Imamat de l'Imam Hasan Askari (a.s)

H 166 - Yahya bin Bashr Qambari has narrated that Abul Hasan Imam Hadi (a.s), four months before he passed away, made bequest to his son, Hasan (a.s) and I and a group of Shia witnessed it.

H 167- Saad bin Abdullah Ashari has narrated: Narrated to me Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that: When Abu Ja’far passed away, I was present with Imam Hadi (a.s) and previously the Imam had hinted to him. Therefore, I thought and said to myself: This is just how it happened in the case of Abu Ibrahim [Imam Kadhim (a.s)] and Ismail Ibn Ja’far that when Ismail passed away, Imam Sadiq (a.s) publicly announced his death so that no one may say that Ismail or his descendants are Imams. Imam Hadi (a.s) came to me and said: Yes, Aba Hashim, change of destiny occurred (Bada) with regard to Abu Ja’far and Almighty Allah replaced him with Abu Muhammad as He did in the case of Ismail, son of Imam Sadiq (a.s), after Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) had declared and mentioned him to be the Imam after him and appointed him as his successor; just as you said to yourself, although it would be displeasing to the followers of falsehood. My son, Abu Muhammad is my successor and he is having all that which the Shia society is in need of and he is having the distinctive signs of Imamate, by the grace of God.

H 168 - Saad and Ali bin Muhammad Kulaini have narrated from Ishaq bin Muhammad Nakhai from Shawiya bin Abdullah Jallab that he said: I previously narrated a report from Imam Hadi (a.s) about his son, Abu Ja’far, which proved his Imamate; but when Abu Ja’far passed away from the world, I was so astonished and bewildered that I did not know what to do and I was in a dilemma and I feared writing to the Imam about it. At last, I wrote a letter to the Imam asking him for supplication to Almighty Allah to save us from the hardships imposed on us from the ruler with regard to our youth. Reply to the letter came with a supplication of the Imam and the difficulty of our youth was also solved. At the end of the letter, the Imam had written: You wanted to ask me about the successor after the death of Abu Ja’far (Muhammad) and you are anxious due to that. Don’t be: “It is not (attributable to) Allah that He should lead a people astray after He has guided them; He even makes clear to them what they should guard against.” (9:115) Your leader after me is Abu Muhammad (Askari), my son. He has everything, which they need. God brings forward whatever He wishes and delays whatever He wishes: Whatever communications We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or like it. (2:106) In this is a clear explanation and convincing proof for one who has a watchful disposition.

Muhammad bin Hasan [Shaykh Tusi] says: That which was mentioned in the previous report is based on the fact that change of destiny (Bada) occurred about Ismail as well as Muhammad. It means that with regard to the brother of Muhammad, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s), a new matter was revealed from Almighty Allah and this removed doubt about his Imamate, since some Shia thought that Imamate was fixed for Muhammad and he was the Imam, as he was elder to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). They thought in the same way with regard to the Imamate of Ismail bin Ja’far and Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) not being the Imam. Hence when Muhammad died, the command of Allah was revealed about him; that is he is not the Imam and that he is not appointed to Imamate, and the same was revealed with regard to Ismail previously. Not that previously a text based on his Imamate was mentioned and after that Allah changed His decision in favor of someone; as such a thing is impossible from Almighty Allah and He is aware of the end of all matters.

H 169 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Muhammad bin Ahmad Alawi from Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that he said: I heard Imam Hadi (a.s) say: The successor after me is Hasan. But how will it be for you with regard to the successor after the successor? I asked: May I be sacrificed on you, what for? He replied: Because you will not see his person, nor is it permissible for you to mention him by his name. I asked: So how are we to mention him? He replied: The Proof (Hujjah) from Aale Muhammad (a.s).

H 170 - Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab has narrated from Ibn Abi Sahban that he said: When Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Musa (a.s) died, a chair or a platform was put for Imam Hadi (a.s) and the Imam sat on it. Abu Muhammad, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) also stood besides the Imam. After he completed the funeral bath of Abu Ja’far, Imam Hadi (a.s) glanced at Abu Muhammad (a.s) and said: “God has made succession (rest) with you from Him. So praise God.”

