Hassan II (Imam)

Not to be confused with Hassan II of Morocco.

Ḥasan ʿAlā Dhikrihi's Salām (Persian/Arabic: حسن على ذكره السلام) or Hassan II was the leader of the Assassins of Nizari Ismaili state from 1162 until 1166. From his capital of Alamut he ruled parts of Persia and Syria. His chief subordinate in Syria was Rashid ad-Din Sinan, the Old Man of the Mountain.

Biography

In 1164 Hassan, leading the Nizari sect of Ismaili Islam, proclaimed the Qiyamat, the abrogation of Sharia law. This violation of Islamic custom scandalized Sunnis and orthodox Shias, who retaliated with violence against Hassan's followers.

Declaration of the qiyama

Only two years after his accession, the Imām Hasan ‘ala dhikri al-salam, apparently conducted a ceremony known as qiyama (resurrection) at the grounds of the Alamut Castle, whereby the Imām would once again become visible to his community of followers in and outside of the Nizārī Ismā'īlī state; while alive Hassan said he spoke on behalf of the Imām. Given Juwayni's polemical aims, and the fact that he burned the Ismā'īlī libraries which may have offered much more reliable testimony about the history, scholars have been dubious about his narrative but are forced to rely on it given the absence of alternative sources. Fortunately, descriptions of this event are also preserved in Rashid al-Din’s narrative and recounted in the Haft Bab-i Abi Ishaq, an Ismaili book of the 15th century AD. However, these are either based on Juwayni, or don't go into great detail. No contemporary Ismaili account of the events has survived, and it is likely that scholars will never know the exact details of this time.

Further information: Alamut Castle, Ata al-Mulk Juvayni, and Tarikh-i Jahangushay-i Juvaini

Death

The Imām Hasan ‘ala dhikrihi al-salam died a violent death in 1166, only a year and a half after the declaration of the qiyama. According to Juwayni, he was stabbed in the Ismaili castle of Lambasar by his brother in law, Hasan Namwar. He was succeeded by his son Imām Nūr al-Dīn Muhammad who abandoned Hassan's schemes of world revolution.

See also

• Crusades
• History of Nizari Ismailism

External links

• Hassan II at the Encyclopædia Iranica
• HASAN ALA ZIKRIHI'S SALAM (557-561/1162-1166)

Succession

Hassan II (Imam) of the Ahl al-Bayt Banu Hashim Clan of the Banu Quraish Born: 1142/1145 C.E Died: 1166 C.E.
Regnal titles
Preceded by Muḥammad ibn Kiyā Buzurg-Ummīd (3rd Nizārī Ismā'īlī Da'i at Alamut)	4th Ruler of Nizārī Ismā'īlī state and Commander of Alamut Castle 1164–1166	Succeeded by Nūr al-Dīn Muḥammad II (‘A'lā Muḥammad)
Shia Islam titles
Preceded by Al-Qāhir ibn Al-Muḥammad (Hassan I - 3rd concealed imām)	Ḥasan ʿAlā Dhikrihi's Salām 23rd Imām of Nizārī Ismā'īlīs 1164–1166	Succeeded by Nūru-d-Dīn Muḥammad II (‘A'lā Muḥammad)