Imam Al-Hasan’s (‘as) Sermon3
All praise and thanks belong to God.
Peace be upon Muhammad the Prophet and his family.
This is I for those who know me. For those who do not know me, I say that I am Al-Hasan, the son of the messenger of God (S). I am the son of the proclaimer of the good tidings and the warner. I am the son of the chosen for the Divine Message. I am the son of that whom the angels have blessed. I am the son of that by whom the umma have been honored. I am the son of that to whom Gabriel the angel was the emissary of God. I am the son of that whom was sent as mercy for the peoples. All peace and blessings be upon him and his family.
As Mu’awiya could not control his malice and envy, he said to the Imam (‘as), “O Hasan, describe ripe dates for us.”
Imam Al-Hasan (‘as) said:
Yes, Mu’awiya, I will do.
Ripe dates are pollinated by the wind, puffed by the sun, colored by the moon, ripened by hot weather, and cooled by night.
Imam Al-Hasan (‘as) then was back to continue his sermon:
I am the son of that whose supplication is answered. I am the son of that who was as close to his Lord as the distance of two bows, or even less. I am the son of the obeyed interceder. I am the son of Mecca and Mina. I am the son of that to whom the people of Quraysh submitted unwillingly. I am the son of that whose follower will be happy and whose disappointer will be unhappy. I am the son of that to whom the earth has been made a place of prostration and pure. I am the son of that to whom the news of the heavens came successively. I am the son of those from whom God has removed filth and purified them thoroughly.
Mu’awiya said: “O Hasan, I think you are willing for the position of caliphate!” Imam Al-Hasan (‘as) answered:
Woe is you, Mu’awiya. The true caliph is that who pursues the practices of the Messenger of God (S) and acts upon the obedience to God. I swear by my life, we are surely the signs of guidance and the light marks of God-fearing. You, Mu’awiya, are one of those who extinguished the (prophetic) traditions, livened up heresies, betook God’s servants as slaves and God’s wealth as means of play. Hence, He caused your affairs to be obscure and you will live for a short time and burden the consequences of your evildoings. O Mu’awiya, God has created two cities—one in the east and the other in the west. He named them Jabulqa and Jabulsa. Except my grandfather the Prophet (S), God has never sent anyone to these cities.
Mu’awiya then asked, “O Abu Muhammad, tell us about the Qadr Night.” The Imam (‘as) said:
Yes, you should ask such questions.
God created seven heavens, created the jinn from seven (things), and created the human beings from seven. Thus, you should seek the Qadr Night from the twenty-third (night of Ramadan) up to the twenty-seventh.
The Imam (‘as) then left.