Eleventh Imam

Imam Hasan al-Askari (a)

al-Askari
Livedc. 846–874 CE (232–260 AH)
Resting placeSamarra, Iraq (al-Askari Shrine)
FatherImam Ali al-Hadi
MotherLady Hudayth (Salil)
PassingMartyred — poisoned
At the hands ofBy order of the Abbasid al-Mu'tamid, Samarra

Birth & Lineage

Born in Medina around 232 AH, Hasan al-Askari took his title from the garrison quarter (al-askar) of Samarra, where his family was confined.

Life & Virtues

He lived almost his whole life under house arrest and tight surveillance, for the Abbasids knew that the awaited Mahdi was to be born of him. Through trusted representatives he quietly nurtured and protected the community of his followers.

Martyrdom & Legacy

He was poisoned and passed away in Samarra in 260 AH, aged about twenty-eight, leaving a young son who would become the twelfth Imam. He is buried in Samarra.

Further readingRead al-Qazwini’s From the Cradle to the Grave on Al-Islam.org← All Fourteen Infallibles
Imam Ali al-Hadi (a) ←→ Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a)