al-Hasan b. Ali R: Hoping from the Creator and not the creation…
Imam Suyuti R mentions the following story of Hasan b. Ali in his History of the Caliphs:
Al-Hasan R was constricted (in his provision) and his stipend was 100k a year. Muawiya R withheld it from him one year, and he was extremely constricted. He said, ‘I called for an inkwell so that I might write to Muawiya to remind him about myself, and then I controlled (myself). I saw the Messenger of Allah S (in a dream) and he said, ‘How are you, Hasan?’ I said, ‘Well, father.’ and I complained to him about the withholding of the property from me. He said, ‘Did you call for an inkwell to write to a creature like yourself to remind him of that?’ I said, ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah. What should I do?’ He said, ‘Say: O Allah, cast into my heart hope in You, and cut off my hope in everything other than You, until I don’t hope for anyone other than You. O Allah, that for which my strength is too weak, and my action falls short of, my desire does not attain, my supplication does not reach, and what does not flow upon my tongue, of that certainty which You have given anyone of the ancients and the later peoples, then single me out for it, Lord of the Worlds.”‘ He said, ‘Then, by Allah, I had not persisted in it for a week before Muawiya sent me one million and five hundred thousand, and I said ‘Praise be to Allah Who does not forget whoever remembers Him and doesn’t’ disappoint whoever supplicates Him.’ I saw the Prophet S, may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace, in sleep and he S said, ‘Hasan, how are you?’ I said, ‘Well, Messenger of Allah.’ and I told him my story. He said, ‘My son, that is how it is for whoever hopes for (something) from the Creator and does not hope for from the creation.’
Anas R said that no one resembled the Prophet S more than al-Hasan and when he S was asked, ‘Who of the people of your house are most beloved to you?’ He S said, Al-Hasan and al-Hussein.
