AL-HASAN IBN ABIL HASAN AL-BASREE
(Abridged from ‘Siyar A`laamin Nubalaa·’ of Imaam adh-Dhahabee)
Translated by Abu Talha Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah
“al-Hasan ibn Abil-Hasan Yasaar:
The Imaam, Shaikhul-Islaam, Aboo Sa`eed al-Basree. It is said that he used to be a mawlaa (slave) belonging to Zayd ibn Thaabit, and it is said: a slave belonging to Jameel ibn Qutbah.
His mother was Khayrah, the slave-girl of Umm Salamah.
He grew up in al-Madeenah; and memorized the Qur·aan in the Khilaafah of `Uthmaan, and heard him give the Khutbah many times.
On the day of the killing of `Uthmaan he was fourteen years old.
Then he grew older and was constant upon Jihaad, and constant upon knowledge and action. He was one of the courageous folk who were mentioned for that…
In the rule of Mu`aawiyah he was a scribe for the governor of Khuraasaan – ar-Rabee` ibn Ziyaad.
He narrated from `Uthmaan, `Imraan ibn Husayn, al-Mugheerah ibn Shu`bah, `Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Samurah, Samurah ibn Jundub, Jundub al- Bajalee, Ibn `Abbaas, Ibn `Umar, Aboo Bakrah, `Amr ibn Taghlib, Jaabir, and many others.
Those who narrated from him include: Qataadah, Ayyoob (as- Sakhtiyaanee), Ibn `Awn, Yoonus (ibn `Ubayd), Khaalid al-Hadhdhaa·, Hishaam ibn Hassaan, Humayd at-Taweel, Jareer ibn Haazim, Shaybaan an- Nahawee, Yazeed ibn Ibraaheem at-Tusturee, Mubaarak ibn Fadaalah, ar- Rabee` ibn Sabeeh, Abaan ibn Yazeed al-`Attars, Qurrah ibn Khaalid, and many others besides them.
Ibn Sa`d said: “He was a comprehensive scholar, lofty, reliable a proof, trustworthy, a worshipper, one who performed frequent acts of worship and sacrifice. He was abundant in knowledge; spoke eloquently, and was handsome”…, until he said: “He is not a proof in those narrations which he narrated in ‘mursal’ form, and he was a ‘mudallis’. So when he says ‘From..’ with regard to those he did not meet, then he is not taken as proof.”
He sometimes performed ‘tadlees’ from those he had met, omitting the intermediary between himself and them, and Allaah knows best.
However he was a great memorizer, a great scholar; from the oceans of knowledge; a jurist concerning the soul; of tremendous status; having no equal. His reminders were beautiful. His admonitions were eloquent and penetrating. He was a chief in the various types of good; and I have written a biography for him in a single volume which I have entitled ‘az-Zukhruful- Qasriyy’.
He died in the year 110 H at the age of 88 –rahimahullaahu ta`aalaa.” [‘Tadhkiratul-Huffaaz’: (1/71-72)].
His father Yasaar was a slave taken captive in Maysaan [North of Basrah, in Southern Iraaq]. He settled in al-Madeenah, and was set free, and married.
al-Hasan was born two years before the end of the Khilaafah of `Umar and he grew up in Waadee al-Quraa.
adh-Dhahabee said: “He was the noblest of the people of his time, in knowledge and action.”
Mu`tamir ibn Sulaymaan said: My father used to say: “al-Hasan is the Shaikh of the people of Basrah.”
He learned the recitation of the Qur·aan from Hittaan ibn `Abdillaah ar- Raqaashee.
adh-Dhahabee said: “He was a man who was of perfect build. His form was fine, and he was handsome; and he was described as being one of those who were courageous.”
Aboo Burdah said: “I did not see anyone who more closely resembled the Companions of Muhammad (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) than him.”
Humayd ibn Hilaal said: Aboo Qataadah said to us: “Adhere to this Shaikh, for I have not seen anyone closer in opinion to `Umar than him – meaning al-Hasan.”
Jurthoomah said: “I saw al-Hasan dyeing his beard yellow every Jumu`ah.”
Qataadah said: “I never compared the knowledge of al-Hasan to that of anyone from the scholars except that I found him having superiority over him; except that if anything was problematic for him he would write to Sa`eed ibn al-Musayyib, asking him about it; and I never sat with a jurist except that I saw the superiority of al-Hasan.”
Humayd and Yoonus said: “We did not see anyone more perfect in behavior than al-Hasan.”
Yoonus ibn `Ubayd said: “I have not seen anyone whose speech more closely matches his actions than al-Hasan.”
ar-Rabee` ibn Anas said: “I used to go to al-Hasan for ten years, or as Allaah wished, and there was not a single day except that I would hear from him something which I had not heard before.”
Hawshab narrated from al-Hasan that he said:
“O son of Aadam! By Allaah! If you recite the Qur·aan and then truly believe in it, then your grief in this world will be lengthened, your fear in this world will become severe, and your weeping in this world will be plentiful.”
[‘Siyar A`laamin-Nubalaa·’ (4/563-588)]
Zaa·idah ibn Qudaamah: from Hishaam ibn Hassaan: al-Hasan said: “When a man used to seek knowledge, then (its effect) would soon be seen upon what he looked at, upon his humility and submission, upon his tongue, upon his ties of kinship, and upon his avoidance of the unnecessary things of the world (zuhd).” He said: “And al-Hasan used to say: “Do not sit with the people of the innovated sects (Ahwaa·); do not debate with them; and do not listen to anything from them.”
[‘Tahdheebul-Kamaal’]
Posted from the Appendix of :
Tafseer Soorat-in-Naba’- from the works of numerous mufassireen.
Compiled and translated by Abu Talhah Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah
Related Links:
AbdurRahman.Org 
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