In the early days of his Imamate of our 11th Imam, Imam Hasan Askari [who succeeded his father, Imam Ali Naqi in 254 AH / 868 CE at the age of 22], Al-Mu'tazz was the Abbasid Caliph. When the latter was deposed, he was succeeded by al-Muhtadi, son of al-Wathiq. After his brief reign of only eleven months and one week, Al-Mu'tamid eldest surviving son of al-Mutawakkil came to the throne. During their regimes, Imam Hasan Askari (as) did not enjoy peace at all. Although the Abbasid dynasty was involved in constant complications and disorders, each and every Caliph thought it necessary to keep Imam Hasan Askari (as) imprisoned.

One of the Holy Prophet Muhammad's traditions ran that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) would be succeeded by twelve successors from his progeny (Ahlul Bayt), the last of whom would be Imam al-Mahdi (as).

The Book on Government (Kitab Al-Imara)
Sahih Muslim :: Book 20 : Hadith 4480

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. Samura who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: Islam will continue to be triumphant until there have been twelve Caliphs. Then the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said something which I could not understand. I asked my father: What did he say? He said: He has said that all of them (twelve Caliphs) will be from the Quraish.

Judgments (Ahkaam)
Sahih Bukhari :: Book 9 :: Volume 89 :: Hadith 329

Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard Prophet Muhammad saying, "There will be twelve Muslim rulers (who will rule all the Islamic world)." He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, "All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish."

The Abbasids knew well that the true successors of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) were these very Imams. Imam Hasan Askari (as) being the eleventh, his son would surely be the 12th or the last. They, tried to put an end to his life in such a way, that it would ensure there would be nobody to succeed him. But these Abbasid Caliphs had forgotten how Firaun (Pharaoh) had tried to stop the reign of Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) by killing all the baby boys born to the Israelites, yet he himself was bringing up the one he wanted to kill.

As the simple confinement inflicted on his father, Imam Ali Naqi (as) was considered inadequate for Imam Hasan Askari (as), so he was imprisoned, away from his family. No doubt the revolutionary intervals between two regimes gave him brief periods of freedom. Yet as soon as the new Caliph came to the throne, he followed his predecessor's policy and imprisoned Imam Hasan Askari (as) again. Imam Hasan Askari's (as) brief life (28 years) therefore was mostly spent inside dungeon cells.

Moral: Allah (SWT) says in the Noble Qur'an, "And they planned, and Allah planned, and Allah is the best of planners." (Noble Qur'an 3:54) i.e. Whatever Allah (SWT) has decided no-one can change.

A severe draught took shape in one of the years in Samarra, Iraq. Rain had not fallen for some time and crops were drying up. People were facing a famine. They did not know what to do. At that time, Al-Mu'tamid, was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad. Mu'tamid, the Abbasid Caliph ordered people to proceed to the desert and pray (for rain).

People did go to the desert for three days consecutively but rain did not fall. The next day, the Christians along with their scholars went to offer prayer and it rained.

This event, brought into effect a great zeal, fervor and excitement among the Muslim masses. The hearts of the Muslim got attracted towards the Christians. Al-Mu'tamid, the Abbasid Caliph was very much perturbed, dismayed, and desperate over it. He sent a word for "Imam Hasan Askari (as)" in the prison, saying that the religion Islam of his grandfather was in danger and summoned him to his court and asked him about the solution to that problem.

Imam Hasan Askari (as) Said, "Tell them to go to the desert tomorrow for the sake of rain. They did so and Imam Hasan Askari (as) followed them with a great mob of people, following him to disclose and unveil the fact out of this matter. The Christians raised their hands towards the sky and prayed to God for rain. Not very long had passed that a cloud appeared and it started raining. Imam Hasan Askari (as) ordered that the hand of one of the Christians, which was raised up, be held and whatever was concealed among his finger folds be taken out. They observed a bone and took it out of his fingers. They presented that bone to Imam Hasan Askari (as). Imam Hasan Askari (as) wrapped it in a piece of cloth and then told Christians to pray after that, for rain to fall.

As soon as the Christian raised his hands all the clouds scattered and the sun appeared shinning. All the people were surprised and astonished at it. Al-Mu'tamid, the Abbasid Caliph asked Imam Hasan Askari (as) what was the secret of that affair. Imam Hasan Askari (as) replied, "This is a piece of bone of one of the Prophets of God which they have picked up from his grave." They swear to God and ask him for the sake of this bone. God grants their desire and prayer and makes the rainfall and whosoever will hold this bone the same thing will occur. After a test of it in the presence of people, what Imam Hasan Askari (as) said proved evidently correct and all of them praised Imam Hasan Askari (as).

