What the World is Worth

ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn said: We set out with al-Ḥusayn (towards Karbala). There was no station on the road where he would not recall John the Baptist and his killing.

Then he said one day, “A demonstration of the utter worthlessness of this world to Allah is that the head of John the son of Zechariah was presented to a prostitute from among the prostitutes of the Children of Israel!”

Explanation: If worldly supremacy meant something to Allah when compared to the ranking in the life hereafter - He would not have allowed a favourite of his, such as John, to be killed in that manner.

وروى سفيان بن عيينة، عن علي بن زيد، عن علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام قال: خرجنا مع الحسين عليه السلام فما نزل منزلا ولا ارتحل عنه إلا ذكر يحيى بن زكريا، وقال يوما: من هوان الدنيا على الله عز وجل أن رأس يحيى بن زكريا أهدي إلى بغي من بغايا بني إسرائيل

Reference: Al-Irshād of al-Mufīd (ed. Muʾassasat Āl al-Bayt), v. 2, p. 132.