As for the miracles of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s), which prove his Imamate, they are so many that they cannot be computed. For example the following:

H 171 - Saad bin Abdullah Ashari has narrated from Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that he said: I was with Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) when permission for entry was sought for a Yemenite gentleman. When he entered, we saw that he was tall and he greeted the Imam as the owner of authority. I said to myself: If I only knew who this man is! Imam (a.s) said: He is the descendant of the Bedouin lady who possessed the pebble on which my ancestors had placed their seals. After that the Imam (a.s) said: Show that pebble, and he brought it out. The Imam placed his seal on the part, which was empty. As if we can still read the seal of the Imam and print of His Eminence that he had written: Hasan bin Ali. After that the man arose and said: Peace and blessings of Allah be on you, O Ahle Bayt (a.s); progeny in which some have emerged from others. I testify that your right, like the right of Amirul Momineen (a.s) and the Holy Imams (a.s) is obligatory; wisdom and Wilayat ends at you. You are the Wali (divine saint) of God and no one can offer any excuse of ignorance about you. I asked him what his name was; and he replied: My name is Mahja bin Salat bin Uqbah bin Samaan bin Ghanam bin Umme Ghanam. And she is the Bedouin lady from Yemen, owner of the pebble for whom Amirul Momineen (a.s) placed his seal (on the pebble).

H 172 - Ali bin Muhammad bin Ziyad Saymoori said: I came to Abu Ahmad Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Tahir; there was a letter of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) before him and it was written therein: I prayed to Almighty Allah against this transgressor [Mustaeen] and God’s fury would overtake him after three days. On the third day, Mustaeen was divested of Caliphate and killed.

H 173 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Abu Hashim Ja’fari that he said: I was imprisoned with Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) in the prison of Mohtadi bin Wathiq. Imam (a.s) said to me: O Aba Hashim, this transgressor wanted to play with divine destiny, but Allah, the Mighty and the High has cut off his life and transferred his kingdom to his successors. I don’t have a son at present; but very soon, I will be bestowed with one. Abu Hashim said: The following morning Turks attacked Mohtadi and slew him and Motamid succeeded him to the throne. Almighty Allah saved us from the intrigue of Mohtadi also.

H 174 - A group of scholars has narrated from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Husain bin Ali from Muhammad bin Hasan bin Razin that he said: Narrated to me Abul Hasan Musawi Khyberi: My father narrated that he was with Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) during many nights in Samarrah: One day a mount was brought for the Imam (a.s) to take him to the ruler. Imam (a.s) was furious at this. A Sunni man came to take the Imam and when the Imam was mounted, he also mounted his beast in a disrespectful manner. He harassed the Imam (a.s) and the latter was much disturbed by this. That day the Sunni man was more audacious to the Imam and spoke to him in a very harsh fashion. They rode on till they came to a fork on the road. Since the road was narrow and many quadrupeds were crossing it, it was not possible for two riders to ride abreast of each other. So he left the road to rejoin the Imam from a shortcut. During this period Imam (a.s) called to one of his servants: Go and shroud this man. The servant obeyed the Imam. When Imam (a.s) reached the market and we were also accompanying the Imam, that man entered the road to apprehend the Imam and to harass him through abuses and insult. At the place he entered, road stood a mule, which killed him with a single kick. The Imam’s servant shrouded him as the Imam had ordered and the Imam continued on his journey and we followed.

H 175 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that he said: I was with Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) when he said: When the Qaim (a.s) stages an uprising he will order razing of the minarets and maqsoorahs of mosques. I (the narrator) said: I wondered what it denoted. The Imam turned to me and said: It means that all these are innovations. Neither were they sanctioned by the Prophet nor his true successors.

H 176 - It is narrated through the same chain of narrators from Abu Hashim Ja’fari that he said: I heard Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) say: Among the sins that would not be forgiven is when a person says: If only I were not punished, except for this sin! I said to myself: This matter is very complicated and it is best for man to be wary of his self in his internal matters in everything. At that moment the Imam glanced at me and said: O Abdul Hashim, you thought right. You must be careful of every incident and matter, because polytheism in people is more concealed than the movement of the ant on a smooth stone on a dark night or on the surface of black floor.

H 177- Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Ahmad bin Husain bin Umar bin Yazid that he said: When Motaz ordered that while passing through Kufa with Imam Hasan Askari (a.s), they should entrust him to Saeed, the chamberlain, so that they may take the Imam to the palace of Ibn Hubairah in a way that people introduce one another. Abu Haitham Siyabah wrote a letter to the Imam: May I be sacrificed on you, I have come to know something, which has caused me discomfort and bewilderment.Imam (a.s) replied: Deliverance will come to you after another three days. After three days, Motaz was divested of Caliphate.

