Allah says in the Holy Quran:
“… Those who follow the Messenger, the Immaculate One, whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel which are with them.” Al-Quran 7:158)
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
“… Those who follow the Messenger, the Immaculate One, whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel which are with them.” Al-Quran 7:158)
No doubt there are many prophecies regarding the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad in the Bible, but in the above quoted Quranic verse, the Torah and the Gospels are especially mentioned; because Moses and Jesus were prominent figures among all Israelite prophets.
Muslims look upon the source of Bible as holy and divine and its medium as truthful men. And here is a verse of Al-Quran which confirms this statement:
” Say ye: We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob, and his children, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to all other prophets from their Lord. We make no difference between any of them; and to Him we submit ourselves.” (Al Quran 2:137)
Of course, Muslims regard the Christian Scriptures as interpolated, but interpolation still implies retention of some original truths.
The principle that the Holy Prophet Muhammad testifies to the truth of all previous revelations, furnishes a strong foundation for harmony between the various religions of the world, as well as for the unity of the human race. The fact that all of the foregoing prophets testify to the truth of Prophet Muhammad constitutes a yet stronger testimony to the truth of Islam and the Unity of religions.
Moses prophesied about Hadhrat Muhammad.
In Deuteronomy 18:17-19, Moses prophesied:
“And the Lord said unto me. They have well spoken that which they have spoken, I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”
The foretold prophet in this prophecy was not Jesus Christ, nor any other Israelite prophet, because none of them ever claimed to be the prophet promised here. We read in the Gospel of John (1:19-21) that in the time of Jesus, the Jews were expecting the advent of three prophets. Firstly Elias, secondly Christ, thirdly a prophet of such universal fame that in his case no other specification was thought necessary. “The Prophet” was enough to convey what was meant. Jesus claimed to be the Christ and he regarded John the Baptist as Elias (Matthew 11:14, 17:10-13). Further, he prophesied about his second advent in the last days when true faith would disappear from the earth (Luke 18:8).
Hadhrat Muhammad to come before the Second Advent of Jesus
Peter describing the time of “That Prophet” says:
“He shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you; whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.” (The Acts 3:20-22)
These words of Peter evidently imply that the advent of “that prophet” will take place before the second advent of Jesus Christas. Jesusas pointed out in the parable of the vineyard that after him shall come the Lord of vineyard and added:
“The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth fruits thereof.” Matthew 21:43)
Thus Jesusas has made it clear that the Prophet who was to come after him was not to be of the Israelites, but from another nation – their brethren, the Ishmaelites.
This prophecy has been fulfilled in the person of Hadhrat Muhammad, the Holy Founder of Islam. For in the first place, he came from among the descendents of Ishmaelas, the brethren of Israelites; so that the promise of God concerning Ishmaelas be fulfilled: ” I have blessed him… and I will make him a great nation.” (Genesis 17:20)
Secondly, he was the prophet who came with a new law — the law of the Quran. None of Israelite prophets including Jesus of Nazareth, with the exception of Moses, brought a new law or dispensation; not did any of them claim to have been like unto Moses. On the other hand, it has been expressly written about Hadhrat Muhammad in the Holy Quran that he was the prophet like unto Moses.
“We have raised a prophet among you like unto the prophet that We sent to Pharoah” (73:16). Again, it invites the attention of the Jews to the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:18 in these words: “A witness from among the Israelites has borne witness of one like him.” (Al-Quran 46:11)
The third proof is that Hadhrat Muhammad spoke naught from himself as it was written in the prophecy (‘whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak in my name’). In the Holy Quran, all the chapters begin with the words: “In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful”.
Lord Manifests On Mount Paran:
There is an important prophecy in the Bible:
“And he said, the Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousand saints; from right hand went a fiery law for them.” (Deuteronomy 33:2)
Coming from Sinai refers to the appearance of Moses and rising up from Seir alludes that of Jesus. The prophet who shone forth from Mount Paran could be no other than the Holy Prophet of Arabia, as Paran is the ancient name of the part of Arabia where the children of Ishmael, the ancestors of Hadhrat Muhammad, settled. The Arabic form of the word Paran is Faran or Pharan. Jacut’s Geographishes Worterbuch (F. Westenfielt, Leipzig, 1862, Vol. III, P834) says that Faran is a name of Mecca. The word Faran seems to be the Arabic Farran. It means two refugees. It appears that the place took the name from Hager and Ishmaelas, who came there as refugees. Dr. A. Benisch call it in his translation of Pentateuch the desert of Paran.
