IMAM HASAN (a.

s) ANSWERS

Mu’awiya sent a disguised man to Kufah to ask Amirul Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) for the answers of certain questions
that the King of the Romans addressed at him. The Imam could recognize the man who confessed of his reality
as soon as he was interrogated.

Amirul Mu’minin (a.s.) said, "Allah may curse son of that who ate the livers (Hinda, Mu’awiya's mother). He, as
well as his followers, is extremely deviant. Allah curse him. He manumitted a bondmaid. It was preferable for
him to marry her. May Allah be the judge between this nation and me. They disregarded my kinship, discounted
my great rank, and wasted my characters. “

He then summoned Al-Hasan, Al-Husayn, and Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiya. As they were before him, the Imam
Ali (a.s.) said, "O Syrian brother, these two are the Prophet's sons and this one is mine. You may ask anyone of
them."

The man referred to Imam Hasan (a.s.), then put his questions:

"What is the distance between the right and the wrong?

What is the distance between the heavens and the earth?

What is the distance between the east and the west?

What is that colorless spot seen in the moon?

What is the rainbow?

What is this galaxy?

What was the first thing that sprinkled on the earth?

What was the first thing that shook on the earth?

What is the spring at which all the spirits of the believers and the disbelievers lodge?

What are the ten things one of which is stronger than the other?"

Imam Hasan (a.s.) answered:

O Syrian brother, what is between the right and the wrong is only the distance of four fingers. The right is only
what is seen with the eye, whereas you may hear very much wrong with the ears.

What lies between the heavens and the earth are the supplication of the wronged man and the extension of the
sight. He whoever says anything else is lying.

What lies between the east and the west is a day with steady movement of the sun. You wait for sunrise and
then wait for sunset. He whoever says anything else is lying.

This galaxy is the rips of the heavens and the place from which the torrential water ascended to Noah the
Prophet (a.s.).

Regarding the rainbow, you should not name it 'Quzah ---the bow of Quzah-' because 'Quzah' is the name of a
devil. You should name it 'Qawsullah---the bow of Allah-'. It is security against drowning.

Regarding the colorful spots of the moon, the moonlight was as shiny as sunlight, but Allah erased it. This is His
saying: We have made the sign of the night to pass a way and We have made the sign of the day manifest. (Holy

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Qur'an 17:12).

The first thing that sprinkled on the earth was valley of gloom.

The first thing that shook on the earth was date-palm tree.

The spring at which the spirits of the believers lodge is a spring named Salma.

The spring at which the spirits of the disbelievers lodge is called Barahout.

The strongest creation of Allah was the stone. Iron is stronger than the stone. Fire is stronger than iron. Water
is stronger than fire. Clouds are stronger than water. Wind is stronger than clouds. The angels are stronger
than wind. The angel of death is stronger than the other angels. Death is stronger than the angel of death.
Allah's act is stronger than death.

The Syrian man said: I declare that you are surely the son of the Prophet (S.A.W.) and I declare that Ali (a.s.) is
surely Muhammad's successor."

He then wrote down the answers and took them to Mu’awiya who sent them to the king of the Romans. As the
latter received them, he said, "I am sure this is not Muawiya's. These are surely the answers from the House of
Prophethood.

Source: Tuhaf Al-Uqool

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In the Name of God, the Compassionate the Merciful Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Fadlullah delivered the two Friday
prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hasanain Mosque, Safar 12 1425 Hijrah, April 2 2004, (Several prominent
religious scholars, dignitaries and thousands of believers attended the Jumu'a prayer)

Commemorating Imam Al-Hasan (a.s.)

Let us live the Messianic Soul of the Thought of Ahl el-Beit

The First Sermon

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

The Shining face of Islam

Allah says in His Glorious Book: Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the
House! (33:33). One of those members is Imam Al-Hasan (a.s.) bin Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) the grandson of
Muhammad (p.), and the son of Fatima (a.s.). This Imam who was loved by the Messenger (p.) and who used to
ask God to love him and love those who love him. He also considered him along with his brother Imam Al-
Hussein (a.s.) as "The Masters of Youth in Heaven". The Messenger (p.) used to play with them, looking at
them as his sons after he had lost his own son, Ibrahim. They lived their childhood with the Prophet (p.) and
discovered the morals, spirituality and behavior of the Prophet (p.) whether at home, at the mosque or with
fellow Muslims. The Messenger (p.) was preparing them for assuming leadership, not because of their blood
relation, but because he was commanded by God to do.

Thus, Imam Hasan (a.s.) was prepared for this task by the Prophet (p.) in his childhood and by his parents who
were also prepared for the same role by none other than the Messenger (p.)

Ahl el-Beit: The talking Qur’an

Thus, Allah wanted the Members of the House, as we are told by the Qur’anic verses and the Prophet (p.) in his
sayings, to be the shining face of Islam. And this is what we notice from the Messenger's saying: "I am leaving
among you too things which, if you hold to, you will never be led astray: the Book of Allah and the House of my
family, who will never be separated, until they come back to me in Heaven". Thus, the Members of the House
were inseparable from the Holy Book: It was expressed in their thoughts sayings and behavior. Furthermore,
they had their grandfather morals, which according to one of his wives, were those of the Qur’an. They were the
embodiment of the Qur’an and the virtually living Qur’an.

Thus, when we pledge loyalty to Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.), we are actually pledging to adhere to Islam. Imam al Baqir
(a.s.) said: "Whoever is a friend to Allah is a friend to us, and whoever is an enemy to Allah is an enemy to us.
Our friendship can not be attained except by piety".

Al-Hassan (a.s.): A peak of virtue

Imam Zein Al-Abidein (a.s.) talks about his uncle Al-Hasan (a.s.) and describes his as "the most pious ascetic
and truthful worshipper in his time". These were the essential components of his personality which were
conveyed to him by the Messenger (p.), Ali (a.s.) and Fatima (a.s.). He was so modest that he used to travel for
pilgrimage on foot and perhaps even bare-footed. This virtue made the elder companions of the Prophet (p.)
dismount to salute him. He used to say when he entered the mosque, having raised his head to the sky: "My
God, your guest is at your door. Oh God the one who has done bad deeds has come to visit you." Of course
such words of asking forgiveness are a sign of humbleness of the Imams before God, for they are infallible and
do not actually commit sins. Imam Al-Hasan (a.s.) was also unique in forgiving and in providing an example of
how to adopt moral behavior. Once he was riding along with his family and companions when he met a Syrian
Sheik who was raised by Mu’awiah on cursing Ali and his family. When the Sheik knew that he was facing the
Imam he began to curse. The Imam stood there very kindly and prevented his company from harming the old
man. When he finished the Imam (a.s.) said: "Oh, old man, I think you are hungry and
we would feed you, and if you are poor, we would give you money..." And he ordered his servants to take him to
his house and entertain him. The old man was surprised and began to compare between what he has been told
about the Members of the Family and what he saw. He had to come up with the unavoidable conclusion: That
these were the manners of Islam and that Allah, the most Exalted, knows best whom he would entrust His
Message with.

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