ʿUmar came to the Mosque while Hassan was reciting a poem. (ʿUmar disapproved of that). On that Hassan said, "I used to recite poetry in this very Mosque in the presence of one (i.e. the Prophet ﷺ ) who was better than you." Then he turned towards Abu Huraira and said (to him), "I ask you by Allah, did you hear Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying (to me), "Retort on my behalf. O Allah! Support him (i.e. Hassan) with the Holy Spirit?" Abu Huraira said, "Yes."  

مَرَّ عُمَرُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَحَسَّانُ يُنْشِدُ فَقَالَ كُنْتُ أُنْشِدُ فِيهِ وَفِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَنْشُدُكَ بِاللَّهِ أَسَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَجِبْ عَنِّي اللَّهُمَّ أَيِّدْهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ قَالَ نَعَمْ  

I used to recite (verses) when one better than you (the Holy Prophet) had been present (here). He then looked towards Abu Huraira and said to him: I adjure you by Allah (to tell) if you had not heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: (Hassan), give a reply on my behalf; Allah I help him with Ruh-ul-Qudus. He (Abu Huraira) said: By Allah, it is so (i. e. the Prophet actually said these words).  

أَنَّ عُمَرَ مَرَّ بِحَسَّانَ وَهُوَ يُنْشِدُ الشِّعْرَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَلَحَظَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ قَدْ كُنْتُ أُنْشِدُ وَفِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَنْشُدُكَ اللَّهَ أَسَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَجِبْ عَنِّي اللَّهُمَّ أَيِّدْهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ  

"Umar passed by Hassan bin Thabit while he was reciting poetry in the Masjid, and glared at him. He said: 'I recited poetry when there was someone better than you in the Masjid.' Then he turned to Abu Hurairah and said: 'Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he said: "Answer back on my behalf. O Allah, help him with the Holy Spirit!'" He said: 'Yes, by Allah.'"  

قَدْ أَنْشَدْتُ وَفِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَسَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَجِبْ عَنِّي اللَّهُمَّ أَيِّدْهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ  

[Machine] In a gathering that included Abu Huraira, I ask you by Allah, O Abu Huraira, did you hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "Answer me, may Allah support you with the Holy Spirit?" And he said, "O Allah, yes."  

فِي حَلْقَةٍ فِيهِمْ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ أَنْشُدُكَ اللهَ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ هَلْ سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَجِبْ عَنِّي أَيَّدَكَ اللهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ ؟ فَقَالَ اللهُمَّ نَعَمْ  

I used to recite (verses) when one better than you (the Holy Prophet) had been present (here). He then looked towards Abu Huraira and said to him: I adjure you by Allah (to tell) if you had not heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: (Hassan), give a reply on my behalf; Allah I help him with Ruh-ul-Qudus. He (Abu Huraira) said: By Allah, it is so (i. e. the Prophet actually said these words). (Using translation from Muslim 2485a)   

مَرَّ عُمَرُ بِحَسَّانَ وَهُوَ يُنْشِدُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَلَحَظَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ كُنْتُ أُنْشِدُ وَفِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَجِبْ عَنِّي اللهُمَّ أَيِّدْهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ  

[Machine] I used to recite in it, "Who is better than you, O Umar" out of fear that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say it. Then Hassan came to Abu Huraira and said, "I ask you by Allah, do you know that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'O Hassan, answer on behalf of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, strengthen him with the Holy Spirit'?" He said, "Yes."  

قَدْ كُنْتُ أَنْشُدُ فِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ فَوَلَّى عُمَرُ ؓ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَقُولَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ حَسَّانُ عَلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَنْشُدُكَ اللهَ أَتَعْلَمُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «يَا حَسَّانُ أَجِبْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ اللهُمَّ أَيِّدْهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ» ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ  

"Umar passed by Hassan bin Thabit while he was reciting poetry in the Masjid, and glared at him. He said: 'I recited poetry when there was someone better than you in the Masjid.' Then he turned to Abu Hurairah and said: 'Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he said: "Answer back on my behalf. O Allah, help him with the Holy Spirit!'" He said: 'Yes, by Allah.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 716)  

قَدْ أَنْشَدْتُ وَفِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَسَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «أَجِبْ عَنِّي اللهُمَّ أَيِّدْهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ» قَالَ اللهُمَّ نَعَمْ  

"Umar passed by Hassan bin Thabit while he was reciting poetry in the Masjid, and glared at him. He said: 'I recited poetry when there was someone better than you in the Masjid.' Then he turned to Abu Hurairah and said: 'Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he said: "Answer back on my behalf. O Allah, help him with the Holy Spirit!'" He said: 'Yes, by Allah.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 716)   

قَدْ أَنْشَدْتُ فِيهِ وَفِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَسَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «أَجِبْ عَنِّي اللهُمَّ أَيِّدْهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ؟» قَالَ نَعَمْ خَالَفَهُ شُعَيْبُ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