Hasan's Sermone and its Aftermath[edit]
While Hasan's vanguard was waiting for his arrival at Maskin, Hasan himself was facing a serious problem at Sabat near al-Mada'in, where he gave a sermon after morning prayer in which he declared that he prayed to God to be the most sincere of His creation to His creation; that he bore no resentment nor hatred against any Muslim, nor did he want evil and harm to anyone; and that "whatever they hated in community was better than what they loved in schism."[7][28] He was, he continued, looking after their best interest, better than they themselves; and instructed them not to disobey "whatever orders he gave them."[8][29] Some of the troops, taking this as a sign that Hasan was preparing to give up battle, rebelled against him, looted his tent, seizing even the prayer rug from underneath him. Hasan shouted for his horse and rode off surrounded by his partisans who kept back those who were trying to reach him. While they were passing by Sabat, however, al-Jarrah ibn Sinan, a die-hard Kharijite, managed to ambush Hasan and wounded him in the thigh with a dagger, while he was shouting: "God is the Greatest! You have become an infidel (Kafir) like your father before you." Abd Allah ibn al-Hisl jumped upon him, and as others joined in, al-Jarrah was overpowered and died. Al-Hasan was carried al-Mada'in where he was cared for by his governor, Sa'd ibn Mas'ud al-Thaqafi [7][27] The news of this attack, having been spread by Muawiyah, further demoralized the already discouraged army of Hasan and led to extensive desertion from his troops.[8]