What unmistakably points to the identity of Hadhrat Muhammad is the phrase: “he came with ten thousands of saints” and “from his right hand went a fiery law for them.” At the time of the conquest of Mecca, ten thousand holy men followed at his heels and he was the bearer of the law of the Quran. Hence, the prophecy has been wonderfully fulfilled in the person of Holy Prophet Muhammad, (peace and blessings of God be upon him).
Arabia is the land of the Promised One
A third prophecy is:
“The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companions of Dedanim. The inhabitants of the Land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him they fled. For they fled from the swords, from the drawn swords and from the bent bow, from the grievousness of war. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail; And the residue of number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 21:13-17)
The first point to bear in mind in connection with this prophecy is that Arabia is the scene of the Prophecy. This is most significant. Hadhrat Muhammad appeared in Arabia.
Secondly, the prophecy speaks of “Him that fled”. The flight of Hadhrat Muhammad is momentous event in the history of the world. It is upon the flight of Hadhrat Muhammad from Mecca that the Muslim calendar begins.
Thirdly, “fled from drawn swords” conclusively proves the fulfillment of the prophecy in Hadhrat Muhammad who fled from Mecca when his house was surrounded by his deadly enemies who stood there, drawn swords in had, thirsty for his blood.
Fourthly, another clear testimony in favor of Hadhrat Muhammad is found in: “within a year… all the glory of Kedar will fail… the mighty men of Kedar shall diminish.” This was fulfilled in the battle of Badr which occurred within a year from the flight of Muhammad, and in which battle, the Quraish of Mecca (Kedar) sustained a crushing defeat; most of their mighty men fell.
Rev. C. Forster locates the Kedar in Hedjaz and identifies them with Koraish. See: The Historical Geography of Arabia by Rev. C. Forster, pp. 244-265.
The Name Muhammad Mentioned in the Bible
There is an important prophecy in the Song of Solomon (5:9-16). In this prophecy, the one who is spoken of here is the beloved of God. One of the titles of Hadhrat Muhammad is Habibullah — the beloved one of God. Secondly: “My beloved is white and ruddy”. This was the color of Hadhrat Muhammad, Thirdly, “Chiefest among then thousands”. We have already shown that Hadhrat Muhammad was at the head of ten thousand followers at the time of the conquest of Mecca. The fourth and most striking point in this prophecy is the name of Hadhrat Muhammad in verse 16. It reads: “Yea, he is altogether lovely” in English Bible. In the Hebrew Bible, the word is “Muhammad-im”. See Hebrew Bible printed for the British and Foreign Bible Society by Trowitzsch & Sons, Berlin, P. 1159.
The Promised Comforter of the Gospel
The prophecy runs as follows:
“If ye love me, keep my commands. And I will pray to the Father and He shall give you another Comforter. That he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:15-17)
“But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things..” (John 14:26)
Again:
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7)
“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me.” (John 16:12-14)
John 14:26 says that the Holy Ghost is the Comforter. This claim is contrary to the plain and unambiguous words of John 16:7, wherein Jesus says that his going away, i.e., the death of Jesus is inevitably necessary of the coming of the Comforter. The New Testament says that John was filled with the Holy Ghost even before he was born (Luke 1:14), and speaks of Jesus himself as receiving the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:16)
Thus, the Holy Ghost was wont to visit men before Jesusas as well as in his own time. To what, then is the reference in the words, “If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you.” Surely not to the Holy Ghost; for it is a matter of common knowledge that the Holy Ghost was co-existing with Jesusas, and it would be sacrilegious to think for a moment that Jesusas was without the Holy Ghost. So, the Comforter was someone other than the Holy Ghost.
This also supports our assertion that there have been many interpolations in the existing Christian Bible. It is quite obvious that the Comforter cannot be the Holy Ghost, as Jesusas uses the pronoun “he” instead of “it” in connection with the Comforter.
Comforter Was To Bring Complete Teachings
According to the prophecy: The Comforter, the Spirit of truth, “will guide you into all truth”. The Holy Prophet Muhammad was the only prophet who claimed to have brought the complete teachings through the Holy Quran about which Devenport Says:
” The Quran is the general code of the Muslim world; a social, civil, commercial, military, judicial, criminal, penal and yet religious code; by it everything is regulated; from the ceremonies of religion to those of daily life; from salvation of the soul to the health of the body; from the rights of general community to those of society, from morality to crime, from punishment here to that of the life to come.”
