Distortion of History in Kashan, Christianity Borrowed Love from Imam Hassan al-Askari
Statements by the Friday Imam of Kashan regarding the use of the word “love” by Christians and his claim that they borrowed it from Hassan al-Askari sparked considerable debate.
Reports and criticisms published about the Friday Imam of Kashan’s claim regarding “the invention of love by Imam Hassan al-Askari” indicate that his assertion contradicts six centuries of Christian history and the teachings of the Holy Scripture. In last week’s Friday prayer sermons in Kashan, Hojjat-ol-Islam “Saeed Hosseini” made statements that faced critical reactions. At the beginning, while referring to religious occasions, he said: “The 8th of Rabi’ marks the anniversary of Imam Hassan al-Askari’s martyrdom, and the 9th of Rabi’ marks the beginning of Imam Mahdi’s imamate.”
The Friday Imam of Kashan then claimed that the concept of “love” originated from Imam Hassan al-Askari to attract followers. He stated: “Christianity and Bahaism use the method of love to attract people, but the origin of this approach belongs to Imam Hassan al-Askari.” He further added: “Imam al-Askari’s lesson for us is that we treat both Shias and non-Shias with kindness so that their love is drawn to Shiism.”
Such statements are clearly a distortion of history and an ignorance of Christian facts. This is because, centuries before Islam, love was recognized as the essence of Christian faith, and its centrality in the Holy Scripture is clearly evident.
Christianity does not need to borrow the concept of love from any other religion. The teachings of Jesus Christ have founded the basis of faith on love from the very beginning. The Holy Scripture in the First Epistle of John, Chapter 4, Verse 8 declares: “God is love,” this divine truth is the source of all forgiveness, compassion, and sacrifice.
The Gospel of John, Chapter 3, Verse 16 also explicitly states: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Does this truth, which was stated six centuries before the advent of Islam, need confirmation or attribution to someone else?
Even the explicit teachings of Jesus Christ show that love is not a propaganda tactic, but the essence of faith. Jesus Christ says in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 5, Verse 44: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” this was a universal call for boundless love; something that does not exist with this depth in any other human ideology.
The recent claim by the Friday Imam of Kashan not only demonstrates ignorance of Christian history, but is a form of begging the question. As if they want to register the greatest message of Christian faith under their own name. But the truth does not change; love is the foundation of Christianity, it has its roots in the essence of God, and it was proclaimed to humanity centuries before Islam.
