The time before martyrdom of Imam Ḥasan al-Askari
This period includes many important points which some of them are to be presented here:
Introducing the next Imam, al-Mahdi, to Shi’as
Since Imam Mahdi was born secretly, Imam Hassan al-‘Askri was worried that Shiites could not recognize him as the twelfth Imam and proof of Allah. So it was his duty to introduce him to some of the noble and trustworthy Shiites, and they inform others about him. This resulted in two important things; first, they knew and accepted him as the twelfth Imam and second, he would be safe.
“Ahmad Ibn Isaac“, a trustworthy and special apostle of Imam Hassan al-Askari’s, narrated as this:
“One day I went to see Imam Hassan al-Askari and I was to ask him about his successor, but before I asked him any question he said: “Oh, Ahmad! from the time of Adam, until the judgment day, God has never left the world without a proof [i.e. one of his signs]. His proof is the one for whose sake disasters do not happen to mankind and God sends rain and reveals the treasures of earth just because of him.” “Who is the next Imam after you, my lord?” I asked. He hurried into the other room and came back, carrying a three – year – old boy on his back. His face was shiny and beautiful. “Ahmad! Since you are so honorable to us and God honors you as well, I show you my son. His name and sobriquet is the same as the holy prophet and he is the one who fills the world with justice when it is full of cruelty.” He said. “Is there any sign to assure me, my lord?” I asked. At that moment, that child began to speak with a fluent Arabic: “I am Baqiyat-Allah [The gift of God, the residue] in the world who shall take revenge on His foes. Now Ahmad! After what you have seen, do not seek any more signs! “Then I left his house happily. “
Mohammad Ibn Othman is another noble Shiite who narrates as following:
“I went to see Imam Hassan Askari and forty other Shiites accompanied me. He showed us his son and said: “This is my son who will be my successor and your Imam. Obey him and do not become scattered after me, for you shall all die, and be aware that you won’t see him again after this ...”
One of the recommended traditions in Islam is “Aqiqah “ . It means to slaughter a sheep and feed some people after a child’s birth which helps to keep him healthy. Imam Hassan Askari did this several times to both fulfill the ritual and let others know about his son.
Mohammad Ibn Abraham says:
Imam Hassan Askari sent a slaughtered sheep to one of his Shiites and said: “This is of “Aqiqah” for my son Mohammad“
His miracles:
An important part in Imam Mahdi’s life, which is mainly ignored, is some miraculous acts he did before his father’s martyrdom. Here is one:
Abraham Ibn Ahmad Nishabouri writes :
“Once Amr Ibn Owf a cruel ruler who was really eager to kill Shiites] wanted to kill me, I was so afraid that decided to run away. So I bade farewell to my family and friends. Then I went to say Good bye to Imam Hassan Askari and wanted to escape after that. As I entered, there was a little boy by his side, whose face was shining amazingly. I nearly forgot my fear, but suddenly the boy said: “Abraham! You do not need to escape! The Almighty God shall keep him away from you! “I was so much surprised and asked Imam Hassan Askari (p.b.u.h.): “Oh, my dear lord! Who is this boy that is aware of my thoughts?” “He is my son and my successor.” He responded. Then I left them, while I trusted in God and what Imam Mahdi had informed me of. Some days later my uncle informed me of Amr Ibn Owf murder.
Convincing Responses to various Questions
Although he was just a child, Imam Mahdi answered many various questions which Shiites asked. This made them satisfied and completely convinced them about his Imamate .
Here is an example:
Sa’ad Ibn Abdullah Qomi, one of the great men at Imam Hassan Askari (p.b.u.h.)’s time and Ahmad Ibn Isaac Qomi, Imam’s representative, went to see Imam and to ask his questions. He says:
“As I wanted to question him, Imam Hassan Askari pointed to his son and said: “Ask my son what you want!” Then the boy said: “Ask me!” “What dose “Kaaf _ Haa_ Yaa _ Ain _ Saad “[one of detached words in Koran] mean?” I asked. He responded: “This is one of heavenly secrets which God revealed to his servant [and prophet] Zechariah and after him to Mohammad. Zechariah asked God to reveal him the names of five members of Prophet Muhammad’s family. He sent Gabriel to teach him those. Zechariah noticed that when he recited the names of the holy prophet, Imam Ali, Zahra and Imam Hassan’s name he become happy, but when he called Imam Hussain’s name he got sad. One day he asked God: “Why I become happy when I call their names except Hussain, and when I name him I get sad and cry bitterly? “God told him what would happen to Imam Hussein and made “Kaaf _ Haa _ Yaa_ Ain _ Saad“ as the code of this event. “Kaaf” for “Karbala “ , “ Haa” for “death“ [ Halak in Arabic ] “Yaa” for “Yazid” [ the cruel ruler who ordered to kill him ], “Ain” for “thirst” [ Atash in Arabic] and “Saad“ for “patience“ [Ṣabr in Arabic ] of Imam Hussein (p.b.u.h)” … Then I asked: “My lord ! Why people cannot choose their leader?” “What kind of ruler? The one who reforms or one who destroys? “He said. “Surely I mean a ruler who reforms”. I continued. “When no one is aware of others’ thoughts that they are thinking about reformation or destruction, is it probable that people choose someone who would destroy the society, he asked. “Yes, it is. “I replied. “So, here is the reason.” He said. This narration is almost long and we do not explain it more.
