Imam Hasan (a.s.) was
born on 15th Ramazan in 3 A.H. in Madinah Munawwarah. He was the eldest son of the Commander of
the Faithful, the Lion of Allah, the Victor of Khyber, and “Nafse Rasool” Imam
Ali (a.s.) and the Leader of the women of the world, Lady of Paradise, the sole
representative of the “women” at Mubahelah, Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.). The
Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) had said: “Hasan and Husayn are the Leaders of the
youths of Paradise”
Following are the different dimensions of his
personality:
Hospitality:
Imam Hasan (a.s.) was the most hospitable person. His dinner cloth
(Dasterkhwan) was very vast. The poor, deprived and travelers would dine at his
food spread. He had the best food cooked for the guests but he himself never
partook anything from it. One day he had a visitor. The Imam (a.s.) ordered the
servants to lay the food for him. When the visitor sat to eat, the Imam saw
that he was eating one morsel and keeping one morsel aside. The Imam (a.s.) said:
“It seems that you have some children. But eat comfortably. By the Grace of
Allah there is sufficient food here. You will be given to take away as much as
you want.” The man said: “I am a traveler and my wife and children do not
accompany me but I have seen a Dervish in the mosque eating chaff-mixed barley
flour. I am keeping these morsels for him. Imam Hasan (a.s.) began to weep and
said: “Do not consider him Dervish. He is our respected father, Ali ibn Abi
Talib (a.s.). He has divorced the world.
Behavior with
slaves: Imam Hasan (a.s.) used to be very affectionate with slaves. He
freed many slaves for rendering ordinary services. One day the Imam (a.s.) was
sleeping. A slave began to fan him. The Imam (a.s.) awoke and freed him. A
slave dropped a bowl of curry and it spilled on the garment of the Imam (a.s.).
He was so terrified that he began to tremble and started reciting the Ayah 134 of Surah Ale- Imran: “…and who
also harness their anger and forgive the people.” The Imam (a.s.) forgave his
mistake and told him: “I forgive you for the sake of Allah”
Affection: During the tenure of his Caliphate, it was
the ritual of Imam Hasan (a.s.) that till the time people did not assure him
that all of the deprived, orphans, and widows in the neighborhood had their
meals, the Imam (a.s.) did not eat himself. Often, it so happened that he began
to eat and a beggar knocked at his door, and he used to remove his plate in
front of him and asked to give it to the beggar and he remained hungry.
Kindness to
relatives: Imam Hasan (a.s.) used to be kind to his relatives since his
childhood. He had done such favors on all the people of Bani Hashim clan that
they were devotees of his excellent manners. It was his practice to inquire
about the welfare of his relatives every day. He used to consider his
half-siblings as full-blood brothers and sisters, and he used to behave with
them with the best affection and regard. Whenever a relative asked for
something, he provided it immediately and shared their sorrow. He used to
exhaust all the means for their welfare and success.
Forbearance: Umair
ibn Ishaq says: “Marwan was the governor of Madinah and every Friday he
maligned Amir-ul-Momineen, Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) from the pulpit. Though
Imam Hasan (a.s.) heard about it but did not react. Once he conveyed something
to the Imam (a.s.) through a messenger. The Imam (a.s.) told the messenger: “Go and tell Marwan that we have not
forgotten anything from whatever he had said. Allah will decide between him and
me. If he is telling the truth Allah will reward him and if he is lying, the
chastisement of Allah is very terrible.”
When a Syrian saw the Imam (a.s.) mounted on a horse, he
began to abuse him. The Imam (a.s.) observed forbearance and did not react to
his abusive language. When the man finished ranting to his heart’s content, the
Imam said to him: “O’ gentleman! If you
are in need, we can help you. If you have lost your way, we can guide you. If
you need a riding animal we can provide you with it. If you are hungry, we can
serve you food. If you require clothes we can offer them to you. If you are
poor we can make you self-sufficient. If you are a visitor we can host you.”
Hearing these
statements, the Syrian began to weep and said: “Today I confess that you are
the rightful Caliph of Allah. I used to harbor great avarice against you and
your respected father, now no one is dearer to me than you!”
Humility: One day Imam Hasan (a.s.) was passing by a
group of boys partaking pieces of bread. They invited the Imam to join them.
The Imam (a.s.) dismounted from the steed and joined them. Then he brought them
to his house, gave new clothes and a dirham to each one of them. Then he said: “I have still not repaid their kindness
because what they offered me was all that they possessed. And I have more than
what I gave them.”
Worship: Imam
Hasan (a.s.) used to perform excessive worship and devotions. He used to spend
a better part of the night in the worship of Allah. He used to pray and
supplicate with such a devotion and pleading that people used to think that he
was weeping for the passing away of a close relative. Like his respected
father, he used keep many fasts. He performed twenty five Hajj Pilgrimages on
foot.
Source
used: Morals and
Manners of our Imams by Zafar Hasan Amrohvi
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