Life of Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS): A Brief Overview

Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS), the eleventh Imam of the Shia Muslims, was born in Madina on the 8th of Rabi' Thani, 232 AH. His name was al-Hasan, and he was titled al-Askari because he resided in 'Askar, a suburb of Samarra. His father was Imam Ali an-Naqi (AS), and his mother was Salil Khatun, known for her piety, worship, chastity, and generosity.

Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) lived under the care of his father until the age of eleven. When his father was summoned to Samarra, the young Imam accompanied him, sharing the hardships of the journey. In Samarra, he spent his time with his father either in imprisonment or in partial freedom, but he benefited from his father's teachings and instructions.

His father was martyred when Imam Hasan was twenty-two years old. Four months before his death, Imam Ali an-Naqi (AS) declared his son as his successor and executor of his will, asking his followers to bear witness. Thus, the responsibilities of Imamate were vested upon Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS), which he fulfilled despite great difficulties and a hostile environment.

During his imamate, the Abbasid caliphs Al-Mu'tassam, Al-Muhtadi, and Al-Mu'tamad ruled. All of them kept the Imam imprisoned, even though the Abbasid dynasty was plagued by internal disorders. Despite his short life of only twenty-eight years, many high-ranking scholars benefited from his vast knowledge.

Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) was peerless in knowledge, forbearance, forgiveness, generosity, sacrifice, and piety. When Caliph Al-Mu'tamad asked about him, he was told that the Imam fasted during the day and worshipped at night, and his tongue uttered nothing but the remembrance of his Creator.

Imam al-Askari (AS) was a prominent scholar and leader, chief of religious scholars and an ideal of worshippers. However, he and his companions always suffered persecution and oppression by the government and were jailed in prisons.

His main task was to safeguard the message of Islam, call people towards it, and convey its principles and values. He practiced his cultural and scholarly role within the school of Ahlul-Bait (AS), focusing on the Quran and prophetic traditions.

Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) was poisoned by Caliph Al-Mu'tamad and martyred on the 8th of Rabi' Awwal, 260 AH, at the age of twenty-eight. He was buried in the house where his father was buried in Samarra. He left behind his son, Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (AS), the awaited savior who will establish the rule of truth worldwide.

Some of his short sayings include: "Those who are scrupulously pious by attribute, generous by personality, and lenient by nature will win many friends." "The worst servants of God are those who are two-faced and two-tongued; they praise their present friends and backbite the absent." "Do not dispute lest you lose splendor, and do not joke with everyone lest you be disrespected." "The mutual love of the pious is a reward for them. The love of the sinful to the pious is a virtue for the pious. The hate of the sinful to the pious is an advantage for the pious. The hate of the pious to the sinful is debasement for the sinful."

According to Mehr News, this overview of Imam Hasan al-Askari's life highlights his birth, imamate, virtues, and martyrdom, as well as his role in safeguarding Islam.