Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS), the eleventh Imam of Shia Muslims and the father of Imam Mahdi (AS), was born in 232 AH/846-7 AD in Medina. During his childhood, he was forced to accompany his father to Samarra, in present-day Iraq, by the Abbasid caliph. He lived there under Abbasid surveillance until his martyrdom in 260 AH/873-4 AD. He was buried alongside his father, Imam al-Hadi (AS), in Samarra, at a site known as the Shrine of the Two Askari Imams.
There are no specific reports about Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) performing Hajj. However, narrations from him regarding the pilgrimage, its significance, and the meanings behind the phrases of "Labbayk" have been recorded. In addition to the commentary attributed to him, prayers and supplications by the Imam are also found in Islamic sources.
Biography
Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad (AS), commonly known as Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS), was the eleventh Imam of the Twelve Imams in Shia Islam. His father was Imam al-Hadi (AS), and his mother was a noblewoman from Nubia. According to widely accepted accounts, he was born on the 8th of Rabi al-Thani in 232 AH/2th December 846 in Medina.
At the age of four, in 236 AH/850 AD, or possibly in 233 AH/847 AD, he accompanied his father to Samarra after the Abbasid caliph Mutawakkil detained his father. Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) remained in Samarra until the end of his life.
He was given the title "al-Askari" because Mutawakkil housed him in the military district of Samarra. Additionally, he was known as "Ibn al-Ridha," a title also attributed to his father, Imam al-Hadi (AS), and his grandfather, Imam al-Jawad (AS), due to their lineage from Imam al-Ridha (AS). Other titles recorded for him in historical sources include Khālis, Khāṣṣ, Sirāj, Ṣāmit, Zakī, and Taqī.
Imam Hasan al-Askari’s wife was Lady Narjis Khatun, and their only son was Imam Mahdi (AS). However, some historians have mentioned the possibility of other children attributed to him.
Martyrdom
Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) was martyred at the age of 28 on the 8th of Rabi al-Awwal in 260 AH/ 1th January 874 AD, poisoned under the orders of the Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tamid. He was buried next to his father, Imam al-Hadi (AS), in Samarra. This sacred site is known as the Shrine of the Two Askari Imams (al-Askariyain).
The burial place of Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS), alongside his father, remains a revered shrine and pilgrimage destination, famously referred to as the Shrine of the Two Askari Imams.
Period of Imamate
Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) spent 23 years alongside his father, Imam al-Hadi (AS), and, following his father’s martyrdom, became his successor at the age of 22, as per Imam al-Hadi’s will. His period of Imamate lasted six years (254–260 AH/846- 874 AD).
Imam Hasan al-Askari’s Imamate coincided with the reigns of three Abbasid caliphs: al-Mu'tazz (252–255 AH/866-868 AD), al-Muhtadi (255–256 AH/868-869 AD), and al-Mu'tamid (256–279 AH/869-892 AD). During al-Mu'tazz’s rule, the Imam was imprisoned, and an attempt was made on his life, but al-Mu'tazz was killed by Turkish forces before he could carry it out. The harassment and imprisonment of the Imam continued during the reigns of al-Muhtadi and al-Mu'tamid.
Despite the Abbasid authorities’ strict surveillance over the Imam's residence, many of his followers, including narrators, representatives, and companions, maintained contact with him. Notable among them were Ibrahim ibn Mahziyar, Abd al-Azim al-Hasani, Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Umari, and Fazl ibn Shadhan al-Nishaburi.
Books Attributed to Imam al-Askari
Among Imam Hasan al-Askari’s cultural contributions are several works attributed to him, including:
- Kitab al-Manqaba
- Masa'il Abi Muhammad al-Hasan al-Askari
- Tawqi'at al-Imam al-Askari
- Tafsir attributed to Imam Hasan al-Askari
Additionally, many supplications (duas) from the Imam are preserved in various sources.
Imam Hasan al-Askari and Hajj
There are no conclusive reports of Imam Hasan al-Askari performing Hajj. He is widely considered the only Imam who could not perform the pilgrimage due to his house arrest in Samarra. However, some sources mention narrations from the Imam in Mecca, and a report by Baladhuri indicates his presence there.
Sending His Family to Mecca
It is said that shortly before his passing, Imam al-Askari sent his mother and his son, Imam Mahdi (AS), to perform Hajj. They traveled under the protection of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Mutahhar, a close associate of the eleventh Imam. Following the pilgrimage, it is believed they moved to Medina, possibly as a place of concealment for the twelfth Imam.
Narrations About Hajj
The Imam provided various narrations related to Hajj, including rulings and spiritual insights. For instance, Muhammad ibn al-Mutahhar narrated a tradition regarding Hajj Bazli (performing Hajj on behalf of another). The Imam also conveyed a narration about the philosophy and meanings behind the phrases of Labbayk.