H 178 - A group of scholars has narrated from Abu Mufaddal Shaibani from Muhammad bin Bahr bin Sahl Shaibani that he said: Bushr bin Sulaiman, Nakhkhas, a slave trader from the descendents of Abu Ayyub Ansari and a sincere Shia of Imams Ali Naqi and Hasan Askari (a.s) and their neighbor at Samarrah said: “One day Kafur, the slave of Imam Ali Naqi (a.s) came to me and summoned me to his master. When I went to the Imam, he said: “O Bushr, you are from the descendents of Ansar. This devotion is your legacy, which your each coming generation inherits from the preceding. You are trustworthy men of us, Ahle Bayt. I am elevating you and ennobling you by an excellence, through which you will surpass all Shia in devotion, by sharing a secret with you and sending you to purchase a certain slave girl.” He then wrote a very fine letter in Roman script and language; and imprinted his seal on it. He took out a yellow cloth containing two hundred and twenty dinars. He said: “Take this and go to Baghdad.” He told me to go to the crossing of the Euphrates on the noon of such and such day. He said: “When you reach the boats of the captives, you will see slave girls in them. You will find buyers working for the procurers of Abbasids and a small group of Arab youths. When you see that, keep an eye on a man called Amr bin Zaid, the slave trader from a distance all day long, until a slave girl is brought to the buyers, who has such-and-such quality. Her dress is two thick silks; she refuses to be seen or touched by the examiners; she does not submit to anyone who would want to touch her. And you will hear a cry in Roman from behind a thin veil. You should know that she is saying: Alas from the violation of the veil. One of the buyers of Amr will say: Mine for three hundred dinars; her modesty has ever increased my desire for her. She replies to him in Arabic: Even if you come in the form of Sulaiman, the son of Dawood and with a kingdom like his, I will not be interested in you. So, save your money. “The slave-dealer says: Then what is the solution? I have to sell you. The slave girl replies: Why the haste? There must be a buyer that my heart finds rest in; in his fidelity and honesty. At that moment, go to Amr bin Zaid and tell him you have a nice letter from a certain man of nobility, which he has written in Roman language and Roman script, describing therein his benevolence, fidelity, excellence and generosity, so that she may discern from it the character of its author. Should she be interested in him and choose him, then I am his representative in buying her from you.” Bushr bin Sulaiman says: I performed all that which my Master, Abul Hasan (a.s) had ordered me to do with respect to the slave girl. When she saw the epistle, she cried very profusely and said to Amr bin Zaid: Sell me to the author of this letter. She took the solemnest of oaths that should he refuse, she will take her life. I negotiated the price with the dealer until it settled exactly on the amount my Master had given me. The money being sufficient, I took the slave girl, who was so very happy and in laughter. I returned with her to the quarters I was residing at in Baghdad. She was very restless until she took out from her pocket the letter of our Imam. She would kiss it and put it on her eyes and place it on her cheeks and touch it to her body. Astonished by this, I said: You are kissing a letter you don’t know who wrote. “O incapable and feeble one from knowing the position of the progeny of prophets,” she said, “Lend me your ears and vacate your heart for my words. I am Malika, the daughter of Yashua, son of the Caesar of Rome. My mother is a descendent of the Disciples of Isa (Hawariyin), and her lineage goes back to Shamun, the successor of Isa. I will narrate to you the wondrous story. My grandfather, the Caesar, wanted to marry me to his nephew when I was a girl of thirteen. So he gathered in his palace, three hundred priests and monks from the descendents of Hawariyin, and from their men of stature seven hundred men. He gathered four thousand commanders of the army and officers of military, leaders of armed forces and chiefs of tribes. He erected a throne from the dearest of his riches, which was adorned with varieties of jewels and raised over forty steps. When his nephew climbed, the crosses were fixed about, the bishops took their stands in great reverence, and the pages of Injeel were opened. Suddenly the crosses collapsed from the top and hit the ground. The pillars of the throne crumbled and crashed to the floor. My grandfather’s nephew, who had risen over the throne, fell down unconscious. The faces of the bishops paled and their chests trembled. Their leader said to my grandfather, ‘Please excuse me from facing this evil, which forebodes the demise of this Christian religion and the royal creed.’ “My grandfather took this as an evil omen and said to them, ‘Erect these scaffolds and raise the crosses and bring the brother of this deceased man, whose dreams have been ruined, so I may marry him this young girl; so the evil of his dead brother may go away through his fortune.’ “And when they did that, the same thing happened to the second as had happened to the first nephew. People dispersed. My grandfather, the Caesar stood in great distress and entered the quarters of the womenfolk. I dropped the curtains and in the same night saw in my dream that Isa, Shamun, and a number of the Disciples (Hawariyin) had gathered at my grandfather’s palace. They had installed there a pulpit of light that was defying heavens in height and elevation. It was in the same spot where my grandfather had installed his throne. At this, Muhammad, (s), his son-in-law and his successor, Amirul Momineen (a.s) and a number of his sons entered. Isa went forward and embraced him. Muhammad (a.s) said to him, ‘O Ruhallah, I have come to you to propose to your successor, Shamun for his daughter, Malika for this son of my mine, pointing to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s), the son of the writer of this epistle. Isa looked at Shamun and said, ‘The greatest honor has come to you. Let your relation be bonded with the relation of Aale Muhammad (a.s).’ ‘Shamun said: ‘It will be my honor to do so.’ He climbed over that pulpit. Muhammad (s) performed the rituals and married me to his son. Isa bore witness and the sons of Muhammad (a.s) and the Hawariyin bore witness. When I woke up, I was scared to report this to my father or grandfather, fearing they would kill me. I kept this secret and did not reveal it to them. Meanwhile, my heart throbbed with love for Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) so much that I forsook eating and drinking. I became weak and my body grew lean and I became very sick. There was no physician left in the cities of Rome that my grandfather did not bring to heal me. When despair overwhelmed him, he said to me, ‘O solace of my heart, does any wish occur to your heart in this world, so I may fulfill it?’ “I said: ‘Grandfather, I see the doors of relief shut on me. However, if you save the Muslim captives in your prison from torture, remove their chains, do them favors and release them kindly, I am hopeful that Isa and his mother will give me health.’ When he did that, I made effort to display health and ate a little food. This made him very happy and he became ever intense to confer kindness and respect upon the captives. “I also saw in my dreams for fourteen nights the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, Fatima (a.s). She visited me along with Maryam, daughter of Imran, and one thousand Houries from Paradise. Maryam says to me, ‘This is the Mistress of the Ladies (a.s), the mother of your husband.’ So I hold her and cry and complain why Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) does not come to visit me. The Mistress of the Ladies (a.s) said: ‘My son, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) will not visit you as long as you believe in a partner with Allah in the religion of the Christians. This is my sister Maryam, the daughter of Imran, and she turns to Allah with disdain from your religion. If you want the pleasure of Allah, the Exalted, and the pleasure of Isa and his mother, and to have Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) visit you, say: I testify that there is no god, except Allah and Muhammad is the Last Messenger of Allah.’ “When I spoke these words, the Mistress of the Ladies of the World pulled me to her chest and my soul was blessed. She said: ‘Now expect the visitations of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). I am sending him to you.’ I woke up in great excitement and expectation of meeting the Imam. The following night, I saw Imam (a.s) and as if I was saying to him, ‘You abandoned me, my beloved, while the remedy of your love ruined my soul.’ He said: ‘My delay was not but for your polytheistic belief. Now you have embraced Islam, I am going to visit you every night until Allah brings us together.’ Until now, his visitations to me have not ceased.” Bushr bin Sulaiman says: I asked her, “How did you fall amongst the captives?” She said: “Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) told me on one of the nights: Your grandfather will shortly be dispatching an army to fight the Muslims on such and such day, and he will follow them. You have to join them in the train of servants along with a number of servants from such and such route. I did that and the vanguards of Muslims encountered us, which led to my situation that you see. And no one knew that I am the granddaughter of the Roman Caesar until now, except you and that is because I told you. The gentleman in whose share of booty I fell, asked me of my name. I hid my identity from him and said: ‘Narjis.’ He said: ‘A name of slave girl.’ I said to her, “It is amazing that you are Roman and your language is Arabic.” She said: “Due to my grandfather’s persistence and encouragement that I should increase my learning, he appointed a woman to me, who was his interpreter, to visit me. She would come to me day and night and teach me Arabic, until I became fluent.” Bushr says: When I brought her back to Samarrah, I came to my Master, Imam Ali Naqi (a.s). He asked her, “How did Allah show you the glory of Islam and the disgrace of Christianity and the nobility of Muhammad and his Household?” She said: “How would I describe, O son of Allah’s Messenger, something, which you know better than me?” “I would like to confer kindness on you,” he said. “Which one is dearer to you, ten thousand dinars or a happy tiding of eternal grandeur?” “Happy tidings of a son for me,” she said. “Rejoice the tidings of having a son, who would rule the world, from the east to the west, and fill it with equity and justice, as it will be fraught with oppression and injustice.” “From whom,” she asked. From the one for whom the Messenger of Allah (s) proposed for you on such and such night, in such and such year, replied my Master in Roman. He said: “To whom Isa and his successor married you.” “From your son?” she asked. “Do you know him?” “Has there been a night he has not visited me since I have embraced Islam at the hands of Mistress of the Ladies!” Imam Ali Naqi (a.s) said: “Kafur, call my sister Hakima.” And when she entered, he said, “Here she is.” Lady Hakima embraced her long and was very much happy to see her. Imam Ali Naqi (a.s) said, “O daughter of the Messenger of Allah, take her to your house and teach her the duties and traditions, for she is the wife of my son and the mother of Qaim (a.s).”

