When Al-Hasan bin ʿAli moved with army units against Muawiya, ʿAmr bin AL-As said to Muawiya, "I see an army that will not retreat unless and until the opposing army retreats." Muawiya said, "(If the Muslims are killed) who will look after their children?" ʿAmr bin Al-As said: I (will look after them). On that, ʿAbdullah bin 'Amir and ʿAbdur-Rahman bin Samura said, "Let us meet Muawaiya and suggest peace." Al-Hasan Al-Basri added: No doubt, I heard that Abu Bakra said, "Once while the Prophet was addressing (the people), Al-Hasan (bin ʿAli) came and the Prophet ﷺ said, 'This son of mine is a chief, and Allah may make peace between two groups of Muslims through him."  

بَيْنَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَخْطُبُ جَاءَ الْحَسَنُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ابْنِي هَذَا سَيِّدٌ وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُصْلِحَ بِهِ بَيْنَ فِئَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ  

(Usama's Maula) Usama (bin Zaid) sent me to ʿAli (at Kufa) and said, "ʿAli will ask you, 'What has prevented your companion from joining me?' You then should say to him, 'If you (ʿAli) were in the mouth of a lion, I would like to be with you, but in this matter I won't take any part.' " Harmala added: "ʿAli didn't give me anything (when I conveyed the message to him) so I went to Hasan, Hussain and Ibn Jaʿfar and they loaded my camels with much (wealth).  

وَقَالَ إِنَّهُ سَيَسْأَلُكَ الآنَ فَيَقُولُ مَا خَلَّفَ صَاحِبَكَ فَقُلْ لَهُ يَقُولُ لَكَ لَوْ كُنْتَ فِي شِدْقِ الأَسَدِ لأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مَعَكَ فِيهِ وَلَكِنَّ هَذَا أَمْرٌ لَمْ أَرَهُ فَلَمْ يُعْطِنِي شَيْئًا فَذَهَبْتُ إِلَى حَسَنٍ وَحُسَيْنٍ وَابْنِ جَعْفَرٍ فَأَوْقَرُوا لِي رَاحِلَتِي