‘That is Hassan, son of Ali’ they told me. My heart became filled with hatred. I envied Ali for having a son like that. I headed toward him and said, ‘Are you the son of ‘Ali…?’ He responded, ‘I am his son.’ I then started to curse him and his father…”
These were the words of a traveler to the City of the Prophet – Madinah – upon seeing the saintly, handsome, and well-dressed Hassan ibn Ali. Propaganda and blatant lies in the traveler’s country of origin had led him to view Ali ibn Abitalib and his family in a terribly negative light.
The traveler continued.
“When I finished, he asked me, ‘It seems you are a stranger here…?’
I replied, ‘Yes.’
Then he said, ‘Come on over to our place! If you need a house, we will host you…or money, we will give it to you…or if you have another need, we will assist you…’
After hearing this, there was no one on the face of the earth more beloved to me than him. Every time I think back to what he did and what I did, I am grateful to him and feel embarrassed about how I acted.”
Reference: al-A’immah al-Ithnay Ashar by Jafar Subhani, pg. 43-44, translation by imam-us.org