According to the prophecy: the Comforter would not speak of himself but “whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak”. The spirit descended upon the Apostles at Pentecost was not the Comforter who should not speak of himself, for this spirit broke even the body in which it dwelt. “Me, I, my, we, ourselves” were words uttered by Peter, John, Phillip, James, and by twelve when they assembled together. Hence, the words of prophecy cannot be twisted to the Holy Ghost, which was given to them already as is clear from John 20:22 — “And when he (Jesus) had said this, he breathed on then, and saith unto them. Receive ye the Holy Ghost.”
Moreover, the Holy Ghost, being the third person of the Trinity, is a co-partner in the God-head and has a fair claim to at least one third of it. Why, then should it be reduced to the status of a recipient, hearing anything from any other person. It is, on the hand, the active agent imparting words to others who should communicate them to mankind. Obviously, the passage refers to a man inspired by God, who will transmit to others nothing beyond what is revealed to him. “He doth not speak of himself, but it is the word of God that is revealed to him” says the Holy Quran (53:4-5).
The Comforter is repeatedly spoken of in the Bible as the “Spirit of Truth” and it may be observed here in passing that the word Comforter cannot, by stretch of fancy, be twisted to fit in with the Holy Ghost, for nowhere in the Bible is the latter called the Spirit of Truth. Furthermore, Jesus speaks of Him as another Comforter. Jesus himself, of course, was one Comforter. The other Comforter foretold, therefore, must also be mortal like himself.
The Quranic picture is the same in this respect when it proclaims the advent of the Holy Prophet thus: “Qul Jaa’al Haqqo Wa Zahaqal Baatilo, Innal Baatila Kaana Zahooqa” — Say, the Spirit of Truth is come and falsehood is vanished. (Al-Quran 17:82)
It is futile to object that the Holy Prophet was a man and not a “Spirit”. The Bible itself has used the word “Spirit” in a large variety of senses, as for example: “The Spirit is willing but flesh is weak” where it signifies the spiritual part of man. Again, it is also used to stand for God, both in the Holy Quran and the Bible, as descending upon the righteous, and yet again it signifies a holy person: That which is born of the spirit is spirit”. The Christian contention that the word “spirit” cannot apply to corporal being is therefore without basis.
Hadhrat Muhammad Cleared Jesus of All False Charges
Another function of the Comforter is: “He shall glorify me,” which implies the presence of a human being to bear evidence. What the Holy Ghost can, at best, do is no more than to install into human minds. This, however, is anything but glorifying. Even granting, for the sake of argument, that the Holy Ghost did actually bear witness through human beings, the question arises whether he did purify Jesusas of the false charges laid at his door.
The Jews heaped curses upon him and alleged that he had died on the cross, which they regarded according to the Scriptures as an accursed death. Did the Christians, inspired by the Holy Ghost, clear him of this? No! On the contrary, they assisted the Jews in their blasphemous propaganda, by admitting his death on the cross. Furthermore, they imputed to him the most abominable offense, namely, that he called himself the son of God in the literal sense.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of God be upon him) alone fulfilled these prophetic words of the Gospel. He it was who emphatically pronounced the divine word: “I shall purify thee (O Jesus) of all the false charges imputed to thee by the disbelievers.” (Al-Quran 3:56) How far the Holy Prophet succeeded in achieving this can be judged from the fact that every Muslim looks upon Jesus (peace be upon him) as the righteous servant of God, as His Prophet. Belief in Jesus forms a part of Muslim’s faith.
Another characteristic of the Promised Comforter, as set forth in the Gospel, has proved another stumbling block to the Christians. “That he (the Comforter) may abide with you for ever” gives them the erroneous impression that the Comforter, in order to be immortal, must need be a “spirit” and not a human being, which betrays their ignorance of the Bible itself.
The very words of Jesus in this connection will suffice to remove this erroneous idea: “He shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever”, clearly indicate that the Comforter will abide for ever in a certain sense in which Jesus himself shall not.
As a matter of fact, when Jesus spoke of the cessation of his own life and the continuation of that of Comforter, he implicitly referred to the duration of their existence through their teachings and their spiritual influence on mankind.
