Mouood Mouood English Edition
al-Mada’ini said: “Al-Hasayn, and Abd Allah b. Ja’far went out. However, their luggage went before them. So they became hungry and thirsty. They saw an old woman sitting in a tent. They asked the old woman for water. She said to them: “Milk this ewe, They did. Then they asked her for food. She did: ‘I have noting but this ewe, Let one of you slaughter it. So one of them slaughtered and skinned it. Then she grilled some meat of the ewe for them. They ate the meat and took nap at the old women’s tent. When they got up. they said to her: We are a group of people from Quraysh. We want to go through this direction.
When we come back, visit us. For we will do good for you. Then they went away. When the old woman’s husband came, she told Him about her entertainment. Her husband said: Woe unto you! you have sacrificed my ewe for people whom you do not know, then you say that they are from Quraysh. Days passed. the old woman’s condition became worse. So she departed till she passed through Medina. Al-Hasan, peace be on Him. saw her and recognized her. He said to her: Do you know me? No, she answered. He said: I was your guest on the day so and so. The he gave her one thousand ewes and one thousand dinars, and he sent her to al-Husayn, peace be on Him. al-Husayn gave her like that (number) and sent her to Abd Allah b. Ja’far. The latter gave her like that (number)
A Hashimite and and an Umayyad one quarreled with one another (about generosity). The Hashimite man said: ” My people are more generous (than yours). The Umayyad one said: “My people are generous (than yours).”The Hashimite man said to the Umayyad one: “Go and asked ten of his people (for money)” The Umayyad man people gave Him ten thousand dirhams. In the meantime the Hashimite man went to Al-Hasan b. ‘Ali. So Al-Hasan gave Him one hundred and fifty thousand dirhams. Then the Hashimite man went to al-Hasayn So al-Husayn asked Him: ” had you asked anyoune for money before me?” “I had asked Al-Hasan, answered the Hashimite man.
Al-Husayn said: “I cannot give more than what my master (Al-Hasan) has given you.” Then al-Husayn gave the Hashimite man one hundred and fifty thousand dirhams. Then the Umayyad man came back with one hundred thousand dirhams from ten people while the Hashimite man came back with three hundred thousand dirhams from two people, So the Umayyad man became angry and returned the money to its owners who received it. Meanwhile the Hashimite man went to Al-Hasan and al-Husayn to return the money, but they refused to accept it. Then they said: We do not mind whether you take the money or throw it away on the road.”
One day Al-Hasan, peace be on Him. saw a black boy. The black boy was eating a piece of bread and giving a piece of bread to his dog. So Al-Hasan said to Him: “What has you do this? “I feel shame of my dog when I eat and do not feed Him,” answered the black boy. Then Al-Hasan said to Him: “Do not leave your place till I come to you.” At that moment Al-Hasan went to the black boy’s master. He bought the black boy and the wall (the garden)where he lived. He (Al-Hasan) freed the black boy and made Him possess the wall.
The traditions about Al-Hasan’s generosity are numerous, but we do not intend to mention them all
As for Al-Hasan’s clemency, it was as heavy as the mountains, as Marwan and concerning Al-Hasan.
Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, renounced worldly pleasures every much. So Mohammed b. ‘Ali b. al-Hasayn. Babawayh, who died in the year 381 A.H. wrote, a book, He called the book Zuhd Al-Hasan. How an outstanding merit was that Al-Hasan renounced all life in this world for the sake of the religion.
His Outstanding Merits
Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, is the Lord of the youth of Heaven. He was one of the two persons in whom the progeny of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, was limited. He was one of the four person through whom the Prophet made the contest of prayer with the Christians of Najran. He was one of the five persons whom the Prophet covered with his cloak. He was one of the twelve Imams whose obedience Allah made incumbent on people. He was among those who were purified from sins as the Koran says. He was among those love Allah made one of the two valuable things (thaqalayn). Thus whoever cleaves to them does not go astray. He was the plant of the sweet basil of the Apostle of Allah may Allah bless Him and his family. The Prophet loved Him and asked Allah to love those who love Him.
