Imam Hassan Al-Askari: His Intellectual Contributions and Imamate

Imam Hassan Al-Askari is considered one of the distinguished intellectual figures at all levels. His imprints are evident through the scientific heritage he left behind, in addition to his scientific and jurisprudential narrations about his infallible fathers (peace be upon them). He framed these writings and narratives within a scientific framework with a wonderful academic methodology that included his dual style of scientific knowledge and accuracy, along with his piety in disseminating facts. This required a mind capable of scientific understanding, making the Imam scientifically and intellectually qualified to assume his position.

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The First Topic: Imam Hassan Al-Askari (peace be upon him), His Life and Imamate

He is Al-Hassan bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Musa bin Jaafar bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Al-Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon them) [1].

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There was much disagreement about his mother’s name; it was said that her name was Sawsan [2], or Saleel [3]. Imam Ali al-Hadi called her by this name one day, saying: "Descendant, freed from pests, infirmities, abominations, and impurities" [4]. It was also said that her name was Harbiyya or Rehana [5], and some sources stated that her name was Hadith or Hadith [6], which is more likely. While some historians mixed up the names of Imam al-Hadi’s mother: Samana and Ghazala [7], the sources agreed that she was the mother of a son [8].

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Imam Hassan Al-Askari (peace be upon him) was born in Medina [9]. Historians differed regarding the date of his birth, by day, month, and year. Some stated that it was on Monday [10], or Friday [11], or in the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal [12] or the other [13], or in the month of Ramadan [14] or Dhul-Hijjah [15], in the year 231 [16] or in the year 232 [17], or in the year 233 AH [18]. It seems that his birth was at the end of the year 232 and the beginning of the year 233 AH.

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As for his imamate, every imam of the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) was accustomed to making a statement about the next imam [19]. Imam Ali al-Hadi followed this approach and informed his Shiites time after time about the imamate of Hassan al-Askari after him. Ali bin Mahziyar asked al-Hadi: "If it is a universe – and I seek refuge in God – then to whom?" He said: "My covenant is to the eldest of my sons" [20].

Or in his answer to a questioner who asked him: "Who should I single out among your sons?" He said: "Do not single out anyone until I bring my matter to you." So I wrote to him: "Who will this matter be about?" He wrote to me: "About the eldest of my sons" [21].

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The Imam was more specific in other answers. He said to one of his Shiites who saw his son Muhammad and thought he was the Imam after him: "No, your friend after me is Al-Hasan" [22]. The Imam explained the qualifications for his Imamate in several hadiths, such as his saying: "Abu Muhammad is my son, the successor after me. He has the knowledge he needs, and he has the machinery of Imamate" [23]. Or in letters he sent to some of his agents and Shiites, so he wrote to Shahawayh bin Abdullah Al-Jallab: "Your companion after me is Abu Muhammad, my son, and he has what you need" [24].

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He wrote to Abu Bakr Al-Fahfaki: "Abu Muhammad is my son, advise the family of Muhammad, and the most reliable of them is a proof for God. He is the eldest of my sons, and to him is the successor, and to him the custom and rulings of the Imamate end. I was not asking him about it, for he has knowledge of what he needs" [25].

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Thus, Imam Ali Al-Hadi demonstrated the qualifications of Al-Hasan Al-Askari through advice, trustworthiness, knowledge, and his possession of the machinery of the Imamate. Perhaps the last text refers to Imam Ali Al-Hadi’s attempt to make Al-Hasan Al-Askari respond to the Shiite questions during his father’s life, as in his saying: "So whatever I was asking, ask him about it," and to consolidate confidence in his Imamate [26].

 

The Second Topic: Imam Al-Askari (peace be upon him) and the Caliphs of His Time

There was no difference between the caliphs in terms of methodology. Almost all agreed to follow the same policy with the imams. Al-Mu'tazz (252-255 AH) followed this policy, taking it from his predecessor. It was mentioned in Kashf Al-Ghumma that Al-Mu'tazz approached Sa'id Al-Hajib to take Abu Muhammad out to Kufa and then behead him on the way [27]. One of the companions of the Imam (peace be upon him) wrote asking about Al-Mu’tazz’s order to deport him to Kufa, saying: "May I be made your ransom. We have received news that has worried us and disturbed us" [28]. So the Imam (peace be upon him) wrote: "After three days relief will come to you," so Al-Mu’tazz was removed after three days and killed [29].

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It was reported from the Imam that he said: "I contested with God about this tyrant, and he took him after three days, and when it was the third day, he did to him what he did" [30].

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Although the killing of the Imam was not carried out because Al-Mu'tazz was deposed after three days and killed, it reveals Al-Mu'tazz's haste in his decision to deport the Imam to Kufa and kill him, differing from the policy of his predecessors, who intended to kill only after exhausting all means of surveillance, imprisonment, and threats.

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This may indicate Al-Mu'tazz's fear of any movement expected from Al-Hasan Al-Askari in light of the conditions of political confusion that the Caliphate witnessed at that time [31].

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As for his relationship with Al-Muhtadi (255-256 AH), Al-Muhtadi followed the same previous policy that the caliphs followed. Despite his pretense of austerity and asceticism, it was nothing but a fake media manifestation, as evidenced by his treatment of Imam Al-Askari and other Alawites and Shiites [32]. He was no better than his predecessor, despite his preoccupation with the riots and the tampering of the Turks.

 

However, he imprisoned the military Imam [33]. Some Shiites, including Muhammad bin Al-Hassan, feared Al-Muhtadi’s threat to the Imam.

So he wrote to him warning: "I wrote to Abu Muhammad (peace be upon him) when al-Muhtadi began killing the followers: O my master, praise be to God who has kept him busy from us. I have heard that he is threatening you and saying: By God, I will rescue them from the new land." So Abu Muhammad (peace be upon him) wrote in his handwriting: "That one is shorter because of his lifespan. Count five days from this day of yours, and he will be killed on the sixth day after the humiliation and disdain he experienced." So it was as he said [35].