When a Prophet is raised up for the reformation of a people, he is equipped with a two-fold weapon – a code of laws wherewith to regulate the life of man, and a personal magnetism exercising an ennobling influence upon whomsoever he may come in contact with. In both these respects, Jesusas has ceased to exist long since, while the Holy Prophet of Islam lives on to this day and shall live on for ever.
Jesusas came with a set of laws and spiritual force, whereby he effected a considerable reformation among his own people for a time. But, by and by the laws that were suited to the stage of society ceased to be of practical utility when found with the subsequent growth and development of that society, and the spiritual force that had wrought miracles of old, lost its efficacy and vanished. Thus arose the need for another Comforter who should bring with him a perfect law, not for a particular clan or clime but for the whole of the human race.
Civilization was, by this time, sufficiently grown up, to receive teachings which went far beyond the mental capacity of the Jews of his time. A perfect law to regulate the whole human society was thus required to replace the inadequate code of Jesusas. Hadhrat Muhammad was raised to meet the need in reference to which the Holy Quran says: “And We have not sent thee but as an embodiment of mercy for all the worlds (i.e., for all peoples and all ages)”. (Al-Quran 21:108)
Maulana Ataullah Kaleem
Source: alislam.org
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Imam Hasan (as), a brief look into his Life (This is) an account of the Imam after the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, the date of his birth, the evidence for his Imamates the period of his succession, the time of his death, and the place of his grave. (It also provides) a brief outline of the reports about him.
The Imam after the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was his son al-Hasan, the son of the mistress of the women of the worlds, Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, the Lord of messengers, may God bless him and his pure family. (Al-Hasan’s) kunya was Abu Muhammad. He was born in Medina, on the night of the middle day of the month of Ramadan, three years after the hijra (624).
His mother, Fatima, peace be on her, brought him to the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, on the seventh day in a silken shawl from Heaven, which Gabriel had brought down to the Prophet, may God bless him and his family. He named him Hasan and sacrificed a ram for him (in the ceremony of aqiqa).
[It is reported by a group (of authorities), including Ahmad b. Salih. al-Tamimi on the authority of Abd Allah b. Isa, on the authority of Jafar al-Sadiq b. Muhammad, peace be on him;]
Al-Hasan, peace be on him, was the most similar person to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, in form, manner and nobility.
[It is reported by a group (of authorities), including Ma’mar, on the authority of al-Zuhri, on the authority of Anas b. Malik, who said:]
No one was more like the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, than al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be on them.
[Ibrahim b. Ali al-Rafi’i reported on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandmother Zaynab, daughter of Abu Rafi’ – and Shabib b. Abi Rafi’ al-Rafi’i on the authority of those who told him – she said:]
Fatima, peace be on her, brought her two sons, al-Hasan and al- Husayn, peace be on them, to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, at the time when he was suffering from the sickness from which he died.
“Apostle of God,” she said, “these are your two (grand) sons. Give them something as an inheritance.”
“As for al-Hasan,” he replied, “he has my form and my nobility. As for al-Husayn, he has my generosity and my bravery.”
Al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be on him, was the testamentary trustee (wasi) of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, over his family, his children and his followers. He bequeathed him to look after his position and (the position of) his taxes (sadaqat) and he wrote him a covenant (of succession) which is well-known. His testamentary trusteeship is obvious in terms of the outlines of religion, the essential characteristic of wisdom and good-breeding. A great number of scholars have reported this trusteeship and many of the men of understanding have realised the truth of this through his (attitude to) the world.
Al-Hasan’s Succession to the Caliphate and his Abdication
When the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, died, al- Hasan addressed the people. He reminded them of his right (to authority). The followers of his father pledged allegiance to him in terms of fighting those he fought and making peace with those with whom he made peace.
[Abu Mikhnaf Lut b. Yahya al-Azdi reported: Ashath b. Suwar told me on the authority of Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i and others, who said;]
Al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be on them, addressed the people towards dawn on the night in which the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, died. He praised and glorified God and blessed the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. Then he said:
There has died tonight a man who was the first among the early (Muslims) in (good) actions. Nor did any later (Muslims) attain his level in (good) actions. He used to fight alongside the Apostle of God, may Allah bless him and his family, and protect him with his own life. The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, used to send him forward with his standard while Gabriel supported him on his right and Michael supported him on his left. He would not return until God brought victory through his hands. He, peace be on him, has died on this the night on which Jesus, son of Mary, was taken up (to Heaven), on which Joshua, son of Nuh, the testamentary trustee (wasi) of Moses, peace be on him, died. He has left behind him no gold and silver except seven hundred dirhams of his stipend (ata’), with which he was intending to buy a servant for his family.
