe drought. Rain had not fallen for some time and crops were drying up. People were facing a famine. They did not know what to do. A Christian priest came to the rescue.

He lifted his hands in prayer and rain fell. The Caliph became concerned lest for this reason people would forsake Islam and become Christians.

When the Imam was consulted, he said that when people assembled to see the so called miracle performed by the Christian priest, he would remove their doubts. The Imam was allowed to leave the prison to go where the crowd assembled to see the miracle performed by the priest.

Imam stood there with the crowd and when the priest raised his hands for pray and rain began to fall, Imam told one of his companions to seize the hands of the priest and bring the piece of bone hidden in his hands.

When this bone was brought before the Imam, he said that it was the bone of a Prophet of God. It was the effect of this holy bone when lifted in prayers to God that brought God"s mercy and brought rain to the land. This way the Imam lifted the doubts from the minds of the people.

After this the Imam himself spread his prayer mat and performed two Rak’ats of prayers then lifted his bare hands to God for rain to come to the land and wipe out the draught. The Imam’s prayers were heard by the Almighty and rain fell so much that the land became fertile again and crops began to grow.

(Kulaini, Akhbarus Alam)In recognition of this service the Imam was allowed to leave the prison in Baghdad and live in his house in Samarrah, still under house arrest. He was still not allowed to go to Madina.

When the Imam was under house arrest, for 2 years he was given only 2 dried loaves of bread and a cold glass of water.

For 2 YEARS!!!

What’s really shocking and upsetting at the same time, is not the fact that the Ahlul-Bait were oppressed but how people complain at what Allah has given them.

For 2 years the Imam was fed 2 dry loaves of bread and what did he used to say? “O’ Allah I thank you for what you have blessed me with.”

O Allah keep your mercy bestowed upon me and create for me free time for your worship.

So, Imam Hasan Al-Askari’s life from childhood to adulthood was spent in this house where his father Imam Ali Naqi was to remain under house arrest. But despite this close guard on the Imam, he conducted his duties as Imam from inside the house.

He taught people Qur’an and instructed his followers the true teachings of Islam as taught by the Prophet of Islam and his AhlulBayt.

In fact Imam Hasan al-Askari wrote a complete Tafseer (exegesis) of the Qur’an which was mentioned by many scholars, historians and exegetes, including Kulaini and Saduq.

Imam’s martyrdom

Mutamid’s fears of Imam al-Askari’s growing popularity drove him deeper into his pit of darkness. Mutamid, thus, resorted to the wicked decision of poisoning Imam al-Askari. The crime was carried out secretly and the cover-up involved Mutamid and his entourage attending the funeral… Imam Hasan al-Askari was buried near his father, Imam Ali al-Hadi, in present-day Samarra, Iraq.

Hopefully everyone learned something today from this immaculate figure.