The Bitter Watermelon

Abu Aamash, fro Abu Salih, from Abu Huraira, who said:

One day Abu Dhar, Bilal, and I were walking with Ali bin Abi Taleb (A.s.)

Ali bin Abi Taleb (A.s.) saw a watermelon, so he gave one Dirham to Bilal and said, “O Bilal! Buy a watermelon with this Dirham and bring it to me.”

We followed Ali (A.s.) to his home and soon Bilal joined us with a watermelon. Ali (A.s.) cut the watermelon but it was bitter.

Ali (A.s.) said:

O Bilal, move this watermelon away from me and come back, and I will tell you a Hadith that I heard from the Messenger of Allah (S.w.t.).

The Messenger of Allah (S.w.t.), with his hand on my shoulder, said to me,  “Allah offered your love to the stones, mud, seas and trees. Those who accepted loving you became pleasant and sweet, and those who refused it became malicious and bitter.”

So this watermelon is from among those who refused my love.

(Ref: Bihar Al Anwar 27:282, Ikhtisaas of Mufid 249. Riyaz’ Al Naz’erah by Tabari 2:215. Madinatul Ma’ajiz 263)