Hasan bin Ali

Hasan was the first grandchild of Muhammad and according to tradition was named by Muhammad upon a revelation from Allah. Hasan and his brother Hussein were greatly beloved by their grandfather, and numerous hadith testify to this. There are also hadith that exist which says Hasan and Husayn will be the leaders of the youth in heaven. Hasan's character and facial features was very similar to the prophet.

Upon the martyrdom of his father at Kufa, a number of people in that city and neighboring regions swore allegiance to Hasan, making him the sucessor to his father. This put him in conflict with the Muawiyah, who had been in competition with Ali for the caliphate. Muwaiyah began building an army to face Hasan, but at the same time sent him letters asking him to give up his claim. If Hasan was to abdicate, then Muawiyah would have a legal claim to the caliphate, if however, Muawiyah were to defeat Hasan, he would have absolute power, but his claim would be shaky.

The armies of Hasan and Muawiyah would fight some battles, but eventually Hasan would give up his claim in order to maintain peace among the Muslim people. He would then go to Medina. At one point, Muawiyah asked Hasan to help him quell a Kharijite rebellion, but Hasan refused to help, writing that he had given up fighting for the sake of peace.

Hasan was poisoned and martyred by the order of Muawiyah in Medina in the year 669 and is buried at the famous Jannat ul-Baqi cemetery across from the Masjid al Nabawi.

External Link

http://www.shiasearch.org http://home.swipnet.se/islam/imamhassan.htm

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