The Verse of Affection (Mawaddah)
"... say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives;..."
Holy Qur'an (42:23)
Exegetes say that this ayah called al-Muwaddah (love) was revealed concerning Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Hussein (a.s.). The two sahihs (authentic books of hadith), Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal (Book of Hadith with complete chains of transmission), the Qur'anic exegesis of al-Tha'labi, and the Qur'anic exegesis of bin Abbas quotes bin Abbas as saying: "'When the verse ‘...say: I do not ask of you any reward for it ...' was revealed, they (the Muslims) asked: 'O Messenger of Allah! who are your relations whom you ordered us to love?’ ‘Ali,’ he replied, ‘Fatimah, and her two sons.’ 6
Imam Ali bin Hussein (a.s.), Sa'id bin Jubair, Amru bin Shu'aib, Abu-Ja'far, and Imam Hussein (a.s.) quoted the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) as having said when asked about the interpretation of the verse, 'To love my relatives ...’ 7
If we confine ourselves to these few verses, the lofty position, in the eyes of Allah, of Imam Hasan (a.s.), the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), and all of Ahlul-Bait, becomes clear. We deem it useful to cite some other texts, however, conveyed from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) about Imam Hasan (a.s.), and his high status in the world of Islam, and in the sight of the leading Prophet (s.a.w.):
1. Al-Bukhari and Muslim report on the authority of al-Bara', that he said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) carrying Hasan bin Ali (a.s.) on his shoulder. He was saying: 'O Mord! I love him, so love him'"
2. Al-Tirmidhi reports from bin Abbas as saying: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w ) was carrying Hasan bin Ali'(a.s.), when a man said: 'What an excellent mount you are riding, lad.' 'What an excellent rider he is,' the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) replied."
3. Al-Hafid Abu-Na'im reports on the authority of Abu Bakr, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) was leading us in prayer. Hasan, who was still a child, would come to him while he was in prostration, and sit on his back or sometimes on his neck. The Prophet (s.a.w.) would lift him tenderly. When the prayer was finished, they (the Muslims) asked him: 'O Messenger of Allah! You are doing to this boy what you do not do to another person?'
'He is my basil,' he replied."
4. Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) was asked: 'Who is most loved by you from among your family?' 'Hasan and Hussein,' he answered."
5. A'ishah reports that "the Prophet would pick up Hasan and embrace him and say: 'O Mord! This is my son, and I love him. Move him, and love who loves him'
6. Jabir bin Abdullah says: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: 'He who pleases to look at the Lord of the Youths of Paradise, let him look at Hasan bin Ali.'"
7 Ya'la bin Murrah says: "We went with the Prophet (s.a.w.) to a feast, to which we were invited. We ran into Hasan (a.s.) who was playing near the road. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) went ahead of the people hurriedly, and put out his hand to the boy. Then he pretended to pass by Hasan one time on his right hand, and another time on his left hand, to make the boy laugh. Then he approached him. He put one hand on his neck and the other on his head. Presently he embraced and kissed him. Then he said: 'Hasan is from me and I am from him. Allah loves whoever loves him."'
8. Al-Ghazali in his book, Al-Ihya' (Revival), reports that the Prophet (s.a.w.) had said to Hasan: 'You resemble me in my appearance and disposition." 8
This is only a small number of the narratives about Imam Hasan (a.s.). He who wants more should refer to: Yanabee' al-Muwaddah (Springs of Love), by al-Qandoozi al-Hanafi, Fada'il al-Khamasah min al-Sihah al-Sittah (Outstanding Merits of the Five Persons from the Six Authentic Books of Hadith), by al-Firoozabadi, Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Tadhkirat al-Khawas (Reminder of the Pious), by Sibt Bin al-Jawzi, etc.
Through the Holy Qur'an, the Prophet's sunnah, and the many books of authentic hadiths, the exalted position of the Prophet's beloved grandson, Imam Hasan, becomes undeniable.
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6. Dhakhar'ir al-Uqba, p. 25.
7 Ibid., p.26.
8. We chose these authentic traditions from: Bin al-Sabbagh al-Maliki, Al-Fusool al-Muhimmah (Important Chapters), Tawfeeq Abu-Alam, I'lam al-Wara (Informing humankind), al-Tabarsi, Ahlul-Bait, and Sayyid Muhsin al-Ameen al-Amili, al-Majalis al-Saniyyah. They were reported in many books other than these.
Adapted from the book: "Imam Hasan bin Ali (a.s.)" by: "Al-Balagh Foundation"