So why is Imam al-Hasan criticized for that?

So why is Imam al-Hasan criticized for that? [^1] Al-Isti‘ab, vol. 4, p. 370. [^2] Ali al-Qari’, Sharh al-Shafa’, vol. 1, p. 208. Imam al-Hasan married many women to be strong enough to face the Umayyads, who spared no effort to put an end to the Hashimites, to destroy their entity, and to efface their name.

Surely the fathers of the women asked Imam al-Hasan and insisted on him to marry their daughters, that they might be honored with and seek nearness to him, for he was the grandson of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and the master of the youths of the Garden. Besides they came to know that Abu Baker was of a middle honor among Quraysh, but he occupied a remarkable position in the Islamic world after the Prophet had married his daughter A’isha.

For this reason the people asked Imam al-Hasan and insisted on him to marry their daughters that they might enjoy glory and honor through the Imam’s relationship with them by marriage. These are the proofs of those who maintain that it was correct that Imam al-Hasan married many women. As for those who maintain that it was incorrect that he married many women, they have depended on the following affairs: Divorce is reprehensible according to the Islamic law.

Those who maintained that Imam al-Hasan married many women proved that he always divorced women and that he parted with them shortly after he had married them. It is well known that divorce is the most reprehensible of all things in Islam. Many lines of transmission have ensured the traditions about its reprehensibility.

It has been narrated from the Prophet (a.s) that he said when Abu Ayyub wanted to divorce his wife: “Surely divorcing Umm Ayyub is a sin.” Imam Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (a.s) has said: “Surely Allah loves the house where there is a wedding and detests the house where there is a divorce. Nothing is more detestable to Allah, the Great and Almighty, than divorce.” Abu Abdullah (a.s) has said: “Nothing of the things made lawful by Allah is more detestable to Him than divorce.

Surely Allah, the Great and Almighty, detests the moody one who divorces very much.” He (a.s) has said: “Marry and do not divorce. That is because the Throne (of Allah) shakes because of divorce.”[^1] As divorce is very reprehensible, how did Imam al-Hasan (a.s) commit it and go too far in it? Divorce contradicts Imam al-Hasan’s conduct of life. It has been established that Imam al-Hasan was the most clement of the Muslims and was a model for noble moral traits.