Saʿd b. ʿAbd Allāh, ʿAbd Allāh b. Jaʿfar al-Ḥimyarī, Muḥammad b. Yaḥyā al-ʿAṭṭār and Aḥmad b. Idrīs altogether said: “Aḥmad b. Abī ʿAbd Allāh al-Barqī narrated to us, saying: “Abū Hāshim Dāwūd b. al-Qāsim al-Jaʿfarī narrated to us, from Abī Jaʿfar al-Thānī Muḥammad b. ʿAlī عليهما السلام, who said: “One day, Amīr al-Muʾminīn عليه السلام approached, and with him were al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī and Salmān al-Fārisī رضي الله عنه, and Amīr al-Muʾminīn was leaning on Salmān’s hand, whereupon they entered the Sacred Mosque and sat down. A handsome-looking, well-dressed man approached, greeting Amīr al-Muʾminīn عليه السلام with a greeting of peace he reciprocated, so the man sat down. Then, he said: “O’ Amīr al-Muʾminīn, I would ask you three questions. If you inform me (about the truth) in regard to them, I will have known that the people have undertaken, in regard to the Divine ordinance you are currently in charge of,[1] something I deem to have rendered them unreliable in both their worldly affairs as well as those of the Hereafter. But, if it be otherwise, I will know that you and they are on the same footing.” Amīr al-Muʾminīn عليه السلام responded to him: “Ask me. What has occurred to you?” The man said: “Inform me about when a man sleeps, where does his soul go? And about how a man remembers or forgets? And about why a man’s progeny (sometimes) resembles their paternal or maternal uncles?” Amīr al-Muʾminīn turned to Abī Muḥammad al-Ḥasan, and said: “Answer him, o’ Abā Muḥammad.” Imam al-Ḥasan al-Mujtabā صلوات الله عليه said: “As for what you have asked in regard to the matter of man in terms of where his soul goes while he is asleep, then (consider that) the soul is attached to the wind, and the wind is attached to the air, until such time as it stirs its owner to wake up. If Allāh عز وجل permits that soul to return to its owner, that soul will pull on the wind, and that wind will pull on the air until the soul returns and resides tranquilly in the body of its owner. If Allāh عز وجل does not permit that soul to return to the body of its owner, the air pulls on the wind, and the wind pulls on the soul, so it will not return to the body of its owner until such time as he is resurrected. As for what you have mentioned in regard to the matter of remembrance and forgetfulness, the heart of a man is in a receptacle, and over the receptacle is a covering. So, if the man sends, at that point, salutations upon Muḥammad and the House of Muḥammad with a complete salutation, then that covering will be taken off that receptacle, the heart will lighten up and the man will remember what he had forgotten. And, if he does not send salutations upon Muḥammad and the House of Muḥammad, or there is deficiency in his salutations upon them,[2] then that covering closes over that receptacle so that the heart is darkened, and the man forgets what he had remembered. As for what you have mentioned in regard to the matter of a newborn who resembles his paternal or maternal uncles—when a man comes onto his wife and has intercourse with her with a tranquil heart, calm veins and an undisturbed body, then that drop of semen comes to reside tranquilly in the womb’s cavity, and the child comes out resembling his father and mother. But, if he comes onto her with a heart that is not tranquil, veins that are not calm and body that is agitated, he will have agitated that drop of semen, and in a disturbed state it will collide with some veins. If it collides with one of the veins associated with his maternal uncles, the boy will come out resembling his maternal uncles.” So, the man said: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allāh, and I have never ceased to bear witness as such. And I bear witness that Muḥammad is the Apostle of Allāh, and I have never ceased to bear witness as such. And I bear witness that you are his Legatee and the Upholder of his Divine authority after him”—and he pointed, with his hand, towards Amīr al-Muʾminīn عليه السلام—“and I have never ceased to bear witness as such. And I bear witness that you are his Legatee and the Upholder of his Divine authority after him”—and he pointed towards al-Ḥasan عليه السلام—“and I bear witness that al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī is the Legatee of your father and the Upholder of his Divine authority after you.[3] And I bear witness upon ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn, that he is the Upholder of al-Ḥusayn’s Divine ordinance after him. And I bear witness upon Muḥammad b. ʿAlī, that he is the Upholder of ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn’s Divine ordinance. And I bear witness upon Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad, that he is the Upholder of Muḥammad b. ʿAlī’s Divine ordinance. And I bear witness upon Mūsā b. Jaʿfar, that he is the Upholder of Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad’s Divine ordinance. And I bear witness upon ʿAlī b. Mūsā, that he is the Upholder of Mūsā b. Jaʿfar’s Divine ordinance. And I bear witness upon Muḥammad b. ʿAlī, that he is the Upholder of ʿAlī b. Mūsā’s Divine ordinance. And I bear witness upon ʿAlī b. Muḥammad, that he is the Upholder of Muḥammad b. ʿAlī’s Divine ordinance. And I bear witness upon al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī, that he is the Upholder of ʿAlī b. Muḥammad’s Divine ordinance. And I bear witness upon a man from the offspring of al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī, who is not to be called by his teknonym or given name until his matter becomes apparent, whereupon he will fill the Earth with justice as it was previously full of iniquity. And peace be upon you, o’ Amīr al-Muʾminīn, and the mercy of Allāh and His blessings.” The man then stood up and left. Amīr al-Muʾminīn عليه السلام said: “O’ Abā Muḥammad! Follow him, so that you may see where he is going.” Al-Ḥasan عليه السلام exited (the Sacred Mosque) out onto his path, and said: “As soon as he stepped outside the Mosque, I could no longer tell where in Allāh’s land he had gone, so I returned to Amīr al-Muʾminīn عليه السلام, and let him know.” He said: “O’ Abā Muḥammad, did you recognise him?” I replied: “Allāh, His Apostle and Amīr al-Muʾminīn know best.” Imam ʿAlī صلوات الله عليه said: “He is al-Khiḍr عليه السلام.”