Imam al-Askari(a.s.), like his noble fathers, was a prominent scholar and an Imam whom no one could ignore. He (A.S.) was the chief of religious scholars, an ideal of worshippers, a leader of politics and opposition, and towards whom the hearts of people were adhered with love and respect.

Inspite of the existence of the brutal terrorism of the Abbasid rule, and their political hostility towards Ahlul-Bayt (A.S.), and the continuous pursuit of authorities for him and his followers, and throwing them in prisons and jails, the caliphs of his time could not hide his personality or weaken his scientific and political role and his social status. Thus, the spiritual authority of the Holy Imam(A.S.) was imposed upon the rulers and the opponents of his time.

Ahmad bin Abdulla bin Khaqan, being an opponent of Imam al-Askari (A.S.), narrated a full description about his social and political status and position:

Ibn Shahr Ashub said:

"Hussein bin Muhammad Ash'ari and Muhammad bin Ali said: During his assembly one day the Shias and their beliefs were mentioned. Ahmad bin Abdulla bin Khaqan was in charge of estates and the land tax in Qom. He was the severe enemy of the descendants of Ali bin Abi-Talib(A.S.), who said: 'I had not seen a man from the Sayyids like al-Hassan bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali al-Reza(A.S.). Once, the Imam's servant visited my father and said: Abu Muhammad bin al-Rida is standing at the door. Therefore, he permitted them to enter, and welcomed him (the Imam).

Then, the Caliph made him sit down in his oratory (place of Prayer) and started to talk with him and asked for sacrifice of himself for the Imam.

When the Imam wanted to leave, he (my father) bid farewell to him. Then, I asked my father about him (the Imam) and he replied: 'I my son! This is the Imam (leader) of Shias and if the office of leadership was to be taken from our caliphs i.e. the family of al-Abbas, no one among the family of Bani Hashim would be more entitled to it than him (the Imam) becase of his great merit, his self restraint, his modesty, his fasting, his prayer, his asceticism, his devotion (to Allah), and all of his high morals and his righteousness.' "Indeed, I always asked about him, they glorified him and mentioned his charismas. He added saying: 'I have never seen anyone who is more plentiful in knowledge and manner, nor sweet in tongue than Hassan al-Askari(A.S.).

Because of the Holy Imam's great status, political position and his standing at the top of political opposition at that time, the, then, authorities not only imposed a house arrest on him, but, also forced him to attend the office of the caliphate on Mondays and Thursdays every week in the city of Samarrah, the military garrison capital city of Abbasid administration.

In this regard, one of the companions of the Holy Imam (A.S.) said:

"We held a meeting in the district of "al-Askar", then, we waited for the day of Abu Muhammad's (the Holy Imam) going by, instead, he (a.s.) sent a letter in which he wrote the following: 'No one should greet me, nor refer to me with his hand nor gestures, because you would not secure yourselves."

The great position of the Imam (a.s.) can be shown by the following historical document in which he describes the people's conditions during the Holy Imam's martyrdom:

"When the news of his (the HolyImam) martyrdom was spread, Samarra' became on uproar. The markets were empty. Bani (the family) Hashim, the military leaders, the secretaries, the judges, the attestators and the rest of the people rode to his funeral. On that day, Samarra' looked like the (day of) Resurrection.."

Imam Hasan al-Askari (A.S.) The Eleventh Holy Shia Imam

Name: Hasan

Title: Al-Askari

Kunyat: Abu Muhammad

Born: at Medina on Monday, 8th Rabi-ul-Aakhir 232 A.H.

Father's name: Imam Ali un-Naqi al-Hadi(A.S.)

Mother's Name: Saleel

Martyred: at the age of 28 years at Samarra (Iraq), on Friday, 8th Rabi-ul-Awwal 260 A.H.

poisoned by Mo'tamad, the Abbasid caliph.

Buried: at Samarra(Iraq).

Imam Hassan al-Askari was born in Madina,on 8th day of the month of Rabi' Thani, in the year 232 A.H. He was called 'al-Askari' in connection with the district of Askar in the city of Samarra' in which he (the Imam) and his father, Imam Ali un-Naqi al-Hadi (A.S.) were imprisoned by the Abbasid caliphs.

