al-Hasan al-Basri (RH)

الحسن البصري

21 AH - 110 AH date disputed

The great preacher and scholar of Basra among the Tabi'un, famed for asceticism and his lessons on piety. Later Sufi chains and the Mu'tazila both claimed links to his circle.

Biography

Al-Hasan grew up in Madinah (his mother served Umm Salamah) and settled in Basra, where his sermons on fear of Allah and accountability became famous. He criticised the excesses of al-Hajjaj.

According to a well-known report, Wasil ibn Ata' left his circle over the status of the grave sinner, founding the Mu'tazilah. Many Sufi orders trace chains through him to Ali, a link hadith critics question because of doubts that he heard from Ali.

Sources & explanation

۞ Qur'an

No specific verses cited for this node.

📜 Hadith verified on sunnah.com

Sahih al-Bukhari 2704 Sahih

'This son of mine (al-Hasan) is a sayyid; perhaps Allah will reconcile two great groups of Muslims through him' — fulfilled by his peace with Mu'awiyah. Narrated by al-Hasan al-Basri from Abu Bakrah.

💬 Explanation Unverified

Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's perspective

Methodological note (not a direct quote): Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's widely known approach is to build narratives primarily on the Quran and Sahih Hadith, to set aside Israiliyat (Judeo-Christian lore absorbed into later tafsir) and weak or fabricated narrations, and to avoid sectarian framing. Applied to this node: Biographical sources; the Wasil story and Sufi chains are flagged.

Empires in their lifetime

Umayyad Caliphate 661 CE – 750 CE
Leading scholar and preacher of the Umayyad era.