Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

[muqawwee123]

Read Abdul Haleem Sharar’s novel ‘Firdous e Bareen’ a few years back, which was based on the movement of Hassan Bin Sabah and his followers. Here are some facts about their movement:

**The original Fidayeen were created by Hasan bin Sabah (1034-1124) to assassinate political rivals, princes, rulers and emirs. The word ‘assassin’ originated from heshashin, meaning those hooked on drugs like hashish.**The assassins of Hasan Bin Sabah were promised entry to paradise. To convince his followers, Hasan had actually constructed a ‘paradise’ complete with beautiful damsels acting as hoors. The followers were drugged and then taken to this ‘paradise’ where they lazed in luxury of beautiful surroundings in the stupor of hashish. After a day or two, they were drugged again and brought back to ‘earthly life’.

Once convinced about the promise of paradise, these fidayeen were ready to die at command of the master of paradise. The group continued the reign of terror for several generations. Even the great Salahuddin Ayubi had to take special personal protection to escape attacks by fidayeen. Marco Polo visited Almut, the fortress constructed by Hasan and has narrated the story of Hasan Bin Saba and his paradise in his travelogue.

It is said Hasan bin Sabah and Omar Khayam were friends in their youth but went their different ways. Omer Khayam wrote about eternal love in poetry of heavenly eloquence and music. Hasan spewed hatred against princes of his time and shed innocent blood using the allure of his magical paradise as a weapon

Error

Today Talibans and their suicide bombers are said to follow the steps of Hassan Bin Sabah.

What is history of this man? What were his objectives? Whether all the Muslims consider him a villian or not?

[Ali_Syed]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

Hmm interesting topic, I'd like to know more about him too.

[Ali_Syed]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

According to wikipedia, hassan ibn sabbah is a shia (ismaeli) whom the followers of taleban detest, but when it meets their interests they are willing to follow even their enemies.

[muqawwee123]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

Yes, he was an Ismaeli and played important role in spreading Ismaeli sect. I also want to know, how our Ismaeli brothers consider him now? Here is a video about Hassan Bin Sabbah and Al-Maut.

Here is the video for Am-Maut castle, where the artificial paradise was made by Hassan bin Saba, which was destroyed by Hallakoo Khan, probably his only good work for Muslims

Coming up more on Hassan Bin Sabah’s background and his ideology..

[Ali_Syed]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

the ismaelis are quite peaceful these days, its some (amongst the sunnis) who have adopted their destructive traits.

[muqawwee123]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

Background

Hasan bin Sabbah - businessman, scholar, heresiarch, mystic, murderer, ascetic, and political revolutionary - was born in Persia (Iran) around 1034. As a child, the man who would one day claim to be the incarnation of God on earth (probably just another way of saying he was Enlightened) was a diligent student of theology. **Supposedly, Hasan was schoolmates with Nizamul Mulk (the future vizier to the sultan of Persia) and Omar Khayyam (the great poet/astronomer/mathematician). These three future luminaries made a pact whereas, if one of them reached a position of power and influence, he would assist his companions.

---

His life in Egypt and Fatimid Period**

As a young man, Hasan traveled to Egypt, where he remained for a year and a half. Here he was taught at the illustrious Abode of Learning in Cairo, which was a Shiite training center.

At the Abode, students were taught to question Islamic dogma, to the point where their only source of the truth lied in the teachings of their all-powerful instructors. The students had to ascend through nine degrees, until finally they were taught the Ultimate Truth: that the world is created through actions, and beliefs are powerless distractions used to enslave the masses. This system would later serve as the model for the organizational structure of the Hashishins . . **.**

In Prison

Hasan ran into trouble in Egypt, however, after a controversy arose over who should succeed the Fatimid caliph. The Fatimids, who ruled Egypt at the time, were the heads of the Ismailis, a sect of Islam that separated from the mainstream Shiites. Before the Fatimid caliph died, he appointed his youngest son to take over the dynasty, because his oldest son died before he did. This infuriated Sabbah, who believed the descendant of the caliph's oldest son, Nizar, was the rightful heir to the throne.

Sabbah was imprisoned in Egypt for supporting Nizar, but, as luck would have it, the prison wall collapsed and he fled to Persia.

