Iranians mourn Prophet demise, Imam Hassan martyrdom anniv.

Muslims in Iran and other countries around the world held rituals on Tuesday to mourn the anniversary of demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and martyrdom of his grandson, Imam Hassan al-Mojtaba (PBUH). This year, the sad occasion fell on Tuesday, October 5.

Life of Holy Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH)

Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born around 570, AD in Mecca. His father died before he was born and he was raised first by his grandfather and then his uncle. He belonged to a poor but respectable family of the Quraysh tribe. The family was active in Meccan politics and trade.

In his early teens, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) worked in a camel caravan, following in the footsteps of many people his age, born of meager wealth. Working for his uncle, he gained experience in commercial trade traveling to Syria and eventually from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean. In time, Muhammad earned a reputation as honest and sincere, acquiring the nickname “al-Amin” meaning faithful or trustworthy.

In his 20s, Muhammad began working for a wealthy merchant woman named Khadijah, 15 years his senior. She soon became attracted to this young, accomplished man and proposed marriage. He accepted and over the years the happy union brought several children. Not all lived to adulthood, but one, Fatima, would marry Muhammad’s cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib, whom Muhammad’s successor.

Soon, Muhammad began to gather a small following, initially encountering no opposition. Most people in Mecca either ignored him or mocked him as just another prophet. However, when his message condemned idol worship and polytheism, many of Mecca’s tribal leaders began to see Muhammad and his message as a threat. Besides going against long standing beliefs, the condemnation of idol worship had economic consequences for merchants who catered to the thousands of pilgrims who came to Mecca every year. This was especially true for members of Muhammad’s own tribe, the Quraysh, who were the guardians of the Kaaba. Sensing a threat, Mecca’s merchants and leaders offered Muhammad incentives to abandon his preaching, but he refused.

Increasingly, the resistance to Muhammed and his followers grew and they were eventually forced to emigrate from Mecca to Medina, a city 260 miles to the north in 622. This event marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. There Muhammad was instrumental in bringing an end to a civil war raging amongst several of the city’s tribes. Muhammad settled in Medina, building his Muslim community and gradually gathering acceptance and more followers.

Between 624 and 628, the Muslims were involved in a series of battles for their survival. In the final major confrontation, The Battle of the Trench and Siege of Medina, Muhammad and his followers prevailed and a treaty was signed. The treaty was broken by the Meccan allies a year later. By now, Muhammad had plenty of forces and the balance of power had shifted away from the Meccan leaders to him. In 630, the Muslim army marched into Mecca, taking the city with minimum casualties. Muhammad gave amnesty to many of the Meccan leaders who had opposed him and pardoned many others. Most of the Meccan population converted to Islam. Muhammad and his followers then proceeded to destroy all of the statues of pagan gods in and around the Kaaba.

Death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

After the conflict with Mecca was finally settled, Muhammad took his first true Islamic pilgrimage to that city and in March, 632, he delivered his last sermon at Mount Arafat. Upon his return to Medina to his wife’s home, he fell ill for several days. He died on June 8, 632, at the age of 62, and was buried at al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Mosque of the Prophet) one of the first mosques built by Muhammad in Medina. 

Life of Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (PBUH)

Imam Hassan the 2nd Holy Imam of the Shia Muslims and the leader of the youth in Heaven was born in the holy city of Medina on 15th Ramadhan in third year after Hijrah. On the Joyous, Happy and auspicious occasion of the birthday anniversary of Imam Hasan we extend our heartiest greetings and warm felicitations to the Million- strong Muslim nation.

Name : Hasan
Title : al-Mujtaba (The Chosen One)
Kuniyat : Abu Muhammad
Father : Imam Ali (A)
Mother : Bibi Fatima Zahra (A)
Birthdate : 15th of Ramadhan 3 A.H. in Medina
Imamate : From 40 A.H. to 50 A.H.
Martyrdom : 28th Safar 50 A.H.
Buried : Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Characteristics of Imam Hassan (PBUH)

No one was more like the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, than Al-Hasan b. ‘Ali, peace be on Him, in form manner, and nobility.

