Al-Hasan: Anecdotes and Sayings

1. Al-Hasan: Anecdotes and Sayings By A.S. Hashim. MD Sayings of Imams taken from: http://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/infallible10.asp Ziyarah of Imams taken from: http://www.ziaraat.org/

2. About this slide show: • This slide show deals with: • Al-Hasan’s agreement with Mu’awiya and afterwards • Al-Hasan’s high rank in the Ummah: Incidents from the Quran • And about his character as a model for generosity • It deals with his sayings in 7 slides • It shows his burial place

4. Lineage of Al-Hasan

5. Al-Hasan’s Looks • Al-Hasan was described as follows: • He had a radiant face. He had black eyes, smooth cheeks, thick beard, and curly, plentiful hair. • His neck was as pearly white. • His body was good. He had large shoulders, and big fleshy bones. • He was of medium height; neither tall nor short. • He was handsome; the best of all people in face".

8. إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا (Surah  33:  Ayah  33.  According to A'isha, Ayah of Tat'heer (Purification) was revealed on behalf of Fatima, Ali, Al-Hasan, and Al-Husain, see Sahih Muslim Vol. 3, Page 130.) VERILY, ALLAH HAS DECREED TO PURIFY YOU, O' AHLUL BAYT, AND SANCTIFY YOU IN A PERFECT WAY Ayah of Tat’heer

9. Ayah of Tat’heer and Ahlul Bayt • Al-Kisaa as narrated by Jabir Al-Ansaari • Took place in Umm Salama’s house • Ali, Fatima, Al-Hasan, and Al-Husain under one cover along with the Prophet • The Prophet declares: These are my Ahlul Bayt

10. "THEN SAY: LET US CALL UPON OUR CHILDREN AND YOUR CHILDREN, OUR LADIES AND YOUR LADIES, OURSELVES AND YOURSELVES, THEN WE PRAY SO THAT ALLAH'S WRATH WILL BE UPON THOSE WHO TELL UNTRUTH" فَمَنْ حَآجَّكَ فِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْاْ نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءنَا وَأَبْنَاءكُمْ وَنِسَاءنَا وَنِسَاءكُمْ وَأَنفُسَنَا وأَنفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَل لَّعْنَةُ اللّهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِين Ayah for MubaahalaSurah  3:  Ayah  61.

11. الحسـن والحسـين سـيدا شـباب اهل الجنه مََنٍ أحبَّ الحسـنَ والحسـين  فقد أحبَّنِي ومَنٍ أبغَضَـهُما  فقد أبغَضَني أنا سِلمٌ لِمَن سالمـتم،   وحربٌُ لِمَن حاربتُم AL-HASAN AND AL-HUSAIN ARE EACH A PRINCE OVER THE YOUTHFUL IN HEAVEN". THE ONE WHO LOVES HASAN AND HUSAIN WILL ALSO HAVE LOVED ME, AND HE WHO DETESTS THEM,WILL HAVE DETESTED ME. "IN PEACE I AM WITH HIM WHOM YOU ARE IN PEACE WITH AND IN BATTLE I AM WITH HIM WHOM YOU ARE IN BATTLE WITH Well known Hadiths aboutAl-Hasan and Al-Husain

12. Imam Ali about Ahlul Bayt:Sermon 144, page 201

13. Al-Hasan at Age 37 • Wounded by Ibn Muljim, Ali gives Al-Hasan the last advice • Ali designates Al-Hasan as the 2nd Imam • They bury Ali in Najaf • People give Al-Hasan allegiance, he is to face Mu'awiya

14. Al-Hasan forces • Mu’awiya bribes many leaders in Al-Hasan's forces • Many people shift alliance to Mu’awiya • Some Khariji even wound Al-Hasan • Mu’awiya offers a truce for surrender

15. Al-Hasan reaches agreement with Mu'awiya • Agreement has 7 points • Al-Hasan gives a speech to the worshippers at the Grand Mosque of Kufa • Mu’awiya follows him by a speech • Al-Hasan and family return to Medina

16. The Agreement

17. The Agreement Stop Cursing Ali To pay 5,000.00 annually Deal by Quran and Sunnah To not plot against Hasan & Husain To not appoint a successor Amnesty against persecution for people Not to hurt Companions of Ali

18. Al-Hasan’s Speech to Kufa People

19. Mu’awiya’s Speech to Kufa

20. Al-Hasan in Medina, age: 37-47 Yrs • Teaches Islamic discourses in Medina • Helps the widows out of his own income • Helps the orphans out of his own income • Helps the Poor and disadvantaged • Is pained by Mu’awiya’s deception

