Hasan ibn Ali
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Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (الحسن بن علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب) (Fifteenth of Ramadan, 3 AH – Twenty-eighth of Safar, 50 AH) [6] was the grandson of Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and was the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib (the first Shi’ah Imam and the fourth Sunni Caliph) and Fatima Zahra (the only daughter of Muhammad and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Muhammad’s first wife). He is regarded as the second Shi'a Imam by Shi'ahs. He is an important figure in both Sunni and Shi'ah Islam as a member of the Ahl al-Bayt, the household of Muhammad.
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[edit] His birth and family life
Hassan ibn Ali was born three years after the Hijra (624 CE) [1], the migration of the early Muslim community from Mecca to Medina. His parents were Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima Zahra bint Muhammad.
Hassan ibn Ali was the Prophet Muhammad’s first grandchild. According to Shi'a tradition, he was named by his grandfather, who acted on divine inspiration. Hassan means "pleasant" or "handsome" in Arabic.
Hassan ibn Ali and his younger brother, Hussain ibn Ali, are said to have been greatly beloved by their grandfather. There are numerous Hadiths (oral traditions) that affirm this claim. There are also Hadiths which states that Hassan ibn Ali and Hussain ibn Ali will be the chiefs of the youth in paradise. Islamic Prophet Muhammad also said that Hassan and Hussain are Imams, whether they sit (agree to a peace treaty) or stand (go to war). Shi'ahs and Sunnis believe that Hassan ibn Ali is one of the five persons included in the Hadith of The Cloak.
[edit] Life of Hassan ibn Ali during the times of his father
As a growing youth, Hassan saw the active role of his father, Ali ibn Abi Talib, in the battlefield defending Islam, as a preacher to a vast congregation of believers on the occasion of Hajj, and as a missionary of Islam to Yemen. After the death of his grandfather, the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, he saw his father having retreated to a passive role in the matters of the state during the period of the first three caliphs. However, whenever he saw it necessary, Ali ibn Abi Talib never refrained from giving his opinion to the caliph of the time on matters of the practice of faith. He had also seen that the caliphs, in turn, respected Ali ibn Abi Talib for his overall knowledge, and consulted him on many occasions as the need arose.
When the third caliph was murdered by a mob of agitated demonstrators in his palace in Mad'mah, and Ali ibn Abi Talib was elected to lead the Muslim nation, Hassan ibn Ali took active part in assisting his father in many ways. He went to Kufa and successfully raised the first army of believers against the dissenting Muslims. He participated actively in the battlefields of Basra, Siffin, and Nahrawan alongside his father, and demonstrated his skills as a soldier and as a leader.
Before he died, Ali ibn Abi Talib appointed Hassan to lead the nation of believers and to be their Imam after him. The people also chose him to be their Caliph.
[edit] The Caliphate
Upon the death of Ali ibn Abi Talib in Kufa, the Muslim garrison town, what is now southern Iraq, a number of Ali's supporters swore allegiance to Hassan as their caliph. This threatened Muawiyah I, who had been fighting Ali for the caliphate. Muawiyah summoned all the commanders of his forces in Syria, Palestine, and Transjordan to join him in preparation for war. He also attempted to negotiate with Hassan, sending the young heir letters asking him to give up his claim. If he could persuade Hassan to renounce his claim to the caliphate, then Muawiyah would certainly avoid the undesirable consequence of killing fellow Muslims, and would further support his claim to the caliphate. If Muawiyah was forced to defeat Hassan in battle, Muawiyah would gain absolute power, but questions regarding his legitimacy would linger.
Negotiations stalled, and Muawiyah marched against Hassan ibn Ali with an army claimed to number sixty thousand fighters [2]. Hassan ibn Ali also marched his army towards Muawiyah. The two armies faced opposed near Sabat.
During this period of suspense, Hassan is reported to have given a sermon in which he proclaimed his hatred of schism and appealed to his men to follow his orders even if they did not agree to them. Some of the troops took this as a sign that Hassan was preparing to surrender; they rebelled on him and attacked him. Hassan was wounded, but his loyal soldiers surrounded him in protection and managed to kill the mutineers. Another one of Hassan’s commanders, Ubayd Allah Ibn Abbas, deserted him and joined Muawiyah’s forces.