This way Imam Hasan Askari (as) lifted the doubts from the minds of the people. After this the Imam Hasan Askari (as) himself spread his prayer mat and performed two Rak'ats of prayers then lifted his bare hands to God for rain to come to the land and wipe out the draught.

Imam Hasan Askari's (as) prayers were heard by the Almighty God and rain fell so much that the land became fertile again and crops began to grow.

The people asked Imam Hasan Askari (as) where he lived. Imam Hasan Askari (as) pointed at Al-Mu'tamid, the Abbasid Caliph. Mu'tamid, the Abbasid Caliph was too embarrassed to say that Imam Hasan Askari (as) was his prisoner, so he pointed at the house that had originally belonged to his father, Imam Ali Naqi (as), and was forced to release Imam Hasan Askari (as) but only for one year.

During this year, Sayyida Nargis Khatoon (sa) became pregnant with our last Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as).

Moral: When things happen that make you question your faith remember you do not know or understand everything.

Almighty Allah (SWT) says: "... Then the male shall have the like of the portion of two females ..." (Noble Qur'an 4:176)

A person well known for his knowledge and virtues came to Imam Hasan Askari (as) and asked, "Women are naturally weaker than men. Then why is it that they are given one share in inheritance? And men, despite their strength are given two shares? Justice demands that it should be on the contrary".

Imam Hasan Askari (as) said, "You have seen apparent weakness of women but have not reflected on the duties of men and women. The difficulties of men are much more than those of women. Jihad is incumbent on men and not on women; the responsibility of earning livelihood rests on men and not on women; the maintenance of women is on men. Then in such circumstances if the share of men is double, is it against justice and equity?"

Once somebody asked Imam Hasan Askari (as), "Whom does the verse refer to: 'Nay! These are clear communications in the breasts of those who are granted knowledge; and none deny Our communications except the unjust.' (Noble Qur'an 29:49)?" Imam Hasan Askari (as) replied, "It refers to us - the Ahlul Bayt".

It is narrated that Al-Mu'tamid, the Abbasid Caliph had kept a spy to keep a watchful eye on our 11th Imam, Imam Hasan Askari's (as) movements.

One day, a Shia (follower of Imam Hasan Askari (as)) sent some pomegranates to him as a gift. The pomegranates were placed in front of Imam Hasan Askari (as).

The spy, who happened to be present at that time, kept on staring at the pomegranates longingly. When Imam Hasan Askari (as) noticed this behaviour, despite his knowledge about him, Imam Hasan Askari (as) picked up one pomegranate and gave it to the spy. The spy took it but did not eat it.

Imam Hasan Askari (as) asked him: "Why aren't you eating the pomegranate I gave you?" He said, "I have five children and I never eat without them. I was just wondering how I will share this one pomegranate with them"?

Imam Hasan Askari (as) felt pity for him and gave away all the pomegranates to him. The man refused but Imam Hasan Askari (as) insisted saying: "If your children eat these, it is better than I eat them!"

Innumerable true stories of our Holy Imams are written in the books, from which we can learn a lot. Studying the lives of our Holy personalities is important to all of us and to pass it over to our children. In conclusion we should raise our hands in supplication and pray that may Allah (SWT) guide us all to the path of the Ahlul Bayt (as) and give us Taufeeq to practice what they have taught us. Ameen

Imam Hasan Askari (as) said: "To greet everyone you pass by and to sit in a place other than the first class of a session are signs of modesty".

Imam Hasan Askari (as) said: "Very much offering of prayers and fasting is not the worship; the very worship is the very much pondering over the affairs of Allah (SWT)".

Imam Hasan Askari (as) said: "Anger is the key to every evil".

Imam Hasan Askari (as) said: "The best of your brothers is the one who forgets your sin and remembers and mentions your favours done to him".

Imam Hasan Askari (as) said: "Nothing is above two characters: believing in Allah (SWT) and benefiting the friends".

Imam Hasan Askari (as) said: Generosity has a limit, when crossed becomes extravagance; caution has a limit when crossed becomes cowardice; thriftiness has a limit, when crossed becomes miserliness; courage has a limit, when crossed becomes fool-hardiness.

Let this moral lesson suffice: Cease from doing anything which you would disapprove of if done by someone else.