During the Imamate of Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him), the Abbasids employed a policy of intimidation and repression against the people of Qum, subjecting them to cruelty and fear. They appointed “Musa ibn Yahya,” a wicked and heartless man, as the governor of Qum. He oppressed the people, placed heavy burdens on them, and unjustly transgressed against them. The people of Qum, who had never encountered such brutality from their rulers, sent their leaders and respectable figures to Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him). The Imam (peace be upon him) taught them a prayer and asked them to recite it during the qunut of their prayers so that God might remove this great and painful trial from them.
This prayer, like many others transmitted from the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), is a divine encyclopedic guide, and in fact, it serves as a political manifesto, a strategic document for action. It contains educational methods, political awareness, and cultural perspectives.
In this prayer, Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) outlines the circumstances of oppressive rulers and speaks about the suffering of the Shi’ah, a situation that has continued from the time of the Imams (peace be upon them) until the present day. Thus, the Imam (peace be upon him) teaches the Shi’ah how to use the weapon of prayer in situations where direct action may not be possible. Therefore, the content of this prayer remains fresh and relevant over time, and whenever trials and turmoil affect human societies, it serves as a means of reaching out to the divine.
In the first part of the prayer, Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) praises and exalts God, and then speaks beautifully— in the style characteristic of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them)— of the hardships and tribulations faced by the Shi’ah. He depicts the state of affairs as follows:
“O Lord! The deviation of the tribulations overwhelmed us, the veil of bewilderment covered us, and humiliation and disgrace crushed us. Those who were not trustworthy with Your religion became rulers over us, and the sources of hatred and enmity (places of corruption), those who suspended Your commandments and set out to destroy Your servants and ruin Your cities, took control of our destiny.
O Lord! Our wealth, which You had appointed for us, after it was distributed, was passed from hand to hand (plundered), and our governance and caliphate (from You) was forcibly taken after consultations (and pre-designed plans). And after we were chosen by You for the leadership of the Ummah, we were treated like an inheritance to be looted by the ignoble. As a result, with the share of orphans and widows (from the public treasury), instruments of amusement and play were purchased, and the infidels of the Dhimmi were made to rule over the believers by force. The corrupt leaders of each tribe took charge of their affairs; no defender saves them from destruction, no protector looks upon them with mercy, and no compassionate soul quenches their thirst. Thus, they are hopeless beings on the brink of ruin, prisoners of poverty, and allies of sorrow and disgrace.”
In this section, Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) speaks of the dire political conditions of his time: the chaotic state of affairs, the upside-down social standards, the lost values, weakened beliefs, and the catastrophic damage inflicted on the Muslim nations. This situation, however, is not limited to the era of Abbasid rule. The Imam (peace be upon him) highlights the actions of oppressive governments to help us recognize the deviations and innovations of unjust rulers throughout history.
In another part of the prayer, Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) says:
“O Lord! Do not grant shelter to oppression except to destroy it, and do not give protection to it except to overturn it, and do not allow unity in words except to scatter it, and do not grant them an army except to make them insignificant, and do not let them have power except to annihilate them. Do not allow them to raise a banner except to topple it, and do not let them have a garden except to ruin it. Scatter their supporters after unity and divide their ranks after harmony, and make them disgraceful after they governed the Ummah.”[1][2]
This part of the prayer reflects the immense suffering of the Imam (peace be upon him) as he turns to the divine in burning desperation, beseeching the eradication of oppressors from the face of the earth. In truth, the Imam (peace be upon him) instills hope in the hearts of the believers and reminds them that even when falsehood seems widespread and victorious, the divine power is so immense that it can unravel and destroy it. So why despair?
Finally, Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) prays for the awaited Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance), the one who will establish justice and fairness among the Ummah, abolish oppression, and implement God’s rule, through which the hopes of the people will be fulfilled and His servants and lands will be revived. The Imam (peace be upon him) asks God for help, success, steadfastness, and the removal of obstacles to the realization of His purposes.
The themes of this prayer show that, from the Shi’ah perspective, indifference to oppression and deviation in religion is completely rejected. Even in situations where social conditions prevent direct action, recognizing the innovations, deviations, and their agents, and rejecting them in the heart, is the first and most important duty of the people. Prayer, in this context, serves as a platform to express disavowal of injustice and tyranny. Prayers like this one from Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) not only draw individuals out of selfishness and strengthen empathy, but they also make them sensitive to correcting deviations and reforming society.
(Adapted from the book “The Life of Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him)” by late Baqir Sharif al-Qurashi (with some modifications and additions))[3]
Footnotes:
[1] Mahj al-Du’aat, p. 63
[2] In translating the phrases of the Imam’s (peace be upon him) prayer, we have tried to make the Persian translations as precise as possible to reflect the original meanings. In this regard, translations by Mr. Seyed Hassan Islami and Mr. Mohammad Sadegh Shariat have been utilized.
[3] The text above is based on the Persian translation of the mentioned book by Mr. Seyed Hassan Islami.