Written by: Fazilat al-Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri Hafizahullah
Our Masters Hasan and Husain رضي الله عنهما are the beloved jewels of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ’s daughter Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها and the arms of Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه. These princes directly received the love of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, and were also respected among the Companions of the Messenger ﷺ.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say:
هما ريحانتاي من الدنيا.
(Hasan and Husain رضي الله عنهما) are my two flowers in this world.
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 5994)
Sometimes he would say:
O Allah! I love them, so love them too.
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3747)
Sometimes he would scatter flowers of love in these words:
O Allah! I have mercy on them, so have mercy on them too.
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6003)
When you ﷺ were in prostration, Hasan and Husain رضي الله عنهما would ride on your shoulders. What a beautiful ride and what beautiful riders they are! This is what nobility is called; this is how leaders used to be.
Sayyiduna Shaddad رضي الله عنه narrates:
خرج علينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في إحدى صلاتي العشاء وهو حامل حسنا أو حسينا فتقدم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فوضعه ، ثم كبر للصلاة فصلى فسجد بين ظهراني صلاته سجدة أطالها قال: أبي فرفعت رأسي وإذا الصبي على ظهر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو ساجد فرجعت إلى سجودي فلما قضى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الصلاة قال الناس: يا رسول الله إنك سجدت بين ظهراني صلاتك سجدة أطلتها حتى ظننا أنه قد حدث أمر أو أنه يوحى إليك قال: كل ذلك لم يكن ولكن ابني ارتحلني فكرهت أن أعجله حتى يقضي حاجته.
Once, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came for Maghrib or Isha prayer while holding Sayyiduna Hasan or Husayn, may Allah be pleased with them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ moved forward to lead the prayer and then sat the child down. Then he said the Takbir al-Ihram and started the prayer. During the prayer, he prolonged one prostration very much. I raised my head and saw the child sitting on the back of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was in prostration. I went back into prostration again. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ completed the prayer, the people said: O Messenger of Allah! You prolonged one prostration so much during the prayer that we thought some incident had occurred or that revelation was coming to you. He said: Nothing of the sort happened; rather, my son mounted on my back, and I did not like to remove him quickly (immediately) so that he could be pleased with himself.
Reference: (Sunan an-Nasa'i:1142, Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 16033, and its chain is Hasan)
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him,
Reference: (165/3)
has declared it authentic according to the conditions of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on them. Hafiz Zahbi, may Allah have mercy on him, has agreed with this, and Hafiz Zahbi, may Allah have mercy on him, has also classified its chain of narration as "strong."
Reference: (Talkhis al-Mustadrak: 627/3)
A similar incident has also been narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, who says:
كنا نصلي مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم العشاء، فإذا سجد وثب الحسن, والحسين على ظهره، فإذا رفع رأسه، أخذهما بيده من خلفه أخذا رفيقا، ويضعهما على الأرض، فإذا عاد عادا, حتى إذا قضى صلاته، أقعدهما على فخذيه، قال: فقمت إليه، فقلت: يا رسول الله , أردهما, فبرقت برقة, فقال لهما: الحقا بأمكما، قال: فمكث ضوءها حتى دخلا.
Once, we were praying Isha prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When the Prophet ﷺ went into prostration, Hasan and Husayn رضي الله عنهما jumped and climbed onto the blessed back of the Prophet ﷺ. When the Prophet ﷺ raised his head from prostration, he gently put his hand behind him, took hold of them softly, and set them down on the ground. Throughout the entire prayer, whenever the Prophet ﷺ went into prostration, they did the same. Until the Prophet ﷺ finished the prayer and then seated them on his thigh. I stood up and asked the Prophet ﷺ, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, shall I take these two away?" At that moment, a light appeared, and the Prophet ﷺ said to them, "Go to your mother." That light remained until they entered their home.
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad: 10659, Dala'il al-Nubuwwah by al-Bayhaqi: 6/76 with a good chain)
A Companion narrates:
أنه رأى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يضم إليه حسنا وحسينا، يقول : اللهم إني أحبهما فأحبهما.
I saw the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he ﷺ embraced Hasan and Husayn, may Allah be pleased with them, and said: O Allah! I love these two, so love them as well.
Reference: (Ahadith Ismail bin Jafar: 314, Musnad Imam Ahmad: 23133, and its chain is authentic)
