Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 6450

Sayyiduna Hassan bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: We, the company of the Ansar, made a request to (the Caliph) Sayyiduna Umar or Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them both) - Ibn Abi al-Zinad was in doubt about this. For this purpose we went, taking with us Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and a group of some other Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and the other Companions spoke and mentioned the virtues and merits of the Ansar, but the ruler presented an excuse. Hassan says: It was an extremely important and difficult matter that we had requested. He says: The ruler kept presenting his excuses to them until everyone except Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) stood up and accepted his excuse. But Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "By Allah, the right of the Ansar is not something to be disregarded. They supported (the religion) and gave shelter (to the Muhajirun)." And he mentioned their merit and said: "Indeed, this (Hassan) is the poet of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the one who defends him (peace and blessings be upon him)." Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) kept responding to him with such comprehensive speech that it closed off all his arguments, until finally the ruler had no choice but to fulfil our need. Hassan says: We came out, and Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, had fulfilled our need through the blessing of his speech. I was holding Abdullah's hand, praising him and praying for him. Then I passed in the mosque by the people who had gone with him but had not reached the position that Ibn Abbas reached, and I said within their hearing: "He turned out to be the most deserving of us among you all." They said: "Yes." Then I said to Abdullah: "By Allah, this is the remnant of the fragrance of Prophethood and the inheritance of Ahmad (peace and blessings be upon him), and indeed you were the most deserving of it (this knowledge and wisdom)." Hassan says: Pointing towards Abdullah, I recited these verses: "When he speaks, he leaves no word for any other speaker; he brings chosen words between which you see no gap. He removed the unease of the hearts and healed it, and left no room in speech, whether serious or light, for anyone with a need. You rose to the heights without any hardship and attained their summits; you are neither lowly nor base."