The holy Imam(A.S.) was born and brought up under the care of his father, Imam Ali al-Hadi (A.S.), who was well-known for his divinely inspired knowledge, holy striving (Jihad) and good acts and from him he learned the best of morals, the abundance of knowledge, the spirit of belief and the good merits of Ahlul-Bayt (A.S.).

Indeed, he (the Holy Imam) (A.S..) accompanied his holy father and lived whit him more that twenty three years, during which time he comprehended the sciences of the descendants of Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and learned the inheritance of the divine leadership. He looked like his fathers in the fields of knowledge, good deeds, jihad, and calling to reform in the community of his holy grandfather,Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).

Various narrations are given concerning the leadership of Imam al-Askari (a.s.) and the isuue of his leadership appeared during the period of his holy father, Imam Ali al-Hadi (A.S.).

The Islamic Republic of Iran's Army warns that the world will witness mounting wars and acts of terror by Israel if the regime is not contained immediately.

In a statement on Sunday, the Army expressed its condolences over the martyrdom of Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Ghaleb Al-Rahawi of the National Government of Change and Construction, and eight other cabinet ministers in Israeli airstrikes on the Yemeni capital of Sana’a on Thursday.

It said the vile Zionist regime once again displayed its savage, criminal, and inhumane nature by assassinating Yemeni statesmen.

"The international community is aware more now than ever that this rogue and criminal [Israeli] regime poses a serious threat to humanity,” the statement emphasized.

The Iranian Army wished more success for the brave Yemeni people in the continuation of their fight against the Zionist enemy.

The Israeli airstrike also left several senior ministers wounded.

In a statement on Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said the Islamic resistance forces in the region, particularly the resilient Yemeni people, will give the Zionist criminals a crushing response.

The assassination of Yemen’s prime minister signals a dangerous escalation by Israel, aimed at deterring regional actors from opposing its genocidal campaign in Gaza.

Observers, however, say the heinous crime will intensify anti-Zionist outrage across the Arab world, with Yemen emerging as a prominent voice of resistance.

They say such targeted assassinations will heighten regional tensions, as public opinion rallies behind Gaza and calls for accountability grow louder worldwide.

Press TV’s website 

I think it is unprecedented in history... 

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran:

 "The crime that the heads of the Zionist government are committing today is, I think, unprecedented in history: killing children with hunger and thirst..."

Israel’s official Arabic-language X account has sparked outrage across social media after describing the rise in the numbers of mosques in Europe as “the true face of colonization”, calling for the removal of “this fifth column”.

Claiming that the number of mosques rose from “fewer than a hundred” in 1980 to “over 20,000” at the present time, the post said “This is the true face of colonialism. This is what is happening while Europe is oblivious and indifferent to the danger.”

The post, published on 25 August, acknowledged freedom of worship as a “basic human right”, but alleged that “the real danger lies in the contents that are taught in some of these mosques”.

The account claimed that some of those mosques encourage “escalating violence in the streets of Europe” and “spread hatred for the other”, urging the European governments to “wake up and remove this fifth column”.

The term “fifth column”, which originates from the Spanish Civil War, refers to a group of people or a faction that undermines a larger group, such as a country or organization, from within, secretly supporting an enemy.

‘Muslims in danger’

Many social media users slammed the post as an Islamophobic campaign targeting Muslims in Europe.

“Israel’s official state ideology is global race war against Muslims,” one person wrote, while another asked “What would the reaction be if an Arab state wrote this about synagogues and Jews?”

Another social media user warned that the post “further jeopardizes” the safety of millions of Muslims in Europe at a crucial timing.

“At a time when anti-Muslim racism in Europe has reached unprecedented levels - evidenced by the fact that one in two Muslims report experiencing discrimination in their daily lives - such Islamophobic content further jeopardizes the safety and well-being of millions.”

Another social media activist said Israel’s rhetoric went beyond that of Germany’s anti-immigrant party.

