Whenever he performed ablution his face would grow pale, and when he rose to pray he would tremble in fear. Asked about this, he replied, “Do you not know before Whom I stand and with Whom I converse?” (1)
When he made the pilgrimage and wished to pronounce the talbiyah, he shook and said, “I fear that I might say, ‘At Your service, O Allah, at Your service,’ only to be answered, ‘You are not welcome.’” They encouraged him to recite it; when he finally did, he fainted and fell from his mount. He used to perform one thousand rakʿahs (units of prayer) every day and night. (2)
Tawus said, “I heard him while he was prostrating by the Ḥijr saying, ‘Your servant is at Your threshold; Your beggar is at Your threshold; Your pauper is at Your threshold.’ By Allah, I have never invoked these words in any distress without it being removed from me.” (3)
They reported that he was extremely generous with his charity at night. He would say, “Night-time charity extinguishes the Lord’s anger, brightens the heart and the grave, and lifts from the servant the darkness of the Day of Resurrection.” (4) Twice he divided all his wealth for the sake of Allah. (5)
Muhammad ibn Ishaq said, “Some people in Madinah lived without knowing the source of their livelihood or who provided for them. When ʿAli ibn al-Husayn died, they lost that support and realised that it had been he who brought them what they needed during the night.” (6) When he passed away they found marks on his back from carrying the sacks to the homes of widows and the poor after dark. It was said that he supported one hundred households in Madinah, none of whom knew it was he until he died.
ʿAli ibn al-Husayn once visited Muhammad ibn Usamah ibn Zayd when the latter was ill. Ibn Usamah wept, so he asked, “What makes you weep?” He replied, “I am burdened with debt.” “How much?” he asked. “Fifteen thousand dinars”—in another report, “seventeen thousand dinars.” He said, “It is on me.” (7)
ʿAli ibn al-Husayn also said, “Abu Bakr and ʿUmar held with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, during his lifetime the same standing they hold with him after his death.”
On one occasion a man insulted him, and he pretended not to hear. The man said, “It is you I mean!” He replied, “And from you I turn away.”
Another day he came out of the mosque and a man reviled him. The people rushed toward the offender, but he said, “Leave him.” Then he turned to the man and said, “What is hidden from you of our shortcomings is far greater. Do you have a need we can help you with?” The man felt ashamed and threw him the cloak he was wearing,