Seventh of Safar Marks Sorrowful Martyrdom Anniversary of Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (Peace Be Upon Him)
Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him), the first child of Imam Amir al-Mu’minin and Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon them), and the second Imam of Muslims, according to all Shia sources and the vast majority of Sunni sources, was poisoned and martyred by his wife Ja’da, instigated by Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (eternal Divine curse be upon them both).
According to historical accounts, the name “Hassan” was chosen for him by the Holy Prophet, who loved him dearly. Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba spent seven years of his life with the Holy Prophet and was present at the Pledge of Ridwan and the event of Mubahala with the Christians of Najran.
The virtues of Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba are mentioned in both Shia and Sunni sources. He is one of the Companions of the Cloak (Ahl al-Kisa), about whom the verse of purification (Ayat al-Tathir) was revealed, indicating their infallibility.
Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba twice gave away all his possessions for the sake of God and three times gave half of his wealth to the needy. It is said that because of his generosity, he was called “Karim Ahl al-Bayt” (the Generous One of the Household).
During the apparent caliphate of Amir al-Mu’minin, he accompanied him to Kufa and was among the commanders of the army in the battles of Jamal and Siffin. It is narrated that he performed Hajj on foot 20 or 25 times.
Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba became Imam on the 21st of Ramadan in the year 40 AH, after the martyrdom of Amir al-Mu’minin, and on the same day, more than forty thousand people pledged allegiance to him for the caliphate.
Muawiyah refused to accept his caliphate and, while confronting Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba’s army in Iraq, used deception and trickery to draw the Imam’s companions to his side and offered a ceasefire.
Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba accepted the ceasefire and the handover of the caliphate to Muawiyah to preserve the foundation of Islam, on the conditions that Muawiyah would act according to the Book of God and the Sunnah of the Prophet, would not appoint a successor for himself, and that all people, including the followers of Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him), would be safe. However, Muawiyah later failed to uphold any of these conditions.
After the ceasefire in the year 41 AH, Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba returned to Medina and remained there until the end of his life, holding scholarly authority in Medina. Yet, Muawiyah continued plotting against his Majesty until he culminated his plans by having the Imam poisoned through the treacherous wife of the Imam, Ja’da.
The date of his martyrdom is mentioned as the seventh of Safar in the year 50 AH, at the age of 48.
The great Imam willed to be buried next to the grave of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), but due to the obstruction by Aisha and her supporters and the showering of arrows upon his coffin, he was finally buried in the Baqi’ cemetery.
