The praise of Imam ‘Abdullah ibn Hassan (al Muthanna) ibn Hassan ibn ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu

The rightly guided Khulafa’ and the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum held a great position in the eyes of ‘Abdullah ibn Hassan just like the other Ahlul Bayt radiya Llahu ‘anhum.

Ibn ‘Asakir reports from Abu Khalid al Ahmar that he said:

سألت عبد الله بن الحسن عن أبي بكر وعمر فقال صلى الله عليهما ولا صلى على من لم يصل عليهما

I asked ‘Abdullah ibn Hassan about Abu Bakr and ‘Umar and he replied, “May Allah bless them and may Allah not bless those who do not seek blessings for them.”[1]

He also said:

وإنهما ليعرضان على قلبي فأدعو الله لهما أتقرب به إلى الله عز وجل

I think of them and supplicate to Allah for them. I seek the closeness of Allah by doing this.[2]

It has also been narrated from Hafs ibn ‘Umar, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hassan, that he said:

رأيت عبد الله بن حسن توضأ ومسح على خفيه قال فقلت له تمسح فقال نعم قد مسح عمر بن الخطاب ومن جعل عمر بينه وبين الله فقد استوثق

I saw ‘Abdullah ibn Hassan performing ablution and he made masah[3] on his socks. I asked him, “Do you make masah?”

He replied, “Yes, because ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu made masah and the person who trusts ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu regarding matters between him and Allah, he has indeed found a great trust.”[4]

In other words ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu is sound with regards to his transmission of the Shari’ah.

It has also been recorded in Tarikh Dimashq that Hafs ibn Qais asked ‘Abdullah ibn Hassan regarding making masah:

امسح فقد مسح عمر بن الخطاب فقال إنما أسألك أنت أتمسح؟ فقال ذلك أعجز لك حين أخبرك عن عمر وتسألني عن رأيي فعمر كان خيرا مني ومن ملء الأرض مثلي قلت يا أبا محمد إن ناسا يقولون إن هذا منكم تقية فقال لي ونحن بين القبر والمنبر اللهم إن هذا قولي في السر والعلانية فلا تسمعنا قول أحد بعدي ثم قال هذا الذي يزعم أن عليا كان مقهورا وأن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أمره بأمور فلم ينفذه فكفى بهذا إزراء على علي ومنقصة أن يزعم قوم أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أمره بأمر فلم ينفذه

He replied, “Make masah, as ‘Umar ibn Khattab made masah.”

Hafs ibn Qais said, “I am asking if you make masah.”

He replied, “You would have understood that when I informed you that ‘Umar ibn Khattab made masah and you still ask for my opinion. ‘Umar alone was better than me and a world filled with the likes of me.”

I said, “O Abu Muhammad, people will say that you only say this out of Taqiyyah.”

He replied, and we were between the grave of the Rasul of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the pulpit of the Rasul of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “O Allah, this is my opinion be it in secret or in public. So do not bring forth any other person’s opinion after this.”

He then said, “They think that ‘Ali was powerless and that the Rasul of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam ordered him to do certain things and he did not do it. This is a great insult to ‘Ali. It is degrading to assume that the Rasul of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam ordered him to do a certain thing and thereafter he did not do it.”[5]

It has also been recorded in Tarikh Dimashq from Muhammad ibn Qasim al Asadi Abu Ibrahim that he said:

رأيت عبد الله بن الحسن بن الحسن بن علي ذكر قتل عثمان فبكى حتى بل لحيته وثوبه

I saw ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hassan ibn ‘Ali mentioning the killing of ‘Uthman and he broke into tears which made his beard and clothes wet.[6]

NEXT⇒ The Praise of Imam Jafar al Sadiq and Imam al Baqir

[1] Tarikh Dimashq vol. 29 pg. 255-256. The meaning of the verse:

وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ صَلوٰتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَهُمْ

and invoke Allah’s blessings upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. I.e. Supplicate to Allah for them. (Surah al Tawbah: 103)

Similarly the Hadith of Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam states:

اللهم صل على آل ابي اوفى

O Allah, I invoke your blessings for the family of Ibn Abi Awfa. (Narrated in Sahih al Bukhari in the book regarding Zakat under the chapter concerning the Imams supplicating for the person who gives Sadaqah)

It is also narrated from Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah that a woman said to the Rasul of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:

صل علي وعلي زوجي فقال صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم صلي الله عليك وعلي زوجك

“Supplicate for me and my husband.” So the Rasul of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “I invoke the blessings of Allah upon you and your husband. (Narrated by Abu Dawood in the book discussing the Sujud found in the Qur’an under the chapter regarding sending salutations on anyone besides the Rasul of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam with a Sahih chain of transmission.)

These texts show us that the meaning of the Arabic word Salah is supplication. This is the meaning that Imam ‘Abdullah ibn Hassan rahimahu Llah intended.

[2] Tarikh Dimashq vol. 29 pg. 255

[3] passed wet hands over his socks

[4] Tarikh Dimashq vol. 29 pg. 255

[5] Tarikh Dimashq vol. 29 pg. 256

[6] Tarikh Dimashq vol. 29 pg. 256

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