Narjis

Narjis
Died Samarra
Resting place Sāmarrā, Iraq
Spouse(s) Abu Muhammad
Children Muhammad al-Mahdi

Narjis (Arabic: نرجس ‎) was reportedly the wife of Imam Hasan al-Askari, the mother of the final Imam of Twelver Shia Islam. Her name has been recorded as Fatima, Narjis, Rayhana and Maryam b. Zayd al-’Alawiyya and Saqil in Shia books.[1] Sunnis call her Sawsan. There are a couple of narrations regarding her ancestry, among them two traditions, one identifying her as an African and the other as a Byzantine.[2] Some Shia sources have described her as a "Roman (i.e. Byzantine) princess" who pretended to be a slave so that she might travel from her kingdom to Arabia.[3][4] Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi, in Encyclopedia of Iranica, suggests that the last version is "undoubtedly legendary and hagiographic".[4] According to Ibn Babawayh’s account,[5] Narjis saw mother of Jesus, Mary, and Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad in her dreams and converted to Islam.[6] They asked her travel to Medina by masquerading as a captive of the Muslim army.[4] According to Donaldson, Ali al-Hadi, Hasan al-Askari's father, wrote a letter and handed it to his friend Bashar ibn Sulaiman with 220 Dinar's in red pocket. He asked Bashar to go to Baghdad where slaves were sold. Ali al-Hadi had predicted that one of the slave girl stated in the language of Rum: "even if you have the wealth and glory of Solomon, son of David, I will not turn to you. So don't waste your money!" Bashar narrates that as per Ali al-Hadi’s request, he handed the letter to the slave girl. The girl read the letter and cried. Then she asks the seller to sell her to the writer of the letter, "for if you refuse I will surely kill myself."[7] After joining Ali al-Hadi, he invited his sister, Hakimah Khātūn and of Narjis he said to her sister: "she is the wife of Hasan al-Askari and mother of Al-Qa'im. Teach her duties and traditions."[6]

On the eve of 14 Sha'ban in 255 AH, Hamidah daughter of Muhammad al-Jawad narrated that when it was the dawn, Narjis felt a sudden twinge of pain. Hakima went to her. After a few moments, Narjis delivered the child. Hakima embraced the child and brought him to Hasan al-Askari.[8][9] There were no signs of pregnancy and birth in Narjis. Hakimah Khatun has said, "pregnancy of Narjis was like pregnancy of Moses prophet without any signs for the protection of the child.[8] That is because the Abbasid decided to kill the expected child who was known as savior.[4][6][10] According to Kohlberg, after the death of Hasan al-Askari, the eleventh Shia Imam, some Shia followers believed that he is Qaem and Muhammad al-Mahdi is not his son.[11]

Narjis has been featured in an Iranian animated movie, Princess of Rome, released in 33rd Fajr International Film Festival in Iran.[12]

Early life and marriage

The first scholar to reveal information about Narjis as mother of twelfth Imam was Al-Masudi. According to his account, she was a black slave named Narjis.[5] Ibn Babawayh was the first scholar to discuss the nationality of Narjis on the authority of Muhammad b. Bahr al-Shaybani, who attributed his narration to Bishr b. Sulayman al-Nakhkhas.[5] According to him[8] and Allamah Majlesi in al-Ghaibah,[6] she was a Christian[5] and the granddaughter of a Roman Caesar who was a descendant of the Apostle Simon. Also there is this narration that she was not a princess but a black slave from Nubian.[4] But Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi, in Encyclopedia of Iranica, suggests that the last version is "undoubtedly legendary and hagiographic".[4]

Fatima, Narges Khatoon,[13] Rayhana, Sawsan, and Maryam[4] Maryam b. Zayd al-’Alawiyya and Saqil[5] are names attributed to her in the sources. According to the Sibt ibn al-Jawzi and Ibn Talhah, Sunni narrators, she had been known as Sawsan.[14] It is possible that her original name has been Narjis with other ones being, except Saqil, names by which her associates such as Hakimah Khātūn, sister of Ali al-Hadi, tenth Imam has used to call her.[5]

According to Ibn Babawayh’s account,[5] Narjis saw mother of Jesus, Mary, and Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad in her dreams on fourteen nights. They asked her to become Muslim and travel to Medina by masquerading as a captive of the Muslim army.[4] According to al-Ghaibah, after conversion to Islam upon the request of Mary and Fatima, she had another dream in which he visited Hasan al-Askari, the eleventh Shia Imam. The Imam tells her that her grandfather will shortly send an army to fight against Muslims, and that she should turn herself in as a captive without being identified.[6] According to Donaldson, Ali al-Hadi, Hasan al-Askari's father, wrote a letter and handed it to his friend Bashar ibn Sulaiman with 220 Dinar's in red pocket. He asked Bashar to go to Baghdad where slaves were sold to inquire Amr ibn Yazid about a slave girl who would shout in the language of Rum: "Even if you have the wealth and glory of Solomon, son of David, I will not turn to you. So don’t waste your money!" Ali al-Hadi had predicted that the slave seller would respond that in any case he would have to sell the slave girl but she would respond: “Don't rush and let me select the buyer.” Bashar narrates that as per Ali al-Hadi’s request, he handed the letter to the slave girl. The girl read the letter and cried. Then she asks Amr ibn Yazid to sell her to the writer of the letter, “for if you refuse I will surely kill myself.” Bashar narrates that on their way to Samarra, the girl kissed the letter frequently, rubbing it on her face and body. When Bashar asks her about the reason, she told: "May the offspring of the Prophet dispel your doubts." After a while she reveals to Bashar her dreams and her escape from her father's palace.[7] After joining Ali al-Hadi, he invited his sister, Hakimah Khātūn and of Narjis he said to her sister: "she is the wife of Hasan al-Askari and mother of Al-Qa'im. Teach her duties and traditions."[6]

