Sa'id said:

Umar passed by Hassan when he was reciting verses in the mosque. He looked at him. Thereupon he said: I used to recite verses when there was present in it the one who was better than you (i.e. the Prophet).

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي خَلَفٍ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ، - الْمَعْنَى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ مَرَّ عُمَرُ بِحَسَّانَ وَهُوَ يُنْشِدُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَلَحَظَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ قَدْ كُنْتُ أُنْشِدُ وَفِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ ‏.‏