Discussion On Imam-e-zaman

Imam Hasan Al-askari’s (a.s.) Marriage To Narjis Khatoon

The story of Narjis Khatoon and her marriage to Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) has been related in the traditions thus: One day Imam Hadi (a.s.), the tenth Imam, said to one of his companions, Bishr Ibn Sulaiman, a descendant of Abu Ayyub Ansari27, “Considering the reputation and status you and your ancestors enjoy in Islam, I want to entrust a very important but confidential task to you.”

Thereafter, Imam Hadi (a.s.) proceeded to explain to him the details of the mission, “Go to the bridge of Baghdad and await the arrival of a man who has numerous maid-slaves with him for sale. When he puts them up for sale, take this pouch of money and buy a maid with the following characteristics. If the maid refuses, hand over this letter to her and bring her along with you.” Bishr Ibn Sulaiman proceeded to the bridge of Baghdad to implement the order of his Imam. At that moment, a man passed by with a good number of slave girls, among them being the one described by Imam Hadi (a.s.). Bishr Ibn Sulaiman went ahead and offered to buy that slave girl. The man replied, ‘I give the freedom of choice to the slave girl herself if she wants to accept your offer. Go and talk to her. If she agrees, I have no objection.

Bishr Ibn Sulaiman went to the slave girl who refused the offer. On this, he handed over the letter of Imam Hadi (a.s.) to her. After reading the letter, she accepted the offer. After the amount was finalized, Bishr handed over the agreed remuneration to the seller and brought the slave girl along to Saamarra.

On the way, he asked the slave girl, ‘Do you recognise the owner of the letter?

Because I think you are not an Arab but a Roman. Did you have any prior contact with the owner of the letter?’ The girl replied, ‘Had I not recognised 27 Abu Ayyub Ansari is the same illustrious person whose house had the honour of being the first halt of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in Madina. He and his mother gained the distinction of preceding others in being the host of Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.a.). Abu Ayyub and his sons were always the companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the infallible Imams (a.s.).

him, I would not have agreed to this deal.’ Bishr inquired, ‘Have you seen him?’ She replied, ‘apparently no. But I am acquainted with him.’

A perplexed Bishr asked, ‘From where? How?’ The girl retorted, ‘Are you not among his Shias? Then, why are you asking such questions? Is he not an Imam? Is not your recognition about Imam Hadi (a.s.) like mine?’ Bishr queried, ‘What is your story?’ The slave girl commenced her story, ‘I am the daughter of Yashooa, the Caesar of Rome28. I saw Hazrat Mariam (a.s.) in a dream and through her, I became a Muslim. In my country, I was supposed to marry my cousin. But my wedding congregation was disrupted due to which I had become slightly disgruntled.

That very night, the Messenger of Islam (s.a.w.a.) and Hazrat Eesa (a.s.) appeared in my dream and I became engrossed in the thought of coming to the Islamic capital. In the same dream, I saw Imam Hadi (a.s.) that he was saying, ‘In the war raging between the Muslims and your father’s army, the latter will face defeat. You make use of this opportunity, line up yourself in the queue of slave girls, and come over to Baghdad. Near the bridge of Baghdad, my representative shall come to you and hand over my letter.”

Books of traditions and history have narrated this incident29.

So, among the accepted facts of Imam-e-Zaman’s (a.t.f.s.) life history is that his mother was a Roman slave girl, whose name was Narjis or Sosan or Reyhana, or other names. She was given different names because of the various qualities that she possessed. Even today, if a foreign girl comes to an Islamic country in marriage, she is given an Islamic name along with her previous name.

This was the story of Narjis, the mother of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.). During the 15th Sha’baan celebrations, the orators narrate this very narration of Bishr Ibn Sulaiman in detail. As stated earlier, even the inability to prove this tradition, will not harm the basic belief of Mahdaviyyat.

28 In Muslim terminology and according to Muslim historians, Rome implies Asia Minor and its surrounding countries. As the Roman empire had expanded far and wide, Asia Minor too had come under its rule and hence from the 5th Century A.D., Rome was divided into East and West. The Western side was Italy, the city of Rome being its capital, while the Eastern side was Asia Minor, whose capital was Istanbul. Therefore, even after the invasion of the Saljuks and the Turks, that part of Asia Minor was called as Rome. (The Encyclopaedia of Dehkhuda-Under the word ‘Rome’).

29 Behaarul Anwaar, by Allamah Majlisi (a.r.), vol. 51, p. 6