On Various Traditions From Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Ridha صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم

28-40 The interpreter, Muhammad ibn Al-Qasim known as Abil Hassan al-Jurjani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Yusuf ibn Muhammad ibn Ziyad and Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Sayyar quoted on the authority of their fathers, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Musa ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Al-Hussein ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, on the authority of his forefathers صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم that one day God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم told one of his companions, “O servant of God! Love for the sake of God and hate for the sake of God. Be friends for the sake of God and be enemies for the sake of God. That is because you cannot achieve God’s Mastery over you in any other way. No one will experience the true feeling of faith unless he does so - even if he prays and fasts a lot. Nowadays, most of the friendships and animosities of the worldlings are for the sake of this world. They like each other for it and they hate each other for it. However, this will not benefit them.” That man asked, “How could I tell whether my liking and my animosity are for the sake of God or not? Who is God’s Friend so that I may be friends with him. Who are God’s enemies so that I may be their enemy?” God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم then pointed at Ali صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and said, “Do you see him?” The man said, “Yes.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said, “This is God’s Friend! Whoever loves him is God’s friend and whoever is his enemy is God’s enemy. Therefore, love Ali صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. Be the enemy of Ali’s enemies and be the friend of Ali’s friends. Be the friend of Ali’s friend - even if Ali’s friend may have killed your father or your son. Be the enemy of Ali’s enemy - even if he may be your father or your son.”