ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Life of Imam Hasan Al-'Askari With the Holy Qur’an The infallible imams of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) paid excessive attention to the interpretation (tafsir) of the Holy Qur'an. Each one of them had a school of tafsir, and they were definitely the most aware of the contents of the Qur'an and all its sciences.

The master of the pure progeny, Imam Ali (a.s.) was, among all the Prophet’s companions, the most aware of the facts and minute details of the Qur’an, its muhkam (clear) verses and mutashabih (ambiguous) verses, and he knew when and where each verse was revealed. As for Imam Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Askari (a.s.), he was one of the masters of interpreters. A special tafsir known as “tafsir Imam al-Askari” was transmitted from him.

Here we mention in brief some holy verses that the imam had interpreted: Abu Hashim al-Ja’fari said, ‘Once, I was with Abu Muhammad (a.s.) and asked him about this saying of Allah: (Then We gave the Book for an inheritance to those whom We chose from among Our servants; but of them is he who wrongs himself, and of them is he who takes a middle course, and of them is he who is foremost in deeds of goodness by Allah's permission) .[^1] He said, ‘It has been revealed about the progeny of Muhammad (a.s.).

One, who wrongs himself, is the one who does not acknowledge the imam, and one who takes a middle course is the one who acknowledges the imam, and one who is foremost in deeds of goodness by Allah’s permission is the imam.’ My eyes shed tears and I thought to myself of what Allah had given to the progeny of Muhammad (a.s.). The imam looked at me and said, ‘How great is that which your self told you about the great importance of the progeny of Muhammad! Thank Allah for He has made you love them!

You shall be called with them on the Day of Resurrection when every human being shall be called with his imam. Be delighted Abu Hashim! You are in good state.’[^2] Muhammad bin Salih al-Armani asked Imam Abu Muhammad (a.s.) about this verse (Allah effaces and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book) [^3] and he replied, ‘Does Allah efface but what has been established, and does He establish but what has been not existent?...The Almighty is far above all things.