170. [^3] In the narration of Abi Ishaq al-Subay’i...

When Abdurrahman bin Shurayk[^1] narrated that, he said: “By Allah, this is the impudence!” Abu Ishaq al-Subay‘i, among those who narrated Mu’awiya’s speech, has said: “By Allah, he (Mu’awiya) was treacherous!” Then Mu’awiya cursed Imam Ali, the Commander of the faithful (a.s) and his son al-Hasan. He paid no attention to the sin resulted from that. In this manner he violated the stipulations of the treaty he had signed.

Imam al-Hasan’s Speech Mu’awiya asked Imam al-Hasan to go up on the pulpit and tell people about his abdicating the authority. It was said that it was Amr bin al-‘Aas who advised Mu’awiya to do that, that he might, as he claimed, show the people Imam al-Hasan’s incapability of expressing himself and of making a speech. He was mistaken in that. Imam al-Hasan addressed the people more than one time during his father’s lifetime and after his death.

He was not known for incapability of expressing himself and aphasia, for he was from among , who were the origin of good style, eloquence, and sound judgment. The Imam went up on the pulpit. The people who were willing and unwilling listened to him. He made a long wonderful, eloquent speech. He preached to the people and summoned them to friendliness and love. In his speech he pictured the terrible events that befell after the death of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.

He ascribed that to the early men who turned people away from the Ahlul Bayt (a.s). He refuted Mu’awiya at the end of his speech. This is the text of his speech: “Praise belongs to Allah whenever a man praises him. I testify that there is no god but Allah whenever a man testifies to him. I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His apostle whom He has sent with the truth and whom He entrusted with the revelation, may Allah bless him and his family.

By Allah, I hope that I shall always be with Allah’s praise and kindness. I am the sincerest of Allah’s Ali are under these two feet of mine. I will not fulfill them.” This has been mentioned by Ibn Abi al-Hadeed in his book Sharh Nahj al-Balagha. A narration similar to that has been mentioned by al-Mufid in his al-Irshad.