As-salaamu'alaykum,
One day a man went to Umar (radiyAllahu anh) - who was Khaleefah at the time - and complained about Ali (radiyAllahu anh). Court proceedings then followed: The man who complained appeared before Umar as the plaintiff in the case; and Ali, as the defendant. When the two litigants stood before him, Umar turned to Ali and said,
"Be equal with your opponent, O Abu Hasan."
Perhaps Umar felt that Ali was not standing exactly parallel to the plaintiff; but whatever the case, Umar from the outset, was making it clear that he was not going to take sides and that both litigants were equal in the eye of the law.
When Umar uttered the above mentioned command, Ali's face took on an expression of anger. The proceedings then continued until Umar issued his verdict in the case; and then afterwards Umar said to Ali,
"O Abu Hasan, did you become angry because I treated the two of you as equals?"
"No, O Leader of the Believers! Rather, I became angry because you did not treat me and my opponent as equals! You honoured me when you called me by my Kunyah - Abu Hasan. But you did not call my opponent by his Kunyah (instead, you called him by his proper name)."
Umar then kissed Ali on his head and said,
"May Allah not keep me alive on a land upon which there is no Abu Hasan!"
(Umar ibn al-Khattab, pg. 79)
One day a man went to Umar (radiyAllahu anh) - who was Khaleefah at the time - and complained about Ali (radiyAllahu anh). Court proceedings then followed: The man who complained appeared before Umar as the plaintiff in the case; and Ali, as the defendant. When the two litigants stood before him, Umar turned to Ali and said,
"Be equal with your opponent, O Abu Hasan."
Perhaps Umar felt that Ali was not standing exactly parallel to the plaintiff; but whatever the case, Umar from the outset, was making it clear that he was not going to take sides and that both litigants were equal in the eye of the law.
When Umar uttered the above mentioned command, Ali's face took on an expression of anger. The proceedings then continued until Umar issued his verdict in the case; and then afterwards Umar said to Ali,
"O Abu Hasan, did you become angry because I treated the two of you as equals?"
"No, O Leader of the Believers! Rather, I became angry because you did not treat me and my opponent as equals! You honoured me when you called me by my Kunyah - Abu Hasan. But you did not call my opponent by his Kunyah (instead, you called him by his proper name)."
Umar then kissed Ali on his head and said,
"May Allah not keep me alive on a land upon which there is no Abu Hasan!"
(Umar ibn al-Khattab, pg. 79)