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This went beyond the imprisonment of the Imam (peace be upon him), as it was reported that the Imam told some of his Shiites: "O Abu Hashem, this tyrant wanted to tamper with God on this night, and God Almighty cut off his lifespan and assigned it to the Qa’im after him." Abu Ibrahim said. "When we arrived, the Turks rioted against Al-Muhtadi and killed him, and Al-Mu’tamid took his place" [36].

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The days had not passed until the guided man was defeated in the fight against the Turks, when he entered the secret of the one who saw it alone, seeking help from the common people and calling out to the people, calling out: "O community of Muslims, I am the Commander of the Faithful, fight on behalf of your caliph," but none of the common people answered him to that [37].

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However, the position of Al-Mu'tamid (256-279 AH) towards the Imam (peace be upon him) was better than his predecessors, as he had many positions towards the Imam (peace be upon him). Perhaps the most prominent of these positions was the way the Imam imitated his father Al-Hadi (peace be upon them). It was mentioned in the guidance that a group of Shiites said: "Abu Muhammad (peace be upon him) was handed over to Nahrir and he was harassing him and hurting him, so his wife said to him: Fear God, and she mentioned to him his righteousness and worship, and she said: I fear for you from him, so he said: By God, I will throw him among the wild animals. Then he asked for permission to go. So he gave him permission, so he threw him to her, and they did not doubt that she had eaten it, so they looked at the place to know the situation, and they found him standing and praying while she was around him, so he ordered him to be taken out to his house so he ordered him to be taken out to his house [38].

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It was narrated that Yahya bin Qutaybah Al-Ash’ari came to him after three days with the professor and found him praying and lions around him. The professor entered the tribe, so they tore him up and ate him. Yahya went with his people to Al-Mu’tamid, and Al-Mu’tamid entered Al-Askari (peace be upon him) and pleaded with him, asking for prayers for his survival. Al-Mu’tamid ruled for twenty years, and the Imam (peace be upon him) said: "May God extend your life" [39]. He responded to that and died twenty years later.

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Al-Sayyid Al-Sadr commented on this position, saying: "As for the position of the Imam (peace be upon him) in his response to Al-Mu’tamid’s request to pray for him, it was very clear:

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First: He did not want to declare rebellion and disagreement against the state. His rejection of the Caliph’s request to pray for him was an embodiment of the position of rebellion and disagreement against the state, which the Imam (peace be upon him) did not want.

Secondly: He wanted to prove the evidence against this man and others who knew about this incident, when the people, especially the Caliph himself, saw at the end of his life that the supplication had been answered and that the duration of his rule actually lasted twenty years, thus confirming the correctness of the Imam’s line and the deviation of the ruling line" [40].

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Al-Sayyid continues by saying: "It may come to mind: This supplication from the Imam necessitates the long life of a person whom the Imam himself believes to be an oppressor and a deviant, and his answer is: The Imam knew that when the approved person passed away – whether his time was long or short – he would only be succeeded by someone like him from the same idea and direction. The Imam, as we have presented, was not planning to gain power so that the death of Al-Mu’tamid would lead to the victory of the Islamic nation under the leadership of the Imam. So the position would result in obtaining the interests that we referred to, which is establishing an argument against Al-Mu’tamid’s position to prove the justice of the cause of the Imam and his companions" [41]. So, it can be said that the Imam’s position, despite his opposition to the ruling authority, was well aware that all the caliphs were following the same line of injustice and abuse against the Alawites, and therefore his supplication was from this aspect.

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Some Shiites had many positions that demonstrated the presence of the eyes against the Imam even while he was in prison, including what Abu Hashim Daoud bin Al-Qasim Al-Jaafari mentioned when he was imprisoned with some Shiites, saying: "Abu Muhammad Al-Hassan (peace be upon him) and his brother Jaafar came to us, so we joined his service, and he was with us a man claiming to be an Alawite. He said: Abu Muhammad (peace be upon him) turned to us and said: If there were not among you those who were not among you, I would have informed you when he would release you." He motioned to that man to come out, so he left. Abu Muhammad said: This man is not one of you, for there is a tear in his clothes. So we searched his clothes, and we found the story in them, and he used to remind us of every great thing in them. Abu Al-Hassan was fasting, and when he broke his fast, we would eat with him some food that his servant would carry to him in a container, and I would fast with him [42].

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The Imam's stay in prison did not last long until a severe drought struck the people. They went out for three days seeking water and praying, but they did not receive any water. Then, on the fourth day, one of the Christians called the Catholicos went out into the desert, and the Christians and monks went out with him. There was a monk among them. Whenever he extended his hand to the sky and raised it, rain fell. Then they went out in the desert. On the second day, they did as they had done on the first day. The sky fell with rain, and they were given heavy watering until they excused themselves. The people were surprised by this and became suspicious, and they called some of them to the religion of Christianity. This was difficult for the Caliph, so he told one of his servants to remove Abu Muhammad al-Hasan bin Ali from prison and bring him to me [43].

When Abu Muhammad al-Hasan came to the Caliph, he said to him: "The nation of your grandfather Muhammad (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family) caught up with what some of them had suffered in this calamity." Abu Muhammad said: "Let them go out tomorrow, the third day." He said: "The people have sought refuge from the rain. They remained content, so what is the benefit of their departure?" He said: "To remove doubt from the people and the predicament they have fallen into, in which they have corrupted weak minds" [44].

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So the Caliph ordered the Catholics and the monks to go out also on the third day, according to their custom, and to bring the people out. So the Christians went out, and Abu Muhammad came out to them, and with him a large group of people. The Christians stood, according to their custom, to seek rain, and the monk extended his hands, raising them to the sky, and the Christians and monks raised their hands, so the sky clouded at the same time, and rain fell.

