Qasim ibn Hassan
Encyclopedia
Al-Qasim ibn Hasan (c. 666 – 10 October 680) was the son of the Shī`a Imām
, Hasan ibn Ali
, and grandson of Ali ibn Abi Talib. He was born in 666, three years before the death of his father.
When Hasan's
brother Husayn
prepared to leave Medina
in 670, Qasim's mother Umm Farwa asked Husayn to take her and Al-Qasim with him. Husayn
agreed. Qasim, although only 14 years old, had, like his cousins, Aun and Muhammad, who were his aunt Zaynab
's sons, learnt fencing from his uncle Abbas
and his cousin Ali Akbar. He took part in the battle of Karbala
, in which he was martyred. Before the Battle of Karbala
, on the 9th day of Muharram
. Al-Abadullah was married to Husayn
ibn Ali's eldest daughter, Fatimah Kubra bint Hussain, who was 11 at the time. It is said that Husayn
made a promise to his brother Hasan
that he will marry his daughter to his son. Therefore, knowing that he was going to die, he arranged the marriage before the day of Ashura
to keep his promise. On the day of Ashura, Al-Qasim, like other cousins before him, was eager to fight for his uncle whom he loved dearly, so he went to his uncle to ask for permission. Husayn
would not permit him because he was so young and could not bear the thought of anything happening to him, so he did not permit him. This went on for many times until Al-Qasim gave up and went to the tent his mother was in. His mother was very upset to see her son like this so she gave him a letter that Hasan
had written for his son before he died. She gave Al-Qasim the letter. In the letter it was written, "My son Qasim, a day will come when my brother Husayn will be facing an enemy army of tens of thousands. That will be the day when Islam will need to be saved by sacrifice. You must represent me on that day." Al-Qasim read the letter and rushed to his uncle and gave him the letter. After reading the letter Husayn
said, "O my brother's son, how can I stop you from doing what your father wanted you to do? In the Name of Allah, go! Allah be with you!" When he got up on the horse he looked like a shining moon. Al-Qasim was a very handsome boy. When he went to the battle field, he fought with all of his strength and killed a lot of the enemies. But, he was only a boy and was thirsty for three days due the blockage of the river by Yazid I
and his army. A man came from behind and hit Al-Qasim with his sword to which he fell and cried aloud, "O, dear uncle, peace be upon you" Husayn
rode out upon hearing this. The soldiers tried to stop him, when finally he came to where Al-Qasim had fallen. He saw Al-Qasim's body trampled to pieces by the horses of the soldiers who had tried to stop them from reaching to their nephew. When the time came for Husayn
to take his nephew's body back to the tents he took off his aba, spread it on the ground and picked the pieces of the body up as one would collect flowers from a garden.
Imamah (Shi'a doctrine)
Imāmah is the Shia doctrine of religious, spiritual and political leadership of the Ummah. The Shīa believe that the A'immah are the true Caliphs or rightful successors of Muḥammad, and further that Imams are possessed of divine knowledge and authority as well as being part of the Ahl al-Bayt,...
, Hasan ibn Ali
Hasan ibn Ali
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...
, and grandson of Ali ibn Abi Talib. He was born in 666, three years before the death of his father.
When Hasan's
Hasan ibn Ali
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...
brother Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
prepared to leave Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
in 670, Qasim's mother Umm Farwa asked Husayn to take her and Al-Qasim with him. Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
agreed. Qasim, although only 14 years old, had, like his cousins, Aun and Muhammad, who were his aunt Zaynab
Zaynab bint Ali
Zaynab bint Ali was the daughter of the Rashid Caliph and first Shi'i Imam, Ali and granddaughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah....
's sons, learnt fencing from his uncle Abbas
Abbas ibn Ali
Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Ali was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib and fourth Rashidun Caliph) and Fātimah bint Hizam al-Kilabiyyah .Al-‘Abbās is revered by Muslims for his loyalty to his half-brother Husayn ibn ‘Alī, his respect for the...
and his cousin Ali Akbar. He took part in the battle of Karbala
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
, in which he was martyred. Before the Battle of Karbala
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
, on the 9th day of Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
. Al-Abadullah was married to Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
ibn Ali's eldest daughter, Fatimah Kubra bint Hussain, who was 11 at the time. It is said that Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
made a promise to his brother Hasan
Hasan ibn Ali
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...
that he will marry his daughter to his son. Therefore, knowing that he was going to die, he arranged the marriage before the day of Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
to keep his promise. On the day of Ashura, Al-Qasim, like other cousins before him, was eager to fight for his uncle whom he loved dearly, so he went to his uncle to ask for permission. Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
would not permit him because he was so young and could not bear the thought of anything happening to him, so he did not permit him. This went on for many times until Al-Qasim gave up and went to the tent his mother was in. His mother was very upset to see her son like this so she gave him a letter that Hasan
Hasan ibn Ali
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...
had written for his son before he died. She gave Al-Qasim the letter. In the letter it was written, "My son Qasim, a day will come when my brother Husayn will be facing an enemy army of tens of thousands. That will be the day when Islam will need to be saved by sacrifice. You must represent me on that day." Al-Qasim read the letter and rushed to his uncle and gave him the letter. After reading the letter Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
said, "O my brother's son, how can I stop you from doing what your father wanted you to do? In the Name of Allah, go! Allah be with you!" When he got up on the horse he looked like a shining moon. Al-Qasim was a very handsome boy. When he went to the battle field, he fought with all of his strength and killed a lot of the enemies. But, he was only a boy and was thirsty for three days due the blockage of the river by Yazid I
Yazid I
Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiya ibn Abī Sufyān , commonly known as Yazid I, was the second Caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate . He ruled for three years from 680 CE until his death in 683 CE. Many Muslims condemn Yazid's rule as contentious and unjust...
and his army. A man came from behind and hit Al-Qasim with his sword to which he fell and cried aloud, "O, dear uncle, peace be upon you" Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
rode out upon hearing this. The soldiers tried to stop him, when finally he came to where Al-Qasim had fallen. He saw Al-Qasim's body trampled to pieces by the horses of the soldiers who had tried to stop them from reaching to their nephew. When the time came for Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
to take his nephew's body back to the tents he took off his aba, spread it on the ground and picked the pieces of the body up as one would collect flowers from a garden.