Maʿmar reported—through Qatadah—that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ resolved to engage in mutual imprecation (1) with the people of Najran, he took al-Hasan and al-Husayn by the hand and said to Fatimah, “Follow us.” When the enemies of Allah saw that, they turned back.
Abu ʿAwanah narrated—from Sulayman, from Habib ibn Abi Thabit, from Abu Idris, from al-Musayyab ibn Najabah—that he heard ʿAli say: “Shall I not tell you about myself and my household? ʿAbd Allah ibn Jaʿfar is a man of diversion, while al-Hasan is a generous host to the youths of Quraysh; yet, were the two loops of the girth to come together—when battle is at its fiercest—he would be of no use to you in war. As for me and Husayn, we are of you and you are of us (2).” Its chain of transmission is strong.
Saʿid ibn ʿAmr related that al-Hasan once said to al-Husayn, “I wish I possessed a portion of your fortitude.” Al-Husayn replied, “And I wish I possessed a portion of your eloquent tongue.”
Abu al-Muhazzim reported: “We were at a funeral when Abu Hurayrah approached and, with his cloak, brushed the dust from Husayn’s feet.”
Musʿab al-Zubayri said: “Husayn performed the pilgrimage twenty-five times on foot (3).”
(1) Al-mubahala means mutual imprecation (calling down a curse). In common speech one says: "Malahu, bahalahu Allah"—that is, "may Allah curse him"; or: "What is the matter with him? ʿAlayhi bahlatu Allah," meaning a plea for Allah’s curse upon him.
(2) Related by al-Tabarani, no. 2801, where the name “Najbah” is a scribal error for “Najiyah.” According to al-Haythami (Majmaʿ, 9/191) all the transmitters are trustworthy.
Full wording of the report: “By Allah, I fear that these people will prevail over you because of their uprightness in their own land and your corruption in yours; because they discharge what is entrusted to them while you betray it; because they obey their leader while you defy him; and because they stand together for their falsehood while you are divided over your truth—until their rule is prolonged so that they will declare every prohibition of Allah to be licit; no town of clay nor tent of hair will escape their tyranny; each of you will end up following them; the help one of you gives them will be like the help a slave gives his master—present he obeys him, absent he reviles him; and the most useful among you will be the one who thinks best of Allah. If Allah grants you relief, accept it; but if you are tried, remain patient, for the final outcome is for those who fear Allah.”
(3) Related by al-Tabarani, no. 2844; its chain is broken, as noted by al-Haythami (9/201).