The Birth of al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.)

Al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.) was born in the month of Ramadan in the year that the battle of Badr took place, the second year after Hijra (AH) (migration of the Holy Prophet (s.w) from Mecca to Medina). It is also narrated that he was born in the third year. He passed away in the end of the month of Safar in the year forty nine AH. He lived for forty seven years and a few months. His mother was Fatima, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (s.w).

"When al-Hassan was about to die he wept. He was asked, 'O son of the Messenger of Allah, why would you weep, when you have such a position with the Messenger of Allah such as you have? And all the (good things) said about you. You have performed Hajj twenty times on foot and distributed all of your belongings among the needy three times exactly.' He replied, 'I weep for two reasons, It is the fear of resurrection and separation from the loved ones.'”

“Al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.) passed away at the age of forty seven in the year fifty (AH). He lived forty years after the death of the Holy Prophet (s.w).”

"Ja'da bint al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays al-Kindi poisoned al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.) and a female servant of the Imam (a.s.). The female servant, however, vomited the poison, but in the case of al-Hassan (a.s.) the poison remained in his digestive system and caused swelling that killed him.”

“Once al-Hassan (a.s.) went outside the town with a man from the children of al-Zubayr who believed al-Hassan to be the Imam. They stopped for rest on one of the oasis under a palm tree that had dried up due to lack of water. A furnishing was spread for Imam al-Hassan (a.s.) under that tree and for al-Zubayri the furnishings were arranged under a tree just next to it. The narrator has said that al-Zubayri looked up the tree and said, 'I wish the tree had fruits so we could eat from them.' Al-Hassan (a.s.) asked, 'Do you wish to have dates?' He said, 'Yes, I do wish to have dates.' He (al-Hassan (a.s.) raised his hands to the sky and spoke certain words that I did not understand. The tree turned green, then it returned to its normal condition, and its leaves grew and it became loaded with dates. The man from they had hired camels begun to say, 'It, by Allah, is magic!' Al-Hassan (a.s.) said, 'Woe is you. It is not magic but it is a prayer of the son of a prophet that is answered.' They climbed the tree and picked the dates that were there and it provided enough for their needs.”

“Al-Hassan (a.s.) has said, ‘Allah has two cities. One is in the east and the other is in the west. They have a boundary around them that is made of iron and each one has a million doors. Seven thousand different languages exist therein and I know all those languages and all that is in and between them, and there is no one Hujjah (Leader with Divine Authority) except me and al-Husayn (a.s.) my brother.'"

“One year al-Hassan ibn Ali left for Mecca on foot. On the journey his feet swelled and his servants said, 'If you would ride the swelling will go away.' He said, 'Nay, if we reach this place of rest you will a black person who has oil with him, buy from oil without trying to reduce the price.' The servant said, 'May my parents be your ransom, we have never been to a place of rest where anyone would sell such medicine.' The Imam (a.s.) said to him, 'Yes, there are such people right in front of you before reaching the place for rest.' They walked for a mile and they met the black person. Al-Hassan (a.s.) said to his servant, 'There is the man. Take the oil from him and pay him.' The black man asked the servant, 'For whom do you want this oil?' He replied, 'I want it for al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.).' He said, 'Take me to him.' They came to al-Hassan (a.s.) and the man said, 'May my parents be your ransom! I did not know that you need this. If you would like to have it you have it free of charge. I am only one your servants. Just pray to Allah for me that i may be granted a healthy son who would love you, Ahl al-Bayt. When I left, my wife was about to give birth.' The Imam (a.s.) said, 'Go to your home. Allah has gifted you with a healthy son who is of our Shi‘a (followers).'"