The Blessed Birth of Hadrat Imam Hassan-al-Mujtaba (ASWS)
The Prophetic Announcement and Divine Naming
In the blessed month of Ramadan, on the 15th night in the 3rd year of Hijrah, the household of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAW) was illuminated with the arrival of his first grandson, Hadrat Imam Hassan-al-Mujtaba (ASWS). The news of this blessed birth was immediately conveyed to the Holy Prophet, who hastened to the house of his beloved daughter Syeda Fatima-tu-Zahrah (Salam Allah-Ho Alaiha) to offer his congratulations and express his overwhelming joy. When the newborn was brought to him, the Holy Prophet received him with his entire being, carrying him in his arms, kissing him, and pressing him tenderly to his blessed chest.
The Holy Prophet performed the sacred rites by reciting the Adhan (call to prayer) in the right ear of the infant and the Iqamah in his left ear, ensuring that the first sounds to reach the child’s ears were the words of divine glorification and the testimony of faith. When the Holy Prophet inquired about the name given to this blessed child, Imam Ali (ASWS) humbly replied that he would not name him before the Messenger of Allah. The Holy Prophet responded with equal humility, stating that he too would not name him before his Lord. It was then that Archangel Gabriel descended with the divine command, revealing that Almighty Allah had chosen the name “Al-Hassan” for this blessed child, a name that had never before been used in all of Arabia.
The Gratitude of Syeda Fatima-tu-Zahrah (Salam Allah-Ho Alaiha)
The moment of Imam Hassan’s birth was one of profound spiritual significance. Syeda Fatima-tu-Zahrah (Salam Allah-Ho Alaiha), who had been purified by Almighty Allah as declared in the Verse of Tat’heer (Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 33), immediately offered two Nawafil (supererogatory prayers) in gratitude for Allah’s immense blessings. This act was performed without the need for Wudu, as she was among the purified women of the universes, whose purity was divinely established. Her gratitude was not merely for the gift of a son but for the continuation of the Prophetic lineage through her blessed progeny, fulfilling the divine promise of Surah Al-Kawthar, where Almighty Allah granted the Holy Prophet abundant blessings through Fatima and her descendants.
On the seventh day after his birth, the Holy Prophet performed the Aqeeqah ceremony, sacrificing two rams in gratitude to Allah. He gave a thigh and a dinar to the midwife Asma bint Umays as a token of appreciation for her services. The Holy Prophet then shaved the blessed head of Imam Hassan and gave silver in charity equivalent to the weight of his hair, establishing a beautiful tradition that would be followed for all his descendants. He then applied a special perfume called “Khuluq” to the infant’s head, instructing that the ignorant practice of covering newborn heads with blood be abandoned.
The Unique Bond with the Holy Prophet (SAWAW)
The relationship between the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAW) and his beloved grandson Imam Hassan was one of extraordinary love and affection. Imam Hassan is described as the first person whose appearance resembled the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet would embrace Imam Hassan and put his blessed tongue into the infant’s mouth, and the child would suckle it, receiving spiritual nourishment directly from his grandfather. This act was not merely physical but a profound spiritual transmission, as the Holy Prophet declared that Imam Hassan and his brother Imam Hussain were “his two flowers in this world”.
The Holy Prophet’s love for Imam Hassan was so immense that it became a test for the community. He declared: “I swear that I love them. Whoever loves them loves me, and whoever hates them hates me”. Even during the act of prayer, the Holy Prophet would sometimes have the child on his back or neck while prostrating, and he would remain in that position until the child moved away on his own, demonstrating the depth of his compassion and affection. Imam Hassan was honored with the title “Sayyid Shabab al-Jannah” (Leader of the Youth of Paradise), a designation that elevated his status above all others of his generation.
The Blessed Birth of Hadrat Imam Hussain (ASWS)
The Prophetic Foretelling and Six-Month Interval
Just six months after the birth of Imam Hassan, the household of Syeda Fatima-tu-Zahrah (Salam Allah-Ho Alaiha) was again blessed with the arrival of her second son, Hadrat Imam Hussain (ASWS). This short interval between the births of the two grandsons was itself a sign of divine blessing and the special status of the Panjtan Paak. The Holy Prophet had already foretold the birth of Imam Hussain, and the divine revelation confirmed that he would be named “Hussain,” which is the Arabic version of the Hebrew name “Shabbir,” the name of Prophet Haroun’s second son. This connection to Prophet Haroun further established the spiritual parallel between Imam Hussain and his father Imam Ali (ASWS), who was declared by the Holy Prophet to be unto him as Haroun was unto Musa.