The two armies fought a few inconclusive skirmishes. Muawiyah, distressed that the result of a battle would mean a loss of many men and a lack of people to go back and partake in caring for the people, and because of that he sent two men from Banu Quraish to Hassan ibn Ali in order to negotiate a settlement with Hassan ibn Ali and his followers.[3] Hassan ibn Ali, wounded and facing disaffection in his own army, and desiring to end the long-fought civil wars, finally negotiated a settlement with Muawiyah. With regards to the negotiation, the prophet had prophersied eralier, saying"it is this grandson of mine, on who's hands the two great armies from amongst the muslims will stop fighting"
- According to Sunni scholars, Hassan ibn Ali stipulated that Muawiyah should follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah, allowing a shura for the caliphate to be held after his death, and refrain from any acts of revenge against Hassan ibn Ali’s followers.
- According to Shi’ah scholars, Hassan ibn Ali further stipulated that the caliphate should be returned to him after Muawiyah's death, if Hassan ibn Ali was still alive, and in case if he dies before that then the caliphate should be given to his younger brother, Hussain ibn Ali. [7]
Muawiyah proceeded to Kufa and demanded that the Muslims there swear allegiance. He also asked Hassan ibn Ali to join him and support him in the fight against the rebellious Kharijites. Hassan ibn Ali is claimed to have written him in response: "I have abandoned the fight against you, even though it was my legal right, for the sake of peace and reconciliation of the nation. Do you think that I shall then fight together with you?" [4]
[edit] Was he a Sunni Caliph?
Most caliph chronologies do not include Hassan ibn Ali. Hassan ibn Ali claimed the caliphate only briefly and was recognized by a half of the Islamic empire. Muawiyah forced him to resign. However, a handful of the older Sunni historians, such as Suyuti, Ibn al-Arabi, and Ibn Kathir accept Hassan ibn Ali as a caliph before Muawiyah [5]. Twelver Shi'a Muslims also regard Hassan ibn Ali as one of the twelve infallible imams.
[edit] Retirement to Medina
Marwan I, who was the personal secretary to the third caliph, and had fought against Ali ibn Abi Talib during the Battle of Bassorah, was now the governor of Medina under Muawiyah. He took personal pleasure in discharging Muawiyah's wishes to slur the reputation of Hassan ibn Ali and his father. Needless to say that the life of Hassan ibn Ali in Medina after the peace treaty was not peaceful at all. In addition to the relentless taunts and abuse slung at him by Muawiyah, Hassan ibn Ali had to endure the anger of his supporters for having relinquished the Caliphate to the lifelong enemy of himself and that of his father before him. They had failed to appreciate that Hassan ibn Ali had given up his right in the larger interests of Islam, and to avoid further bloodshed of the Muslims.
[edit] Death
Historians believe that Hassan ibn Ali died in Medina on Safar 28, 50 AH. He is buried at the famous Jannat al-Baqi cemetery across from the Masjid al-Nabawi, the Mosque of the Prophet.
[edit] Was Hasan poisoned?
Some early Arab historians, mostly of Shi'ah tendency, give another account. They say that Muawiyah wished to pass the caliphate to his own son Yazid ibn Muawiyah, and saw Hassan ibn Ali as an obstacle to his plans. And thus Muawiyah plotted to kill Hassan ibn Ali. He secretly contacted Hassan ibn Ali's wife Ja'da bint al-Ash'ath ibn Qays, and instigated her to poison her husband. Ja'da did as Muawiyah suggested, giving her husband poison mixed with honey. Madelung (pp. 331-333) notes other traditions suggesting that Hassan ibn Ali had been poisoned by another wife, the daughter of Suhayl ibn Amr, or perhaps by a servant. Madelung also cites the early historians (Baladhuri, Waqidi, etc.) who recounted these traditions. Madelung, who is more accepting of Shi'a traditions than most Western academic historians, believes that Hassan ibn Ali was poisoned and that the famous early Islamic historian Tabari suppressed the tale out of concern for the faith of the common people. (Madelung pp. 331-332)
Shi'ahs believe that Ja'da was promised gold and marriage to Yazid. Seduced by the promise of money and power, she poisoned her husband, and then hastened to the court of Muawiyah in Damascus to receive her reward. Muawiyah reneged on his promises and married her to another man. [6]
[edit] Burial of Hasan
Shi'ahs believe that Hassan ibn Ali, before his death, asked to be buried next to his grandfather, Muhammad. They further claim that Aisha, one of Muhammad's widows, refused to let Hassan ibn Ali to be buried next to Muhammad's tomb. The governor of Medina, who had been appointed by Muawiyah, sent soldiers to prevent Hassan ibn Ali's burial next to Muhammad. [8] Hassan ibn Ali's family was thus forced to bury him elsewhere, and so they buried him in Jannat al-Baqi.
