Question:
Has Aisha prevented dead body of Imam Hassan (PBUH) to be buried in the house of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?
Answer:
It has been narrated in history that Imam Hassan (PBUH) stated in his will to Imam Hussein (PBUH) that “bury my body by the Prophet’s (PBUH) grave as I am more deserving than the ones who entered without permission … However, if any problem occurred, I do not want any bloodshed. Instead, bury my body by my grandmother (Fatima bent Ul-Asad) in Baqi cemetery.” This has been mentioned in most of Sunni sources, including:
Sunni narrations
Sunni scholars related that Aisha came while she was riding on a mule and did not let Imam Hassan’s (PBUH) body to be buried by the Prophet’s (PBUH) grave.
Belazari in Ansab al-Ashraf and Ibn Abi Al-Hadid in the description of Nahj Al-Balaghah has written down as follows:
When Imam Hassan (PBUH) passed away, the people intended to bury his body. However, Marwan did not let them do it and said: “no, Osman has been buried in Hash Kokab (Jewish cemetery near Baqi), and you want to bury Hassan here?” Bani Hashim and Bani Umayah gathered to help each other and brought weapons.
“Are you preventing Hassan’s body from being buried here while you have heard from the Prophet who said to Hassan and his brother Hussein that they are the heads of youths in the heaven?” said Abu Horairah to Marwan.
“Leave me, hadith of the Prophet is wasted if nobody else has memorized it except you and Abu Saeed Khedri, as you became a Muslim at the time of conquest of Kheybar”, Marwan said.
“You are right”, Abu Horairah said. “I converted to Islam at the time of conquest of Kheybar. However, I have always accompanied the Prophet, and never been separated from him. I used to ask him questions and persisted until I found out and realized whom he loves and hates; who is close to him and who is far from him; whom he let to stay in Medina and whom he sent into exile; for whom he prays and whom he curses.”
When Aisha saw the weapons and the men and feared that their argument may get worse and cause bloodshed, said “This is my house and I do not let anybody to be buried in it”.
Ansab Al-Ashraf (Albelazari), published by Dar Ul-Fekr, volume 3, pages 60-61
Description of Nahj Al-Balaghah by Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, volume 16, page 14. Published by the library of Ayatullah Uzma Al-Marashi Al-Najafi.
Yaqoubi writes in his history book as follows:
“This is my house and I do not let anybody to be buried here”, Aisha said while she was riding on a gray mule. Qasim Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr approached her and said “O aunt! We are still ashamed of the day of the red camel and you want to make the people say day of gray mule?”, and Aisha returned.
Tarikh Al-Yaqoubi, volume 2, page 225, published by Dar Sader, Beirut.
Shia narrations
Al-Imali of Sheikh-e-Tousi is the first among Shia books in which it has been narrated that Imam Hassan (PBUH) stated in his will to Imam Hussein (PBUH) that “bury my body by the Prophet’s (PBUH) grave as I am more deserving than the ones who entered without permission”.
Sheikh-e-Tousi, Al-Imali, page 160, Dar Ul-Theqafah
After Sheikh Tousi, some other Shia books have also narrated this quote from Imam Hassan (PBUH) thgouth him. However, there is no text describing this part of the will in other Shia books, such as Irshad of Sheikh-e-Mofid. Kafi even narrates from Imam Baqir (PBUH) that Imam Hassan (PBUH) stated in his will to take his body to the Prophet’s house only to renew his testament, but not for being buried.
Narration of Kafi
Muhammad Ibn Muslim said he heard from Imam Baqir (PBUH) that when Hassan Ibn Ali (PBUH) was near death, he said to his brother, Imam Hussein (PBUH): “O my brother! This is my will to you; keep it and prepare my body for burial when I pass away. Then, take my body toward the Prophet’s house to renew my promise. Afterwards, return me back toward my mother, Fatima (PBUH). Finally, bury my body in Baqi and know that I face a tribulation from Humeira (Aisha) who is known for her misdeed and enmity with Allah, the Prophet and our family”.
When Imam Hassan (PBUH) passed away, his body was placed on a coffin and taken to a place where the Prophet (PBUH) used to pray for the deads. Imam Hussein (PBUH) prayed for Imam Hassan’s dead body and toke it to the mosque afterwards. When Imam Hassan’s body was being held over the tomb of the Prophet, Aisha was informed that Bani Hashim were going to bury Imam Hassan’s body by the prophet. Therefore, she rode on a saddled camel and reached to the tomb of the Prophet. She was the first woman to sit on a saddle after appearance of Islam. Aisha stood and said “take your son out of my house because nothing must be buried here and the Prophet must not be unveiled”.
Kafi continues that Imam Hussein (PBUH) replied to Aisha as follows:
“Your father and you have already unveiled the Prophet (PBUH), and you brought the ones (refers to Abu Bakr and Umar) whom he did not like to be close to and Allah will hold you accountable for doing this. Indeed, my brother instructed me to take his body near the Prophet (PBUH) to renew his testament. And know that my brother was familiar with Allah, his Prophet, and meaning of Quran more than anybody else. This prevented him from unveiling the Prophet as Allah says in Quran that o believers, do not enter the house of the Prophet unless you are given permission. You have let some men to enter his house without his permission. Allah says that o believers, do not raise your voices above the voice the Prophet. I swear to my own life that you have hit the ground with pickaxe many times to bury your father and his farouq (Umar) near the Prophet while Allah says in Quran that those who lower their voice in the presence of the Messenger of Allah are those whose hearts Allah has tested for piety. I swear to my life that your father and his farouq disturbed the Prophet by approaching him and did not obey the instructions of Allah which was narrated by the Prophet’s tongue. It is a rule established by Allah that whatever is not allowed about the believers while they are alive, it will not be allowed when they are dead, either. O Aisha! I swear to Allah that if, in our opinion, it was allowed by Allah to bury Hassan’s body by the Prophet which is not what you want, you would know that we would bury his body there although you do not want it (but alas, in our opinion, it is not permissible to pick and hit the ground near the Prophet).”
Majlisi describes this narration in Merat Ul-Oqoul as follows:
It might have been said for the sake of expediency and describes the ugliness of burial of those two without the Prophet’s permission, while Imam Hassan (PBUH) was allowed to enter the house when the Prophet was alive and after he passed away.
Majlisi refers to the narration from Al-Imali of Sheikh-e-Tousi about their intention for burial to confirm his words.
Merat Ul-Oqoul Fi Sharh Akhbar Ale Rasoul, Researcher and corrector, Rasouli, Seyed Hashim, volume 3, page 314, Dar Ul-Kotob Ul-Islamiah