The Proclamation of Gratitude and Purity
Following the sacred tradition established after the birth of Imam Hassan, Syeda Fatima-tu-Zahrah (Salam Allah-Ho Alaiha) again offered two Nawafil in gratitude for the birth of her second son. Her act of thanksgiving was a testament to her profound faith and her recognition of the divine blessings bestowed upon her. The women present at the birth, including Safia bint Abdul Muttalib and Umm Salama, noted that Imam Hussain was born in a state of purity, and when asked to clean him, the Holy Prophet declared: “You clean him?! Surely Allah the Exalted has cleaned and purified him”. This statement reaffirmed the divine purification of the Panjtan Paak as established in the Quranic verse of Tat’heer, affirming that Imam Hussain, like his mother, was born in a state of complete spiritual and physical purity.
The Prophetic Nourishment and The Revelation of Martyrdom
Imam Hussain (ASWS) was unique in that he did not nurse from any woman, including his blessed mother. Instead, he suckled the blessed tongue of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAW), until he was old enough to eat. Because of this miraculous nourishment, his characteristics came to be exactly like those of the Holy Prophet, and his face bore the most striking resemblance to his grandfather. This spiritual feeding created a bond of such profound depth that Imam Hussain became, in the words of the Holy Prophet, “from me and I am from him”.
A pivotal moment occurred when, after putting his tongue into the mouth of the newborn Imam Hussain, the Holy Prophet’s blessed eyes began to shed tears. When his beloved daughter inquired about the reason for his grief, the Holy Prophet revealed the heart-wrenching news: Archangel Gabriel had informed him that one day his grandson Hussain would be martyred by the worst people of his Ummah. The Holy Prophet was shown the earth of Karbala, the place where Imam Hussain would be martyred, and he was given some of its soil to hold. Archangel Gabriel descended with scores of angels not only to congratulate the Holy Prophet on the birth of his grandson but also to console him for the impending tragedy of his martyrdom.
The Aqeeqa and the Prophetic Tradition
On the seventh day after Imam Hussain’s birth, the Holy Prophet performed the Aqeeqa ceremony, following the same blessed tradition he had established for his first grandson. He shaved the blessed head of Imam Hussain and gave silver in charity equivalent to the weight of his hair, just as he had done for Imam Hassan. The Holy Prophet then named him Hussain and prayed for him, seeking divine protection and blessings for his grandson. The birth of Imam Hussain was accompanied by another miraculous event: the angel Futrus, who had been banished and deprived of his wings for delaying a divine commission, was restored to his station by touching the newborn Imam Hussain. Through this miraculous intercession, the child’s spiritual power and divine favor were demonstrated even to the angelic realm.
The Spiritual Education and Upbringing of Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain
The Divine School of Ahlul-Bayt
The two brothers, Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain (ASWS), grew up in the protective embrace of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAW) and under the spiritual guidance of their father, Imam Ali (ASWS), and their mother, Syeda Fatima-tu-Zahrah (Salam Allah-Ho Alaiha). Their childhood home was a divine school, where the revelation of the Holy Quran was a daily reality and the embodiment of its teachings was the very air they breathed. The Holy Prophet himself took a direct and personal interest in their upbringing, often carrying them on his shoulders and playing with them as a loving grandfather while simultaneously imparting the deepest spiritual truths.
The Resemblance and the Prophetic Title
The Holy Prophet would often comment on the resemblance between his grandsons and himself. Imam Hassan was noted to resemble the Holy Prophet in his countenance, while Imam Hussain’s likeness to his grandfather was even more striking. The Holy Prophet famously declared: “They are my two flowers in the world”. He would smell them and hold them against his blessed chest, and their presence would bring him immense joy and solace. One hadith from Abu Hurairah, recorded by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, beautifully illustrates this: a Bedouin observed the Holy Prophet kissing the two children and remarked that he seemed to love them intensely. The Holy Prophet responded: “I swear that I love them. Whoever loves them loves me, and whoever hates them hates me”.
The Public Declaration of Their Status
The Holy Prophet did not limit his love for Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain to the private sphere. He publicly declared their status, teaching the Muslim community that these two young boys were not ordinary children but the leaders of the youth of Paradise. He made it clear that love for them was an integral part of faith and that animosity toward them was a sign of spiritual blindness. At the event of Mubahala, when the Holy Prophet challenged the Christians of Najran to a mutual cursing, he took Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain with him as his “sons,” further affirming their status and proving the truth of Islam. Their presence was a manifestation of the Holy Prophet’s own being, and they were thus honored as the “Sibt al-Rasool” (the grandsons of the Messenger).