Seerah

On the fifteenth of the holy month of Ramadhan, in the third year after Hijrah (migration), the Prophetic house announced the birth of the first grandson of the Prophet (s.a.w.). This good Joy news was given to the Chosen Prophet (s.a.w.). A look of covered his noble face and happiness flooded his heart. He hastened to the house of his daughter, the chaste Zahra', to communicate his congratulations and show his delight.

The blessed newborn baby was taken to him, in the arms of Um-Salamah, or in another version, Asma', daughter of Umays. The Prophet (s.a.w.) received him with the whole of his pure existence. He carried him in his arms. He kissed him and pressed him to his chest. Then he said the call to prayer (adhan) in his right ear and recited the call to begin the prayer (iqamah) in his left ear. The first voice that embraced the newborn's hearing and entity was, thus, the voice of right.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) turned to Imam Ali (a.s.) and asked him:

"What name did you give my son?"

"I wouldn't precede you in doing it," Imam Ali (a.s.) replied.

"Nor would I precede my Lord," averred the Prophet (s.a.w.). 3

No sooner did this short dialogue take place between the Messenger (s.a.w.) and his trustee, about the name of the new baby, than the Divine, Holy revelation came to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) telling him that Allah, the Glorified, had named the baby, Hasan. 4

That was the first phase of the Islamic rituals in honoring Imam Hasan (a.s.), the noble baby.

On the seventh day of his blessed birth, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) went to the house of Fatimah to do the remaining rituals. He slaughtered a sheep, and gave a thigh to the midwife. He also gave her one dinar in gratitude for the efforts she made for the sake of the baby and his mother, al-Zahra' (a.s.). Then he shaved the infant Imam Hasan's (a.s.) head and gave the worth of the weight of his hair in silver as alms to the poor He dyed his head with al-Khuluq (a kind of perfume). He forbid his wives to dye the baby's head with blood because that was, as he explained, a practice of the Arabs in Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era). He dispensed with the ceremony of circumcision as Imam Hasan (a.s.) was born circumcised, as were all the prophets of Allah and the Holy Imams from the household of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.). This state was one of the signs of Allah of their special position in this world and with Allah, the Almighty. These rituals, which the Prophet (s.a.w.) performed for Imam Hasan (a.s.) became a sunnah which the Muslims adopted to receive their newborn babies.

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3. Ibid., p. 120.

4. Tawfeeq Abu-Alam, Ahlul-Bait/Imam Hasan, 1st ed., 1970, p. 264 Al-Majalis al-Saniyyah (Bright Assemblies), vol. 2, Sayyid Muhsin al-Ameen al-Amili, Life of Imam Hasan (a.s.).

Adapted from the book: "Imam Hasan bin Ali (a.s.)" by: "Al-Balagh Foundation"