Imam Hasan bin Ali — the grandson of the Prophet poisoned, while Muawiya’s name appears in historical accusation after historical accusation
Imam Hasan bin Ali a.s was not an ordinary political rival.
He was the grandson of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
He was the son of Imam Ali a.s and Bibi Fatima s.a.
He was one of the two leaders of the youth of Paradise.
He was the one about whom the Prophet ﷺ said:
ابني هذا سيد
“This son of mine is a leader.”
Reference:
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2704
So before anyone tries to hide this under politics, remember who we are talking about.
We are talking about the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ.
We are talking about the son of Fatima s.a.
We are talking about the Imam whose peace treaty saved Muslim blood.
And then the same Imam was poisoned.
Core narration 1: Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn are leaders of the youth of Paradise
Arabic:
الحسن والحسين سيدا شباب أهل الجنة.
English:
“Hasan and Husayn are the two leaders of the youth of Paradise.”
Reference:
Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, Hadith 3768. Al-Tirmidhi said: Hasan Sahih.
Status:
Hasan Sahih according to al-Tirmidhi.
Comment:
This is the rank of Imam Hasan a.s.
So when historical books speak about his poisoning, this is not a small issue.
It is the poisoning of the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ.
Core narration 2: Sahih al-Bukhari calls Imam Hasan a leader
Arabic:
ابْنِي هَذَا سَيِّدٌ، وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُصْلِحَ بِهِ بَيْنَ فِئَتَيْنِ عَظِيمَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ.
English:
“This son of mine is a leader, and perhaps Allah will make peace through him between two great groups of Muslims.”
Reference:
Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Sulh, Hadith 2704.
Status:
Sahih.
Comment:
The Prophet ﷺ did not call Muawiya the savior of the Ummah.
He praised Imam Hasan a.s.
The peace came through Imam Hasan a.s’s sacrifice, not through Muawiya’s virtue.
Core narration 3: Ibn Sa‘d records that Ja‘dah poisoned Imam Hasan
Arabic:
عن أم موسى: أن جعدة بنت الأشعث بن قيس سقت الحسن السم فاشتكى منه شكاة. قال: فكان يوضع تحته طست وترفع أخرى نحوا من أربعين يوما.
English:
“From Umm Musa: Ja‘dah bint al-Ash‘ath bin Qays gave Hasan poison, and he suffered from it. A basin would be placed under him and another lifted, for around forty days.”
Reference:
Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, section on the cause of death of Hasan bin Ali.
Status:
Early Sunni historical report.
Comment:
This is the basic point:
Imam Hasan a.s was poisoned.
The report names Ja‘dah bint al-Ash‘ath as the one who gave him poison.
Core narration 4: Imam Hasan said he had been poisoned many times
Arabic:
لقد سقيت السم مرارا وما سقيته مثل هذه المرة، لقد لفظت طائفة من كبدي، فرأيتني أقلبها بعود معي.
English:
“I have been given poison many times, but I was never given poison like this time. I vomited a piece of my liver, and I saw myself turning it over with a stick that I had.”
Reference:
Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab; Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
This was not a normal death.
The reports describe repeated poisoning and a final poison so severe that Imam Hasan a.s spoke of pieces of his liver coming out.
Core narration 5: Imam Hasan refused to name the killer so no innocent person would be killed
Arabic:
فقال له الحسين: يا أخي، من سقاك؟ قال: وما تريد إليه؟ أتريد أن تقتله؟ قال: نعم. قال: لئن كان الذي أظن فالله أشد نقمة، ولئن كان غيره ما أحب أن تقتل بي بريئا.
English:
“Al-Husayn said to him: My brother, who gave you the poison? He said: What do you want with him? Do you want to kill him? He said: Yes. Hasan said: If it is the one I suspect, then Allah is stronger in punishment; and if it is someone else, I would not like an innocent person to be killed because of me.”
Reference:
Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab; Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
Look at the greatness of Imam Hasan a.s.
Even while dying from poison, he refused to let anger lead to the killing of an innocent person.
That is the Akhlaq of the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ.
Core narration 6: Ibn Abd al-Barr records the accusation against Muawiya
Arabic:
وقال قتادة وأبو بكر بن حفص: سم الحسن بن علي، سمته امرأته جعدة بنت الأشعث بن قيس الكندي.
