`Ali b. Ahmad narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. Abi `Abdullah al-Kufi narrated to us. He said: Musa b. `Imran al-Nakha`i narrated to us from his uncle al-Husayn b. Yazid al-Nawfali from Muhammad b. Sinan from al-Mufaddal b. `Umar. He said: al-Sadiq said: My father narrated to me from his father :

Al-Hasan b. `Ali b. Abi Talib was the most devout, ascetic, and virtuous person of his time. When he would perform Hajj, he would perform Hajj on foot – sometimes barefoot. When he would remember death, he would weep. When he would remember the grave, he would weep. When he would remember the Resurrection, he would weep. When he would remember the passing on the Path, he would weep. When he would remember a promise to Allah, he would gasp in a way that would distress him. When he would stand in prayer, his limbs would tremble before his Lord. When he would remember Paradise and the Fire, it was as though he was stung; he would ask Allah for Paradise and seek refuge in Him from the Fire. He would not recite “O you who believe” from the Book of Allah except that he would say: “I am at Your service, O Allah, I am at Your service.” (labbayk allahumma labbayk) He would not be seen in any condition except that he would be remembering Allah. He was the most truthful of people in words and the most eloquent of them in speech. It was proposed to Mu`awiya one day: “If you order al-Hasan b. `Ali b. Abi Talib to climb the pulpit, his defects will become clear to the people.” So, he called for him and said to him: “Climb the pulpit and speak words that will exhort us.” So, he stood, climbed the pulpit, praised and commended Allah, and said: “O people! Whoever knows me knows me, and whoever does not know me: I am al-Hasan b. `Ali b. Abi Talib. I am the son of the Mistress of Women Fatima the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (s). I am the son of the best of Allah’s creation. I am the son of the Messenger of Allah. I am the son of the possessor of merit. I am the son of the possessor of miracles and signs. I am the son of Amir al-Mu’minin. I am the one who has been ejected from my right. I and my brother al-Husayn are the Two Masters of the Youth of Paradise. I am the son of the rukn and the maqam. I am the son of Mecca and Mina. I am the son of al-Mash`ar (in Muzdalifa) and `Arafat.” So, Mu`awiya said to him: “O Aba Muhammad, take a date and leave this.” So, he said: “Wind expands it, heat ripens it, and cold sweetens it.” Then, he returned to his speech. He said: “I am the Imam of the creation of Allah. I am the son of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.” So, Mu`awiya was too humiliated to speak thereafter, as the people were enchanted by him. So, he said: “O Aba Muhammad! Descend, for what you have said is sufficient.” So, he descended.