وجات بعيسى كبدر الدجى
فقد احصنت فاطم بعدها
و این مریم احصنت فرجها
فقد احصنت فاطم بعدها
“If Maryam (a.s.) lived in chastity and gave birth to Isa, who was as handsome as the full moon on a dark night. Fatima (s.a.) also, after her, gave birth to the two grandsons of Prophet: Hasan and Husain (a.s.) with absolute purity (for the guidance of humanity).”1
In these two verses, Hassan’s implication is the authentic report of the
Prophet regarding his beloved daughter, Lady Zahra (s.a.), in which he said:
ان فاطمه احصنت فرجها فحرم الله ذريتها على النار
“Indeed, my Fatima guarded her chastity; that is why Allah, the Mighty and the High prohibited Hellfire from her, her progeny and descendants.”
Hakeem has mentioned this report in Mustadrak Saheehain2 and then commented:
“The authorities of this tradition are correct.”
Introduction to the poet
The name and parentage of this poet is mentioned as follows: Abu Walid
Hassan bin Thabit bin Mundhir bin Haraam…bin Yarab bin Qahtan.3
Hassan belonged to a family, which had members who commanded great literary
expertise and were well known poets of the Arabs. Marzabani says in Mojamush
Shuara:4
Dibil and Mubarrad have said that the family of Hassan comprised of
persons most deeply rooted in poetry. Six members of this family were eminent
poets. Like pearls beaded in a single string including Saeed bin Abdur Rahman
bin Hassan bin Thabit bin Mundhir bin Haram.
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) fixed a pulpit for him in the Masjid on
which he stood and recited praises of His Eminence and the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.a.) said:
“O God, support Hassan through Ruhul Quds as long as he defends the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) or recites his praises.”5
During the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), Hassan remained in the
same condition, but after the passing away of Prophet, one day Hassan was busy
in reciting couplets when Umar passed by and scolded him6 saying:
“Do you recite couplets in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)?”
Hassan replied: “I have recited poems in this Masjid in the presence of
someone, who was better than you (and he did not object).”
Abu Abdullah Ubayy Maliki says in Sharh Muslim:
This behavior of Umar shows that he was not happy at the recitation of
poems in the Masjid and that is why he provided a field outside the Masjid and
said:
“One, who wants to recite praise or protest or wants to recite poems, should
go out to this field.”
This instruction of the Caliph was opposed to the practice of the Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and in that same time Hassan was banned from reciting his
compositions though before that the Prophet himself never restrained him from
such conduct.7
Hassan was well known for being extremely timid. Ibne Athir has mentioned
this in Usudul Ghaba8 and he says:
“He was among the most timid of people.”
Watwat says in Ghurarul Khasais9
that he was regarded as the most timid of
the people and he writes:
Ibne Qutaibah says in the book of Maarif10
that he did not participate in any
battle of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
Hassan was born eight years before the birth of Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.a.) and on the basis of popular view, he lived for a hundred and twenty
years. The title of Hassan (wielded sword) was awarded to him. Its reason was
that he defended Islam through his numerous couplets.
Hakeem11 has narrated from Musab from Ibne Abdullah Zubairi12 that Hassan
lived for sixty years during the period of Jahiliyya and sixty years during Islam.
At the end of his life he lost his eyesight
According to one view, he died in the year 55 A.H. when his external and
internal eyes had become blind. This point is mentioned by the prominent
companion of Prophet, Qays bin Saad bin Ubadah, a senior member of the
Khazraj community.
The story is that Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) deposed Qays from the
governorship of Egypt and he returned to Medina. When he entered Medina,
Hassan met him in order to reproach him. At that time Hassan had become a
loyalist of Uthman and had renounced the Mastership (Wilayat) of Ameerul
Momineen (a.s.). Hassan said:
“On one side Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) deposed you from governorship and
on the other side his hands are smeared with the blood of Uthman. The sin of this
murder remains on his neck and Ali also did not think well of you.”
Qays scolded him in response: “O one, who is blind in the eyes as well as
the heart, by God, if I had not feared initiating a war between you tribe and mine,
I would have struck off your neck.” Then he drove him away.13