Gifts
Shiites usually sent some gifts and money to Imams and they spent those on necessary cases . Here is a story about these gifts :
Ahmad Ibn Isaac was one of Imam Hassan Askari’s representatives and narrates as this :
“One day I took some gifts and money to Imam Hassan Askari. There was a little boy sitting by his side. Imam said to his son to open the gifts. “Is it possible that I besmear my hands with dirty gifts which include both pure money and illegal money? “Imam’s son said. Imam Hassan Askari said to me: “Ibn Isaac! Take out these gifts so my son divides illegal money from pure one. “So I took out the first parcel. The boy said: “This parcel is from Qom and Mr. so _ and _ so [ he said the name of that man who lived in that part of Qom and he said the name of his neighborhood] has sent it. There are sixty two dinars [ Gold coin]. Forty five dinars of that money are from the land, which he sold and had inherited form his father and fourteen dinars are the price of nine clothes he has sold and three dinars are the rent of his shops.”
Imam Hassan Askari said: “It is exactly as you said my dear son! Now show this man which part of this money is dirty and illegal!” Then the boy took the coins and stated some clear reason for their being illegal. Then I took out another parcel. The boy told use about its owner and his address and then continued : “There are 50 dinars in it which are not clean and we shall not even touch that money.“ After that he explained why that money is not pure and legal.
“Yes , you are right my dear son !“ At that moment Imam Hassan Askari said. Then he continued: “Ahmad Ibn Isaac! Take all this money back to those who gave you and tell them we need not such money”.
He prayed on his father’s body
Abu l-Adyān , one of the servants of Imam Ḥasan al-ʿAskari, said:
“In the last days of Imam Hasan Askari’s life , he gave me some letters and asked me to take them to Mdāen. ‘You shall return to Samaraa in fifteen days. At that time people shall be crying and you shall find my body waiting to be washed [ before being buried’ Imam said to me. ‘My lord! Who will be your successor at that time?’ I asked. ‘The one who asks you about the answers to my letters’ Imam responded. ‘Give me another sign!’ I said again. ‘The one who prays on my body, shall be my following Imam’ He continued. ‘Can you give me one more sign?’ I insisted. ‘The one who informs about what in the parcel is’ He said but I could not ask what in the parcel is.
I took the letters to Madāen and as Imam foretold, I returned in fifteen days . When I arrived at his house , I heard people crying and saw his body waiting to be washed [before being buried].
Then I saw Ja’afar , Imam Hasan al-Askari‘s brother standing at the door and some people condoling him on his brother’s death and congratulating him on his Imamate. “If Ja’afar is the next Imam, he shall ruin Imamate completely. “I thought, because I knew he played music, drank and gambled. But since I was looking for the sings, Imam Hasan al-Askari gave me, I went to him and condoled him, but [not surprisingly] he did not ask about any of them [not the answers to the letters]. At that time ‘Aqid, one of the servants, came out and said to ja’afar, “My lord! Your brother’s body is ready. Come and pray on him. “I followed him into the house and some others came in after us. As soon as he wanted to pray on the Imam’s body, a brunet boy, with waved hair and pearl white teeth came out. He went to ja’afar and said, ‘Oh, uncle! Move aside! I am more appropriate to pray on my father’s body than you’ Ja’afar stepped aside with a white face and without even one word! The boy came along and prayed on Imam Hasan al-Askari’s body. After the pray, he came to me and said, ‘Give me the responses to my father’s letter.’ So I gave him those letters. ‘Here two signs!’ I thought. But what is the parcel thing? Then I went to Ja’afar and found him sighing deeply! One asked him who that boy was. ‘I have not seen him before and I do not even know him; I swear to God!’ He answered.
In the meantime, some people from Qom came and asked about Imam Hasan al-Askari. When we told them Imam had passed away, they asked ‘To whom shall we condole?’ When people showed them Ja’afar, they asked him, ‘We have brought some letters and some money. Tell us who sent the letters and how much the money is.’ Ja’afar got angry and cried: ‘Are you asking me about occult knowledge?’ Suddenly a servant came out and said, ‘You have brought a letter form who and another from who [he said the names of the senders] and also a parcel in which there are one thousand dinars and the marks on ten of them are almost wiped out.’ They gave him the letters and the money and said, ‘The one who has sent you, is the real Imam …’ (Kamāl-al-Din, vol. 2, p. 475)
Source: https://www.ayandehroshan.ir/
