Giving Preference to One Child Over the Others

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Sa‘d ibn Sa‘d al-Ash‘ariy who has said the following: “I once asked al-Rida’ عليه السلام, about the case of a man who loves certain ones of his children more than others and gives preference to certain ones among them over the others. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, abu ‘ Abd Allah عليه السلام, gave a present to Muhammad; so also did abu al- Hassan عليه السلام, by gifting something to Ahmad and I went to collect them for him because he was a child.’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, can one love his daughters more than his sons?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Sons and daughters are the same in this matter, in fact, it depends up on how they are in the sight of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious.”’