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So Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ordered the monk’s hand to be seized and what was in it to be taken. He saw between his fingers a human bone, so Abu Muhammad al-Hasan took it and wrapped it in a rag and said: Get rain. The clouds were revealed, the clouds cleared, and the sun rose. The people were amazed at that, and the Caliph said: "What is this, Abu Muhammad?" He said: "The bone of a prophet from the prophets of God Almighty was conquered by these people from some of the arts of the prophets. And no prophet’s bone is revealed under the sky except that it rains down" [45]. So Abu Muhammad al-Hasan returned to his home with the secret of the one who saw, and he had removed this suspicion from the people, and the Muslims were happy when they saw that, and the Imam and those with him came out of prison and resided in the secret of the one who saw until his death in the year 260 AH [46] at the hands of Al-Mu’tamid [47].

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The Third Section: The Political and Intellectual Side of Imam Al-Askari (peace be upon him) and the Alawite Revolutions

This era was not without revolutions that existed from time to time. Perhaps the most prominent of these revolutions are:

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• The Revolution of Ibn al-Sufi al-Alawi:

He is Ibrahim bin Muhammad, known as Ibn al-Sufi [48]. He appeared in Upper Egypt and ruled the city of Ashna. There were many battles between him and the state army led by Ibn Tulun, in which they fought intensely, and many of Ibn al-Sufi’s men were killed [49], and he was defeated. Then there was another clash with his soldiers in the year 259 AH, and Ibn al-Sufi was also defeated in Medina and was arrested and sent to Ibn Tulun in Egypt [50].

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• The Revolution of Ali bin Zaid bin Al-Hussein:

He is Ali bin Zaid bin Al-Hussein bin Issa bin Zaid bin Ali bin Al-Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon them). His mother is Bint Al-Qasim bin Aqeel bin Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Aqeel bin Abi Talib [51]. He departed to Kufa in the year 256 AH, and a group of its common people and Bedouins pledged allegiance to him [52]. Ali bin Suleiman mentioned this, saying: My father said to me: We were with Ali bin Zaid, and we were about two hundred men descending on a part of the plains of Kufa, and the news of Shah bin Al-Kayyal reached us while we were with him. So Ali bin Zaid told us: The people do not want anyone other than me, so go, and you will be freed from my pledge of allegiance. So we said: No, by God, you will never do this. So we stayed with him, and Shah met us with a huge and unbearable army. We were seized by great terror [53]. When he saw the alarm that befell us, he said to us: Stand firm and see what I do, so we stood firm and waited. Then he mounted his horse and charged among them, striking them right and left. They brought him out until he was behind them and high on a hill. He waved to us, then he carried behind them, and they brought him out until he returned to his position. Then he said to us: Do not be alarmed by such people. Then he carried again and did so. Like that, he returned to us and carried the third, and we carried him with him, so we defeated them in the ugliest defeat. This was his story, except that the people of Kufa did not stand with him due to the killing and captivity that befell them in the days of Yahya bin Omar [54], so his movement failed.

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The Intellectual Contributions of Imam Hassan Al-Askari (peace be upon him):

Imam Hassan Al-Askari paid great attention to the affairs of faith and had a significant influence on the interpretation of verses of the Holy Qur’an, the transmission of hadiths from the Prophet (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family), and the pure Imams, and combating the manifestations of extremism and deviation. His school produced an elite group of eminent students. In the field of interpretation, his sayings influenced his interpretation of God's sayings: "God has sealed their hearing and a covering over their sight, and for them is a great punishment" [75]. That is, He has marked it with a mark that whomsoever He wills of His angels recognizes when they look at it, that they are those who do not believe. And upon their hearing, there are signs likewise, and upon their sight is a covering. That is because they turned away from looking at what they were entrusted with, fell short of what was wanted from them, and were ignorant of what they were required to believe in, so they became like someone with a veil over his eyes who cannot see what is in front of him. For God Almighty is above tampering and corruption and from demanding from His servants what He forcibly withheld from them. Then He said: "And for them is a great punishment." Meaning: In the Hereafter, an extended punishment. For the unbelievers and in this world also for those who want to reform him with what He inflicts upon him of the torment of reformation to alert him to his obedience, or from the torment of tying him to his justice and wisdom [76].

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In his interpretation of this verse, he stated: "He who made the earth a bed for you" [77] meaning, He made it suitable for your natures in accordance with your bodies. He did not make it so hot and feverish that it would burn you, nor so cold that it would freeze you, nor so strong as the pleasant wind that it would crack your heads, nor so intense as stench that it would maim you, nor so soft as water. So it drowns you, and it is not too hard so that it prevents you from tilling your buildings and burying your dead, but He made it of strength with which you gather, and hold together and hold your bodies and buildings together, and He made it soft so that you can be guided by it for your tillage, your graves, and many of your benefits, so that is why He made the earth a bed for you [78].

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Then he said: "And the sky is a structure" [79] meaning: a roof above you, protected, in which its sun, moon, and stars are managed for your benefit.

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Then he said: "And He sent down water from the sky" [80] meaning: the rain brought it down from above to reach the bottoms of your mountains, your hills, your plateaus, and your marshes. Then He drowned it with drizzle, rain, rain, and rain, to dry your land. He did not make that rain fall upon you in one piece, thus spoiling your land, your trees, your crops, and your fruits.

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Then he said: "So bring forth fruits thereby as a sustenance for you" [81] meaning: from what He brings forth from the earth as sustenance. "So do not set up equals to God" meaning: imitations and examples of idols that do not understand, hear, do not see, and are not capable of anything ((and you know that they are You cannot afford any of these blessings that God, your Lord, has bestowed upon you [82].

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Among what was also mentioned about him is his interpretation of the Almighty’s saying: "And among them are illiterate people who do not know the Book except in wishful thinking" [83]. His saying: "The illiterate is attributed to (his mother), meaning he is as he came out of his mother’s womb, neither reading nor writing. They do not know the Book revealed from heaven, nor do they distinguish between them, except in wishful thinking. They do not suspect that what their leaders read to them about the disbelief of Muhammad (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family) in his prophecy and the imamate of Ali (peace be upon him), the master of his family, is the truth. They imitate him even though it is forbidden for them to imitate them" [84].