Then tears overcame him and he wept and the people wept with him.
Then he continued:
I am the (grand) son of the one who brought the good news. I am the (grand) son of the warner. I am the (grand) son of the man who, with God’s permission, summoned (the people) to God. I am the (grand) son of the light which shone out (to the world) . I am of the House, from whom God has sent away abomination and whom God has purified thoroughly. I am of the House for whom God has required love in his Book, when God, the Most High, said: Say: I do not ask you for any reward except love for (my) kin. Whoever earns good, will increase good for himself [ XXXIII 33 ]. The good is love for us, the House.
Then he sat down.
Abd Allah b. al-Abbas, may God have mercy on him, arose in front of him and said:
People, this is the son of your Prophet, the testamentary trustee (wasi) of your Imam. So pledge allegiance to him.
The people answered him saying:
No one is more loved by us nor has anyone more right to succession (khilafa).
They rushed forward to pledge allegiance to him as successor. That was on Friday on the eleventh of the month of Ramadan in the year 40 A.H. (660). Then he assigned (the posts of) the tax collectors and he gave instructions to the governors (of the provinces). He sent Abd Allah b. al-Abbas to Basra. He took charge of all the matters.
When Mu’awiya b. Abi Sufyan learnt of the death of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and the people’s pledge of allegiance to his son, al-Hasan, peace be on him, he sent a man of secretly to Kufa and a man from Banu al-Qayn to Basra. They were to write reports to him to undermine affairs for al-Hasan, peace be on him. Al-Hasan, peace be on him, learned of that. He ordered the Himyari to be brought out from among (the tribe) of Lakhm in Kufa. He had him brought out and executed. (Al-Hasan) wrote to al-Basra, ordering the Qayni to be brought out from among the Banu Sulaym. He was brought out and executed.
Then al-Hasan, peace be on him, wrote to Muawiya:
You sent men to use deception and to carry out assassinations and you sent out spies as if you want to meet (in battle). That is something which will soon happen so wait for it, if God wills. I have learnt that you have become haughty in a way that no wise man would become haughty. In that you are just as al-Awwal described:
Say to him who desires the contrary of the one who has died: Prepare for another like him, as if (from the same) root.
I and the one among us who has died are like the one who goes in the evening so that (the other) may come in the morning.
Muawiya replied to him with his letter, which there is no need to mention. There followed between him and al-Hasan, peace be on him, correspondences messages and disputes regarding the right of al- Hasan, peace be on him, to authority and the unlawful seizure of power of those who came before his father, peace be on him, and of Mu’awiya’s attempt to strip the nephew of the Apostle of God, may God bless him anel his family, from his authority and of their (the House’s) right to it apart from them. (All these) matters would take too long to describe.
Muawiya set off towards Iraq. When he reached the bridge of Manbij, al-Hasan, peace be on him, reacted. He sent Hujr b. Adi to order the leaders of Amman to set out and to call the people together for war.
They were slow to (answer) him and then they came forward. (Al- Hasan) had a mixed band of men: some of them belonged to his Sh’ia and to his father’s: some of them were members of the Muhakimma (i.e. Kharijites) who were influenced by (the desire of) fighting Muawiya with every means (possible); some of them were men who loved discords and were anxious for booty; some of them were doubters; others were tribal supporters who followed the leaders of their tribes without reference to religion.
He set off until he came to Hammam Umar, then he went on to Dayr Kab. He stopped at Sabat, just before the bridge and spent the night there. In the morning, he, peace be on him, wanted to test his followers and make their situation clear with regard to obedience to him, so that in that way he might be able to distinguish his friends from his enemies and be in a clear mind (about his position) to meet Mu’awiya and the Syrians. He ordered the call to be made:
The prayer is a general one (which all should attend) (al-salat jamia).
