The 11th imam, ImamHassan ibn Ali (al-Askari) (a.s) was born in Madina on the 10th of Rabi`ath-Thani 232 Hijri (6th Dec 846 AD) and died in Samarrah Iraq on 8th of Rabi`al-Awwal 260 Hijri (4th Jan 874 AD) at the age of 28. His imamat lasted a period of 6 years.

Samarra was a garrison town about 60 miles north of Baghdad. The word ‘Asker’ in Arabic is used for army. The 11th Imam’s title became known as Askari, the one who lived all his life in a garrison town.

There is another story related with this name by many historians. Once the caliph called the 11th Imam to his palace and ordered a military parade. The caliph wanted to show his power and dissuade the imam of considering a revolution against the Abbasid Caliphate. After the parade, Imam asked the Caliph to look between his two of his fingers. The caliph saw was a huge army of lancers and swords men marching past, a much bigger number than in the Caliphs army. The caliph was astonished at this miracle and named him Askari – the man with a big army.

Imam Hassan al-Askari’s (a.s) life was spent in this house where his father Imam Ali Naqi (a.s) was under house arrest. Therefore, he conducted his duties as the imam from inside the house. He taught people Qur’an and instructed his followers the true teachings of Islam as taught by the Prophet of Islam and his Ahlulbayt. During this time the Imam wrote a complete commentary (tafseer) of the Qur’an.

Imam’s life in Samarrah was not in peace even under house arrest. From time to time he was taken to Baghdad, questioned and put in prison there. On one such occasion, the Imam was taken by the Turkish guards to Baghdad where he was kept in prison during the reign of the caliphs Al-Muhtadi and Al-Mu’tamid.

While he was a prisoner in Baghdad there was a severe draught and people were faced a famine. A Christian priest came to the rescue. He lifted his hands in prayer and rain fell. The caliph became concerned that people would forsake Islam and become Christians. When the Imam was consulted, he said that when people assembled to see the so called miracle, he would remove their doubts. The Imam was allowed to leave the prison to go where the crowd assembled to see the miracle performed by the priest. Imam stood with the crowd and saw the priest raise his hands and then soon after rain began to fall. Imam told one of his companions to seize the hands of the priest and bring the piece of bone hidden in his hands. When this bone was brought before the Imam, he said that it was the bone of a prophet of God. When the bone was lifted with prayers to God, the rain descended. Then the Imam spread his prayer mat and performed two units (rak’ats) of prayers then lifted his bare hands to God for rain to come to the land and remove the draught. The Imam’s prayers were heard by the Almighty and rain fell, so much so that the land became fertile again and crops began to grow. In recognition of this service the Imam was allowed to leave the prison in Baghdad and live in his house in Samarrah, still under house arrest. He was still not allowed to go to Madina.

The marriage of Imam Hassan al-Askari (a.s) was to Lady Narjis Khatun, a princess, who was the granddaughter of the Emperor of Rum. Her mother was a descendant of the disciple Simon, a disciple of Jesus.

During the rule of Mu’tamid poison was given to the Imam and he died on 8th of Rabi`al-Awwal 260 Hijri (4th Jan 874 AD) at the young age of 28. He left only one son, whose name was Muhammad and who was only five years old when his father died. The 11th Imam was buried in house he died in, beside his father – Imam Ali Naqi (a.s).

Reference: Shabbar, S.M.R.; Story of the Holy Ka’aba and its People; Muhammadi Trust of Great Britain, online book from al-islam.org, Accessed 1st Mar 2012.