Hawzah News Agency (Samarra, Iraq) - The period of imamate of Imam Hassan Al-Askari (A.S) was characterized by its extreme importance because it was aiming to pave the way for Imam Mahdi’s birth, to lay down his imamate, to introduce him for the Shiite, protect his existence, prepare for his occultation, and prepare the connection between him and his representatives as well.
Imam Al-Hassan’s Imamate and its Political Conditions
Imam Hassan Al-Askari (A.S) had to prepare all the needed prefaces during his 6 years of imamate; at that time, he was living in a very sensitive and serious condition with regard to the Abbasids who were watching the Infallibles (A.S) from a short distance, and trying to control all their activities and they in addition to the other Muslims were expecting Imam Mahdi’s birth the progeny of Imam Hussein Bin Ali (A.S).
Hence, Imam (A.S) had lived a very difficult days during the Abbasids Caliphate with dictatorial sultans who had ascended the throne at the time he arrived to Samarra, Iraq with his father Imam Al-Hadi (A.S) in Al-Mutawakkil days in the year 234 A.H.
We can summarize here in after, the most important forms of the political situation for the era which Imam had lived in:
1- The political situation of the Abbasid state had deteriorated, and the Turks had taken the power over.
2- The amusement, the impudence, and the opulence that the caliph and his followers were living.
3- The separatism movements that were being in the government as a result of the weakness of the caliph’s authorities; because of this, the historians had called this era as: the era of the Commanders’ Command.
Paving the Way for Imam Mahdi’s Imamate
Imam Hassan Al-Askari had paved the way for his son’s imamate through many procedures, such as:
A - Concealing Imam Mahdi (A.S)’s Birth
The Imam (A.S) had concealed his son’s birth for fear of the authority who knows that the expected Mahdi is the son of Imam Al-Hassan Al-Askari (A.S) who will put an end for the oppression and will establish justice and triumph for the feeble ones.
When Imam Hassan (A.S) informed his elites, like Ahmad Bin Ishak and others, about the birth of Imam Mahdi (A.S) he ordered them to let this be a secret by saying: “A baby for us was born, let this be a secret, and let people know nothing about him”.
Shortly before the birth of Imam Mahdi (A.S) in the night of 15 of Shaaban month, Imam Hassan Askari (A.S) called for aunt Hakima and told her: “O my aunt, you are invited to break your fast in my home, because God Almighty will delight you by His guardian and proof for His people, and will be the caliph after me”.
Thus, we can notice from this, that despite of what steps he had taken, Imam Hassan had informed the elites of the Shiites the birth of his son Imam Mahdi (May God hasten his honorable reappearance).
B - Informing the Elites about Imam Mahdi’s Birth and presenting him to them
Some people had seen the Imam (A.S) after three days of his birth including: Ali Bin Bilal, Mohammad bin Muawiyah bin Hakeem, Al-Hassan Bin Ayoub Bin Nouh and others. Imam Al-Hassan (A.S) told those people while presenting his son for them the following: “this is your friend after me, he is the caliph, and he is the one who will reappear to establish justice and equity and put an end for the oppression”.
Ahmad Bin Ishak posed Imam Hassan a question saying: “O my master is there any sign for me to be assured? Then the baby uttered eloquently: “I am the Living Proof of God, I am the one who will be the revenger of the enemies of God, and don’t request for a sign after that you Ahmad Bin Ishak”, then Ahmad said: “I left feeling so happy and delight…
C - Laying down the Imamate of Al-Mahdi (A.S)
Laying down the Imamate of Al-Mahdi (A.S) and his Occultation and attesting that a delegation consisting of 40 persons who support the Prophet’s Family came to Samarra, and visited Imam Hassan’s home in order to ask them about the proof “Hojjah” after him, while sitting, Othman Bin Saeed Bin Amro Al-Amry said: “O the son of the Prophet, I want to ask you about something which you know more than me, then Imam (A.S) said: “If you please, no one walk out, I will be back. Really this happened, no one went; and after an hour later, Imam Hassan (A.S) returned back and called Othman, so he stood directly.
Imam Hassan(A.S) said: “Shall I tell you the reason why you had come?” They answered: “O yes the Son of the Prophet, then he answered them saying: “You came asking me about the proof after me”. They said: yes. And Imam Mahdi (A.S) was in front of them, a very nice guy who looks like the moon, just the same as Abo Mohammad; then Imam Hassan (A.S) said: “this is your Imam after me, and the caliph, so you should obey him and you should be united and never be separated in order not to be perished. You will not see him after this day (because of his occultation), so you should agree about what Othman tells you, and obey him, because he is the caliph of your Imam and matters go back to him”.
Eventually, all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
End.