Seerah

Like all other Imams from Imam Ali (A.S) to Imam Mahdi (A.S), the 2nd Imam (A.S) possessed all the lofty characteristics Allah had blessed them with.

The 2nd Imam (AS) was born on the 15th of Ramadhan 624 A.H., his Imamate extending for 10 years and was martyred on the 28th Safar 671 A.H., at the age of 47 years. He was buried in the Baqi" Cemetery in Medina (Saudi Arabia).

The Prophet (pbuh) loved his grandsons greatly, saying: "Whoever loves Hassan (A.S) and Hussain (A.S), has loved me and those who harm these two, have harmed me."

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also used to say: "Hassan and Hussain are masters of the youth of Paradise... These two grandsons of mine are Imams (Divine Leaders)," whether they adopt a non-war stance (like Imam Hassan (A.S), who later signed the famous conditional peace treaty) or draw the sword to fight (just as the history later witnessed Imam Hussain (A.S) at Kerbala).

Hazrat Fatima (SA) once visited her father (SAW) with her two sons [Hassan (A.S) and Hussain (A.S)] and asked for her father"s blessings for his grandsons. The Prophet (pbuh) replied: "As for Hassan, he has my generosity and bravery ..."

The Virtues of Imam Hassan (A.S):

Imam Hassan Mujtaba (A.S) was one of those outstanding personalities whose individual and social facets can be an incomparable guide for the treaders of the path of humanity.   His outstanding characteristics were his forgiveness and compassion which have been widely quoted on by historians. In a narration on this subject, it has been revealed that a person went up to Imam Hassan (A.S) and made some demands. The Imam (A.S) asked for his need to be written and brought to him. When it was brought, the Imam (A.S) gave him twice as much as he had asked for.

Some other virtuous qualities of Imam Hassan (A.S) were his patience and forbearance as well as avoidance of hypocrisy and having "a holier than thou attitude."

In this regard too, there are several narrations, one of which we quote as an example below:

It is quoted that a man from Syria had said: "One day I saw a man in Medina who had a tranquil and extremely beautiful countenance and wore the most beautiful clothes and was astride a mule who had been decorated in a beautiful manner. I asked: "Who is this man?"

They replied: "He is Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abu Talib (A.S)."  A seething rage overtook me from head to toe and as a result I felt jealous of Ali ibn Abu Talib (A.S) for having such a son.

So I went up to him and enquired: "Are you the son of Abu Talib?" He answered: "I am the offspring of his son."

In a rage, I let out a flood of abuses and slander at him. After I had finished abusing him, he asked me if I was a stranger. To which I replied in the positive. Then he asked me to go along with him and that he would arrange a place for me to stay if I didn"t have one; and that if I didn"t have money, he would help me out. Also if I was in need, he would me make self-sufficient.

When I had separated from him, there was no one on earth who was more beloved to me than Imam Hassan ibn Ali (A.S).

On the religious role of Imam Hassan (A.S), besides the fact that he was a means for the succession of the Household of the Prophet (pbuh) and was responsible for the transfer of the works of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)(and of whom the Sunni school of thought also narrate in praise of his jurisprudence), his most important work must be considered to be the compilation of the Book of Traditions (Ahadith).

It has been narrated that Imam Hassan (A.S) had stated to his children and his brother (A.S) that:

"Today you are the infants of one nation who will in a short time become the elders of a great nation. Partake knowledge, and if you cannot then maintain and narrate it. Write it down and place it in your home."

At times, Imam Hassan (A.S) would be the authority for solving certain intricate problems which some people would ask of Muawiyya, and which he, in spite of the presence of narrators and scholars in his court, would be unable to answer and would finally refer to Imam Hassan Mujtaba (A.S).

Imam Hassan (A.S) sacrificed what he could, even though he had earlier said: "I am the grandson of the one who brought the good news. I am the grandson of the warner. I am the grandson of the man who, with Allah"s permission, summoned the people to Allah. I am the grandson of the light which shone out to the world. I am the House from whom Allah has sent away abomination and whom Allah has required love in His Book (Quran), when Allah, the Most High, said: Say, `I don"t ask you for any reward except love for my kin. Whoever earns good, will increase good for himself," [3:3]. The good is love for us, the House."