H 179 - A group of scholars has informed us from Abu Muhammad Harun bin Musa Talakbari that he said: I was in the parlor of Abu Ali Muhammad bin Himam seated on a bench, when an aged man with a cloak on shoulders came to us. He greeted Abu Ali bin Himam and he replied to his greeting as he passed on. Abu Ali asked me: Do you know who that is? No, I replied. This man is the servant of our master, Abu Muhammad (a.s). Would you like to hear his traditions from Imam (a.s)? Yes, I replied. He said: Do you have anything to give him? I said: I have two dirhams from legal tender. He replied: That is enough. So I followed him till I reached him. I said: Abu Ali asks you if can return to us? He replied: Yes. So we came together to Abu Ali bin Himam. Abu Ali signaled me to give those two dirhams to him and I gave him the money. That old man said: There was no need of this. After that he took the money. Abu Ali bin Himam said: O Aba Abdullah Muhammad please narrated to us what you saw about Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). He said: My teacher is such a righteous person among the Alawites and I have definitely not seen anyone like him. He mounted a horse, which had black brocade saddle; he mounted his horse Mondays and Thursday and went to the capital at Surre Man Ra. One day when it was his turn to go, a lot of people were present on way to the palace and the lanes and roads were crowded with horses, mules etc. and there was a complete traffic jam. In such a way that no one can move forward. Due to the crowd there was no possibility to enter. But when my master arrived, all the people and animals became silent and animals moved to the side and made way in such a way that there was no need of taking precaution of touching the animals. After that he entered the gathering and sat down at the place reserved for him. Even at the time when he wanted to leave Darul Khilafa he called the gate keepers: Bring the mount of Abu Muhammad [Imam Hasan Askari (a.s)]; again the people and animals became silent and the animals made way to allow the Imam to mount and depart from there. One day the Caliph summoned the Imam and it was disturbing to him and he feared jealousy, slander and tale telling of some Alawites and Hashimites against him with the Caliph. He mounted the horse and departed. When he came to the house of the Caliph, he was told that the Caliph has left his seat and gone away; if you like you may wait for him or return. He returned from there and came to the cattle market. The market was noisy and busy, but when he entered the place even the animals fell silent. The Imam sat down with his agent who used to transact on his behalf. Meanwhile they came and sold a refractory horse to him at a very cheap rate. The Imam said to me: O Muhammad, get up and place the saddle on it. I arose and said to myself: He never orders me to do something that is painful. So I untied the waist band below the belly of the horse and placed the saddle on it. The horse remained quiet and made no movement. When I wanted to take the horse, the agent thought that it has become tame, so he said: It is not for sale. The Imam told me: Give the horse to him. The agent came to take the horse, but as soon as the horse saw him, it fled in fear. The Imam mounted his own horse and set out from there. The agent came to us and said: The owner of the horse says: I fear its return, because if your master knows that it is wild and refractory, he may buy it. The Imam said to me: Give him the money. I understood, the agent said: I have sold it. The Imam said to me: Take the horse. I took it up and took it to the stable; and the horse also, through the blessing of my master [Imam Hasan Askari (a.s)] did not agitate or trouble me. When the Imam dismounted, he held the right ear of the horse and recited something in it and then held the left ear and recited something in that as well. I swear by God, he became so tame that even when I cast grain before him, he just fed on his nourishment without any untoward behavior and it was due to the blessing of my master. Abu Muhammad has narrated from Abu Ali bin Himam that this horse was so wild that it was named as Saul; that is a beast, which kills people and throws down its owner, hits him against the wall and injures him by trampling him under the hooves. Muhammad, the servant says: My master was the most devout among the Alawites. He never consumed grape extract [wine] and remained seated in his place of worship and performed prostration. I used to sleep, wake up and again go back to sleep. He was still in his prostration. The Imam ate very less. Figs, grapes, peach and other kinds of fruits were brought for him, but he took one or two of them and said: O Muhammad, take it for your children. I asked: All? He replied: Take all. I have not seen anyone better than him. This brief sketch was among the proofs and miracles of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) and if we wanted to mention all of them, it would have prolonged the book. In addition to Imamate, His Eminence was the most noble and kind person of his time.