Imam Hassan (PBUH) spent the first seven years of his life under the care and guidance of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (S). This early training made Imam Hassan (BPUH) outstanding in his knowledge, piety, tolerance, intelligence and courage.
Imam Hassan (PBUH) and his brother Imam Hussein (PBUH) were very dear to the Holy Prophet (S). He used to carry them on his shoulders and once told the people, “Hasan and Husain are the leaders of the youth of Paradise.”
Hazrat Fatemeh (PBUH) once brought her two sons to her father and said, “O Apostle of Allah, these are your two grandsons. Give them something as an inheritance.” The Holy Prophet (S) replied, “Hasan shall have my form and my nobility and Husain shall have my generosity and bravery.”
As a child, Imam Hassan (PBUH) used to listen attentively to the verses of the Holy Qur’an as they were revealed. To the surprise of the Holy Prophet (S), his daughter Hazrat Fatemeh (PBUH) would often recite the exact text of a newly revealed verse before he personally told her about it. When he asked her how she knew, she informed him that Imam Hassan (PBUH) had already taught her the verse when he heard the Holy Prophet (S) recite it in the mosque in front of the people.
He was quite wealthy and could have lived in luxury if he desired, but he preferred to spend his money to help the poor and needy. Twice in his life he gave away his entire wealth in charity and began all over again.
Once a stranger arrived in Kufa and asked a man working in a garden for directions. The man showed him the way and then invited him to share his meal. The stranger was touched by this offer and accepted. But when he was handed some flat bread to eat, he found that it was so hard that he could not even break it on his knee, let alone with his teeth. He tried dipping it into some water but that did not help. The gardener saw the stranger’s discomfort and pointed him towards a guest house where free meals were given to all.
The guest house belonged to Imam Hasan (PBH), who himself welcomed the stranger and arranged a hot meal for him. After a while, Imam Hassan (PBUH) saw that the stranger was eating one morsel and putting one morsel in a bag on his side.  Imam Hassan (PBUH) told him to eat peacefully, and if he needed extra food for his family, it would be provided before he left. The stranger said that he had no family but was putting some food aside for the kind gardener down the road who had only hard bread to eat. When he heard this, Imam Hassan (PBUH) smiled and informed him, “That is my father Ali, the Caliph of the Muslims. He lives on simple food so that no needy subject may be embarrassed in front of him.”
Imam Hassan (PBUH) helped his father throughout his life until Imam Ali (PBUH) died when Imam Hassan (PBUH) was 37 years old. At this age he inherited his father and became the guardian of the Ahlul Bayt and the Shia. In his well-known will Imam Ali (PBUH) appointed him as the next Imam.

Martyrdom of Imam Hassan al-Mojtaba (PBUH)

The martyrdom of Imam Ali (A) on the 21st of Mahe Ramadhan, 40 A.H. marked the beginning of Imam Hasan’s (A) Imamat. The Muslims pledged their allegiance to him and finalized the formality of Bay’at (Oath of Allegiance). No sooner had he taken the reins of leadership in his hands than he had to meet the challeng) of Muawiya bin Abu Sufyan, the governor of Syria, who began trying to undermine his authority.
Imam Hassan (PBUH) decided that Muawiya would have to be ousted by force and he prepared for war. He appointed a representative in Kufa and proceeded to Nukhayla where he had asked the army to gather. After 10 days, only 4,000 men had assembled, so he went back to Kufa and made another call for people to come to arms, sending out Hujr bin Adi to do the same.

One of the Holy Imam’s (A) wives was Ju’da binte Ash’ath bin Qays. Muawiya conspired with Ju’da to give Imam Hassan (PBUH) some poison. In return she would get 100,000 dirhams and he would marry her to Yazid. This evil woman put poison in Imam Hassan (PBUH) drinking water and he immediately fell gravely ill as a result. After great suffering, the Holy Imam (A) departed from this world. Just before he died, he entrusted the affairs of Imamat to his brother Imam Husain (A) and made him the guardian of his own family.

Imam Hassan (PBUH) had stated that before he was buried in Jannatul Baqee, his body should be taken to the grave of the Holy Prophet (S) for a final visit. When Bani Hashim attempted to carry out the last wishes of Imam Hassan (PBUH), they were stopped by Ayesha and members of Bani Umayyah, who thought that they wished to bury him next to his grandfather. Imam Hussein (PBUH) did not want bloodshed so he directed that the body be taken straight to Jannatul Baqee, where Imam Hassan (PBUH) was buried next to his grandmother Hazrat Fatemeh (PBUH). He was 48 years old when he was martyred.

Compiled and provided by: S. Morteza Ahmadi Alehashem