At a glance
His family- Dates
- Hasan: 3 AH to c. 50 AH · Husayn: 4 AH to 61 AH (680 CE)
- Who
- Hasan, born 3 AH; Husayn, born 4 AH
- Stages
- The Final Years
ProfileHasan and Husayn, sons of Ali
Hasan and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them) were the sons of Ali and Fatimah, and the grandsons of the Prophet ﷺ who grew up in his home in Madinah. Narrations tell that he held them close, that he carried them on his shoulders, and that he once lengthened his prostration in prayer because one of them had climbed onto his back and he did not want to disturb him.
In the year of delegations, a Christian delegation came from Najran to Madinah. Narrations tell that when a mutual invocation of Allah was proposed, the Prophet ﷺ brought Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn with him. The delegation chose a treaty instead.
After Ali's death in 40 AH, Hasan was acknowledged as caliph. Within months he made peace with Muawiyah and handed over leadership, which brought the Muslims together again; that year, 41 AH, is remembered as the Year of Unity. He died around 50 AH.
Husayn lived on in Madinah and Makkah. In 61 AH he set out for Kufah, where people had written to him, and was met on the way by the governor's army. He was killed at Karbala, in Iraq, on the tenth of Muharram.
Meet them inWhere they appear in the seerah
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