**
Alamut- Eagle's Nest**

While searching for a permanent residence, Hasan found a secluded fortress high in the mountains of Qazwin. This castle, called Alamut ("the eagle's nest") was the ideal stronghold for Hasan's new sect, the Nizari Ismailites (who later called themselves the "Hashishins").** Alamut was positioned in a central location, and so was an excellent hub from which Hasan could spread his propaganda.**
**
Tricky Bargain**

Hasan went about securing Alamut using subtle trickery and persuasion. Whilst bargaining with the owner of Alamut, he requested only a portion of land that could be covered by the skin of a cow. The owner agreed, not realizing how clever and resourceful Hasan could be. Hasan proceeded to divide a cow's hide into such thin layers that he was able to cover the entire surface area of the fortress. The owner was forced to live up to his end of the bargain, and Hasan now had a stronghold from which he could extend his influence throughout the Mideast and, indeed, the history of Western civilization.

**
The First Victim**

When word reached Nizamul Mulk (the childhood friend) of Hasan's securing of Alamut, he grew so inflamed with jealousy and rage that he sent an army to siege the fortress, a plot that failed miserably. For this, Hasan had Mulk killed by a dagger into the heart. So much for the pact.

**
Artificial Paradise**

Within Alamut, Hasan built the legendary "Garden of Earthly Delights", which would play an important role in the initiatic rites of the Hashishins (also called the "Assassins").

The garden lay in a beautiful valley nestled between two high mountains. Here he had imported exotic plants, birds, and animals from all over the world. Surrounding the garden were luxurious palaces of marble and gold, decorated with beautiful paintings and fine silk furniture. Streams of milk, wine, and honey flowed throughout this earthly paradise, while fountains gushed with wine and pure spring water.

The initiate, after being knocked out by a powerful potion mixed with hashish, would be carried into the garden. When he awoke from his slumber, he would be greeted by a host beautiful teenage girls (houris), who sang and danced and played lovely instruments for him and fulfill all his wishes. No wonder Hasan could demand absolute loyalty from his followers, no questions asked . . .

Continued......

[muqawwee123]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

the ismaelis are quite peaceful these days, its some (amongst the sunnis) who have adopted their destructive traits.

Yes Agha Khani / Ismailis are the philanthropist people today... As far as adaption of destructive traits is concerned, intolerance has nothing to do with any religion or a sect, it all related to worldly interests.

[muqawwee123]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

Hierarchy followed by Hashishins

This was only a small part of Hasan’s system, which was divided into seven degrees. The Hashishins combined both the exoteric (communicated, “God’s Law”) and esoteric (subjective, mystical) doctrines of Islam. Sabbah was a noted alchemist, and a student of Sufism, so part of the initiatic curriculum for the future Hashishins involved mastering occult methods for reaching higher planes of consciousness. Of course, they were also taught how to properly kill a man using poison or a dagger. Initiates were trained to learn multiple languages, as well as the dress and manners of merchants, monks and soldiers.

Moreover, they were taught to fake beliefs and devotion to every major religion of that era ( :eek: teaching of tolerance for intolerance) . In this way, an Assassin could pretend to be anyone from a well-to-do merchant to a Sufi mystic, a Christian, or a common soldier.

The Hashishin Order was set up much like your traditional bureaucratic organization. At the top of the hierarchy sat Hasan, the Old Man of the Mountain, who preached absolute devotion to a transcendental God. Below him were the grand priories (enlightened mystics), the propagandists, and finally the fidais, who were the lowest ranking Hashishins. The fidais were self-sacrificers (called “the destroying angels”) who were willing to commit any atrocity their master demanded of them, including suicide. They dressed in white tunics with red sashes: colours that represented innocence and blood.

Resistance from outside

As the Hashishins gained power and influence, the sultan of Persia grew agitated. He decided to send troops to storm Alamut, which, like the similar attack attempted by his vizier, was a pathetic failure. Hasan had the sultan poisoned, and after his death the kingdom of Persia split into warring factions, which made the Assassins the most cohesive and powerful group in Persia for many years.

During this time the Assassins turned murder into an artform, mastering the many fatal uses of the dagger (which they often dipped in poison).