21. Mu'awiya deceives • Breaks the treaty, ignoring all points except the monthly payments • Mu'awiya continues to curse Ali on every pulpit • Mu’awiya makes it the State Policy to curse Ali • Cursing Ali is mandated all over the Islamic world

22. At Age 47 • Mu'awiya sends an agent to bribe Joda, the wife of Al-Hasan • Would give her a huge sum of money if a powder is put in Al-Hasan’s food • Promises she would marry Yazid (his son) in return • Joda poisons Al-Hasan in this manner • Mu’awiya refuses to let Joda marry Yazid

23. Al-Hasan designates Al-Husain as Imam • Sick with the poison: • Jaundiced and feeling very weak • vomiting blood material • Al-Hasan designates Al-Husain as the 3rd Imam • Wants to be buried by the Prophet if possible

24. Character of Al-Hasan: Charity • A person came to Imam Hasan and said "poverty and bad luck are torturing me. You are a family of chastity, purity and infallibility. Get me saved from this cruel enemy?" • Imam Hasan called his servant and said, "How much money do you have available?" The servant replied: Five Thousand Dinars • Al-Hasan said, "Give all this money to this man, so as to become: • The capital of his business and life, • And he may relieve himself off indebtedness and get rid of poverty.

25. Character of Al-Hasan: Generosity • A distressed man came to Al-Hasan and recited a rhyme meaning thereby, • "I am left over with nothing, not even a single dirham. You can see my condition and perceive it. I have nothing left with me to sell except my honor. I know you are the purchaser and buyer of this honor." • Al- Hasan at once called his servant and said, "Whatever money you have with you, give it to this man.“. The servant gave ten thousand dirhams to him. • Al-Hasan asked the servant to apologize, because he had no more money to give. He then advised the poor man to take the money to use it for his livelihood and relieve his distress.

26. Al-Hasan admonishes: Source:Tuhaf al-Uqool • You should know that Allah has not created you in vain and will not let you pass to nothing. • He limited your terms of death and arranged your livings so that every intelligent being will realize his actual position and that whatever Allah has disposed for him will unavoidably befall him and whatever is taken away from him will never hit him. • Allah has saved you from running after the sustenance of this world, given you all the time for worshipping Him, urged you to thank Him, ordained you to mention Him, advised you to fear Him, and made being struck with awe of Him the utmost purpose of His satisfaction. • Certainly, God-fearing is the door to all repentance, the head of all wisdom, and the honor of all actions.

27. Al-Hasan admonishes: Source:Tuhaf al-Uqool • God-fearing is the means by which triumph is achieved.Allah says: The pious ones will be triumphant. (Holy Quran 78:31) • Allah will save the pious ones because of their virtuous deeds. No hardship will touch them nor will they be grieved. (Holy Quran 39:61). • O servants of Allah, fear Allah and know that he who fears Allah will have an exit from troublesome matters and Allah will: • Direct him in his affairs, • Prepare for his guidance, • Support him with argument, cheer-up his face, and • Achieve all his hopes along with those who receive Allah's Grace, such as the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Virtuous. They are the best friends one can have.

28. Al-Hasan admonishes: Source:Tuhaf al-Uqool • Allah the Blessed the Elevated says: If any of My servants asks you about Me, tell them that the Lord says, "I am near; I accept the prayers of those who pray." • Let My servants answer My call and believe in Me so perchance they may know the right direction. (Holy Quran,2:186) • Answer Allah and believe in Him because it is improper for anyone who acknowledges Allah's greatness to behave arrogantly. • The sublimity of those who acknowledge Allah's greatness is certainly their modesty, • The dignity of those who acknowledge Allah's majesty is their submission to Him, and • The safety of those who acknowledge Allah's power is to acquiesce to Him and to avoid denying Him, or to deviate after the guidance granted to them.

29. Selections of Al-Hasan’s Sayings 1. Quest for the Hereafter 2. About Love 3. Frequenting the Masjids 4. About Piety 5. About the Intellect 6. About Character 7. About Manners

30. Quest for the Hereafter • O' Son of Adam! Since the day you left your mother's womb your life has been on the decrease. Therefore, avail yourself of what you can for the Hereafter, • The believer takes provisions from this world • but the disbeliever only gratifies himself with the pleasures of this world. • If you fail to obtain something of worldly benefit, take it as if the thought of it had never crossed your mind. • Be prepared for your journey to the next world, and keep ready your necessity before your death comes.