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He (peace be upon him) said: These people are Jews. They wrote down a description that they claimed was the characteristic of Muhammad (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family) and in contradiction to his description, and they said to the weak ones among them, “This is the characteristic of the Prophet sent at the end of time. He is tall, with a large body and stomach, wiry, and red-haired. And Muhammad (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family) is different from him, and he comes five hundred years after this time. Rather, they wanted to do so so that they would maintain their leadership over their weak ones, and that their affliction would last for them, and that they would suffice themselves with the provisions of serving the Messenger of God (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family)... So God Almighty said, so woe. They will have what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn" [85]. Of these distorted attributes that contradict the description of Muhammad (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family) and Ali (peace be upon him) is the severity of the torment for them in the worst parts of Hell, and woe to them for the severity of the torment, a second addition to the first. From what they earn from the money they take if they establish their common people in disbelief in Muhammad, the Messenger of God (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family), and denying the will and will of his brother Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon him), the guardian of God.

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Then he (peace be upon him) said: A man said to Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him): If these Jewish people do not know the Book except by what they hear from their scholars, and they have no way to anything else, then how can they be condemned for imitating them and accepting from their scholars? Are the common Jews other than our common people imitating their scholars?

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He (peace be upon him) said: There is a difference between our common people and our scholars and between the Jewish common people and their scholars, on the one hand, and a compromise on the other hand. Either in terms of. They are equal: God has condemned our common people for imitating their scholars just as He condemned their common people, but as for them being separated, no, he said: Explain to me, O son of the Messenger of God? He (peace be upon him) said: The common people of the Jews had known their scholars to lie outright, to eat forbidden things and take bribes, and to change rulings from their duties through intercession, favors, and good deeds. They knew them to be extremely fanatical with which they separated from their religions, and that if they became fanatical, they removed the rights of those they were fanatical about and gave what the fanatic did not deserve. He has the money of others and oppressed them for their sake, and they knew them to abandon what was forbidden, and they were forced by the knowledge of their hearts that whoever did what they do is a sinner, and it is not permissible for him to believe in God or the mediators between creation and God.

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Therefore, they are condemned for what they imitated those whom they knew and those whom they knew that it is not permissible to accept his information. Neither believe him in his story, nor act on what he tells them about those who did not witness him, and they must look for themselves into the matter of the Messenger of God (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family), since his evidence was too clear to be hidden and too famous not to appear to them [86]. The Imam narrated the hadith on the authority of the Messenger of God [87] and on the authority of the imams of the Ahl al-Bayt [88] and pointed out the abundance of lies about them, saying: "Indeed, there has been a lot of confusion about what the Ahl al-Bayt bears on our behalf" [89]. He enumerated reasons for that, saying: "The immoral people bear on our behalf and distort it. It is entirely due to their ignorance, and they misrepresent things due to their lack of knowledge. Others deliberately lie to us in order to find from the worldly goods what is their food for the fire of Hell.

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And among them are people who are fraudulent and unable to slander us. They learn some of our correct sciences and adopt it from our Shiites, and detract from our quorum. Then they add to it many times and times more lies about us, of which we are innocent, so those of our Shiites who surrender accept it as one of our sciences. They have gone astray and are more dangerous. On the weak of our Shiites from the army of Yazid, on Al-Hussein bin Ali (peace be upon them) and his companions, for they rob them of their lives and wealth, and these evil, fraudulent scholars who pretend to be loyal to us, and hostile to our enemies, introduce doubt and suspicion onto the weak of our Shiites, misleading them and preventing them from aiming for the correct truth. There is no crime. Indeed, whoever knows God, from the heart of these common people, said that he only wanted to preserve his religion and glorify his friend. He did not leave him in the hands of this red-handed infidel, but rather appointed for him a believer who would stand by him on the right path. Then God would grant him success in accepting it from him, so God would bring together for him the good of this world and the hereafter, and would bring a curse upon whoever led him astray. This world and the torment of the Hereafter [90].

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The Imam set a scale with which to weigh the hadith and determine its truth from its falsehood. He said: "And look at our matter and what has come to you from us about it. If you find it in agreement with the Qur’an, then he is one of our saints. And whoever is not in agreement with the Qur’an, then stand with him and return him to us so that we may explain it to you as he explained it to us" [91].

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The Imam (peace be upon him) left an intellectual legacy in the field of duties, limits, permissible and forbidden. Ibn Shahr Ashub mentioned this by saying: "A book came out from Abu Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the year two hundred and fifty-five... It includes most of the knowledge of what is permissible and what is forbidden" [92]. Al-Himyari included a book from him called (Mutawabat Al-Rijal), which contains hadiths from Ali Al-Hadi and Al-Hasan Al-Askari about the rulings of religion [93].

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In addition to what the Imam left of these rulings, he confirmed them with a number of commandments that encouraged the obligatory duties, such as his saying: "I advise you to fear God, establish prayer, and pay zakat, for prayer is not accepted from one who withholds zakat, and I advise you to forgive sins, suppress anger, maintain family ties, and console people. Brothers, seeking their needs in times of hardship and ease, knowledge in times of ignorance, understanding religion, being firm in matters, adhering to the Qur’an, good manners, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. God Almighty said: 'There is no good in much of their private conversations except one who enjoins charity or favor or making peace between people' [94] and avoiding all immoral acts" [95].

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And not to belittle it, such as his saying: "Do not be distracted by a guaranteed livelihood from an obligatory work" [96] and he emphasized the voluntary prayers, saying: "And you must perform the night prayers, for the Prophet (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family) advised Ali (peace be upon him)) and said: O Ali, you must perform the night prayers. And whoever belittles the night prayer is not one of us, so follow my commandment, and command all my Shiites to do what I have commanded you until they act upon it" [97].

