He used to say: "Perform the prayers.

He used to say: "Perform the prayers." "Give alms (zakat)" "Fasting has been written on you as it had been written on those who were before you." "Pilgrimage to the House is incumbent on men for the sake of Allah, (upon) every one who is able to undertake the journey to it." Now, the following are the material qualities of the tyrant (i.e., Mu'awiya), who said to the people openly: "By Allah, I have not fought against you to make you pray, nor to fast, nor to make the pilgrimage, nor to pay alms (zakat).

I fought against you so that I might have power over you and Allah has given that to me when you were reluctant to (obey) Him." The people grew accustomed to receive such an event as they received the great shock from the events of the time. That is because they depended on the worldly narrow meaning of the events so that they found nothing in them save loss.

As for the person with good calm self, he regarded the events as means for achieving the aims that were dearer than authority and the entire world. Nevertheless, these aims have been written in history to be glorified for all people. In this way al-Hasan was victorious through his jihad, his patience, and his sacrifice. These three qualities are the mother of all virtues. Also al-Hasan had other traits that were proofs for his greatness and his outstanding merits.

Al-Hasan overcame the people with his Imamate, his obligatory love, and his sonship to the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family. The people who distressed al-Hasan were his supporters, his enemies, and his wife. As we have already said, he was singled out with an excellent kind of jihad, a great kind of patience, and a unique kind of sacrifice. Now, we must understand these three talents in particular. For they were Hasanid qualities that had unquestionable aspects.

So I (i.e., the author) say: As for his jihad (holy war), it was the most wonderful of all kinds of jihad, most painful of them to the self, the greatest of them in the battlefield, and the longest of them in troubles. Al-Hasan waged jihad in the way of Allah in many fields, not in one field. He waged jihad against his enemy when he advanced against him. He made every effort to settle the discords and to reform his companions and his soldiers. However, all his efforts went in vain.

He struggled against himself to control its emotions, to suppress its ambitions, and to repulse its power.