“Whoever dies without recognizing the Imam of his time, dies a death of ignorance (Jahiliyyah).”[1]
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)
The initial stage of recognizing the Imam is to have an outward recognition of who he is, his lineage, and the qualities that define his position as Imam.
In this regard, during the time of the Ahl al-Bayt (Peace Be Upon Them), many people felt it was important to recognize their Imam both in the present and for the future so that by following him, they could avoid misguidance and death in ignorance. For this reason, they exerted great effort in this matter.
One of the ways people recognized their future Imam was through the explicit introduction and declaration of the previous Imams (whose leadership was already established). The Imam who had been proven to be the rightful leader, his words were authoritative. In this context, the tenth Imam of the Shia, Imam Ali al-Hadi (Peace Be Upon Him), during his lifetime, would introduce his son, Imam Hasan al-Askari (Peace Be Upon Him) to the people and openly designate him as his successor. For example:
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Yahya ibn Yasar Anbari reports:
Imam Hadi (Peace Be Upon Him) introduced his son Imam Hasan al-Askari (Peace Be Upon Him) as his Imam and successor four months before his death and had me and a group of Shia testify to this fact.[2] -
Ali ibn Umar Nawfali says:
I was with Imam Hadi (Peace Be Upon Him) in the courtyard of his house when his son Sayyid Muhammad passed by us. I asked him:
“O my master! Will this son be the Imam after you?” He replied:
“Your Imam after me will be Hasan.”[3] -
Shahawiyah ibn Abdullah Jallab narrates:
Imam Hadi (Peace Be Upon Him) wrote me a letter saying:
“You had requested to know who would be my successor after my son Sayyid Muhammad. Do not be saddened, for ‘Allah will never abandon a people after guiding them unless He explains to them what they should avoid.’ Your Imam after me is my son, Abu Muhammad (Hasan al-Askari). Whatever you need, it is with him, for Allah advances whomever He wills and keeps back whomever He wills. ‘We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring forth one better than it or the like of it.'”[4] -
Abu Bakr Fahfaki reports:
Imam Hadi (Peace Be Upon Him) wrote to me:
“My son Abu Muhammad (Hasan al-Askari) is the best of the family of the Prophet and the firmest of their arguments. He is the eldest of my children and my successor. The rulings and responsibilities of the Imamate will go to him. Whatever you have asked of me, ask him, for whatever is needed is with him.”[5] -
Abdullah ibn Muhammad Isfahani reports:
Imam Hadi (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“Your Imam after me will be the one who prays over me.”
At that time, we did not know Imam Hasan al-Askari. When Imam Hadi (Peace Be Upon Him) passed away, Imam Hasan al-Askari (Peace Be Upon Him) came out and performed the prayer over him.[6] -
Saqar ibn Dulf reports:
I heard Imam Hadi (Peace Be Upon Him) say:
“The Imam after me is Hasan, and after him, his son will be the Mahdi, the Qa’im, who will fill the earth with justice and equality after it has been filled with oppression and injustice.”[7]
These are just a few of the narrations from trustworthy individuals and pious scholars regarding the succession of Imam Hasan al-Askari (Peace Be Upon Him) transmitted from Imam Hadi (Peace Be Upon Him).
Indeed, according to the words of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the recognition of the Imam is not limited to a specific time period but is a continuous requirement across all eras. Therefore, it is upon us to also recognize our Imam of the time and never fall short in following and obeying him, just as the Shia have done throughout history.
Taken from the book: “The Life of Imam Hasan al-Askari (Peace Be Upon Him), authored by: “Allama Baqir Sharif al-Qurashi” (with modifications and additions).
Footnotes:
[1] Sunni sources include: Sharh al-‘Aqā’id al-Nasafiyyah, p. 232 – Sahih Muslim, Vol. 6, p. 22 – Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol. 4, p. 96, and others. Shia sources include: Kamal al-Dīn, Vol. 2, p. 409 – Usul al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 376, Hadith 1, and others.
[2] (Usul al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 325)
[3] ( Usul al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 324)
[4] (Usul al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 328)
[5] (Usul al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 327)
[6] (A’lam al-Wara, p. 368)
[7] ( Ikmal al-Din, Vol. 2, p. 55)