31. About Love • Never did a nation resort to mutual counsel except that they were guided by it towards maturity. • It is love which brings closer those who are remote by ancestry, and it is lack of love which causes dissociation between those who are related by ancestry. • Opportunity is something which is quick to vanish and late to return. • Associate with and treat the people in ways as you like to get associated with and treated by them.

32. Frequenting the Masjids • The one who continues his visits to the mosque does lay his hands upon one of eight benefits: • Getting to know one of the decisive verses. • Finding a beneficial brother. • Fresh knowledge. • A mercy waiting for him. • A word leading to the guidance. • An admonition averting from sin. • Not committing sin out of scheme. • Not committing sin for the fear of Allah.

33. About Piety • Be aware that he who fears Allah (adopts piety), Allah would pave his way of salvation out of the inequities. • And make him firm in his matter. • And provide him (the path of) guidance. • And make his proof and arguments successful • And enlighten his face and grants him what he desires. • Such person is with those upon whom Allah has bestowed His beneficences and boons from among the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the pious ones. • The greatest forgiveness and pardon of Allah comes when the sinner is not able to make a pretext for his wrong doing. • One is ignorant of blessing as long as they are present, but when they pass, one becomes aware of their value.

34. About the Intellect • I wonder about the person who contemplates about the food he takes, yet does not consider the food of his intellect. Thus, he avoids of what hurts him in his stomach but he lets his mind to be filled with what destroys him. • The height of intelligence is associating with people amicably. • When the desirable and commendable services damage and harm the obligatory services, abandon them. • Allah provides everything to one who worships Him, Glory be to Him. • Piety is the gateway to all repentance, and the epitome of wisdom, and the distinction of all deeds.

35. About Character • Whoever relies on the excellence of Allah's choices, doesn't wish to be in other than the situation that Allah has chosen for him. • One who lacks intelligence has no decorum, • And one who lacks determination has no magnanimity, • And one who has no modesty has no religion. • Do not be hasty in punishing (someone's) sin, and leave (room) between the two (fault and punishment) for apology. • The most preferable adornment is graceful manners. • The best wealth is contentment and the worst poverty is humility.

36. About Manners • Clemency is suppression of anger and self-restraint. • Generosity is giving in prosperity and adversity. • The annihilation of people lies in three things: Arrogance, Greed and Envy. • Arrogance causes destruction of the religion and because of it Satan was cursed, and • Greed is the enemy of one's soul, and because of it Adam was expelled from Paradise, and • Envy is the guide to wickedness, and because of it Qabil killed Habil. • Teach others your knowledge and learn knowledge of others so you will bring your knowledge to perfection and learn something which you do not know.

37. About Al-Mahdi • Al-Hasan says: Allah will prolong the life of the ninth descendant of my brother [Al-Husain] who will be in occultation; and Allah will manifest him at the proper time with full glory. • Al-Husain says: The ninth in my lineage will establish Truth and Righteousness.  Allah will infuse spirit into the earth through him and the religion of Allah will prevail over all others.  His occultation will be very long, and [because of that] plenty of people will go astray but the truthful ones will remain firm in their belief.....”

38. Ziyarah (Visitation) of Al-Hasan • السلام عليك يابن رسول رب العلمين، • السلام عليك يابن امير المؤمنين، • السلام عليكيابن فاطمة الزهراء، • السلام عليك ياحبيب الله،السلام عليك ياصفوة الله السلام عليك ياامين الله • السلام عليك ياحجة الله، السلامعليك يانور الله،السلام عليك ياصراط الله، • السلام عليك يابيان حكم الله، السلامعليك ياناصر دين الله، • السلام عليك ايها السيد الزكي، السلام عليك ايها البر الوفي،

39. Burial of Al-Hasan • Burial was not allowed by the ruling Benu Umayya • The Janaaza was shifted under pressure to Al-Baqii’ • Benu Umayya even threw arrows at the Janaaza of Al-Hasan • Al-Hasan was buried in Baqii’

40. Picture of Al-Baqii before 1925

41. Al-Baqii after 1925

42. In Conclusion • Al-Hasan is the symbol of love and forbearance • Difficult circumstances with Mu’awiya • Peace agreement with Mu’awiya • Back in Medina he teaches Islam • His Du’aas and Sayings are the guiding light • His demeanor and character call unto us to follow his way

43. Finally, let us read Surah Al-Asr together

44. BE IN ALLAH’S CARE Thank you and May God Bless you. Dr. A.S. Hashim