They gathered and he went up on the pulpit and addressed them. He said:
Praise belongs to God whenever a man praises Him. I testify that there is no god but God whenever a man testifies to Him. I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His apostle whom He sent with the truth and whom He entrusted with revelation, may God bless him and his family. By God, I hope that I shall always be with God’s praise and kindness. I am the sincerest of God’s creatures in giving advice to them. I have not become one who bears malice to any Muslims nor one who wishes evil or misfortune tor him. Indeed what you dislike about unity (jama’a) is better for you than what you like about division. I see what is better for you better than you see for yourselves. Therefore do not oppose my commands and do not reject my judgement. May God forgive both me and you and may He guide me and you to that in which there is love and satisfaction.
[He reported:]
The people began to look at one another and asked each other, “What do you think he intends by what he has just said?
“We think that he intends to make peace with Muawiya and hand over the authority to him” they answered.
“By Gods the man has become an unbelievers they declared and they rushed towards his tent. They plundered him to the extent that they even took his prayer mat from under him. Then Abd al- Rahman b. Abd Allah b. Ja’al al-Azdi set on him and stripped his silk cloak from his shoulder. He remained sitting, still girt with his sword but without his cloak. He called for his horse and mounted it. Groups of his close associates and his Shia surrounded him and kept those who wanted (to attack) him away from him. He said:
Summon (the tribes of) Rabia and Hamdan to me.
They were summoned to him and they surrounded him and defended him, peace be on him, from the people. A mixed group of others went with him (as well). When he was passing through the narrow pass of Sabat, a man of Banu Asad called al-Jarrah b. Sinan caught hold of the reins of his mule. He had an axe in his hand. He cried:
God is greater (Allaku akbar)! You have become a polytheist, Hasan, just like your father became a polytheist before.
Then he stabbed him in the thigh. It penetrated right through to the bone. He seized (al-Hasan) by the neck and they both fell to the ground. A man from al-Hasan’s Shi’a called Abd Allah b. Khatal al- Tai; pulled the axe away from his hand and struck him with it in the stomach. Another man called Zubyan b. Umara attacked him, struck him upon the nose and killed him. Another man who had been with (al-Jarrah) was caught and killed.
Al-Hasan, peace be on him, was carried on a stretcher to al- Mada’in where he was lodged with Sa’d b. Masud al-Thaqafi. The latter was the governor of (Ali), the commander of the faithful, peace be on him, there and al-Hasan had confirmed him in that position.
Al-Hasan, peace be on him, was distracted by his own (discomfort) and with treating his wound. (In the meantime) a group of the tribal leaders wrote secretly to Mu’awiya offering to accept his authority (lit. to listen and obey). They urged him to come to them and they guaranteed to hand over al-Hasan, peace be on him, when they got to his camp, or to kill him treacherously.
Al-Hasan, peace be on him, learnt of that when a letter came to him from Qays b. Sa’d, may God be pleased with him. He had sent Qays with Ubayd Allah b. Abbas (to go on ahead) when he had set out from Kufa to meet Muawiya and to drive him out of Iraq, and make himself a commander of a unified people (jama’a). He had said to Ubayd Allah:
If you are struck down, then the commander will be Qays b. Sad.
Qays b. Sad’s letter arrived informing him that they had stopped Muawiya at a village called al-Habubiyya opposite Maskan. Then Muawiya had sent to Ubayd Allah b. Abbas, urging him to come to him and offering him a million dirhams, half of which he would give him immediately, and the other half on his entry into Kufa. Ubayd Allah had slipped away in the night with his close associates to (join) Muawiya’s camp. In the morning the people found their leader missing. Qays b. Sa’d, may God be pleased with him, said the prayer with them and took charge of their affairs.
Al-Hasan’s awareness of the people’s desertion of him increased, (as did his awareness) of the corrupt intention of the Muhakkima (the Kharijites) against him, which they made obvious by cursing him, accusing him of disbelief, and declaring that it was lawful to shed his blood and plunder his property. There remained no one to protect him from his unfortunate predicament except the close associates from his father’s Shia and his own Shia, and they were a group which could not resist the Syrian soldiers.
Muawiya wrote to him about a truce and peace treaty. He also sent him the letters of his followers in which they had guaranteed to kill him treacherously or to hand him over. He offered him as many conditions as he wanted, to answer his (call) for peace and he gave his (sworn) covenant by whose fulfilment everybody’s interests would be served. Al-Hasan, peace be on him, did not trust him. He was aware of his deception and his attempts at assassination. However he could find no escape from assenting to his demands to abandon the war and bring about a truce because of the weakness of his followers’ understanding of his right, their corrupt attitude towards him and their opposition to him. (In addition, he was aware) of the view of many of them in declaring it lawful to shed his blood and to hand him over to his rival. (He also knew) of his cousin’s desertion (of him) and his joining his enemy, as well as the inclination of the people towards the immediate present and their reluctance (to show concern) for the future.
