Seerah

(This is) an account of the Imam after al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be on him, (giving) the date of his birth, the evidence

of his Imamate, the age he reached, the period of his succession (khalifa), the time and cause of his death, and the place of his grave. (It also provides) a selection from the (historical) reports about him.

He was born in Medina, on the fifth of Shaban in the year 4 A.H. (626). His mother, Fatima, peace be on her, brought him to the Apostle of God. The latter was delighted with him and named him Husayn. He sacrificed a ram on his behalf in the rite of aqiqa. On the testament of the Apostle of God, he and his brother are the two lords of the youth of Heaven, and by unanimous agreement, they were the grandsons of the Prophet of Mercy.

Al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be on them, was like the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, from his head to his chest, while al-Husayn was like him from his chest to his feet. They were the two dear ones of the Apostle of God among all his family and children. [Zadhan reported on the authority of Salman, may God be pleased with him:]

I heard the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, say concerning al-Hasan and al-Husayn, peace be on them: O God, I love both of them. Therefore love them and love whoever loves them Then he said: Whoever loves al-Hasan and al-Husayn, is one whom I love. Whomever I love, God loves, and whomever God loves, He will cause to enter Heaven. Whoever hates them, I hate and God hates. Whomever God hates, He will cause to enter the Fire. Then he said: These two sons of mine are my two plants of sweet basil (to sweeten) the world.

[Zirr b. Hubaysh reported on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud: ]

While the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, was praying, al-Hasan and al-Husayn came and stood behind him. When he raised his head, he took them tenderly (into his arms). When he resumed (his prayers), they resumed (theirs). Then when he had finished, he sat one on his right knee and the other on his left knee and said: Whoever loves me, should love these two. They, peace be on them, are the two proofs (hujjatay Allah) of God of His Prophet in the contest of prayer (mubahala). After their father, the Commander of the faithful, they were the two proofs of God (hujjatay Allah) to the community concerning religion (din) and belief (milla).

[Muhammad b. Umayr has reported on the authority of his teachers (rijal) that Abu Abd Allah (i.e. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq), peace be on him, said:]

A narration of the same kind is reported from al-Husayn b. Ali peace be on them, when he said to the followers of Ibn Ziyad on the day of deprivation:

What is the matter with you that makes you help each other against me or (don't you see) if you kill me, you kill God's proof to yourselves? No, by God, there is not between Jabilqa and Jabirsa a son of a prophet through whom God provides proof to you other than myself.

He meant by Jabilqa and Jabirsa, the two cities which al-Hasan, peace be on him, had mentioned.

One of the conclusive pieces of evidence (burhan) of the perfection of both of them, peace be on them, and the proof of God's special regard for them both, after what we have mentioned of the contest of prayer of the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, (in which he used) them both, is the pledge (bay'a) which the Apostle of God made to them, when he never made any (other) pledge to a child. The Qur'an also brings down the positive statement of the reward of Heaven to them both because of their works, despite the outward state of childhood in which they were. It did not bring down that to any other like them. God said in Surat Hal ata (known also as Surat al Dahr)

This statement is general to them, peace be on them, with their father and their mother. The tradition contains their assertion of that and their awareness of it; both of which indicate that the illustrious verse was about the two of them and (that) the greatest proof (hujja) to creatures was through them both. In the same way the report about the Messiah, peace be on him, speaking in the cradle was a proof of his prophethood and God's special regard for him through miraculous acts (karama) which indicated his place and position with God with regard to merit (fadl) The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, had made clear his Imamate and the Imamate of his brother before him through designation (nass) when he said:

These two sons of mine are Imams who will experience difficulties. The testamentary bequest (wasiyya) of al-Hasan, peace be on him, to him indicated his Imamate,just as the testamentary bequest of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, to al-Hasan, peace be on him, indicated his Imamate just as the testamentary bequest of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, to the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, indicated his Imamate after himself.