“I would perform Hajj every year. One year in which people suffered severe hardships, my people told me to consider my performing Hajj that year; that I should instead of spending for Hajj, give it in charity. It can be more beneficial than performing Hajj. I then asked them, ‘Do you think that is right?’ They replied, ‘Yes, that is true.’ That year I gave my expenses for Hajj in charity and stayed home. I saw a dream during the night on the ninth of Dhu al-Hajjah and said, ‘By Allah I will not do what I have done and I will not neglect performing Hajj.’ Next year I went to performing Hajj and when I arrived in Mina I saw abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), in whose presence people had gathered. I went near him and asked him, “Please tell me about a man.” I told him of my story. Then I asked, ‘Which one is better. Performing Hajj or charity?”” He (the Imam) said, ‘Charity is very good - three times.’ I then said, ‘That is true but which one is better?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What prevents one of you to do both?’ I replied, ‘His belongings are not sufficient for both.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If he wants to spend ten for Hajj, he can spend five out of this for Hajj and give the other five as charity or reduce some of his expenses for Hajj and spend what he has cut down in charity for which he earns rewards.’ I then asked, ‘Will it do it if he did so?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Where can he have something like Hajj’ - he said it three times - ‘one comes out of his house and gives in charity a part of it until he arrives in the Sacred Masjid, performs an obligatory Tawaf, then goes to the station of Ibrahim to say two Rak‘at salat (prayer). An angel comes and stands on his left side. When he completes salat (prayer) the angel taps on his shoulder saying, “O so and so, your sins of the past are forgiven and for the future you can work assiduously.’””