H 180 - A group of scholars has narrated from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Husain bin Ali from Abul Hasan Ayyadi that he said: Narrated to me Abu Ja’far Amari that Abu Tahir Bulbul performed the Hajj and there he saw that Ali bin Ja’far Hammani [representative of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s)] spending a lot of money. When he returned from Hajj, he wrote a letter to the Imam [apparently to object to so much generosity]. Imam (a.s) wrote in reply: We ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars for himself; again we ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars, but he refused to accept it and left it all with us. People do not have the right to interfere in the matters in which we have not included them.

The belief of those who say that Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) has not died and that he is alive; on the contrary he is the Mahdi, is invalid from the aspect that just as we know about the passing away of his ancestors, we are having information about his martyrdom as well, and the same arguments are applicable in this matter as well [mentioned previously]. In addition to this, those who had such belief are now extinct, whereas if they had been true, they would not have disappeared. The following traditional reports also prove the martyrdom of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s):

H 181 - Saad bin Abdullah Ashari said: I heard Ahmad bin Ubaidullah bin Khaqan – and he was the official of the ruler in Qom – say in a lengthy traditions, which we have condensed: When Abu Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali (a.s) fell sick, he sent his men to my father and informed about the illness of Ibn Ridha. Immediately, he mounted a horse and moved towards Darul Khilafa. Then He came back hurriedly, accompanied by five reliable servants of the master of faithful. One of them was Nahrir. He ordered the servants to keep a vigil on the house of Hasan bin Ali and gather information about him from time to time. He called a group of physicians and asked them to visit him regularly. After two days, a person informed that Imam became very weak. My father started out to meet him and stayed with him till morning and then ordered his servants to stay with him. Then he called the chief justice and ordered him to select ten such persons from the community, who were known for their honesty and trustworthiness. The selected persons were thus sent to the house of (Imam) Hasan. They were ordered to stay there day and night till his demise. After a few days of the month of Rabi I, 260 A.H. passed away, the news spread in entire Samarrah that Ibn Ridha has passed away. Then he made preparations for the rites of Imam. He closed all the markets. My father, people of Bani Hashim, soldiers, secretaries and other people attended his funeral. The caliph asked Abu Isa Ibn Mutawakkil to offer the funeral prayer. The coffin was prepared and Abu Isa moved near it and removed the cloth off the face of Imam and addressed the people, “This is Hasan bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ridha, who died a natural death and the servants of the master of faithful, and so-and-so judges are witness to it. Then he covered his face and stood up to offer the funeral prayer. He recited five Takbirs and the bier was ordered to be lifted. The bier was taken from his house and the Imam was buried near the grave of his father.

As for the belief that Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) will come back to life after his demise and establish the divinely ordained government, arguing on the basis of the tradition from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s), “He is named Qaim, because he will rise after his demise.” Their belief is wrong, because it is proved that he has passed away, and the claim that he will come back to life requires proof. If it is possible for them to say that the Waqifa might say that Musa Ibn Ja’far will come back to life after his death. Additionally, it follows that the era will be devoid of an Imam after the demise of Hasan until he comes back to life, which has been proved rationally invalid. The traditions, which assert that should the earth remain without an Imam for an hour, it would perish, invalidate this belief.

H 182 - Saad bin Abdullah Ashari has narrated from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid and Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Muhammad bin Fadhl from Abu Hamza Thumali that he said: I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s): “Can the earth remain without an Imam?” He replied: “If the earth is without an Imam for a moment, it will indeed cave into itself.”

H 183 - A saying of Amirul Momineen (a.s), “O Allah, do not leave the earth without a Divine Proof (Hujjah), either apparent and famed or hidden and unknown,” proves this.

Even if we accept the reliability of the tradition that, “he will rise after his demise,” it could mean that he will rise after his name will die and after he will be in hiding and will not be known, which is possible in the language. Our proof that the Imams are Twelve also disproves this claim. Besides, the followers of this creed have perished, and praise belongs to the Lord. Had they been righteous in their beliefs, they would not have perished.

