Were you to seek favour and goodwill we would show you favour and goodwill...

Were you to seek favour and goodwill we would show you favour and goodwill, and were you to ask of us we would give you, and were you to ask us for directions we would direct you, and were you to ask us for a mount we would give you a mount, and if you are hungry we will let you eat your fill, and if you have no clothes we will clothe you, and if you are in poverty we will enrich you, and if you are in exile we will give you sanctuary, and if you have any need we will fulfil it.’ When the man heard these words he wept and said: ‘I testify that you are Alla>h’s vicegerent (khal:fa) on earth, eAlla>h knows full well where he places His missionf.229 230 Hadith from Imam Hassan (AS) ‘He who claims he does not like wealth is, to me, a liar, and if his truth is established in this respect, then, to me, he is stupid.’ ‘Have you seen an oppressor who is more like an oppressed one?

The Imam was asked: ‘How is that O son of Rasulollah?’ The Imam (A) replied: ‘He is the jealous person who is in perpetual anguish whereas the envied is in comfort.’ Imam Hassan (A) used to encourage the people to gain more and more knowledge, and used to say: ‘Teach others and learn from others’ knowledge, in this way you would have perfected your knowledge and learnt things you did not know . . .

and to ask a question is half of the knowledge.’ ‘He who does not have intellect, does not have etiquette, and he who does not have determination, does not have goodwill, and he who does not have a belief does not have morality. The peak of intellect is to socialise with, and treat the people nicely and kindly.

Through intellect you can achieve the prosperity of both worlds and without it you would loose all.’ Someone asked Imam Hassan (A) about politics, the Imam replied ‘Politics is to attend to the rights and duties of Allah and to protect the rights of the people; dead or alive. As for the rights of Allah, it is to fulfil what He ordered and abstain from what forbade.

And as for the rights of the living it is to discharge your duties towards your Muslim brethrens and not to hesitate serving your community, to be sincere towards leader as long as he is sincere to the Ommah, and to raise your objection to him if he deviated from the straight path.