وقالت طائفة: كان ذلك منها بتدسيس معاوية إليها وما بذل لها في ذلك، وكان لها ضرائر، والله أعلم.
English:
“Qatadah and Abu Bakr bin Hafs said: Hasan bin Ali was poisoned; his wife Ja‘dah bint al-Ash‘ath bin Qays al-Kindi poisoned him.
And a group said: that was done by her through Muawiya’s instigation to her and what he offered her for that; and she had co-wives. Allah knows best.”
Reference:
Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab, biography of Hasan bin Ali.
Status:
Sunni biographical / historical report.
Comment:
This is a major Sunni source.
The wording is not hidden:
بتدسيس معاوية إليها
“By Muawiya’s instigation to her.”
وما بذل لها
“And what he offered her.”
So do not say this accusation exists only in Shia books.
It is preserved in Sunni biographical sources too.
Core narration 7: Al-Mada’ini’s direct report: 100,000 and marriage to Yazid
Arabic:
قال أبو الحسن المدائني: وكانت وفاته في سنة تسع وأربعين، وكان مرضه أربعين يوما، وكانت سنه سبعا وأربعين سنة، دس إليه معاوية سما على يد جعدة بنت الأشعث بن قيس زوجة الحسن، وقال لها: إن قتلتيه بالسم فلك مائة ألف، وأزوجك يزيد ابني. فلما مات وفى لها بالمال، ولم يزوجها من يزيد. قال: أخشى أن تصنع بابني كما صنعت بابن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.
English:
“Abu al-Hasan al-Mada’ini said: His death was in the year 49 AH, his illness lasted forty days, and his age was forty-seven. Muawiya sent poison to him through Ja‘dah bint al-Ash‘ath bin Qays, the wife of Hasan, and said to her: If you kill him with poison, you will have 100,000 and I will marry you to my son Yazid. When Hasan died, he gave her the money but did not marry her to Yazid. He said: I fear she may do to my son what she did to the son of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
Reference:
Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, quoting Abu al-Hasan al-Mada’ini.
Status:
Historical report, not Sahih hadith.
Comment:
This is one of the most direct reports.
It mentions:
Muawiya.
Ja‘dah.
Poison.
100,000.
Marriage promise to Yazid.
Payment after the death.
And then the disgusting betrayal:
He paid her, but refused to marry her to Yazid because he feared she would do to Yazid what she did to the son of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Core narration 8: Al-Mas‘udi also records the same accusation
Arabic:
وذكر أن امرأته جعدة بنت الأشعث بن قيس الكندي سقته السم، وقد كان معاوية دس إليها: إنك إن احتلت في قتل الحسن وجهت إليك بمائة ألف درهم، وزوجتك من يزيد. فكان ذلك الذي بعثها على سمه، فلما مات وفى لها معاوية بالمال، وأرسل إليها: إنا نحب حياة يزيد، ولولا ذلك لوفينا لك بتزويجه.
English:
“It is mentioned that his wife Ja‘dah bint al-Ash‘ath bin Qays al-Kindi gave him poison. Muawiya had secretly sent to her: If you manage to kill Hasan, I will send you 100,000 dirhams and marry you to Yazid. That is what pushed her to poison him. When he died, Muawiya fulfilled the money for her and sent to her: We love the life of Yazid; if not for that, we would have fulfilled the marriage to you.”
Reference:
Al-Mas‘udi, Muruj al-Dhahab, under the account of Hasan bin Ali.
Status:
Historical report.
Comment:
Again the same pattern:
Money.
Marriage promise.
Poison.
Then betrayal.
The political benefit was clear: as long as Imam Hasan a.s was alive, Yazid’s succession was not safe.
Core narration 9: Al-Maqdisi also records the report
Arabic:
وقال آخرون إن معاوية دس إلى جعدة بنت الأشعث بن قيس بأن تسم الحسن ويزوجها يزيد، فسمته وقتلته، فقال لها معاوية: إن يزيد منا بمكان، وكيف يصلح له من لا يصلح لابن رسول الله؟ وعوضها منه مائة ألف درهم.
English:
“Others said that Muawiya secretly sent to Ja‘dah bint al-Ash‘ath bin Qays that she should poison Hasan and that he would marry her to Yazid. So she poisoned him and killed him. Then Muawiya said to her: Yazid has a place with us; how can someone who was not suitable for the son of the Messenger of Allah be suitable for him? And he compensated her with 100,000 dirhams.”
