Chapter Three

His status in the eyes of his grandfather, the beloved Prophet (~) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \95 3.1 The Messenger of Allah's love and compassion for al-l:lasan, and the time he spent with him . . . . . . . . . . 95 3.2 Guidelines on the emotional development of children. . . . 99 3.2. l Kissing and showing compassion and kindness to children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2.2 Joking and playing with children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 3.2.3 Giving children gifts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 3.2.4 Patting children's heads ...................... 101 3.2.5 Welcoming children ........................ 101 3.2.6 Checking on children and inquiring after them . . . . . 102 3.3 The resemblance of al-l:lasan ibn 'Ali to the Prophet(~) 103 3.4 Al-l:lasan and al-l:lusayn: Leaders of the youth of paradise.. 106 3.5 «They are my two fragrant plants in this world». . . . . . . . 108 3.6 Al-I:Iasan's leadership in this world and the hereafter. . . . 109 3. 7 «l seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from every devil and poisonous reptile, and from every envious evil eye» . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 3.8 Hadiths narrated by al-l:lasan from the Messenger of Allah (~) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 3.9 Al-l:lasan's description of the Messenger of Allah(~) . . . 118 3.10 The verse of purification and the hadith of the cloak . . . . 122 3.10.1 Flaws in Shiite arguments about the verse of purification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 3.11 The verse of mubahalah and the delegation of Christians from Najran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 3.12 The upbringing of al-I:Iasan ....................... 138 Al-lf asan ibn 'Ali 3 .12.1 Sincerity and knowing the importance ofupbringing. . 139 3.12.2 Setting a good example for children... . . . . . . . . . . 139 3.12.3 Kindness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 3.12.4 Treating children on a fair and equitable basis. . . . . 140 3 .13 The impact of social reality on al-l:fasan 's upbringing. . . 141