“Even the AfD [Alternative for Germany] don’t tweet ‘Europe must wake up and remove this fifth column’ over a map of mosques.”

Referring to its growing alliances with European parties known for anti-Muslim rhetoric, another user said Israel is positioning itself as “a blueprint for the international far right”.

“It’s posted this insane anti-Muslim hate rant. And Israel is one of the last states on earth to credibly lecture on hateful indoctrination,” the user added.

‘Migration connected to Israeli wars’

Several emphasized that Muslim migration to Europe cannot be separated from decades of wars, invasions, and displacements in which Israel has played a direct or indirect role.

“It’s hypocritical for Israel to warn about Muslim migration to Europe when its wars in Gaza, the West Bank, and civil wars in Lebanon and Syria have caused the very displacement driving it - Muslims just want to live and raise their children without being bombed or subjugated.”

A reddit user echoed the remarks, saying “Maybe if they didn’t displace Muslims and destroy their homes in the Middle East maybe they wouldn’t need to go to Europe to get a better life to begin with.”

“Israel invaded Middle East, destabilized it, driving Muslims out in droves, yet it doesn’t want Muslims to live anywhere else,” another user added on X.

‘Deluded regime’

Noting that the post was made in Arabic and not the languages of Europe, a user described it as “a humiliation ritual and a threat to those readers who do.”

Some users slammed the map of European mosques juxtaposed to the post as “so inaccurate,” questioning the claim that Europe had fewer than 100 mosques in 1980, amid centuries of Islamic presence across the continent.

“That map is so inaccurate. Spain has over 2,000 mosques, mostly because of it being under Moorish control for a bit,” one user noted.

Pointing to the usage of the word "colonization" in the post, other users highlighted Israel’s own plans to build a “Third Temple” in the occupied Old City of al-Quds.

"So building mosques is a form of colonization but Israel wanting to build the third temple is not? Deluded state."

According to Pew Research Center and the FAF Policy Brief, Europe is home to around 45–50 million today, making up roughly six to seven percent of the continent’s population.

Press TV’s website 

The British government has barred Israeli authorities from attending a major London arms fair in September amid the ongoing campaign of genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip. 

“We can confirm that no Israeli government delegation will be invited to attend DSEI UK 2025,” the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Friday.

“The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong,” the statement read.

“There must be a diplomatic solution to end this war now, with an immediate ceasefire, the return of the captives and a surge in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.”

The DSEI arms fair, running from September 9-12, traditionally hosts senior delegations alongside private arms contractors.

Israeli arms companies will still be permitted to take part in the event, but without an official regime presence or pavilion.

In a show of defiance, Israel’s ministry of military affairs said it would withdraw from the exhibition entirely.

Accordingly, the Israeli ministry will withdraw from the exhibition and will not establish a pavilion.

Israeli media reported that Britain had said the ban could be reversed if Israel committed to “upholding international law in the occupied Palestinian territories."

A recent report found that British firms have continued to export military items to Israel despite a government partial suspension in September 2024.

The decision follows London’s suspension of some weapons export licenses to Israel, the freezing of free trade negotiations, and sanctions imposed on two far-right Israeli ministers over the assault on Gaza.

European Union foreign ministers are set to discuss further sanctions against Israel at a meeting in Copenhagen on Saturday, with Sweden and the Netherlands leading calls for tougher action.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel refuses to agree to a truce and take concrete steps towards ending its occupation.

In May, France, another key ally of the Tel Aviv regime, barred Israeli arms manufacturers from displaying “offensive weapons” at the Paris Air Show.

Also in May, Spain was reportedly spearheading a coordinated initiative aimed at persuading the European Union to eliminate Israel from all continental sports competitions.

Calls to exclude Israel from international sports events have indeed increased recently due to its relentless aggression against Gaza.

More than 62,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed by Israel in its nearly two-year aggression on Gaza and at least 157,600 have been wounded, according to the health ministry of Gaza.

Press TV’s website

The Gaza Health Ministry has announced that five more Palestinians, including children, have died of starvation due to Israel’s blockade of the strip.

