1. Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Walid, whose title was Shabab al-Sayrafi from Dawud ibn al-Qasim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following.
“I asked Imam abu Ja‘far al-Thani (the 2nd (a.s.), ‘May Allah take my soul in your service, what is the meaning of the word al-Samad?’” The Imam replied, al-Samad means the Lord to Who one turns for help, big or small.”