Birth of Muhammad al-Mahdi

According to the views of scholars, especially Muhammad Khawja Bukhari in his book Fasl-ul-Khetab, Hamidah daughter of Muhammad al-Jawad, the ninth Imam of Shia and the aunt of Hasan al-Askari used to pray a lot to witness the son of Hasan al-Askari. On the eve of 14 Sha'ban in 255 AH she met Hasan al-Askari. When she decided to return, Hasan al-Askari asked her to stay with them in order to witness the birth of the child whom she wished so much to see. She has narrated that when it was the dawn, Nargis felt a sudden twinge of pain. Hakima went to her. After a few moments, Narjis delivered the child. Hakima embraced the child and brought him to Hasan al-Askari. He took the child in his arms and he stroked his back and his eyes. Then he said aloud Adhan (call to prayer) in his right ear and Iqama (the second call to prayer) in his left ear.[8][9]

There were no signs of pregnancy and birth in Narjis. Hakimah Khatun has said, "pregnancy of Narjis was like pregnancy of Moses prophet without any signs for the protection of the child.[8] That’s because the Abbasid decided to kill the expected child who was known as savior. After the birth of the child, Hasan al-Askari revealed the child to his forty close followers and then the child was hidden.[4][6][10]

According to Kohlberg, after the death of Hasan al-Askari, the eleventh Shia Imam, some Shia followers believed that he is Qaem and Muhammad al-Mahdi is not his son because he did not have any child. Also, the group believed that he had not died and had gone into occultation.[11]

Al-Askari Shrine, Narjis, and Hakimah Khatun grave in the Samara.

Death and grave

As mentioned by Ibn Babawayh, her death preceded the death of Hasan al-Askari in 260 AH, but according to al-Najashi, a Shia scholar, she remained alive afterwards hiding in the house of Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Hamza, one of the close followers of Hasan al-Askari.[5]

The grave of Narjis is located in the Al-Askari Shrine, in Samarra, Iraq. It is next to the grave of Hasan al-Askari. Ali al-Hadi and Hakimah Khatun are also buried at this holy site.[15][16]

In the news

Main article: Princess of Rome

The Princess of Rome is an animated movie about Narjis, the mother of Muhammad al-Mahdi. The story holds that she was the granddaughter of Roman Emperor and came to Samarra after many adventures to finally marry Hasan al-Askari. The movie has been directed by Hadi Mohamadian. The Princess of Rome was screened at 33rd Fajr International Film Festival on February 2015 in Tehran and received positive notes.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sachedina, Abdulaziz (1981). Islamic Messianism. Albany, NY, USA: State University of New York Press. pp. 72–74, 78. ISBN 0-87395-458-0.
  2. ↑ Algar, Hamid (18 October 2001). Imam Musa al-Kadhim. University of California, Berkeley, USA.
  3. ↑ Online Islamic Courses
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Amir-Moezzi, Mohammad Ali. "ISLAM IN IRAN vii. THE CONCEPT OF MAHDI IN TWELVER SHIʿISM". Encyclopedia Iranica. Retrieved April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hussain, Jassim M. "The Occultation of the Twelfth Imam (A Historical Background)". Al-islam. Muhammadi Trust of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Muhammad Baqir, Majlisi. "Kitab al-ghaibah" (PDF). islamicmobility.
  7. 1 2 Donaldson, Dwight M. (1933). The Shi'ite Religion: A History of Islam in Persia and Irak. BURLEIGH PRESS. pp. 217–222.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Mohammed Raza Dungersi, Mohammed Raza (2012). A Brief Biography of Imam Muhammad bin Hasan (a.s.): al-Mahdi. Bilal Muslim mission of Tanzania.
  9. 1 2 Sadr, Sayyed Sadruddin. "AL-MAHDI" (PDF). .nabacultural.
  10. 1 2 Al-Shaykh al-Saduq. "Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni’ma" (PDF). duas.
  11. 1 2 Arjomand, Amir. "ḠAYBA". Encyclopedia Iranica. Retrieved 2012.
  12. 1 2 "Princess of Rome released". www.irna.ir. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  13. ↑ Young, Robert E. (September 2008). The Sign of Your Coming?. Tate Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-0615249858.
  14. ↑ Staff, Writer. "Hasan al-Askari". cgie.
  15. ↑ Shrine of Imām al-Hādī and Imām al-‘Askarī Archived March 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. (ArchNet Digital Library)
  16. ↑ Staff, Writter. "The grave of mother of Muhammad al Mahdi". mashreghnews. Retrieved February 2014.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, May 07, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.