Al-Hasan had other outstanding merits. These merits are in need of a long explanation, Still the explanations does not encompass them even if it is long.
The people pledged allegiance to Him after the death of his father. peace be on them. So he assumed the succession in the best manner though the time of his succession was short, Also he made a peace Treaty with Mu’awiaya on the fifteenth of the month of Jamadi al-‘Ula’ in the year 41 A.H., according to the most correct reports. So he was able to protect the religion and to spare the blood of the believers. In the Peace Treaty, he followed the teachings which he reported on the authority of his father on the authority of his grandfather, may Allah bless Him and his family. Apparently, his succession was seven months and twenty days.
After the Peace Treaty had been concluded, Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, came back to Medina to stay there. So his house became as a second haram (a sacred sanctuary) for people to visit.
Through these two sacred places (Al-Hasan’s house and Medina), Al-Hasan peace be on Him, became the rise of guidance. He was the stronghold of knowledge and shelter of Muslim.
Meanwhile there were many knowledgeable people all around Him. Any how such knowledgeable people were the students of Al-Hasan. So they learnt knowledge from Him and reported on his authority. Allah granted Al-Hasan plentiful knowledge and a high social position in the hearts of Muslims. Thus he (Al-Hasan) was able to guide the community, to lead Muslims spiritually, to correct the Islamic beliefs, and to unify the people of monotheism.
Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, performed the early morning prayer in the mosque of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family. He sat there praising Allah till the sun rose. In the meantime, he answered the questions of the great Muslims figures. In his book al-Fusul al-Muhimma, p. 159, b. al-Sabbagh said: “The people gathered around Him (Al-Hasan. He (Al-Hasan) answered the questioners perfectly and refuted the proofs of the disputers.”
When Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, performed the hajj or went around the Kaaba, the people were about to destroy Him. For they overcrowded to welcome Him.
His Martyrdom
Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, was given poison several times. We will detail this matter when we discuss the fulfillment of the conditions of the Peace Treaty. When Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, felt the danger in the last attempt, he said to his brothers al-Husayn, peace be on Him: “My brother, I am leaving you and meeting my Lord. I have been given poison to drink, and have spewed my liver into the basin. I am aware of the person who poisoned me and from where I have been made a subject to this deceitful action. I will oppose Him before Allah, the Great and Almighty.” Then he said: ” Bury me with the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family. For I am worthier of Him and his family 1 (than others). If they prevent you from doing that, then
1. Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, was worthier of the Prophet, may Allah Him and his family, than others because he was his grandson and a piece of Him. Rather Al-Hasan was the piece of the Prophet. No one is worthier of the grandfather than the grandson. In other words, the piece is worthier of the entirety than others.
Al-Hasan, peace be on Him was worthier of the Prophet’s family, because he was his legitimate inheritor through his mother the truthful and chaste one, peace be on her. She was the only inheritor of her father, may Allah bless Him and his family. So she (Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter) had right to inherit her father as Solomon inherited David. For there is nothing can specialize the general inheritance.
I make you swear by the relation which Allah has made close to you and by the blood relation to the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, not to shed even your blood into the cupping-glass in (caring out) my command, till we meet the Appostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, to oppose the people before Him and tell Him about what we have suffered from them.
Then Al-Hasan peace be on Him, made his testamentary bequests to his family and his children. (He gave al-Husayn) his heirlooms and the things which the Commander of the Faithful (Imam ‘Ali), peace be on Him, had bequeathed to Him when he had made Him his successor, had declared Him worthy to occupy his position, and had indicated to his shi’a that he (Al-Hasan) was his successor.
Then Al-Hasan, peace be on his ,died on the seventh of month of Sufar, in the year 49 A.H.
Abu al-Faraj al-Asfahani said: “Mu’awiya wanted the people to pledge allegiance to his son Yazid. However, the existence of Al-Hasan b. ‘Ali and of Sa’ad b. Abu Waqas troubled Him very much. So he gave them poison to drink, and they died of it.