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Then he pledged to educate and refine the souls of his companions, saying: "Let the strong among you help the weak, and let the rich among you be kind to the poor, and let those of status among you help those who have no status, and let a man advise his brother as he advises himself, and keep your secrets and do not burden people on our necks, and consider our affair and what has come to you from it. If you find it to be in agreement with the Qur’an, then it is our statement, and if it is not in agreement with the Qur’an, then stop with it and return it to us, so that we may explain it to you as it was explained to us" [98].

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And he desired them to do good, saying: "You are in shortened terms and numbered days, and death comes suddenly. Whoever sows good will reap happiness, and whoever sows evil will reap regret. To every sower what he sowed, the slow one does not get ahead of his share, and the careful does not realize what he did not realize. Whoever is given good, God has given it to him. And whoever protects himself from evil, God will protect him from it" [99]. He called on them to acquire good deeds by saying: "In Paradise there is a gate called good deeds, and only those who do good will enter it" [100].

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The Imam urged the establishment of familiarity between the people of the nation, whether they claim guardianship of the Ahl al-Bayt or not, and this is what achieves the preservation of the religion and the safety of the nation from division. So he said:

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"I advise you to fear God, be pious in your religion, strive for the sake of God, tell the truth, fulfill your trust to whomever has entrusted you, whether righteous or immoral, prostrate long, and be good neighbours. This is what Muhammad (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family) came with. Pray in your clans, witness their funerals, and return their patients, and fulfill their rights. If a man among you is pious in his religion, is truthful in his speech, fulfills his trust, and has good behavior with people, it will be said: This is a Shiite, so that pleases me" [101].

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He tried to confirm the moral virtues of his followers so that they would be a messenger and spokesperson among the people by their deeds and deeds on behalf of the People of the House (peace be upon them), and he showed them the reasons for that, saying: "Fear God, and be beautiful, and do not be dishonorable. Bring to us all affection, and ward off from us all ugliness, for He Whatever good is said about us, we are worthy of it, and whatever evil is said about us, we are not like that. We have a right to the Book of God, closeness to the Messenger of God (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family), and purification from God. No one claims it except us except a liar. Remember God often and remember death. And reciting the Qur’an, and sending blessings upon the Prophet (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family), for in praying upon the Messenger of God (may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family) there are ten good deeds" [102].

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The role of the Imam in strengthening social ties between Muslims is evident in his sayings, including: "Two qualities, nothing can be superior to them, faith in God and advising one’s brothers" [103]. He emphasized meeting the needs of brothers and knowing their rights, saying: "Know that among the Shiites of Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon him), the people most deserving of the rights of their brothers and the most severe in fulfilling them are the most honorable of them in the sight of God" [104].

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The Position of Imam Hassan Al-Askari (peace be upon him) Regarding Intellectual Movements

Some individuals may fall victim as a result of what afflicts the nation from those who claim to be knowledgeable and outwardly elegant, but whose inwardness is obscene. Here, this nation needed a savior to rescue it from these problems. The presence of the Imam in this period was suitable for this task. Many sects emerged that kept Muslims under the title of guidance or knowledge, and the Imam had a firm stance towards these sects.

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Al-Waqifa:

They are a group that supported the imamate of Imam Musa bin Jaafar (peace be upon him) and did not claim the imamate of Al-Rida (peace be upon him). The founders of this group's doctrine were Ziyad bin Marwan Al-Qandi, Ali bin Hamza, and Othman bin Issa.

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As for the reason for their stopping, Al-Qummi mentioned that: "Abu Ibrahim went and Ziyad Al-Qandi had seventy thousand dinars, and Uthman bin Isa had thirty thousand dinars and five female slaves, and his residence was in Egypt, so Abu Al-Hasan Al-Ridha (peace be upon him) sent to them: Carry the money that came before you and whatever was collected for my father with you. I am his heir and his custodian, and we have divided his inheritance, and you have no excuse for withholding what was collected for me and his heirs before you" [105]. As for Abu Hamza, he denied it and did not acknowledge what he had, and so did Ziyad Al-Qandi. As for Uthman bin Issa, he wrote to Imam Al-Rida: "Your father, may God’s prayers be upon him, did not die while he was alive and standing, and whoever mentions that he died is invalid. Act on the fact that he has passed as you say. He did not order me to pay anything to you. As for the female slaves, I freed them and married them" [106].

One of the companions of Imam Al-Askari asked those who confronted Abu Al-Hasan Musa bin Jaafar (peace be upon them both), saying: Should I support them or should I disavow them? So he (peace be upon him) wrote: "Do not have mercy on your uncle, may God have mercy on him, and disown him. To God I am innocent of them, so do not be friends with them, do not visit their patients, do not witness their funerals, and do not pray for any of them who ever died, whether he denied an imam from God or added an imam that is not his Imamate from God, or he denied it, or he said: Three things: The one who denies the matter of our last is the one who denies the matter of our first, and the one who is superfluous among us is like the one who is deficient and denies our matter" [107].

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The Delegated:

The delegated group said that God created Muhammad and delegated to him the creation of the world, so he is the creator of what is in it. It was said: He delegated that to Imam Ali and the Imams (peace be upon them) after him [108]. The Imam confronted the thoughts of these people and their exaggerations, and some of his Shiites responded to that and specified his place, Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), in its correct position, saying: "Rather, they are honored servants who do not precede him in speech, but they act by his command" [109]. And some people from the delegated directed Kamel bin Ibrahim al-Madani to Abu Muhammad (peace be upon him). Kamel said: I said to myself to ask him: Only those who know my knowledge will enter Paradise. I was sitting at a door with a loose curtain on it, then the wind came and revealed its edge, and I saw a boy who looked like a moon foal, four years old or something like that, and he said to me: "O Kamel bin Ibrahim, I felt shuddered by that and was inspired to say: At your command, sir." He said: "You came to the Guardian of God asking him, ‘No one will enter Paradise except those who know your knowledge and say what you say?’ Let a people enter it who are called the truth." I said: "Who are they?" He said: "A people who swear by their love for Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon him) by his rights and do not know what his rights and virtues are."