On Friday, the ministry reported five deaths “due to famine and malnutrition” in the past 24 hours, including two children.

The latest casualties bring the total number of hunger-related deaths in the strip to 322, including 121 children.

This follows the official declaration of famine in Gaza by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) – the UN-backed global hunger monitor – which has so far not led to any significant increase in aid to the territory.

Amjad Shawa, the director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO), said, “There’s no improvement of the Gaza famine case, no real effort that we could see on the ground to deal with this famine situation.”

“We were expecting that there would be real interventions, pressure from the international community to lift the blockade,” he told the Qatar-based al-Jazeera.

Shawa added that the amount of aid allowed into Gaza was still “very limited " and covered only approximately 10 percent of the population’s needs.

The Jeddah meeting is the result of the Islamic and Arab countries’ sense of danger from Israel: The possibility of forming joint military and security mechanisms among the regional governments

Reza Mirabian, an expert on regional issues, referring to the capacity of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Jeddah to address the Gaza crisis, said in an interview with ILNA: The difference between this meeting and previous meetings is that the countries of the region (especially Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and even Turkey) feel the danger of Israel much closer than before. For example, if you look closely at the recent visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Saudi Arabia and his meeting with Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s crown prince, you will see that this trip was made in this direction; because today the flame of Israeli expansionism and the Gaza issue directly threatens the countries of the region. Even the attack that targeted the Islamic Republic of Iran is a warning that shows that this fire can spread to others at any moment.

Netanyahu’s recent statements have also added to these concerns by emphasizing his ideological belief in the creation of a “Greater Israel.” As a result, the current OIC summit is significantly different from the past, in that the countries of the region now see the possibility of danger closer than ever and seem to be taking more serious action this time. For example, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has explicitly stated that Egypt will not accept the transfer of Gazans to the Sinai Desert under any circumstances, and his previous visit to Saudi Arabia can also be interpreted in this context. He continued: “On the other hand, developments in the political discourse of the region are also evident. For example, the recent interview with CNN by Turki al-Faisal, the former head of Saudi intelligence, was an important point against Israel. He declared that I have done my time; if I don’t say these things now, then when should I say them?” These words are very meaningful from someone whose father, King Faisal, played a role in the wars of 1967 and 1973 and was eventually assassinated by foreign agents, specifically the Israelis. This change in language shows that the countries of the region today feel the fire of the Israeli and American conspiracy much closer than in the past. For this reason, it seems that the results of this summit could go beyond simply issuing a statement. Although its media part will probably be limited to the same usual statements, the decisions behind the scenes could lead to practical and serious actions. An example is Egypt, whose army is on full alert, because it considers the transfer of Gaza residents to the Sinai Desert a direct threat to its national security; a threat that could cause serious problems given the presence of Salafi and Takfiri groups in Sinai. The political analyst clarified: Saudi Arabia is also under direct threat. In his “Greater Israel” plan, Netanyahu claims that part of this territory should include areas in Saudi Arabia; areas that have historical and religious significance, such as Medina and Islamic sanctuaries. Naturally, such claims have aroused Riyadh’s sensitivity. Therefore, even if they are not explicitly stated in official statements, we can expect that more serious measures are being formed behind the scenes. The reality of the matter is that today the countries of the region have reached a decision point. The continuation of Israel’s expansionism endangers the existence and security of all of them. The key question is whether these countries will move towards the formation of a collective security pact or not? There are signs of this possibility. Al-Sisi’s urgent and very important trip to Saudi Arabia is one of these signs. On the other hand, given the mood and atmosphere prevailing in the Egyptian army, such a move does not seem very unlikely.

He concluded by saying: "In the current situation, the countries in the region have realized that Iran acts as a barrier and obstacle against Israel. If it were not for the Iranian resistance, perhaps today it would be the turn of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan or Turkey. For this reason, unlike in the past when some Arab countries had their backs to America and Israel, they now see Iran at the forefront of the confrontation with Israel and are aware of its role. Overall, the consolidation of these interactions can be considered a serious change in the equations of the region. Although it may not bring tangible results in the short term, in the long term this process can be assessed as positive and forward-looking. The possibility of the formation of joint security mechanisms between the countries of the region, even at the military level, no longer seems unlikely. These developments are a sign that Arab and Islamic countries feel the danger of Israel closer to them than ever before and for this reason they are forced to move towards measures beyond issuing a statement."

