Who is the Best Person?

It is our attitudes which define our life and determine our value; the value which we may rarely think about. How do we view the life? Do we look at it through a narrow perspective or an extensive one? What position do people hold in our eyes? Have we ever thought of this issue?

Our religion is full of elegance in regards to social issues which we are unaware of. The teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.) contain numerous delicate moral points which help us with even the details of our lives. As they explain the relationship of us with our merciful Lord, the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.) explain our attitudes and interactions with people also. Have we ever asked ourselves how our Imams viewed life and how they defined the best way of living? Once, a person intended to discover the attitude of Imam Hassan (a.s.) towards life; thus, he exactly asked the same question from the Imam (a.s.)…

Imam Hassan (a.s.) was asked: "Who is the best person in terms of the way of living?" Imam Hassan (a.s.) replied, "The one who shares his/her joys with people". Then, he continued, "Who is the worst?" Imam Hassan (a.s.) replied, "The one who has no partners in his/her joys".¹

The tradition of our Imams was to teach their children and followers to help people and share them in their internal and external lives.

If we focus on this statement of Imam Hassan (a.s.), we understand that the Imam (a.s.) is referring to "people in general", not the faithful, Shiites, or Muslims. Thus, it is concluded that cooperation and assistance is related to people in general, and there is no condition on the faith or belief. Yet, assisting the knowledgeable, the faithful, and the lovers of the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.) has a special value.

But how could we share our lives with the people? Of course the method of sharing with others in life differs from one person to another. For example, a physician shares his/her knowledge and ability of medical treatment with people; a wealthy person shares financial support with the people; one who has a social position helps people by solving their problems; a scholar serves people by his/her knowledge; even one may guide people towards excellent goals through counseling. These were all examples of sharing people in our lives.

Sharing with people in life is the tradition of our Imams and even their students used to do the same. The expression Imam Hassan (a.s.) has used in this Hadith is "partnering", which suggests utmost kindness and intimacy. It states the view of Allah and the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.) that people should be partners in their properties, which all belong to Allah.

In such view of life the worst of people is the one who has no partners and does not share his properties with others.
 
Now it is me and you and a question, in which group we fall in and which way of living we have decided for ourselves.

* (Selection taken from," The Virtue of Hassan", by Sayyid Hussain Hussaini)

^{1- Tarikh Ya’qubi, vol. 2, pp. 226-227}