Ibn Umar (al-Waqidi) said: Hafs bin Umar narrated to us from Abu Ja'far that the people kept weeping over (the death of) Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) (from intense grief), and during that time even the markets stayed closed (the business of life came to a halt).

Ibn Umar (al-Waqidi) said: Ubaydah bint Nabil narrated to us from Sayyidah Aishah bint Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with her) that the wives of Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) observed mourning for one year.

Ibn Umar (al-Waqidi) said: Dawud bin Sinan told us: I heard Tha'labah bin Abi Malik say: We were present on the day Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) died, and we buried him in Jannat al-Baqi'. So many people had gathered there at that time that if even a needle had been dropped, it would have fallen on someone's head rather than on the ground.

Ibn Umar (al-Waqidi) said: Ali bin Muhammad told me that Maslamah bin Muharib said: Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) died in the year 50 AH, on 5 Rabi' al-Awwal, at the age of 46. Sa'id bin al-As led his funeral prayer, and he was weeping; and his illness lasted forty days.

Abu Ishaq said: Allegiance was given to Abu Muhammad Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with them both) in Kufah immediately after the martyrdom of the Commander of the Believers (Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him), and he took the pledge of allegiance from his companions. Then Harithah bin Mudarrib narrated to me; he said: I heard Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) say: "By Allah, I will take your pledge only on the condition I tell you." They asked: What is that condition? He said: "You will make peace with whomever I make peace with and fight whomever I fight." Then when the pledge was complete, he addressed the people.

It is narrated from Zuhayr bin al-Aqmar that when Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred, Sayyiduna Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up to address the people. A man from the tribe of Azd Shanu'ah stood up and said: I bear witness that I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with him (Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him) seated in his lap, saying: "Whoever loves me, let him love this one too." And let the one who is present convey this to the one who is absent. Were it not for the honour and regard due to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I would never have narrated this hadith.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Mikhnaf that when allegiance had been given to Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both), he took a firm stance in the matter of Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) and resolved to advance toward him. He placed the vanguard of ten thousand fighters under the command of Abdullah bin Ja'far al-Tayyar, and then sent Qays bin Sa'd after him with a great army. Mu'awiyah sent a message to Abdullah bin Ja'far and guaranteed him one million dirhams, of which five hundred thousand dirhams were to be paid on his coming over to him and five hundred thousand dirhams on his reaching the Hijaz. He accepted this offer, abandoned his course and went over to Mu'awiyah, who fulfilled his promise. As a result the army scattered, but Qays bin Sa'd remained firm in his resolve, and many of Abdullah bin Ja'far's men joined Qays bin Sa'd. Mu'awiyah sent messages to Qays as well and tempted him, but he did not budge from his position, until Sayyiduna Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) made peace with Mu'awiyah and handed authority over to him. When Sayyiduna Hasan and his companions set out to meet Mu'awiyah, Sayyiduna Hasan was suddenly attacked in an attempt on his life at the dark place of Sabat. Sinan bin al-Jarrah al-Asadi, a man of Banu Nasr bin Qu'ayn who held the views of the Khawarij, struck him in the thigh with a pickaxe (adze), inflicting a very deep and terrible wound. Sayyiduna Hasan seized him, and both fell to the ground. Then Abdullah bin al-Akhtal al-Qari leapt forward, snatched the pickaxe from al-Jarrah's hand and struck him with it. Then Abdullah bin Zabyan bin Umarah al-Tamimi bit his face until his nose was severed, and crushed his head with a stone, and he dropped dead on the spot. So may destruction be upon those wretched people! Sayyiduna Hasan was carried on a bed to al-Mada'in, where he stayed with Sa'd bin Mas'ud al-Thaqafi, the uncle of al-Mukhtar, who was the governor of al-Mada'in on behalf of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). He arranged a physician, who treated him until he recovered.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hasan (al-Basri) that Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) came to face Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) with armies like mountains. Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) said: By Allah, I see armies that will not turn their backs until they kill their opponents. Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the better of the two men, said: If these kill one another, who will bear for me the responsibility for their blood (and its retribution), their affairs, and the care of their widowed women? The narrator said: Then Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) sent Abd al-Rahman bin Samurah bin Habib bin Abd Shams (may Allah be pleased with him) (Sufyan said: he was a Companion). So Sayyiduna Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) made peace with Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), handed authority over to him, and pledged allegiance to him for the caliphate on certain conditions and covenants. And Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) sent Sayyiduna Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) a huge sum, said to be five hundred million dirhams. This took place in Jumada al-Ula 41 AH, and the period of Sayyiduna Hasan's (may Allah be pleased with him) caliphate until he handed it over to Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was seven months and eleven days.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said about Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both): "This son of mine is a leader (sayyid), and it is hoped that Allah will bring about reconciliation through him between two great groups of the Muslims."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was addressing the people when Sayyiduna Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) came and climbed up (onto the pulpit) to him (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) held him close and said: "Behold, this son of mine is a leader, and it is indeed hoped from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, that He will bring about reconciliation through him between two great groups of the Muslims."