(**Reminds me Parveen Shakir’s shair:

Apne qatil ki zahaanat se pareshan hoon main
Roz Mot ek nae tarz ki eejad kare)**

But these were intellectuals, not mindless murderous brutes by any means, so their favorite means of extending influence was through spreading propaganda. They would often gain support from powerfully positioned women and children by impressing them with fantastic dresses, jewels, and toys. Also, they were known to kidnap some of the most distinguished minds of the Mideast and use them as teachers in the school or as advisors in worldly affairs. It didn’t take long before most of Persia was Ismaili.
**
Hassan’s personal life**

As for the man responsible for all this madness, Hasan bin Sabbah, he was something of a mystery. After securing Alamut, Hasan lived the remainder of his life holed up in his room. It is said that he left his living quarters only twice in this period. He was an ascetic, a mystic, who wrote a number of important theological treatises. This might seem counter-intuitive, but the reason Hasan was so ambitious (and resorted to such extreme measures) is because he was a deeply devoted believer in the Ismaili faith, not because of selfish greed or megalomania.

In fact, Hasan may well have been a direct descendant of the Imam genealogy, but he refused to use this to his advantage, saying "I would rather be the Imam’s chosen servant than his unworthy son."

Within Alamut, convivialities like drinking and playing musical instruments were strictly forbidden. This was a vacuum tight operation, and Hasan demanded unwavering attention and devotion from his followers. He was so severe, in fact, that he had his only two sons executed: one for drinking, the other for committing a senseless murder. (:eek:)

Hasan died in 1124, at the age of 90. Having killed his only two potential heirs, he appointed two of his generals to succeed him. One took over the mystical elements of the order, while the other controlled the military and political affairs. During this time the Seljuq Dynasty once again took control in Persia. The new sultan made a pact with the Assassins, whereby the Assassins were given autonomy in exchange for reducing their military forces.

Destruction of Paradise

The Hashishins persisted for over 100 years after Sabbah’s death, but Alamut was finally sieged and conquered in 1256 by Halaku Khan, grandson of Ghengis Khan. His chief minister was ordered to write a complete history of the Assassins (based on the records in the Alamut library) and this is where most of the historical data about the order comes from.

hasan bin sabbah and the secret order of hashishins

[ninja_hattori]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

nice sharing muqawee bhia ....i knew very little about hashashins

[muqawwee123]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

^ Thanks.
**
How Hashashins impact continued**?

[QUOTE]

Though some have questioned the historical validity of the Assassin's hashish use, it is stated clearly as fact in this carefully researched history. Also, in this book, it is written that the Assassins did not eat hash to relax themselves before going on a murderous rampage, as is popularly believed, but rather would consume the drug before going to the garden one last time, just prior to their suicide mission.

The secret order that Hasan bin Sabbah created had a significant impact on all subsequent cults and secret societies. During the Crusades, the Hashishins fought both for and against the Crusaders, whichever suited their agenda. As a result, the Crusaders brought back to Europe the Assassins' system, which would be passed down and mimicked by numerous secret societies in the West. The Templars, the Society of Jesus, Priory de Sion, the Freemasons, the Rosicrucians, etc. all owe their organizational efficiency to Hasan. In fact, the Illuminati had their origins in the mystical aspect of the Hashishin order, although most equate the Illuminati with the Bavarian Illuminati, which was a revised version of the Hashishin system¡¦ (Tim O'Neill analyzes, in-depth, the influence of the Assassins in Adam Parfrey's Apocalypse Culture)

Our modern day "assassination cults" (the FBI, the CIA, etc.) have incorporated many of the Hashishins' techniques into their methodologies. In a CIA training manual titled "A Study of Assassination", you find traces of the Assassins influence throughout. Hasan Sabbah is even mentioned in the document, which is a must read if there ever was one.

[/QUOTE]

[ninja_hattori]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

as much i know like todays small terrorist organizations...some freelance hashashins continued killings for few more decades

[muqawwee123]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

as much i know like todays small terrorist organizations...some freelance hashashins continued killings for few more decades

What do you mean by freelance Hashashins... Hashish was used for unconsciousness and today this unconsciousness is created by brainwashing and developing hatred through propaganda against other sects.

