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Hasan and Husain
266. Ansāb al-Ashrāf – narrating from Dāwud ibn Abi `Awf, on the authority of a man from the Khath`am tribe: “I saw Hasan and Husain (a.s.) eating bread, vinegar and vegetable and I said to them: “You are eating such food, whereas there are various foods in Ruhba1 [for you to eat]?” They said: “How unaware you are of the Commander of the Faithful!’”2
267. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah –narrating from Khālid ibn Mu`ammar al-Sadusi who was addressing `Albā' ibn al-Haytham: “What do you expect from a man whom when I asked to add a few dirhams to the share of Hasan and Husain (a.s.) so that they could possibly make up for the shortages of their lives, he rejected, got infuriated and did not do so.”3
268. Fadā'il al-Sahāba – from Abu Sālih: “I went to visit Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Ali (a.s.) who was sitting behind a curtain that was between her and me and she was combing her hair. Hasan and Husain (a.s.) came in and went to her while she was still sitting there combing her hair.
They said to her: “Why don’t you give anything to Abu Sālih to eat?”
Abu Sālih said: “They brought in a bowl containing some soup and grains and I asked: “You serve me with such food while you are masters?!”
Um Kulthum said: “O Abu Sālih! What would you say if you see the Commander of the Faithful?”4
1.. Ruhba has several meanings. It is the name of a village near al-Qādisiya; it also means the public square as well as the courtyard to a mosque. Here it seems to mean the city’s public square.
2.. Ansāb al-Ashrāf, vol. ۲, p. ۳۷۵, al-Wara’, p. ۹۰, h. ۱۲۹, Manāqib Ali ibn Abi Tālib, vol. ۲, p. ۱۰۸.
3.. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. ۱۰, p. ۲۵۰.
4.. Fadā'il al-Sahāba, vol. ۱, p. ۵۴۰, h. ۹۰۱, al-Musannif fi al-Ahādith wa al-Athār, vol.۸, p. ۱۵۶, h. ۷.