Therefore he, peace be on him, bound himself (in a treaty) with Muawiya as a result of the confirmation of the proof (of his situation) and with the excuses before God, the Most High, and all the Muslims, of what had taken place among them. He stipulated:
That the cursing of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, should be abandoned and the practice of using the personal prayer (qunut) in the formal prayer (salat) (as prayer) against him should be set aside;
That his Shia, may God be pleased with them, should be given security and that none of them should be exposed to any evil; That each of them who had certain rights should attain those rights.
Muawiya accepted all that and made a treaty with him to observe that. He swore to him that he would fulfil it. When the truce had been concluded, Muawiya went on until he reached al-Nukhayla. That was on a Friday; he prayed the mid-morning prayer (duha al nahar) with the people, and he addressed them. In his address, he Said
By God, I have not fought against you to make you pray, nor to fast, nor to make the pilgrimage, nor to pay zakat. Indeed you do that (already). I fought so that I might have power over you and God has given that to me when you were reluctant to (obey) Him. Indeed I have been requested by al-Hasan, peace be on him, (to give him) things and I have given things to him. All of them are now under my foot. And from now on I will not fulfil anything.
Then he went on until he entered Kufa. He resided there for several days. When the pledge of allegiance by its inhabitants had to be carried out, he went up on the pulpit and addressed the people. He mentioned the commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and that he had taken from him and from al-Hasan, peace be on him, what he had taken.
Al-Hasan and al-Husayn, peace be on them, were present. Al- Husayn, peace be on him, rose to reply but al-Hasan, peace be on him, took him by the hand and made him sit down. Then he, himself, (al-Hasan) arose and spoke:
O you who mention Ali, I am al-Hasan and Ali was my father. You are Muawiya and your father was Sakhr (Abu Sufyan). My mother was Fatima and your mother was Hind. My grand father was the Apostle of God and your grandfather was Harb. My grandmother was Khadija and your grandmother was Futayla. May God curse him who tries to reduce our reputation and to diminish our nobility, who does evil against our antiquity and yet who has been ahead of us in unbelief and hypocrisy.
Groups of the people in the mosque shouted out: “Amen, Amen”
When the peace between al-Hasan, peace be on him, and Muawiya was concluded in the way we have mentioned, al-Hasan, peace be on him, left for Medina. He resided there, restraining his anger, staying close to his house, and awaiting the command of his Lord, the Mighty and High, until Muawiya had completed ten years of his administration. (Then) the latter decided to have the pledge of allegiance given to his son, Yazid, (as his successor). He communicated secretly with Ju’da, daughter of al-Ash’ath b. Qays- she was the wife of al-Hasan, peace be on him – to urge her to poison him. He gave an undertaking to her that he would marry her to his son, Yazid, and he sent her a hundred thousand dirhams. Juda gave him the poison to drink but he lingered on sick for forty days. He passed along his (final) road in the month of Safar in the year 50 A. H. (670). At that time, he was forty-eight years of age. His succession (to the Imamate) had been for ten years. His brother and testamentary trustee (wasp), al-Husayn, peace be on him, undertook the washing and shrouding of his body, and buried him with his grand mother, Fatima, daughter of Asad b. Hashim b. Abd Manaf, may God be pleased with her, in (the cemetery) of al Baqi.
Reports of the Cause of the Death of al-Hasan, Peace be on him, and of Mu’awiya Poisoning him, the Story of his Burial and the Actions and Statements Concerning that.
[Isa b. Mihran reported: Ubayd Allah b. al-Sabb’ah told us: Jarir told us on the authority of Mughira, who said:]
Muawiya sent to Juda daughter of al-Ashath b. Qays:
I will arrange for you to marry my son, Yazid, on condition that you poison al-Hasan.
He also, sent her a hundred thousand dirhams.
She did that: she poisoned al-Hasan, peace be on him. (Mu’awiya) gave her the money but did not marry her to Yazid. Instead he gave her a man from the family of Talha as a substitute. The latter gave her children. Whenever any argument occurred between them and the clans of Quraysh, they would revile them saying:
Sons of a woman who poisons her husbands.
