Haidth of the Shaykh (old man) with Al-Baqr, 'Alayhim al-Salam

30. Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Is’haq Bin Ammar who said, ‘Narrated to me a man from our companions’, from Al-Hakam Bin Uteyba who said: ‘I was with Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام and the house was full of its people when an old man (Sheykh) came up leaning upon his goat (for support) until he paused at the door of the house. He said, ‘Salam un Allaika’ ‘Peace be upon you O son عليه الصلاة والسلام of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل and Mercy of Allah عز وجل and His عز وجل Blessings’. Then he was quiet. Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘And peace be upon you and Mercy of Allah عز وجل and His عز وجل Blessings’. Then the old man turned his face toward the people of the house and said, ‘Peace be upon you’. Then he was quiet until all the people had answered him and returned his greetings. Then he turned his face towards Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام, then said, ‘O son عليه الصلاة والسلام of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل, allow me (to come near you عليه الصلاة والسلام), may Allah عز وجل Make me to be sacrificed for you عليه الصلاة والسلام, for by Allah عز وجل, I love you عليه الصلاة والسلام and love those who love you عليه الصلاة والسلام, and by Allah عز وجل I don’t love you عليه الصلاة والسلام and those who love you عليه الصلاة والسلام for the greed of the world. By Allah عز وجل I hate your عليه الصلاة والسلام enemies and keep away from them, and by Allah عز وجل I do not hate them and keep away from them due to the dispute between me and them. By Allah عز وجل, I permit for myself that which you عليه الصلاة والسلام have made it to be permissible, and prohibit to myself that which you عليه الصلاة والسلام have made it to be prohibited, and I await your عليه الصلاة والسلام command. So is there hope for me, may Allah عز وجل Make me to be sacrificed for you?’ Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘Come near, come near’, until he عليه الصلاة والسلام seated him by his عليه الصلاة والسلام side, then said: ‘O you old man, a man came to my عليه الصلاة والسلام father عليه الصلاة والسلام Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام Bin Al-Husayn عليه الصلاة والسلام and asked him similar to what you has asked me عليه الصلاة والسلام. So my عليه الصلاة والسلام father عليه الصلاة والسلام said to him: ‘If you were to die you would return to the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل, and to Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام, and Al-Hassan عليه الصلاة والسلام, and Al-Husayn عليه الصلاة والسلام, and Ali Bin Al-Husayn عليه الصلاة والسلام. Your heart would be in delight and it would be cooled at what your eyes would recognise, and you would be welcomed by the Spirit and the fragrance along with the Honourable Scribes. If your soul reaches here’ – and he عليه الصلاة والسلام indicated by his عليه الصلاة والسلام hand to his عليه الصلاة والسلام throat – ‘and when you live you will see what delights Allah عز وجل has Kept for your eyes, and you will be with us عليه الصلاة والسلام in the highest peak’. The old man said, ‘What did you عليه الصلاة والسلام say, O Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام’. So he عليه الصلاة والسلام repeated the words for him. The old man said, ‘Allah عز وجل is Great! O Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام, if I were to die I would return to the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل, and to Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام, and Al-Hassan عليه الصلاة والسلام, and Al-Husayn عليه الصلاة والسلام, and Ali Bin Al-Husayn عليه الصلاة والسلام, and my eyes would be delighted, and my heart would be cooled, and I would be welcome by the Spirit and the fragrance along with the Honourable Scribes. If my soul reached up to here, and I will live and see what delights Allah عز وجل has Kept for my eyes, so I would be with you عليه الصلاة والسلام in the highest peak’. Then the old man sobbed and wailed saying ‘Haaa, haaa, haaa’, until he rolled upon the ground, and all the people in the house sobbed and wailed upon seeing the condition of the old man, and Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام came and wiped his tears from his eyes with his عليه الصلاة والسلام finger then flicked them away. Then the old man raised his head so he said to Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام, ‘O son عليه الصلاة والسلام of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل, give me your عليه الصلاة والسلام hand, may Allah عز وجل Make me to be sacrificed for you عليه الصلاة والسلام’. So he عليه الصلاة والسلام gave him his عليه الصلاة والسلام hand. So he kissed it and place it upon his eyes and his cheek, then placed it upon his abdomen and his chest. Then he stood up to leave and said, ‘Peace be upon you عليه الصلاة والسلام’. And Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام kissed the scruff of his neck and looked at him when he was leaving. He عليه الصلاة والسلام then turned his عليه الصلاة والسلام face towards the people, so he عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘The one who would love to look at a man from the inhabitants of the Paradise, so they should look at this one’. Al-Hakam Al-Uteyba said, ‘I had never seen such mourners at all resembling like that gathering’.