The Israeli military has killed at least 20 people, including four journalists serving international outlets, during back-to-back strikes against an overstretched hospital in the southern Gaza Strip.

On Monday, the regime carried out an airstrike against the Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis before backing it up with another raid, when civil defense and ambulance teams had scrambled to the site to help out the victims.

Various outlets, including resistance media channels, identified four of the fatalities as cameraman Hussam al-Masri, a contractor for the Reuters news agency, Mohammad Salama of the Al Jazeera television network, Mariam Abu Daqa, who used to report for The Independent Arabia and the Associated Press, and Moaz Abu Taha of the NBC.

Photographer Hatem Khaled, al-Masri’s fellow Reuters contractor, was also wounded in the attacks.

‘Systematic targeting’

Gaza’s government media office said the deaths had brought to 244 the number of journalists that had perished as a result of Israeli bloodletting throughout the coastal sliver since October 2023, when the regime started bringing the Palestinian territory under a wholesale war of genocide.

The office condemned the “systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists,” holding the regime as well as its main allies – the United States, the UK, Germany, and France – responsible.

It also called for international action to protect journalists in the war-battered territory.

The assassination spree followed hot on the heels of the regime’s targeted killing strikes against Al Jazeera’s media team in Gaza City, which claimed the lives of five media personnel, including heroic and celebrated journalist Anas al-Sharif.

Right up to his untimely demise, Sharif would provide the world with rare insights into the Israeli- and Western-created Palestinian plight through years-long untiring, and death-defying struggle.

Still reporting on the Monday strikes, Gaza’s civil defense apparatus announced that firefighter Imad Abdel Hakim al-Shaer was also among the fatalities of the attacks that also wounded seven other members of the apparatus’s Khan Younis chapter.

The massacre evoked reactions from international figures such as Francesca Albanese, an outspoken United Nations rapporteur, who has faced United States sanctions for her vociferous criticism of the regime.

“Scenes like this unfold every moment in Gaza, often unseen, largely undocumented. I beg STATES: How much more must be witnessed before you act to stop this carnage?” she asked in a post on X.

She advised the international community to break the regime’s near-total blockade of Gaza and slap it with an arms embargo and sanctions, while denouncing rescuers being “killed in line of duty.”

Gaza’s health ministry has, meanwhile, reported numerous injuries.

The genocide has so far claimed the lives of around 62,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children. In addition to incessant military attacks, it has been deploying starvation as a weapon of war towards what observers call maximizing suffering and casualties.

Press TV’s website

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has strongly condemned Israel’s recent heinous crime in the Gaza Strip, where the regime bombed the only operating hospital in the territory’s south and killed at least 20 Palestinians. 

Esmaeil Baghaei made the remarks on Monday, hours after the Israeli military conducted double-tap strikes on the Nasser Medical Complex in the city of Khan Yunis. The victims included five journalists, along with patients, health workers, and emergency responders who had rushed to the scene after the initial strike.

Referring to the heavy death toll from Israel’s “savage bombing” of the hospital, Baghaei said the Zionist regime committed the “brutal war crime” as part of its genocide plan and with the intent of erasing Palestine as a nation and identity.

He also described as “shameful” the continued inaction of international organizations and self-proclaimed rights advocates regarding Israel’s gross violations of human rights and humanitarian law in the besieged Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The spokesman said all governments bear legal and moral responsibility for “stopping the genocide and punishing the Nazi and racist Zionist criminals."

“The military and political supporters of the occupying regime, especially the United States, must be held accountable before the international community as accomplices and partners in the heinous crimes committed against the Palestinian people," he added.

The Palestinian Presidency condemned the attack as “a new war crime,” saying it adds to a long series of crimes and massacres committed by the Israeli occupation to silence the Palestinian media and the voice of truth.