Images of Political Struggle

Imam Hasan al-Askari (A.S.), like his respected holy forefathers (peace be upon them all), engaged in political struggle to confront oppression, terrorism, safeguard the holy Islamic message, values and principles as essential tasks of leadership and the Ummah whose task they undertook according to Allah's wishes.

For fulfilling this great mission they experienced torture, imprisonment and long sufferings. They bore prisons, pursuit, killings, accusations and oppression against them as mentioned in the following narrations:

1. Abu Hashim Ja'fari was imprisoned together with Abu Muhammad (A.S.). The caliph, Mu'taz imprisoned both of them with other "Talibiyyin' [the followers of Imam Ali (A.S.)].

2. Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim is Quoted to have said:

"I was in the prison known as the prison of Salih bin Wasif Ahmar, together with Hassan bin Muhammad Aqiqi, Muhammad bin Ibrahim Amari, and others... It happened that both Abu Muhammad al-Hassa (A.S.), together with his brother, Ja'far were brought into prison. Thus, we started to be in the service of him (the Holy Imam). Salih bin Wasif was responsible for the imprisonment of the Holy Imam (A.S.). In prison, with us, there was a man from the tribe of Jumhi who pretended to be a follower of Imam Ali (A.S.), who said: Abu Muhammad (A.S.) turned around and said: "Were it not that among you is the one who is not from you, I would let you know when you would be set free. Then, he gestured to Jumhi to go out and thus he went away. Then, Abu Muhammad (A.S.) said: This man (i.e. Jumhi) is not from you, therefore, be careful of him. Because, in his clothes, there is a letter which he wrote for the caliph telling him what you say about him (the caliph). Therefore, some of the prisoners stood up and checked his clothes and found the same letter written therein."

3. In his book "A'lam Wara" Tabarsi, an historian, mentioned on the authority of a chain of narrators:

"On the authority of Ahmad bin Muhammad, who said: "I wrote a letter to Abu Muhammad (A.S.) when the caliph, Muhtadi, started killing the supporters of (Imam Ali bin Abi-Talib (A.S.)) and said: O my Lord, praise be to Allah who kept him away from you. Indeed, I had been informed that the caliph threatened you, saying: "By Allah, I would drive them away from the surface of the earth'. Abu Muhammad (A.S.) wrote a letter saying: "That causes the caliph's age to be shorted, therefore, start counting from today five days and on the sixth, he (i.e. the caliph) will be assassinated after being humiliated and disdained, and, thus, it took place as the Holy Imam (A.S.) prophesied."

The caliph, Mu'taz, like Muhtadi, thought deeply about killing the Holy Imam (A.S.) and plotted a conspiracy against him. In this respect, Ibn Sharh Ashub is quoted to have said:

"The caliph, Mu'taz asked Sa'id, the chamberlain, to take Abu Muhammad (A.S.) to Kufa and behead him on the way. His (the Imam's) letter reached us, saying: 'Whatever you heard would be safe with you. Thus, after three days, Mu'taz was deposed and killed."'

4. Sheikh Mufid is, also, quoted to have said:

"Abu Muhammad (Hassan al-Askari), peace be on him, was handed over to Nahrir. He was hard on him and did harm to him. His wife said to him: "Fear Allah, you do not know who is in your house. She mentioned to him his [Imam Hasan al-Askari's] righteousness and devotion (to Allah) and said: I fear for you as a result of him."

5. Sheikh Mufid, on the authority of Ismael Alawi, said:

"Abu Muhammad (Hassan al-Askari (A.S.)), was detained by Ali bin Awtash. The latter was violent in his hostility to the holy family of Muhammad, (S.A.W.) and severe on the family of Abu-Talib (A.S.). He was told to treat him (badly) and he did so. Yet, [Imam Hassan al-Askari (A.S.)] was only with him for a day and he began to treat him with humility. He did not raise his eyes to him out of respect and honour. He would take leave from him and had become the most perceptive of men in respect to him and the best of them in his words about him.