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Then he said: "You came to ask about the commissioner’s article? They lied. Rather, our hearts are vessels for God’s will, so if He wills, we will, and God says: 'And you do not will unless God wills'" [110]. Abu Muhammad (peace be upon him) said to me: "From your sitting, and he informed you of your need for the argument after me," so I got up and left and did not see him after that [111].

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Confronting Exaggeration:

The Imam confronted some of the manifestations of extremism among the People of the House, so he sent a sharp letter to some of his loyalists, carrying the Imam’s threat to them. He said: "As for what follows: I have been informed of what you are upon in terms of disagreement in your hearts, in pursuit of your desires, and in the removal of Satan, until I have created for you division and atheism in religion, and striving to destroy what your guardians have done in praising the religion of God, and proving the truth of His guardians, has led you to the path of misguidance, and has turned you away from the intention of the truth. So most of you who have retreated have turned back on your heels, and you retreat as if you had not read the Book of God Almighty and did not mean anything of His commands and prohibitions. And by my life, if the matter is in the reliance of your fools. For your myths about themselves and their invention of false narratives among them, the word of torment has already come upon them, and if you accept that from them and do not deny it with your hands, your tongues, your hearts, and your worldly things, then you are partners with them in what they have invented of slandering God Almighty, His Messenger, and the rulers after him. And if that were the case, the people of Tazid would not have lied in their claim. Nor the goodness in their differences, nor the goodness in their companion, nor of anyone else among them who impersonate us and deviate from us. Rather, you are a little worse than them, and nothing prevents me from gloating over the people of truth except waiting for their glory. Most of them will turn to God except for a group that, if you wish, you can name and attribute to them.

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Satan has taken control of them and made them forget the remembrance of God. And whoever forgets the remembrance of God, he will disavow him, and he will go to Hell, and it will be an evil fate. This book of mine is a proof against them, and a proof for those who are absent from you against your witness, except for the one who reaches it who has redeemed the trust. And I ask God to unite your hearts in guidance, protect you with piety, and enable you to speak what pleases Him. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you" [112]. In addition to that, the Imam had many attitudes towards his Shiites in this area [113]. He was similar to his infallible fathers (peace be upon them).

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After I completed, with God’s grace, this research, there were a number of results that the research came out of, including:

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1. The Imam was characterized by many positive qualities that qualified him to occupy a prominent position in society.

2. He was able to spread the culture of Ahl al-Bayt in an effective and impactful manner.

3. The Abbasid side tried to contain the Imam and his Shiites by various means, to no avail.

4. The Imam’s era was characterized by intellectual cross-fertilization, which enabled him to establish a large school of thought that carried the ideas of the People of the House (peace be upon them).

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References:

1. Ibn Shahr Ashub, Abu Jaafar Muhammad bin Ali Al-Sururi (d. 588 AH), Manaqib of the family of Abi Talib, edited and indexed by: Yusef Al-Buqa’i, ed. Qom, 1421 AH, / 454 - 455. Al-Tabarsi, Abu Ali Al-Fadl bin Al-Hasan (d. 548 AH), I’lam Al-Wari Bi’lam Al-Huda, Beirut Edition, 1399 AH, p. 349. Al-Fattal Al-Naysaburi, Rawdat Al-Wa’izin, 1/247. Al-Arbali, Abi Al-Hasan Ali bin Isa bin Abi Al-Fath (d. 692 AH), Kashf Al-Ghumma fi Ma’rifat Al-Imams, presented by: Ahmed Al-Husseini, ed. Qom, 1995, p. 909. See: Ibn Khallikan, Abu Abbas Shams al-Din Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Bakr (d. 681 AH), Deaths of Notables and News of the Sons of the Time, edited by: Ihsan Abbas, ed. Beirut, 1969, 2/94. Al-Zanjani, Ibrahim Al-Musawi (d. 1352 AH), Kashkul Zanjani, ed. Qom, (bla. t.), p. 56. Al-Husseini, Al Kamal al-Din al-Hilli, The Proof of Belief in the Will of Thumrat al-Mahja wa al-Fouad, ed. Najaf, 1351 AH, p. 11. Al-Ardebili, Ahmed, Al-Hashiyat Ali Al-Hayat, the New Explanation of Abstraction, edited by: Ahmed Al-Abdi, ed. Tehran, 1417 AH, pp. 449-450.

2. Al-Arbali, Kashf Al-Ghumma, p. 909.

3. Al-Masoudi, Abu Al-Hasan Ali bin Al-Hussein (d. 346 AH), Proof of the Will of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon him), ed. Najaf, (no. ed.), p. 305.

4. Same source, p. 305. Abdul-Wahhab, Hussein (one of the notables of the fifth century AH), Eyes of Miracles, edited by: Muhammad Kazem, ed. Najaf, 1950, p. 118.

5. Al-Arbali, Kashf Al-Ghumma, p. 909.

6. Al-Kulayni, Muhammad bin Yaqoub Al-Razi (d. 329 AH), Usul Al-Kafi, 1st edition, Tehran, 1398 AH, 1/574. Al-Mufid, Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Al-Numan Al-Akbari Al-Baghdadi (d. 413 AH), Al-Irshad, edited by: Hussein Al-Istaduli, Ali Akbar Al-Ghafari, 5th edition, Najaf, 2001, p. 233. Ibn Shahr Ashub, Al-Manaqib, 4/455. Al-Naysaburi, Rawdat al-Wa'izin, 1/251.

7. See: Al-Baghdadi, History of the Imams, p. 27. Al-Khasibi, Abu Abdullah Al-Hussein bin Hamdan (d. 334 AH), Al-Hidaya Al-Kubra, ed. Beirut, 1411 AH, p. 327.

8. See: Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, 1/574. Al-Arbali, Kashf Al-Ghumma, p. 909. Al-Naysaburi, Rawdat al-Wa'izin, 1/251.

9. Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, 1/534. Al-Khasibi, Al-Hidaya Al-Kubra, 4/455. Al-Mufid, Al-Irshad, p. 233. Ibn Shahr Ashub, Al-Manaqib, 4/455. It seems that most of the sources support this, with the exception of some of them that mention that his birth (peace be upon him) was a secret to those who saw it. See: Al-Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir (d. 1111 AH), Bihar Al-Anwar Lidurar Akhbar Al-Akhbar Al-Pure Imams, edited, Dar Ihya Al-Turath, Tehran, 1395 AH, 5/38.

10. Al-Majlisi, Al-Bihar, 5/238.

11. Al-Mufid, Al-Irshad, p. 233.

12. Ibn Khallikan, Wifayat, 2/94.

13. Al-Majlisi, Al-Bihar, 5/238.

14. Al-Kulayni, Usul Al-Kafi, 1/574.

15. Al-Fattal Al-Naysaburi, Rawdat Al-Wa’izin, 1/251.

16. Al-Masoudi, Proof of the Will, p. 305. Al-Qandouzi Al-Hanafi, Suleiman bin Ibrahim (d. 1294 AH), Yanabi’ al-Mawaddah, 1st edition, Tehran, 1416 AH, 3/171.

17. Al-Mufid, Al-Irshad, p. 233. Al-Tabarsi, Alam Al-Wari, p. 249.

18. Al-Tabari, Abu Jaafar Muhammad bin Jarir (d. 310 AH), Evidence of the Imamate, (bla. i.), (bla. v.), p. 223. Al-Khasibi, Al-Hidaya Al-Kubra, p. 327.

19. See: Al-Qurashi, Baqir Sharif, This is the Shiites, an objective study, ed. Tehran, 1997, p. 244. Abdel Hamid, Saeb, An Approach to Sectarian Affiliation, 6th edition, Beirut, 2002, pp. 52-53.

20. Al-Tusi, Abu Jaafar bin Al-Hasan (d. 460 AH), The Occultation, Correction and Commentary: Ali Akbar Al-Ghafari, Behrad Al-Jaafari, 1st edition, Tehran, 1381 AH, p. 122.

21. Al-Mufid, Al-Irshad, p. 336.

22. Al-Tusi, Al-Ghaybah, p. 120.

23. Al-Tusi, Al-Ghaybah, pp. 120-121. Al-Sadr, Ali Al-Husseini, True Beliefs, a comprehensive scientific study of the foundations of the Islamic religion in the light of the Qur’an, Sunnah, and reason, 2nd edition, Qom, 1422 AH, p. 308. One of the companions of Imam Al-Hadi (peace be upon him) and one of the trustworthy ones. Tusi, Abi Jaafar bin Al-Hasan (d. 460 AH), Rijal Al-Tusi, edited, commented and presented by: Muhammad Sadiq Al Bahr Al-Ulum, 1st edition, Tehran, 1381 AH, p. 416.

24. Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, 1/263-264.

25. Al-Mufid, Al-Irshad, p. 337.

26. Al-Musawi, Ali bin Al-Hussein (d. 436 AH), Al-Shafi in the Imamate, edited and commented by: Abdul-Zahra’ Al-Husseini Al-Khatib, reviewed by: Fadel Al-Milani, ed. Qom, 1410 AH, 3/145.

27. Al-Arbali, 3/ 201.

28. Qutb al-Din al-Rawandi, Abu al-Hussein Saeed bin Hibatullah (d. 573 AH), Al-Khara’ij wa al-Jariyyah, 1st edition, Qom, 1409 AH, 1/451.

29. Same source, 1/ 451.

30. Al-Arbali, Kashf Al-Ghumma, 3/201.

31. Al-Rawandi, Al-Kharajij, 1/451.

32. Al-Tabari, Abu Jaafar Muhammad bin Jarir (d. 310 AH), History of Nations and Kings, Review, Correction and Adjustment: An Elite of Eminent Scholars, ed. Cairo, 1879, 7/543.

33. See: Al-Mufid, Al-Irshad, p. 239.

34. See: Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, 1/501.

35. See: Al-Tusi, Al-Ghaybah, p. 134.

36. Same source, p. 134.

37. See: Ibn al-Atheer, Izz al-Din Ali bin Muhammad al-Jazari (d. 630 AH), Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, 2nd edition, Beirut, 1976, 5/356.

38. Al-Mufid, p. 238.

39. Al-Majlisi, Bihar Al-Anwar, 50/309.

40. Al-Sadr, Muhammad, History of the Minor Occultation, ed. Beirut, 1412 AH, p. 177.

41. Al-Sadr, History of Occultation, pp. 177-178.

42. Al-Tusi, A’lam Al-Wari, p. 354.

43. Ibn al-Sabbagh al-Maliki, Ali bin Muhammad bin Ahmad (d. 855 AH), Important Chapters in the Knowledge of the Imams, edited by: Sami al-Ghurairi, 1st edition, Najaf, 1422 AH, pp. 1085-1086.

44. Same source, p. 1086.

45. Ibn al-Sabbagh al-Maliki, al-Fusul al-Imhamah, p. 1086.

46. The narratives differed in determining the day and month of the death of the Imam (peace be upon him). Al-Kulayni (Al-Kafi, 1/568 AH) mentioned that it had been four days before Jumada al-Akhir. Al-Masoudi (Muruj al-Dhahab, 4/193 AH) supported him in this, but what is known is that he (peace be upon him) was martyred on Monday, the third of Rajab. See: Al-Mufid, Al-Irshad, p. 232. Al-Arbali, Kashf Al-Ghumma, p. 893. Al-Tabarsi, Alam Al-Wari, p. 355. Al-Fattal Al-Naysaburi, Rawdat Al-Wa’izin, 1/412.

