Source: The Narrative of Veracious (2) –by: Ayatollah Murtaza Mutahhari -
p.63-65
A man with his son entered Imam Ali’s (a.s) house as his guests. The Imam (a.s)
made them sit respectfully in the place of honour, and he (a.s) took his seat
opposite them. It was time for meals, and the food was served; after they
finished eating; Qanbar, the well-known Imam Ali's (a.s) servant, brought a
towel, basin and an ewer for washing the guests' hands. The Imam (a.s) took the
ewer from Qanbar and went near to wash the guests' hands. The guest drew back
his hands and said: "It is not possible that I stretch my hands so that you wash
them.
Ali (a.s) said: "Here is your brother in faith, and your resemblance in
creation, without any distinction he is eager to serve you and in turn Allah
will recompensate. Why do you want to prevent a good action?
Once again the man refused it, but Ali (a.s) put him under an oath to accept and
said: "1 would like to attain the honour of serving my faithful brother in
Islam; do not oppose me! The guest complied with it shamefully.
Ali (a.s) said: "I request you to let me wash your hands thoroughly as Qanbar
wanted to wash your hands. So, do not feel ashamed, and put all formalities
aside”.
When Ali (a.s) finished washing his guest's hands, he (a.s) said to his own
honourable son, Muhammad ibn Hanafia: "Wash his son's hands. As I am your
father, I washed the father's hands, and you wash the son's hands. If his father
had not been here, and only his son was our guest, I would have washed his hands
myself. But Allah loves to see that when a father and a son are present in one
place, father enjoys a privilege and a priority”.
Muhammad, by the order of his father, stood up and washed the hands of the
guest's son.
While narrating this event, Imam Askarl (a.s) said: "A real and faithful Shi'i
must behave to". (1)
Notes:
1. Bahar uI-Anwar, v. 9, p. 598.