Imam Hussain, The Sweet Basil of the Prophet (PBUH&HP)

One of the most beautiful and deep aspects of the life of Imam Hussain (PBUH), is the great and excessive attention that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) showed towards him and his elder brother Imam Hassan (PBUH). The affection of the Prophet (PBUH&HP) towards Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein (PBUT) was so obvious, that historians and narrators have recorded many different instances of this affection.  Below we have pointed out only a few of the incidents.

The Prophet (PBUH&HP) was invited to dinner. As he was walking with his companions, he saw his little grandson, Imam Hussain (PBUH) playing in the valley. The Prophet (PBUH&HP) went forward to grab him, but he ran away childishly. With a gentle smile on his face, the Prophet (PBUH&HP) started running after him until he finally caught him. He then put a hand around the Imams neck, another hand under his chin, and kissed him.  The Prophet (PBUH&HP) then said: "Hussain is from me and I am from Hussain. May Allah love that person who loves Hussain." 1

Zeid, the son of Harith, narrates:

I wanted to go see the Prophet (PBUH&HP) regarding a task.  I went to his house at night and knocked on the door. The Prophet (PBUH&HP) opened the door, while he had something hidden under his cloak. I told him about my task and when we were finished, I asked him: "O' the Messenger of Allah, what do you have under your cloak?"

He opened his cloak and showed Hassan and Hussain (PBUT).  He said, "These are my children and the children of my daughter." At that moment the Prophet (PBUH&HP) looked towards the sky and said:

"O Allah! You are aware that I love these two children, so You love them too, and love those who love these two." 2

Salman Farsi has narrated that the Prophet (PBUH&HP) said such about Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain (PBUT):

"Whoever loves my children Hassan and Hussain, (then) I love them; and whoever I love, Allah loves him; and whoever Allah loves, he will enter a heavenly state filled with blessings. However, he who shows enmity towards the two and oppresses them, I will consider him as my enemy; and whomever I consider an enemy, Allah will be his enemy, and will throw him in the hell fire where he will suffer forever."3

The Prophet (PBUH&HP) also said: "Through me, you (people) came to awareness, with Ali you found the way and were guided, all good came to you through Hassan, however, your happiness and wretchedness is with Hussain.  Be aware that Hussain is one of the doors of paradise. Whoever shows enmity towards him will be deprived from the scent of paradise."4

This kind of love and attention toward Imam Hassan and Hussain (PBUT) is not just a family love, rather it is beyond that. Similar narrations like the ones above all show that with the knowledge of what will come upon the Muslim community, the Prophet (PBUH&HP) wanted to make people aware of truth and falsehood.   

(Taken from the book "Imam Hussain (PBUH) and Ashura from the view point of Sunnies" published by the institute of principles of the religion at Qum.)