HASAN AND HUSAIN:
TWO DISTINCT EXAMPLES
IN ISLAMIC HISTORY

Hasan and Husain are two symbolic figures in Islamic history, each representing a different approach. Husain represents a political approach, while Hasan represents a non-political one. Imam Husain tried to achieve his goal by confronting the ruler of his time, whereas Imam Hasan achieved the same goal by withdrawing from confrontation. Although Imam Husain’s role became so well-known that everyone is familiar with it, Imam Hasan’s role—even with all its greatness—remains far less recognized. And even fewer people truly understand the importance of this great role.

The influence of Imam Husain ibn Ali (4–61 AH) on later Islamic history is so strong that he became, in effect, its most dominant symbol. Every year, Muslims commemorate the 10th of Muharram with extraordinary enthusiasm, unlike any other day—even more than the 12th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal, perhaps. According to common belief, the essence of Islam is that a person should never bow to injustice, even if it costs one’s life. This spirit is what people call “martyrdom,” and people believe that in its highest form, it was embodied in the life of Imam Husain. According to the generally accepted historical account, Imam Husain was accompanied by only seventy-two companions. On the other side stood an army of six thousand men, fully equipped for battle. Yet Imam Husain refused to submit to a ruler who had unjustly assumed power, and he laid down his life resisting him. As a Persian poet aptly expressed it:

Sar dād, magar na dād dast dar dast-e Yazid

“He chose death rather than submit to Yazid.”

Strangely, however, one of the most widely accepted narratives in Islamic history is consistent neither with Islamic teachings nor with the historical record. Both Islam and history reject this popular version.