[muqawwee123]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

The Other side of the story

Controversy of the term Assasin

Fidai or Assassin: Ismailis of the era of Sayyidna Hasan bin Sabbah were termed to be Fidais of Assassin. The word ‘Fidai’ is derived from ‘Fida’ meaning sacrifice. Because Ismailis used to sacrifice, i.e. give away their lives and everything for faith, they are termed as ‘Fidais’. But as far as the word ‘Assassin’ is concerned there is a controversy. Some say it is 'derived from the word ‘Hasaneen’ meaning followers of ‘Hasan’, Some say that the word actually was ‘Hashish’ meaning addict of a green intoxicating herb ‘Hashish’. This assumption is founded on their belief that at the time of war to keep up the spirit of his soldiers, Sayyidna. Hasan used to drug them with ‘Hashish’. But what an illogical belief it is that if a person who has lost his control over self through the drug how can he vouch safe his defence with sensible strategy, for their valour and intrepidity was specifically in enthusiasm of their faith to which they were attached.

Allegations against Sayyidna Hasan and its refutation: Many allegations are being made against Sayyidna Hasan to the effect that he was blood thirsty and through his ‘Fidais’ he had made lives of people repressed and unrestful. But all this is totally untrue. His only purpose and meaning of recruiting army of Fidais was to protect Ismailis from the foil and destructive attacks of enemies. The very significant example of this is his human behaviour with Sultan Sanjar. If Sayyidna Hasan wished to, he would not have forgone the opportunity of slaining him, for he only wanted him to get horrified and give up the seige.

Murder of Nizamul Mulk

One of the allegations against him is that he murdered Nizamul Mulk through one of his Fidais. However, the history itself is a witness to the fact that Nizamul Mulk was murdered by Sultan Malik Shah. There were many reasons for that. One of it is that Sultan was afraid of his increasing powers to his detriments. Another reason is that Malik Shah was already in the influence of Ismaili concept, and he was in contradiction to the vindicative nature of Nizamul Mulk against Ismaili faith. The third and main reason was that Turkan Khatun, begum of Malik Shah was deadly against Nizamul Mulk for she wanted her son, Mahmood, to succeed Malik Shah and it was not possible with the deviation of Nizamul Mulk, who had made it clear to Turkan Khatun that son of Malik Shah’s cousin Zubeda, Barruk bin Dawood, was to succeed. Malik Shah, as he had the qualities of wisdom befitting a ruler and also belonged to Saljuq dynasty.** For this Turkan Khatun poisoned the ears of Sultan against Nizamul Mulk and Malik Shah got him murdered and this became the reason of downfall of the famous position of Wizarat and murder of Nizamul Mulk**. In the face of this it is absurd and nothing but a false allegation against Sayyidna Hasan bin Sabbah for the murder of Nizamul Mulk

Artificial Paradise

The most defamatory allegation against Sayyidna Hasan is that he had created a paradise in the fortress of Alamut. **If we consider this allegation also in the light of history, it will prove to be nothing else then a fiction. If such a paradise was at all created by Sayyidna Hasan it would not have remained to be accounted for by the historians. However, no such account is to be found anywhere in Ata Malik Juwayni, who was a historian and a companion of a destroyer of Ismaili reign in Alamut in 654 A.H.11256 C.E. i.e. Halaku Khan. He has made no mention of anything of that sort in his book “Tarikh-e-Jahan Gusha”. **Mention of this paradise is found only in 'the “Travels of Marco Polo”, who reached thereafter one and half century of the existence of Sayyidna Hasan bin Sabbah in 673 A.H.; 1273 C.E. and it was no doubt the stories that he had collected without any foundation. But for the welfare and progress of Ismailis Sayyidna Hasan bin Sabbah had created peace, comfort and settled condition in the fortress.

Hassan Bin Sabbah - Ismaili Hero 18

:konfused:

[muqawwee123]

Re: Promised Paradise for Assasination - Hassan Bin Sabah and Taliban

The legend behind artificial paradise and role of Marco Polo

**The most famous writers in Europe who produced a colourful tale of the Islamic garden of paradise were **Pedro de Alfonso, San Pedro, Marino Sanudo, Varagine, Higden, Simon Simeon, Ricoldo da Monte Croce, William of Tripoli, John Mandeville, Jacques de Vitry, Alan of Lille, Sigebert, Guido, etc.

In time, the European conceptions of the Islamic paradise, **based on the Koranic description in a literal sense, were incorporated into the alleged paradise of Alamut, culminating in Marco Polo’s detailed account to this effect. **Norman Daniel further writes, “It must be said that it was usual for Christians to allow themselves a rather purple rendering of the gardens and precious metals of paradise, though usually not of the virgins so beloved of later romanticism.” (Ibid.) Farhad Daftary also writes in “The Assassin Legends” (London, 1994, p. 116) that, “And this garden, not found in any earlier European source before Marco Polo, was essentially modelled on the Quranic description of paradise then available.”

