“A Mawla’ (freed slave or tribal client) of Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), told me, ‘I was in al-Kufah when Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), came to al-Hirah and I went to see him. I said to him (the Imam), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, can you speak to Dawud ibn Ali or others of these people to admit me in anyone of these states (government)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘I will never do so.’ I then returned home and thought about it and said to myself that he (the Imam) did not refuse except for fear that I may do injustice and transgress. By Allah I will go to him and provide all kinds of guarantees and swear extremely seriously, like divorce, freeing slaves and so on, not to do injustice and transgression. I then went to him (the Imam) and said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I thought about your refusal to speak for me and I thought you have refused and disliked it just because of your fear of my doing injustice and transgression against someone instead of acting with justice.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Why did you say that?’ I then repeated my demand and swearing. He (the Imam) raised his head to the sky and said, ‘Your reaching the sky is easier than what you want me to do for you.’”