By: Ghulam Hussain Ghazi
On the night of 21 Ramadan 40 AH, Imam Hasan (RA), 37, stood over his martyred father Ali’s (RA) body in Kufa’s Darul Umara (Governor’s Palace). Outside, 40,000 swords were raised demanding revenge against Muawiya’s army and the Khawarij. But Imam Hasan raised a white flag of peace instead of war.
Imam Hasan (RA) had the high human stature being Grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), son of Hazrat Ali (RA) and Fatimah (RA). The Prophet called him and Hussain “leaders of the youth of Paradise”. He grew up in Masjid al-Nabawi, became a renowned jurist, Quranic exegete and hadith scholar. Companions and Successors learned fiqah and tafsir from him.
After Hazrat Uthman’s (RA) martyrdom in 35 AH, Hazrat Ali (RA) became Caliph. Hasan (RA) stood by him in the Battle of the Camel (Jang-e-Jamal) and Battle of Siffin (Jang-e-Siffin). After Ali’s (RA) martyrdom by the Khawarij in 40 AH, the people of Kufa pledged allegiance to Hasan (RA) as the 5th Caliph. He ruled for 7 months, 5 days.
The welfare steps he took were Save the State Policy and Save the People Policy. Facing 3 fronts, Khawarij, Muawiya, and internal betrayal, he reorganized the army under Qays ibn Sa’d and marched 12,000 troops to Maskin. But his goal was deterrence, not war. He wrote peace letters to Muawiya to avoid Muslim bloodshed.
His welfare Reforms during 7 Months were that he:
1. Restored pensions for martyrs’ widows/orphans.
2. Restarted ration distribution in Kufa, Basra, Madinah.
3. Ended Arab vs non-Arab disparity in stipends.
4. Gave judiciary full independence: “Judge by Quran, whether rich’s son or common man”.
5. Released political prisoners. Gave amnesty to Ali’s partisans.
6. Advanced 3 months’ wheat during famine threat. Punished hoarding.
7. Reopened mosques and schools closed due to war fears.
He struck the Treaty of Peace, 41 AH,
Knowing war would kill 120,000 Muslims and destroy Islam’s borders, he set 3 conditions for peace with Muawiya:
1. Rule by Quran and Sunnah.
2. Caliphate to pass to Hussain (RA) after Muawiya.
3. Stop oppression of Hazrat Ali’s partisans.
When people taunted him “Mudhill al-Mu’mineen, Humiliator of Believers,” he replied: “I saved your blood. Religion is saved by peace, not the sword.” History proved him right. Peace brought 20 years of stability and major conquests to Samarkand, Sindh and Constantinople.
However Muawiya sooner broke the treaty, declared his son Yazid heir, and had Imam Hasan (RA) poisoned through his wife Ja’da bint Ash’ath. Imam Hasan (RA) suffered 40 days and was buried in Jannat al-Baqi beside his mother Fatimah (RA).
His titles included Sibt al-Akbar, Zaki, Taqi, Kareem, Mujtaba “the Chosen One,” and Sulh-e-Hasan “Peace of Hasan.” He taught us: True bravery is patience. True victory is unity, not bloodshed.
Radiyallahu Anhu 🌹
Dear readers, my next article of Ashura Muharram Series of Ghazi Stories will be on Muslim Bin Aqeel, the cousin of Hasan RA who rendered great sacrifices for glory of Islam and sanctity of Ahle Bait.