As for those who believe that time remains devoid of an Imam after Imam Hasan Askari (a.s), their belief is invalid, because we have proved through rational as well as narrational proofs that time does not remain devoid of an Imam in any condition. Their argument that there were times when there were no prophets cannot benefit them, since we don’t believe that there has to be a prophet in every age and such an assertion does not prove the possibility that an era can be without an Imam. Besides, the followers of this creed have perished as well, and praise belongs to the Lord. Therefore, this belief is also invalid.

As for the believers in the Imamate of Ja’far bin Ali [Ja’far Kazzab] after his brother, their belief is wrong, because an Imam has to be infallible and beyond errors and he has to be the most knowledgeable of all of the Ummah in the rulings. However, indisputably Ja’far was not infallible. The actions manifested by him, which contradict the notion of his infallibility, are more than to be enumerated and we will not prolong the book by chronicling them here. Should a need arise in the future we shall mention some of them. As for his knowledgeability, he did not have any. How can he be an Imam then? Besides the followers of this creed have perished, and to Allah is all praise and gratitude.

As for the assertion that Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) did not have a son, it is invalid, because we proved that the Imams are twelve and this divinely ordained authority is bestowed to them. There are some more reports on this topic, which we mention below:

H 184 - Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari has narrated from his father from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa Ashari from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr from Uqbah bin Ja’far that he said: I asked Imam Ali Ridha (a.s): “You have reached this stage, but you don’t have an issue?” He replied: “O Uqbah bin Ja’far, the Imam does not pass away before seeing his descendant [successor].”

H 185 - It is narrated from him from his father from Muhammad bin Isa from Hasan bin Ali Khazzaz from Umar bin Aban from Hasan bin Abi Hamza from his father from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) that he said: “O Abu Hamza, the earth does not remain devoid of a scholar from us, Ahle Bayt, who may point out if people commit excess in religion and if they are deficient. And Allah does not allow this scholar to leave the world till he has not left a successor from his progeny, who has the same knowledge.”

H 186 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yaqub Kulaini directly that Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) said when Imam Mahdi (a.s) was born: “The oppressor presumed that they would kill me and cut off this progeny. So how did they witness the might of Allah?” Then he named him Muammal (the one in whom hopes rest).

H 187 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that he said: I was imprisoned with Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) in the prison of Mohtadi bin Wathiq. Imam (a.s) said to me: O Aba Hashim, this transgressor wanted to play with divine destiny, but Allah, the Mighty and the High has cut off his life and transferred his kingdom to his successors. I don’t have a son at present; but very soon I will be bestowed with one. Abu Hashim said: The following morning Turks attacked Mohtadi and slew him and Motamid succeeded him to the throne. The Almighty Allah saved us from the intrigue of Mohtadi also.

As for the one who thinks that the situation is confusing to him and he does not know whether Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) did have a son or not, and that he will adhere to the Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) until it is proved that he had a son, his assertion is invalid, because we proved the Imamate of Ibn Hasan (a.s) and we proved that the Imams are twelve. Retaining these proofs in mind, one need not be confused, but rather, it is most convincing that Hasan’s son is the Imam. It is further strengthened by our proofs that no Imam passes away until he sires an heir and sees his legatee.

188- Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari has narrated from his father from Ali bin Sulaiman bin Rashid from Hasan bin Ali Khazzaz that once Ali bin Abi Hamza came to Imam Ali Ridha (a.s) and asked: “Are you an Imam?” “Yes,” said the Imam. He said: “But I have heard your grandfather say that Imam is only one who has an issue and heir.” He said: “O Shaykh, have you forgotten? This is not what he said; His Eminence, Ja’far has said something besides this. He said: No one becomes imam [true or false], but that he should have a successor, except for the [false] imam against whom Husain bin Ali (a.s) rose up. He did not have a successor.” He said: “You have said the truth, may I be sacrificed on you. I heard in the same way from your grandfather.”

Our rational and narrational arguments that the earth does not remain devoid of an Imam also invalidates this assertion.

H 189 - And their elicitation of the narration: “Adhere to the first until the next one is possible for you…”

It is unreasonable, as this is a singularly narrated tradition. Besides, Saad Ibn Abdullah has interpreted it thus, “Adhere to the first one until the second one appears to you.” In this case, it is a proof of the successor (a.s), because it requires to adhere to the first and not to seek the news of the next when he is in hiding and occultation due to dissimulation (Taqayyah), until Allah gives him permission to appear and he will be the one whose rule will be manifested and whose person will be famed. Furthermore, believers in this dogma no longer exist, and praise belongs to the Lord.

