Sadness of Al-Hasan Al-Basri

Yunus bin ‘Ubaid said: ‘I have not seen anyone with more feeling of sadness than Al-Hasan, he used to say, ‘We laugh now and perhaps Allah has looked over our actions and said: I will not accept anything from you’.

Al-Hasan said: “The believer wakes up feeling sad and goes to sleep feeling sad as there is no room for him other than this since he is in between two (constant) fears: a mistake he has committed which he does not know what Allah will do with it, and the time left ahead not knowing what hardships he will face.”

Al-Hasan was scolded for his deep sadness and fear, so he replied: “What security do I have that perhaps Allah has seen what He dislikes of me and says, ‘Go, I will not forgive you. So I work for that which cannot be worked for’.“

He was brought a mug of water to break his fast, so when it was brought nearer to him, he began to weep. He said, ‘I remembered the wish of the people of hell-fire and what they said: “Pour upon us some water or from whatever Allah has provided you.” and I remembered the reply: “Indeed, Allah has forbidden them both to the disbelievers”.

A man asked Al-Hasan, ‘How have you woken up?’ He said, ‘Fine.’ The man said, ‘How are you?’ Al-Hasan smiled and said, ‘You ask me how I am?! What do you think of people who got aboard a ship until they reached the middle of the sea and the ship broke down, so each one was hanging on by a wood, what would be their state? My state is more severe than theirs.’

[Translated from Mahmood Al-Masri's 'Qisas Al-Tabi'een', P. 258]