بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Prophet’s grandson, Imam Abu Muhammad al-Zakiy (al-Hasan), was the first of the eleven grandsons from among the progeny of Prophet Muhammad, the master of the Prophets. He was among the progeny of ‘Ali, the lord of mankind. He was the first in whom the two lights met together; the light of prophethood and the light of Imamate. He was the junction of the two lights, one of the two brilliants, and the confluence of the two seas.

“He has made the two seas to flow freely (so that) they meet together” (Qur’an, 55:19).

“There come forth from them pearls, both large and small” (Qur'an, 55:22).

‘Ali was the sea of the light of the Imamate; Fatimah was the sea of the light of the prophethood and dignity. There came from them green pearls like the (green) shells in the heaven and the red porgy like the redness of the ground because of blood. Al-Hasan was the first of the infallible Imams from the progeny of the master of guardians [Imam ‘Ali (‘a)]. He showed the truth and destroyed falsehood. He prevented bloodshed through his making peace (with Mu‘awiya).

According to the most famous report, al-Hasan was born in Medina, on the night of the middle of the month of Ramadan. My writing these words fell on this night, the night of the light, when the members of the Ahl Al-Bayt (‘a) were happy and delighted. We should be happy in accordance with their happiness and show sadness due to theirs. Therefore, I announce anthems, hymns, and congratulations to the master of beings (Prophet Muhammad), ‘Ali, and Fatimah, Allah’s blessings be on them. I congratulate them on this blessed child, concerning whom and his brother the cause of the existence and the mirror of Allah, Prophet Muhammad, has said: “Your camel is the best camel; and you are the best riders!”

Through this essay I have quickly written with my pen, I do not attempt to mention Abu Muhammad al-Zakiy’s greatness of achievements, achievements of greatness, glory of greatness, greatness of glory, high glorious deeds, virtues, and glorious deeds of heaven. No, and then no. For the hawk of my information and the eagle of my pen, in spite of my wide knowledge and information, are not able to ascend to that throne mutinous to intellects, of which thoughts, though exalted and excessive, nothing obtains except astonishment and perplexity.

Rather, I want to deal with one of the sides of his life, one of the signs of his miracles and the miracles of his signs. It is the side of his making peace with Mu‘awiya, the tyrant, son of the misguided father and mother. That is because this side has been complicated and worn the thickest gown of vagueness. Doubts have guided it badly, all assumptions have failed, doubt has come into force, the pillars of faith have declined even those of his sincerest companions, those of his father’s, those of the most loyal of his followers and clients. This was when rage and anger moved that high mountain (a great figure) to misbehave. He had to say as-salamu ‘alayka, O one who has made the believers mighty; however, he said something opposite. Vagueness and confusion have covered this matter with the worst garment even to those who believe in his Imamate and infallibility.

However, the sentiment and the shock of the misfortune have overcome prudence and reflection. If they carefully consider the matter and give place to reason, they will see it as clear as the sun. Surely the whole righteousness and the righteousness of all Muslims were accomplished through what he had done. That is not because of worship, submission, and yielding to the accomplished fact good or evil. That is not because of the faith in infallibility and that the infallible Imam’s deed should agree with wisdom. No, if we carefully consider the event, its sides, conditions, circumstances, results, and its premises, we will definitely and certainly come to know that what he had done was the (religious) duty, and nothing other than it was right. Yes, it was the determination itself and victory over his opponent. It was the attack itself against his enemy according to the military techniques and the timely policy. He performed the deed of someone worldly-wise, prudent, and experienced.

That was when he warred against his enemy through peace and won a victory over him through making peace with him. He could put out his enemy’s fire, removed the curtain from him, and showed the people his defects and tricks. It was right for him to war against him through making peace and not through weapon, to kill him through his deeds not through fighting against him and throwing arrows at him. This deed is the most perfect and definite of all proofs in putting an end to the excuses, and most decisive in repelling doubts and vague errors. Explaining and illuminating all these things, to the extent that they can be touch by the hand and seen by the eye, requires an excellent explanation, a strong heart, and a wide speech. Nothing of my sick body, weak sight, many works, worn out mind, little time, and my bad conditions can help me do that. May Allah be kind to me and allow me to seize another opportunity, that I may fully explain in this respect, and remove the curtains from this vagueness in order that the truth may appear and the lights may shine. However, there is no escape from ending this word of mine with the pure truth.

Generally speaking, it was incumbent on Imam al-Husayn (‘a) and his companions to revolt against the tyrant of his time (Yazid Ibn Mu‘awiya) during those circumstances, to the extent that they were killed and the members of Imam al-Husayn’s family, who were the family of Allah’s Apostle, were taken as prisoners of war. This was incumbent on him according to the technique of policy, the rules of victory and prudence regardless of the divine commands and the eternal will. It was also incumbent on al-Hasan (‘a) during his conditions to make peace with the tyrant of his time (Mu‘awiya Ibn Abi Sufyan). Had it not been for the peace treaty of al-Hasan and the martyrdom of al-Husayn, Islam would have been destroyed forever.

The efforts of Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family, the good, the blessing, the guidance, and the mercy he had brought to people would have been lost, because Abu Sufyan, his bastard (son) Mu‘awiya, and his corrupt grandson Yazid spared no effort to efface Islam and to make the people follow their pre-Islamic beliefs such as worshipping the idols al-Laat and al-Uzza. Perhaps, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, had referred to this important point through the famous tradition which is as clear as light in correctness. He, (S), has said: “Al-Hasan and al-Husayn are two Imams whether they rise or sit down.” Perhaps, he meant that al-Hasan was an Imam through his sitting down (making peace), and that al-Husayn was an Imam through his rising.

Some historians and biographers have related the matter of al-Hasan (‘a) and his making peace with Mu‘awiya. They have dealt with its surface meaning and its simple form without any analysing, explaining, studying thoroughly, checking out, and without taking into consideration the circumstances of the event, its conditions, principles, and objectives. They have condemned it because they have not reflected on it and carefully considered it.

However, as the truth and fact are light, Allah has prepared some meritorious people from among those who have skilful pens, excellent understanding, correct viewpoints, and free thoughts. So they have, through their books, removed the vagueness and complication from the life of Imam al-Hasan, from his behaviour, and his peace-making (with Mu‘awiya). Through their books they have unveiled some imaginations of the contemporary writers and of those before them.

Among those who well and skilfully wrote the biography of Imam al-Hasan (‘a) is the knowledgeable, meritorious, highborn, writer, Sheikh Baqir al-Qurashi, may Allah support him with the essence of care from Him and success. He submitted to me some chapters of the first volume of his book The Life of Imam al-Hasan, and I have found in them the essence of ambition and the ambition of soul. I have found in them a longing soul that has made a good progress. If he is at the beginning, he is about to reach the goal. The best proof of his book is his book itself. May Allah reward him for his efforts and make him reach his wishes.

Through his spiritual father’s supplication,

Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghita’

Theological Centre in Holy Najaf

On the 20th of Ramadan, 1373 A. H.