One of the relatives of Imam al-Sajjad (a) stood against him and insulted him.
Imam al-Sajjad (a) stood silent and did not reply.
After that man went, Imam (a) told the people there,
“You heard what he said, now you come with me to hear my reply.”
They said, “we’ll come [with you]! We also would like to reply to him.”
They went to the house of the insulter all together. Imam (a) told the servant of the house,
“Tell your master that Ali b. al-Husayn (a) is standing at the door.”
The insulter came out ready to attack while he expected Imam’s (a) revenge.
But, Imam al-Sajjad (a) mildly said,
“O brother! Just a moment ago, you came to us and said what you wanted; if that [you said] exists in me, I ask God for forgiveness about it and if it is not in me, I ask God to forgive you.”
The man was embarrassed and kissed the forehead of Imam (a) and said,
“What I said did not exist in you and I myself better deserve them!”
The companions of Imam al-Sajjad (a) said that on the way, Imam (a) recited the verse 134 of sura Al ‘Imran(The Holy Quran),
“…and [those who] suppress their anger, and excuse [the faults of] the people, and Allah(God) loves the virtuous;”
Source :
Al-Irshad, vol. 2, p. 145.
Bihar al-anwar, vol. 46, p. 54.