Reference:
Al-Maqdisi, al-Bad’ wa al-Tarikh.
Status:
Historical report.
Comment:
Same accusation again.
The sources differ in wording, but the core accusation repeats:
Muawiya used Ja‘dah.
He promised money and Yazid.
Imam Hasan a.s was poisoned.
Then Muawiya protected Yazid from the same woman.
Core narration 10: Abu al-Fida records the poisoning report with variant attribution
Arabic:
وتوفي الحسن من سم سقته زوجته جعدة بنت الأشعث، قيل فعلت ذلك بأمر معاوية، وقيل بأمر يزيد بن معاوية، ووعدها أنه يتزوجها إن فعلت ذلك، فسقته السم وطالبت يزيد أن يتزوجها فأبى.
English:
“Hasan died from poison given to him by his wife Ja‘dah bint al-Ash‘ath. It was said she did that by the order of Muawiya, and it was said by the order of Yazid bin Muawiya. He promised her that he would marry her if she did that, so she gave him poison and then demanded that Yazid marry her, but he refused.”
Reference:
Abu al-Fida, al-Mukhtasar fi Akhbar al-Bashar.
Status:
Historical report with variant attribution.
Comment:
Even where the attribution is shifted between Muawiya and Yazid, the report still preserves the central scandal:
Imam Hasan a.s was poisoned through Ja‘dah.
The Umayyad house is named in the accusation.
And the promised marriage was not fulfilled.
Core narration 11: Muawiya was monitoring Imam Hasan’s illness
Arabic:
مرض الحسن بن علي مرضه الذي مات فيه، فكتب عامل المدينة إلى معاوية يخبره بشكاية الحسن، فكتب إليه معاوية: إن استطعت ألا يمضي يوم يمر بي إلا يأتيني فيه خبره فافعل، فلم يزل يكتب إليه بحاله حتى توفي.
English:
“Hasan bin Ali became ill with the illness from which he died. The governor of Madinah wrote to Muawiya informing him of Hasan’s illness. Muawiya wrote to him: If you can, let no day pass without his news reaching me, then do so. So he continued writing to him about his condition until he died.”
Reference:
Al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah, attributed to Ibn Qutaybah.
Status:
Historical report; the book’s attribution is debated, so use as supporting material.
Comment:
Why does a ruler need daily updates about the illness of the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ?
Why this level of interest?
Because Imam Hasan a.s was the major obstacle to Yazid’s succession.
Core narration 12: Report that Muawiya showed happiness and prostrated when news came
Arabic:
فلما أتاه الخبر أظهر فرحا وسرورا حتى سجد وسجد من كان معه.
English:
“When the news came to him, he showed joy and happiness until he prostrated, and those with him prostrated.”
Reference:
Al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah, attributed to Ibn Qutaybah; also cited in later historical collections.
Status:
Historical report; use as supporting polemical evidence.
Comment:
If this report is accepted, it is not just political coldness.
It is open joy at the death of the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ.
Core narration 13: Ibn Abbas confronts Muawiya over his happiness
Arabic:
وقد بلغني الذي أظهرت من الفرح والسرور لوفاته! أما والله ما سد جسده حفرتك، ولا زاد نقصان أجله في عمرك، ولقد مات وهو خير منك، ولئن أصبنا به لقد أصبنا بمن كان خيرا منه جده رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.
English:
“What you displayed of joy and happiness at his death has reached me! By Allah, his body will not fill your grave, nor will the decrease of his life add to your life. He died while he was better than you. And if we were struck by his loss, we were struck before by the loss of one better than him: his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
Reference:
Reported in historical/adab sources in the account of Ibn Abbas with Muawiya after the death of Imam Hasan.
Status:
Historical report.
Comment:
Ibn Abbas’s reply is crushing:
ولقد مات وهو خير منك
“He died while he was better than you.”
This is the correct response to anyone who celebrates the death of the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ.
Core narration 14: Al-‘Iqd al-Farid records Ibn Abbas saying Muawiya was happy
Arabic:
ما لي أراك يا معاوية مستبشرا بموت الحسن بن علي؟ فوالله لا ينسأ في أجلك، ولا يسد حفرتك، وما أقل بقاءنا بعده!
English:
“Why do I see you, O Muawiya, happy at the death of Hasan bin Ali? By Allah, it will not extend your lifespan, nor will it fill your grave; how little remains for us after him!”