As for those who have proclaimed the Imamate of Hasan and said that Imamate has ended like Prophethood, their assertion is worthless, because we have proved through reason and traditions that at no time can the earth remain devoid of an Imam and that the Imams are twelve and that the Qaim was born after Hasan. Besides, they have also become extinct, and praise be to Allah.

We also demonstrated the invalidity of the promoters of the Imamate of Ja’far Ibn Ali, namely, the Fatahiyya, who believe in the Imamate of Abdullah Ibn Ja’far after the demise of Imam Sadiq (a.s). And when Abdullah passed away without leaving any son, they came back to the Imamate of Musa Ibn Ja’far and after him proclaimed the Imamate of Hasan Ibn Ali. And when Hasan Ibn Ali died, they claimed the Imamate of Ja’far. Their belief is false for the reasons we invalidated the Imamate of Ja’far Ibn Ali and because there is no disagreement amongst the Imamiyah that Imamate cannot pass from one brother to another after Hasan and Husain and we have brought in that regard great many traditions.

H 190 - Narrated Saad bin Abdullah from Muhammad bin Walid Khazzaz from Yunus bin Yaqub from Abi Abdullah (a.s) that he said: “Allah does not accept to appoint to it (the Imamate) two brothers after Hasan and Husain (a.s).”

H 191 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Sulaiman bin Ja’far from Hammad bin Isa Jehni from Abi Abdullah (a.s) that he said: “The Imamate will never come together in two brothers after Hasan and Husain (a.s). It will continue in his (Husain’s) progeny one generation after another.”

H 192 - Narrated to us my father and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them – they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari, all of them from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Yunus bin Abdur Rahman from Husain bin Thuwair bin Abi Fakhta from Abi Abdullah (a.s) that he said: “The Imamate will never be diverted between two brothers after Hasan and Husain; it proceeds from Ali Ibn Husain, as Allah, the Blessed and Sublime, said: “Some of those who are bound by blood are closer (to each other) than others in the Book of Allah.”

Thus after Ali Ibn Husain (a.s) Imamate continued in his generations one after another.

Another reason is that there is no disagreement that Ja’far was not infallible, while it is proved that an Imam has to be infallible. His actions contradict his being infallible.

H 193 - It is narrated that when Ja’far was born to Abul Hasan (a.s), people congratulated him, but they did not see any signs of joy in him. He was asked about it. The Imam replied, “Take his birth easy; he will misguide many.”

H 194 - Saad bin Abdullah said: Narrated to me a group of scholars including Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari and Qasim bin Muhammad Abbasi and Muhammad bin Ubaidullah and Muhammad bin Ibrahim Amari etc. who were imprisoned for killing Abdullah bin Muhammad Abbasi that: One night Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) and his brother, Ja’far came to the prison. And they said: [The story went like this] One night we were sitting together and talking among ourselves when unlocking of the prison gate was heard and it terrified us. Abu Hashim, who was unwell, told one of us: See what’s happening. That person went to the gate, which was open and they were putting two men in the jail, after which they closed and locked the gate again. [My friends] went to them and asked: Who are you? One of them said: We are from the Talibiyyin tribe and have been arrested. He again asked: What is your name? He replied: I am Hasan bin Ali and this is my brother, Ja’far bin Ali. Our friend said: May I be sacrificed on you, if you feel right, please come to my house [my cell in prison]. He came to us and Abu Hashim and informed us of this. After that the two of them entered. When Abu Hashim saw them, he got up from the rug he was sitting on and kissed the face of Abu Muhammad and made him sit on it and Ja’far also sat with him. Ja’far called out aloud to his slave girl: Washtana. Abu Muhammad scolded him and ordered: Shut up. The inmates also saw that signs of intoxication were apparent on the face of Ja’far while he sat with them, sleep overcame him and he went to sleep in that same position. His shameful actions and sayings that are narrated are more than to be counted and we will keep ourselves clean by not mentioning them.

As for the one who says that the successor has a son and that the Imams are thirteen, their assertion is invalid, because of our proofs that the Imams are twelve. Therefore, this assertion has to be discarded. Reminder: Besides, all these sects have perished, thanks to God, and there is not a person who would uphold any of these beliefs, and this itself is the proof of their falsity.