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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Biographies of Leaders of Islam The Eeleventh Imam Hasan Al-'askari (as) NAME AND PARENTAGE His name is AL-HASAN, ABU MUHAMMAD. Being a resident of 'ASKARI, a suburb of SAMARRA', he is titled AL-'ASKARI. His father was IMAM ALI AN-NAQI (AS) and his mother was SALIL KHATUN, an ideal woman impiety, worship, chastity and generosity. He was born in Medina on the tenth of RABI' AL-AKHIR, 232, A.H.

(December 4, 846 A.D.) UPBRINGING AND INSTRUCTION He lived under the care of his respected father up to the age of 11. Then his father had to leave for SAMARRA' and he was to accompany him and thus share the hardships of the journey with the family. At SAMARRA', he passed his time with his father either in imprisonment or in partial freedom. He had, however, the chance to benefit from his father's teaching and instruction. IMAMATE His father died in 254 A.H.

(868 A.D.) when he himself was twenty-two. Four months before his death, the father declared his son to be his successor and executor of his will, asking his followers to bear witness to the fact. Thus the responsibilities of Imamate were vested upon him which he fulfilled even in the face of great difficulties and hostile environment.

BEHAVIOR OF CONTEMPORARY KINGS As stated above, it is peculiar to IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS) that he partook in all misfortunes and hardships suffered by his father, whether imprisonment or confinement. In the early days of his Imamate, AL-MU'TAZZ AL-ABBASI was the caliph. When the latter was deposed, he was succeeded by AL-MUHTADI. After his brief reign of only eleven months and one weak, AL-MU'TAMAD came to the throne. During their regimes, IMAM HASAN AL-'ASKARI (AS) did not enjoy peace at all.

Although the ABBASIDE dynasty was involved in constant complications and disorders, each and every king thought it necessary to keep the Imam imprisoned. One of the holy Prophet's traditions ran that the Prophet would be succeeded by twelve princes, the last of whom would be the MAHDI, QA'IN ALLI MUHAMMAD. The ABBASIDES knew well that the true successors of the Prophet were these very Imams. AL-HASAN (AS) being the eleventh of this serried, his son would surely be the 12th or the last.

They, therefore, tried to put an end to his life in such a way which would ensure that there would be nobody to succeed him.