47. Al-Majlisi, Bihar Al-Anwar, 50/208.

48. Al-Arbali, Kashf Al-Ghumah, 3/214.

49. See: Ibn al-Atheer, Al-Kamil, 4/430-445.

50. See: same source, 4/430-445.

51. Same source, 4/430-445.

52. Al-Isfahani, Ali bin Al-Hussein bin Muhammad bin Ahmed (d. 356 AH), Muqatil Al-Talibeen, 1st edition, Atra, 1425 AH, p. 407.

53. Same source, p. 407.

54. Same source, pp. 407-408.

55. Same source, p. 408.

56. Ibn al-Taqtaqi, al-Fakhri, p. 250.

57. Same source, p. 250.

58. See: Al-Suyuti, Jalal al-Din Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakr (d. 911 AH), History of the Caliphs, edited by: Muhammad Muhyi al-Din Abd al-Hamid, 1st edition, Baghdad, 1952, p. 363.

59. See: Ibn al-Taqtaqi, al-Fakhri, p. 251.

60. Al-Dailami, Al-Hasan bin Abi Al-Hasan (d. 711 AH), Iconic Figures in the Attributes of the Believers, edited by: Al-Bayt Foundation (peace be upon them) for the Revival of Heritage, 1st edition, Qom, 1414 AH, p. 313. See: Imran, Ahmed, A Reading of the Book of Shiism and Other Writings by Sayyid Al-Ghariqi, ed. Beirut, (no. t.), p. 186.

61. Al-Masoudi, Abu Al-Hasan Ali bin Al-Hussein (d. 346 AH), Proof of the Will of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon him), ed. Najaf, (no. v.), p. 239.

62. Al-Majlisi, Bihar Al-Anwar, 5/296.

63. Al-Masoudi, Proof of the Will, p. 246.

64. Ibn Shahr Ashub, Al-Manaqib, 4/427.

65. See: Al-Majlisi, Al-Bihar, 50/313.

66. Ibn Shahr Ashub, Al-Manaqib, 4/427.

67. Al-Arbali, Kashf Al-Ghumma, 2/212.

68. Ibn Shahr Ashub, Al-Manaqib, 4/425.

69. Al-Majlisi, Al-Bihar, 50/262.

70. Al-Masoudi, Proof of the Will, p. 246.

71. Al-Harrani, Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 361.

72. Surah Al-An’am, verse (45).

73. Al-Dailami, Alam Al-Din, p. 315.

74. Surat An-Naml, verse (52).

75. Al-Dailami, Alam Al-Din, p. 314.

76. Surat Al-Baqarah, verse (7).

77. Al-Tabarsi, Al-Ihtijaj, 2/505-506.

78. Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (22).

79. Al-Saduq, Uyun Akhbar Al-Rida, 1/137.

80. Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (22).

81. Surat Al-Baqarah, verse (22).

82. Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (22).

83. Al-Saduq, Abu Jaafar Muhammad bin Ali bin Al-Hussein bin Musa bin Babawayh Al-Qummi (d. 381 AH), Uyun Akhbar Al-Rida, 1st edition, Qom, 1378 AH, 1/137.

84. Surat Al-Baqarah, verse (78).

85. Surat Al-Baqarah, verse (79).

86. Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (79).

87. Al-Tabarsi, Abu Mansour Ahmad bin Ali bin Abi Talib (one of the notables of the sixth century AH), Al-Ihtijaj, edited by: Ibrahim Al-Bahadari, Muhammad Hadi Beh, supervised by: Jaafar Al-Subhani, 5th edition, Tehran, 1424 AH, 2/511.

88. Al-Tabarsi, Al-Ihtijaj, 2/512. Al-Dailami, Alam Al-Din, p. 314. See: Al-Ghariqi, Abdullah, Shiism, its emergence, stages and introductions, 4th edition, Baghdad, 1415 AH, p. 100.

89. Al-Tabarsi, Al-Ihtijaj, 2/512.

90. Ibid., 2/ 512.

91. Same source, 2/ 512.

92. Al-Dailami, Alam Al-Din, p. 314.

93. Al-Manaqib, 4/422.

94. Al-Harrani, Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 362.

95. Surat An-Nisa, verse (114).

96. Al-Qummi, Abbas (d. 1359 AH), Al-Anwar Al-Bahiyyah fi Tarikh Al-Hujjat Al-Ilahiyya, ed. Qom, 1421 AH, p. 264.

97. Al-Harrani, Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 362.

98. Al-Qummi, Al-Anwar Al-Bahiyya, p. 264.

99. Al-Dailami, Alam al-Din, p. 314.

100. Al-Harrani, Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 362.

101. Al-Majlisi, Al-Bihar, 50/258.

102. Al-Harrani, Tuhaf Al-Uqul, p. 367.

103. Same source, p. 367.

104. Same source, p. 362.

105. Al-Tabarsi, Al-Ihtijaj, 2/518. See: Al-Majlisi, Al-Bihar, 72/117.

106. Al-Kashi, Abu Omar Muhammad bin Omar (d. 340 AH), Ikhtiyar Ma’rifat Al-Rijal (Rijal Al-Kashi), edited by: Hassan Mustafawi, ed. Isfahan, (no. t.), p. 467.

107. Al-Tusi, Al-Ghaybah, p. 64.

108. Al-Rawandi, Al-Kharaij, 1/452. Al-Arbali, Kashf Al-Ghumma, 3/319.

109. Shaker, Mahmoud Jawad, Dictionary of Islamic Sects, presented by: Kazem Mudir Shanaji, Arabicization: Ali Hashim, 1st edition, Beirut, 1995, p. 235.

110. Surat Al-Anbiya, verse (26-27).

111. Surah Al-Insan, verse (30).

112. Al-Tusi, Al-Ghaybah, p. 247, Ibn Shahr Ashub, Al-Manaqib, 4/461.

113. Al-Shami, Jamal al-Din Yusuf bin Hatim (one of the notables of the seventh century AH), al-Durr al-Nazim fi Manaqib al-Imam al-Lahamim, 1st edition, Qom, 1420 AH, p. 748.