Reference:
Ibn Abd Rabbih, al-‘Iqd al-Farid.
Status:
Historical/adab report.
Comment:
This report does not merely say Muawiya received the news.
It says Ibn Abbas saw him as pleased/happy at Imam Hasan’s death and confronted him directly.
Core narration 15: Ibn Khallikan-style report: Muawiya made takbir and said “my heart is relieved”
Arabic:
فلما بلغ معاوية موته سمع تكبيرة من الخضراء، فكبر أهل الشام لذلك التكبير. فقالت فاختة بنت قرظة لمعاوية: أقر الله عينك، ما الذي كبرت لأجله؟ فقال: مات الحسن. فقالت: أعلى موت ابن فاطمة تكبر؟ فقال: ما كبرت شماتة بموته، ولكن استراح قلبي.
English:
“When news of his death reached Muawiya, a takbir was heard from al-Khadra’, so the people of Syria made takbir because of that takbir. Fakhitah bint Qarazah said to Muawiya: May Allah cool your eye, what did you make takbir for? He said: Hasan has died. She said: Do you make takbir over the death of the son of Fatima? He said: I did not make takbir out of gloating over his death, but my heart has been relieved.”
Reference:
Reported from Ibn Khallikan / later historical-adab transmission, also cited in works such as Hayat al-Hayawan and Tarikh al-Khamis.
Status:
Historical/adab report.
Comment:
Even the excuse is ugly:
ولكن استراح قلبي
“But my heart has been relieved.”
Relieved from whom?
From the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ?
From the son of Fatima s.a?
From the Imam who prevented more Muslim bloodshed?
This is not a virtue.
This is a political confession.
Important academic note:
The report that Ja‘dah poisoned Imam Hasan a.s is found in early Sunni historical sources such as Ibn Sa‘d.
The accusation that Muawiya arranged it through money and the promise of Yazid is found in multiple historical sources, including Ibn Abd al-Barr’s al-Isti‘ab, al-Mas‘udi, al-Maqdisi, Ibn Abi al-Hadid quoting al-Mada’ini, and others.
This is historical evidence, not Sahih Bukhari-style hadith.
Some Sunni scholars tried to reject the accusation against Muawiya and called it unreliable or Shia-influenced.
But the honest point is this:
The accusation is not absent from Sunni and early historical books.
It is preserved repeatedly.
So no one has the right to pretend this is a “Shia invention.”
Now ask the real question:
Who benefited from Imam Hasan’s death?
Muawiya and Yazid.
Who was the major obstacle to Yazid’s succession?
Imam Hasan a.s.
Who do historical reports say was bribed?
Ja‘dah bint al-Ash‘ath.
Who do multiple reports say made the offer?
Muawiya.
What was the offer?
Money and marriage to Yazid.
What happened after Imam Hasan a.s died?
The money was paid.
The marriage was refused.
Why?
Because Muawiya feared she might do to Yazid what she had done to the son of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
And after the death, reports say Muawiya showed joy, prostrated, made takbir, or said his heart was relieved.
This is not normal politics.
This is the death of the Prophet’s grandson.
Qur’an says:
Arabic:
قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ.
English:
“Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it except love for the near relatives.”
Reference:
Qur’an 42:23
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
Arabic:
الحسن والحسين سيدا شباب أهل الجنة.
English:
“Hasan and Husayn are the two leaders of the youth of Paradise.”
Reference:
Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Hasan Sahih.
So what kind of “love of Ahl al-Bayt” poisons Imam Hasan a.s?
What kind of “ijtihad” removes the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ from the path of Yazid?
What kind of “respect” celebrates his death?
Do not use Imam Hasan a.s’s treaty to clean Muawiya’s record.
The treaty was Imam Hasan’s sacrifice to stop Muslim bloodshed.
It was not a certificate of innocence for Muawiya.
It did not cancel the murder of Hujr.
It did not cancel the blood of Ammar.
It did not cancel the raids of Busr.
And it did not erase the historical accusation that Imam Hasan a.s was poisoned through an Umayyad political plot.
Imam Hasan a.s made peace to save the Ummah.
Muawiya used that peace to prepare Yazid.
And when the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ died, historical reports say Muawiya’s heart was relieved.
That is the difference between Imam Hasan a.s and Muawiya.
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