Story No. 449 – Imam Hassan Askari (as) and helping poor:

The Abbasids court poet Abu Yousef says: “My hard life, coupled with the birth of a son in this state of poverty, made me write a plea to the Abbasid government for financial help, but I was spurned.

When I got disappointed I remembered the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) descendant Imam Hassan Askari (as). I went to him. I hesitated in informing him of my problem, for I feared that he might not help me because of my reputation as the court poet of the Abbasids.

I wandered around the Imam Hassan Askari’s (as) house for sometime, before knocking at his door. The door opened and to my surprise a companion of Imam Hassan Askari (as) came out and put in my hand a purse, saying: ‘Take these 400 dirhams. My master says cover the expenses of your newborn child with this amount. May God bless you and the child.'”

Abu Yousef said: “I was astounded. I had neither met him as yet nor disclosed the request I entertained at heart, and here I was given the money. I thanked Allah (SWT) for blessing the earth with the presence of such great and generous person.