[edit] Sunni view
Sunni Muslims honor Hassan ibn Ali as one of the Ahl al-Bayt and one of the Sahaba. Certain Sunni scholars of the past also are of the opinion of him being the fifth caliph, before Muawiyah, because of his appointment by Ali.[5]
[edit] Shi'a view
Muawiyah was successful in deceitfully gaining the absolute power he had aspired for. He was not interested in the functions of preaching piety or theology. He was interested in expanding his sphere of influence in the territories already conquered by the Muslims, and was actively engaged in further conquests to the north and north west of Syria. In utter violation of the terms of the Treaty with Hassan ibn Ali, Muawiyah decided to name his son Yazid to succeed him after his death. He knew that Yazid lacked all qualifications to be a caliph for the Muslims and to represent the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. He also knew that Hassan ibn Ali, being a true representative of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, would oppose the nomination of his son. Consequently, he decided to eliminate the opposition.
Muawiyah solicited the services of Marwan ibn al-Hakam, a son-in-law of Uthman ibn Affan, who was the governor of Medina at that time. With a promise for a reward, Marwan approached one of the wives of the Imam, Ju'da binte al-Ash'ath ibn Qays to poison Hassan ibn Ali. He was successful, and Hassan ibn Ali died as a result of this plot.
Before Hassan ibn Ali died, in accordance with the Will of Allah, named his brother, Hussain ibn Ali to be the next Imam. He expressed his wish to his brother to bury his body near to the grave of his grandfather, the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. This caused an armed opposition by the governor of Medina. Under a shower of arrows, the funeral procession of Hassan ibn Ali had to withdraw and be diverted to Jannat al-Baqi, the general graveyard of Medina, where he was buried.
Shi'ahs hold Hassan ibn Ali in a very high positive view, like the Sunnis,except that Shi'ahs regard Hassan ibn Ali as their second Imam.And both Sunnis and Shi'ahs regard him as a martyr. According to Shi’ahs Hassan ibn Ali married four women:
- Umm Ishaq binte Talha ibn `Ubayd Allah.
- Hafsa binte 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr.
- Hind binte Suhayl bin `Amru.
- Ju'da binte al-Ash'ath ibn Qays, whom Muawiyah I tempted to kill Hassan ibn Ali. So she killed him with poison.
| Preceded by Ali ibn Abu Talib |
Shia Imam 661–669 |
Succeeded by Husayn ibn Ali |
[edit] See also
- Muhammad
- Ali ibn Abu Talib
- Hussain ibn Ali
- Ali ibn Hussayn
- Muhammad al-Baqir
- Ja'far al-Sadiq
- Musa al-Kazim
- Ali al-Rida
- Muhammad al-Taqi
- Ali al-Hadi
- Hasan al-Askari
- Muhammad al-Mahdi
- Abbas ibn Ali
- Qasim ibn Hassan
- Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah
- Shi'a Islam
- Sharif
[edit] References
- ^ Kitab al-Irshad, Sheikh Mufid
- ^ Ibn A'zham IV, p. 153. Other numbers: [1]
- ^ Sahih Bukhari 3:49:867
- ^ Madelung The Succession to Muhammad(PERACE BE UPON HIM) 1997 pp. 324-325
- ^ a b
- Suyuti in The Khalifas who took the right way page 9 and History of the Caliphs Vol 12
- Ibn al-Arabi in his Sharh Sunan al-Tirmidhi 9:68-69 ref
- Ibn Kathir in The Beginning and the End Vol 6 page 249-250
- ^ [2], [3], [4], [5]
