The era of the eleventh Imam was one in which various ideas from all directions were entering the Islamic community. Among these, some deviating thoughts and false opinions posed a serious threat to the health of society. Despite the immense pressure that Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him) was under, he, like his forefathers, never neglected this issue and, in the face of deviant groups, imported schools of thought, including Sufis, Ghulat, Mufawwadah, Waqifiyyah, and Dualists Sufism was a fabricated sect that represented innovations in religion, self-display, the suspension of religious rulings, and seclusion from the world. Ghulat were those who exaggerated the status of the religious leaders. Mufawwadah believed that God had delegated certain matters (such as creation and sustenance) to His creatures independently. Waqifiyyah believed that Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) had not passed away. Dualists or Zoroastrians believed that existence was governed by two gods: one of good and one of evil. he responded to these ideas by guiding and educating people with patience and wisdom. When individuals or groups made mistakes or contradictions, he would first address them with guidance and clarification, avoiding any confrontational stance. However, when it became clear that these deviant thoughts had emerged as a movement, he would immediately expose them and neutralize their activities, rendering them futile.
One of the instances of Imam Hasan al-Askari’s (peace be upon him) confrontation with deviant thinkers was his position against the Mufawwadah. Some members of the Mufawwadah believed that in the beginning, when God created the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), He entrusted everything to him, and it was the Prophet who then created the world and everything in it. Others claimed that this authority was given to Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) by God. This deviant thought severely harmed the beliefs of Muslims and led to disastrous consequences, one of which was exaggerating the status of the Prophet and the infallible Imams (peace be upon them), elevating them to a divine level. Therefore, from the very beginning, this erroneous belief was condemned by the infallible Imams (peace be upon them), and they regarded this sect as worse than the Jews and disbelievers, because they claimed something that even the Jews and Christians did not. Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) also warned Muslims against following such individuals and their thoughts. Sometimes, he would approach the simple-minded and deceived individuals with great nobility, hoping they would abandon their false beliefs.
As an example, Idris ibn Ziyad narrated: “I was one of those who used to exaggerate about them (the Ahl al-Bayt). One day, I went to Samarra to meet Abu Muhammad al-Askari (peace be upon him). When I entered the city, I was so tired that I lay down on the steps of a bathhouse to rest. I soon fell asleep, but was awoken by a soft knock on my head with the staff that Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) was holding. I recognized him immediately. I quickly stood up, and while he was mounted on his horse, I kissed his foot and knee. The first thing the Imam said to me in this meeting was: “O Idris, rather they are the honored servants of God; they do not precede Him in speech and they act according to His command.”[1] Here, the Imam quoted this verse to make it clear to me that the belief in exaggeration regarding the Ahl al-Bayt is false, and that we have no authority except what God wills; we follow God’s will and act upon His command.” Idris, fully understanding the Imam’s brief response, said: “My master, this is sufficient for me, for I came to ask you about this [matter].”[2]
(Taken from the book Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him) and Deviant Thinkers, authored by Mohammad Javad Muroji Tabasi (with minor modifications))
Footnotes:
[1] (Quran, Surah Al-Anbiya, Verses 26 and 27)
[2] Manaqib al-Al-Bayt (Ibn Shahr Ashub), Vol. 4, p. 428 – Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 50, p. 283