Thus, Marco Polo enhanced a further lease of life to the anti-Ismaili propaganda in Europe. Later on, the account of Friar Odoric of Pordenous (d. 731/1331), who visited China during 1323-27, is perhaps the earliest occidental account of the Ismailis, based entirely on Marco Polo, on his homeland journey to Italy in 1328. Odoric passed through the Caspian coast land in northern Iran, and heard there about the Ismailis, but his description almost resembles the account of Marco Polo. Charles E. Nowell writes in “The Old Man of the Mountain” (cf. Speculum, Mass., October, 1947, vol., 12, no. 4, pp. 517-8) that, "It is easy to understand how some parts of the Marco-Odoric legend were started. Various eastern historians say that the original Old Man, Hasan Sabbah, for purely economic and strategic reasons, had conduits built and encouraged planting around Alamut. This give rise to the stories of the garden and the fountains of wine, milk and honey."

Mirza Muhammad Saeed Dehlvi writes in "Mazhab aur Batini Talim" (Lahore, 1935, pp.296-7) that, "Whenever, the villagers looked the view of the beautiful gardens, green fields and heaths from the surrounding walls of Alamut, they thought it a model of a paradise of the Nizari Ismailis on the ranges of mountain. It is possible that the legend of paradise must have been originated by the illiterate and narrow-minded villagers from whom Marco Polo had heard and recorded it during his journey." It is also a striking feature that not a single Muslim source, notably Ata Malik Juvaini had ever mentioned about the legend of paradise, who was very aggressive in his narratives and was in search of such stories against the Ismailis.

Marshall Hodgson writes in the “The Order of the Assassins” (Netherland, 1955, p.135) that, “Juvaini, when investigating the history of Alamut on the spot after its fall did not look for such a garden as Polo heard tell of.” Farhad Daftary also writes in “The Assassin Legends” (London, 1994, pp. 114-5) that, "The watchful Juwayni, who visited Alamut in 1256 shortly before that fortress was partially demolished by the Mongols, did not find any sign of Marco Polo’s garden there; nor is the existence of any such Ismaili garden in Persia attested by Rashid al-Din or any other Muslim source. However, Juwayni was greatly impressed by the water conduits, cisterns and storage facilities which he did find at Alamut."

The modern scholars express great doubts as to the historicity of the stories of paradise narrated by Marco Polo. Carl Brockelmann writes in “History of the Islamic Peoples” (London, 1959, p. 179) that, “What the Venetian world traveller Marco Polo reported, who some two hundred years later (1271 or 1272) passed through the territory of Alamut, may be mere a legend.”

Dr. Abbas Hamadani writes in “The Fatimids” (Karachi 1962, pp. 50-51) that, “A myth was circulated in much later times to the effect that Hasan used to give hashish, an intoxicating drug, to his followers, and in their state of unconsciousness they were transferred to a false paradise. The legend of paradise was circulated by the European traveller Marco Polo, and it is obviously false.”

Saiyid Athar Abbas Rizvi writes in “Iran - Royalty, Religion and Revolution” (Canberra, 1980, p. 72) that, “The romantic stories of the order of assassins and of the Old Man of the Mountain are familiar to Western readers through the pages of Marco Polo, but the legends surrounding events in Alamut, although fascinating, are far from truth.”

According to “The Arabs” (by the editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, New York, 1978, p. 94) that, “Stories of the terrorists’ use of hashish before setting out to commit murder and face martyrdom are doubtful, and there is no Ismaili source to confirm tales of an artificial paradise into which drugged members were taken as a foretaste of eternal bliss.”

Duncan Forbes also writes in “The Heart of Iran” (London, 1963, p. 29) that, “It is difficult to believe that the Alamut valley, austere and rocky as it is today, ever contained the delicate gardens described in the Middle Ages.” ** Lastly, in falsifying the tale of paradise, William Marsdon writes in “The Travels of Marco Polo” (London, 1818, p. 117) that, “We may affect to smile at his (Macro Polo’s) credulity.”
**

The Legend of Paradise

So now we have to check reliability of Marco Polo :ASA: