Imam al-Hasan b. 'Ali al-'Askari (a)

ʾAbū Muḥammad al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī (a) (Arabic:(ع) أبو محمد الحسن بن علي) (b. 232/846 - d. 260/874) was the 11th Imam of Twelver Shi'a and the father of Imam al-Mahdi (a). He was given the title, Imam al-Askari(امام العسکري), because he was forced to reside in Samarra which was also known as "Askar" (a military camp or town). His other titles include Ibn al-Rida, al-Hadi, al-Naqi, al-Zaki, al-Rafiq and al-Samit.

Severe restrictions on Imam al-Askari's (a) life made him choose agents to communicate with the Shi'a. Uthman b. Sa'id was one of his special agents who became the first special deputy of Imam al-Mahdi (a) upon the beginning of his occultation after Imam al-Askari (a) was martyred.

Imam al-'Askari (a) was martyred on the 8th of Rabi I, 260/874. He was buried in the same house where his father had been buried. The holy shrine of al-'Askariyyayn was attacked and destroyed two times by terrorists.

Many hadiths have been narrated from Imam al-Askari (a) on different topics such as exegesis of the Qur'an, ethics, jurisprudence, theology, supplications, and Ziyarahs