[Isa b. Mihran reported: ‘Uthman b. Umar told me Ibn Awn told us on the authority ot ‘Umar b. lshaq, who said.]
I was with al-Hasan and al-Husayn, peace be on them, in the house. Al-Hasan, peace be on him, came in from outside and then went out again. He said:
I have been given poison to drink several times but I have never been given poison like this. A bit of my liver has come out of my mouth and I began to turn it over with a stick I had.
Who gave you the poison to drink, al-Husayn, peace be on him, asked him, and what do you want for him? Do you want him killed? If he may remain as he is, then God will be more terrible in His vengeance than you. It he may not remain as he is, then I should like to be free of any blame.
[ Abd Allah b. Ibrahim reported on the authority of Ziyad al- Makhariqi, who said:]
When death was close to al-Hasan, peace he on him, he summoned al-Husayn, peace be on him, and said.
My brother, I am leaving you and joining my Lord. I have been given poison to drink and have spewed my liver into a basin. I am aware of the person who poisoned me and from where I have been made a subject to this deceitful action. I will oppose him before God, the Mighty and High. Therefore by the right I have with regard to you, say nothing about that and wait for what God, the Mighty and High, will decide concerning me. When I have died, shut my eyes, wash me and shroud me. Then carry me on my bier to the grave of my grandfather, the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, so that I may renew my covenant with him. After that take me to the grave of my grandmother, Fatima daughter of Asad, may God be pleased with her, and bury me ther. My brother, the people will think that you intend to bury me with the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. For that reason, they will gather to prevent you from doing it. I swear by God that you should not shed even your blood into the cupping-glass in (carrying out) my command.
Then he made his testamentary bequests to his family and his children. (He gave him) his heirlooms and the things which the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, had bequeathed to him when he had made him his successor, had declared him worthy to occupy his position, and had indicated to his Shia that he was his successor, and set him up as their sign-post after himself.
When he passed on his (final) journey, al-Husayn, peace be on him, washed and shrouded his (body). Then he carried him on his bier. Marwan and those of the Banu Umayya who were with him had no doubt that they would try to bury him beside the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. They gathered together and armed themselves. When al-Husayn, peace be on him, approached the tomb of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, with (the body of al-Hasan) so that he might renew his covenant with him, they came towards them with their group. ‘A’isha had joined them on a mule and she was saying:
What is there between you and me that you should allow someone I don’t want to, to enter my house?
Marwan began to recite:
O Lord, battle is better than ease.
(Then he went on:)
Should Uthman be buried in the outskirts of Medina and al-Hasan be buried alongside the Prophet, may God bless him and his family? That will never be while I carry a sword.
Discord was about to occur between the Banu Umayya and the Banu Hashim. Ibn ‘Abbas hurried to Marwan and said to him;
Go back to where you came from, Marwan. Indeed we do not intend to bury our companion with the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. But we want him to be able to renew his covenant with him by visiting him. Then we will take him back to his grandmother, Fatima, and bury him alongside her according to his last instructions concerning that. If he had enjoined that he should be buried alongside the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, you know that you would be the least able to deter us from that. However, he, peace be on him, was much too aware of God and His Apostle and the sacredness of his tomb to bring bloodshed to it as others have done (who) have entered it without his permission.
Then he went to A’isha and said to her:
What mischief you bring about, one day on a mule and one day on a camel! Do you want to extinguish the light of God and fight the friends (awliya’) of God? Go Back ! You have been given assurance against what you fear and have learned what you wanted (to know). By God, victory will come to this House, even if it is after some time.
Al-Husayn, peace be on him, said:
By God, if there had been no injunction to me from al-Hasan, peace be on him, to prevent bloodshed and that I should not even pour blood into a cupping-glass in (carrying out) his command, you would have known how the swords of God would have taken their toll from you, you have broken the agreement which was made between you and us, you have ignored the conditions which we made with him for ourselves.
Then they went on with (the body of) al-Hasan, peace be on him, and they buried him in (the cemetery of) al-Baqi’ beside his grandmother, Fatima daughter of Asad b. Hashim b. ‘Abd Manaf, may God be pleased with her.
Complete ref:
Kitab al Irshad (The Book of Guidance)
Pages 279 – 289
By Sheikh al Mufid
Translated by I.K.A Howard
Published by Tahrike Tarsile Quran
Paper back, I.S.B.N 0-940368-11-0
Source: al-islam.org