الحسن بن إبراهيم

“Once, Muhammad ibn Yahya wrote (to the Imam), ‘Is it lawful for an executor of the will to buy something from the assets of the deceased as the highest bidder? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is permissible if he buys it in an undamaged condition.’”

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Your discontinuing your fast in the house of your brother in Islam is better than your fasting seventy or ninety times over.’”

“I once heard abu £ Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ’Farmers are the mines of living creatures. They farm goodness that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, makes to grow and on the Day of Judgment they will have the best position and the closest place and they are called the blessed ones.’”

The saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, in al-Hamd [1]: «The Path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor» (1:7) means: Muhammed and his Progeny, Allah’s blessings be upon them.

Al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad (as) said: For a believer, it is enough of a victory from Allah to see his enemy disobeying Allah.

Abu Sufyan approached, while Mu’awiya was following him, and the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: «O Allah, curse the following and the followed. O Allah, it is upon You to ruin the belittled lordotic.» Ibn Baraa’ said to his father: Who is the belittled lordotic? He said: Mu’awiya.

And how confident are you in your interpretation of it?" He said: "I am very confident in my knowledge of it." So Abū al-Ḥasan (as) began to recite the Injīl (Gospel). Upon hearing this, Burayh exclaimed: "It is you—or someone like you—I have been seeking for fifty years!" Burayh then believed (in Islam), and his faith was good and sincere. The woman who was with him also believed. Then Hishām, Burayh, and the woman entered upon Abū ʿAbd Allāh (as), and Hishām relayed the conversation that had taken place between Abū al-Ḥasan Mūsā (as) and Burayh. Abū ʿAbdillāh (as) said: "A progeny, some of them from others; and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing." (3:34) Then Burayh asked: "How do you have the Torah, the Gospel, and the books of the prophets?" He (Imam al-Ṣādiq) replied: "They are with us, inherited from them. We recite them as they recited them, and we speak them as they spoke them. Indeed, God does not place a proof (ḥujjah) upon His earth who, when asked about something, says, 'I do not know.'"

When Ibn al-Zubair expelled Ibn Abbas - may Allah bless him with mercy, to al-Taif, Muhammad ibnal-Hanafiyyah, may Allah bless him with mercy, wrote to him: "I am informed that Ibn al-Kahiliyya has driven you out to al-Taif. That way Allah, Most High may exalt your name, and grant you great reward, and lift from you the burden. O brother, (in this world) the trials are for the righteous, and blessings of honour are conferred upon the virtuous. If your reward were to be only in the things you like, then your rewards would be be too few. For Allah says (in the Qur’an): ’... and you may dislike a thing which is good for you.’ (2:216). And I have no doubt that the situation you are in is good for you in the sight of Allah. May Allah grant you great patience in this adversity, and enable you to be grateful for (His) bounties. Surely, He has power over all other things." When the letter reached Ibn Abbas, he replied: "Your letter has reached me, in which you consoled me on whatever has happened to me, seeking your Lord to exalt my name. Surely, He has power to augment the reward, and to benefit by His favours and to grant more of goodness. I do not like the treatment meted to me by Ibn al-Zubair any more than had it been perpetrated by the enemies of mankind, and thus increase my reward. Nor did I expect to earn my Lord’s pleausre through his efforts. O my brother! The world has indeed turned its back and the hereinafter has shadowed. So perform good deeds. May Allah count you and me among those who fear Him, the Unseen, and who act to earn His pleausre, publicly or in privacy. Surely, He has power over all."

Iblis passed by a delegation that was taunting Amir al-Mu’minin (as), so he stood in front of them. The people said: Who is this that stands in front of us? So, he said: I am the Father of Bitterness (Abu Murra). So, they said: O Father of Bitterness! Do you not hear our words? So, he said: Curse you. You are insulting your Master `Ali b. Abi Talib! So, they said: From where did you learn that he is our Master? So, he said: From the saying of your Prophet: “For whomever I am a Master, `Ali is his Master – O Allah, align with those who align with him, and oppose those who oppose him, and support those who support him, and abandon those who abandon him.” So, they said to him: Are you one who aligns with him and a partisan to him? So, he said: I am neither of those who align with him nor of those who are partisan to him, but rather, I love him, and none hate him except that I am their partner in their wealth and their children. So, they said to him: O Father of Bitterness! Do you say anything regarding `Ali? So, he said to them: Listen to me, O oath breakers, deviators, and apostates (al-nakithin wal qasitin wal mariqin). I worshiped Allah among the Jinn for twelve thousand years. When Allah destroyed the Jinn, I complained to Allah about my solitude, so He ascended me to the heaven of this world. I worshiped Allah in the heaven of this world for twelve more thousand years in the company of the angels. So, while we were glorifying and sanctifying Allah, a beam of light passed by us. The angels fell in prostration due to that light, and they said: “Glorious and holy! This is the light of an Angel of Proximity or a commissioned prophet.” So, a call was made from the direction of Allah: “This is not the light of an Angel of Proximity or a commissioned prophet. This is the light of the clay of `Ali b. Abi Talib.”

“In the presence of Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) once there was a group of his followers consisting of Humran ibn ’Ayun, Muhammad ibn al-Ni‘man, Hisham ibn Salim, al-Tayyar and others among whom was also Hisham ibn al-Hakam, a young man. Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, “O Hisham can you tell us what did you do to ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd and how did you ask him questions?” Hisham said, “O descendant of the Holy Prophet Your greatness makes me feel shy and my tongue does not work in your presence.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “When I would order you something you should do it.” Hisham, then said, “I came to learn about the gathering of ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd and sessions of speeches for people in the Mosque of Basra. It disturbed me a great deal and I went to Basra. It was a Friday. I went to the Mosque and found a large circle of people among was ‘Arm ibn ‘Ubayd with a black piece of woolen cloth used as a loin cloth and another piece over him as a gown and people would ask him questions. I asked people for room, which they made for me. I sat in front of the people with my legs folded beneath and said, “O scholar, I come from out of town. Can I ask you questions?” He said, “Yes, you may ask.” I asked, “Do you have eyes?” He said, “Son, what kind of question is this? Something that you can see why then do you ask?” I said, “That is how my questions are.” He said, “Son, you may ask your questions even if they would be foolish ones.” I asked, “Do you have eyes?” He said, “Yes, I have eyes.” I asked, “What do you do with them?” He said, “I see with them the colors and persons.” I asked, “Do you have a nose?” He said, “Yes, I have a nose.” I asked, “What do you do with it?” He said, “ I use it to smell things.” I asked, “Do you have a mouth?” He said, “Yes, I have a mouth.” I asked, “What do you do with it?” He said, “I test things with it.” I asked, “Do you have ears?” He said, “Yes, I have ears.” I asked, “What do you do with them?” He said, “I hear sounds with them.” He I asked, “Do you have a heart?” He said, “Yes, I have a heart.” I asked, “What do you do with it?” He said, “I distinguish and discern things that come to it from the other senses.” I asked, “Why are your others senses independent of your heart and why do they need it?” He said, “They are not independent of my heart.” I said, “Why do they need your heart when they are all healthy and sound?” He said, “Son, when the other senses face a doubt about something, such as smell, test, etc., I send it to my heart and it ascertains certainty and discards doubts.” I asked him, “Do you mean that Allah has set up the heart to remove doubts from the other senses?” He said, “Yes, that is true.” I asked, “Is then the existence of the heart necessary to remove the doubts of the other senses?” He said, “Yes, it is necessary.” I then said, “O abu Marwan, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, as you say, has not left your senses without an Imam to correct the doubts and the mistakes of the other senses in you and remove doubts therefrom, how would He leave all the people with doubts and confusions without an Imam who would remove their doubts and settle their disputes?” He remained quite and did not say anything for a while. He then asked, “Are you Hisham ibn al-Hakam?” I said, “No, I am not.” He asked, “Are you of his associates?” I said, “No.” He asked, “Wherefrom are you?” I said, “I am from Kufa.” He said, “You then must be Hisham ibn al-Hakam.” He then took to himself and gave me room nearby. He discontinued his speech until I left.” Imam abu ‘abdallah (a.s.) smiled and said, “O Hisham who has taught you this?” I replied, “I learned something from you and added something of my self.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “This, I swear by Allah, is written in the books of Abraham and Moses.”

Imam has traveled to the city of Makkah. He then left for Makkah and we were with Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) when we came across him during our performing Tawaf (the seven times walking around the Ka‘bah). The man’s name was ‘Abdul Malik, and his kunya was Abu ‘Abdallah.
He touched Imam Abu ‘Abdillah’s (as) shoulder with his shoulder as he walked along. Abu ‘Abdillah (as) asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, ”It is ‘Abdul Malik (meaning slave of the King).” He further asked, “What is your kunyah?” He replied, “It is Abu ‘Abdallah (meaning father of slave of Allah).” Abu 'Abdillah (as) then asked, “Who is this king whose slave you are? Is he of the earthly kings or of the heavenly ones? Tell us about your son. Is he a slave of the Lord of the heavens or a slave of the Lord of the earth? Say whatever you may, it will be against you.” Hisham has said that I asked him (the heretic man), “Why do you not answer?” The man seemed to dislike my words.
Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) then told him, “Meet us when we finish our Tawaf.” The heretic man came to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s) later and sat in front of the Imam (a.s.) and we were all gathered around him. Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) then asked him, “Do you know that the earth has an underside and an upperside?” The man replied, “Yes, I know it.” The Imam then asked, “Have you gone in the underside of the earth?” The man replied, “No, I have not gone there.” The Imam (a.s.) then asked, “Do you know what is therein?” He said, “I do not know but I guess there is nothing therein.” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “Guessing is weakness. Why do you not acquire certainty?” The Imam (a.s.) then asked, “Have you climbed up into the sky?” The man replied, “No, I have not done so.” The Imam (a.s.) then asked, “Do you know what is up there?” He replied, “No, I do not know.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “It is very strange. Without reaching the East or West, without going under the earth or climbing up the sky and not even have crossed anything to know what is behind you deny what is in them. Does any man of reason deny what he does not know?” The heretic man then said, “No one has ever come up with such statements to me as you have.” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “So you are uncertain about Him. Perhaps He is or may be He does not exist.” The heretic man then said, “Perhaps He is.”
The Imam then said, “O man, one who does not know has no authority over the one who knows. O Egyptian brethren, listen carefully. We have no doubts in the existence of Allah. Think about the sun, the moon, the day and the nights follow each other and do not miss their turns or become confused. They each have its place and do not have any choice. If they had any other choice they would not come back again. If they had a choice the day would not end with night and the night would not end in the day. They are forced to continue, O Egyptian brethren, I swear by Allah. The One who has forced them is stronger than them and greater. What people speak of and you guess it is (dahr) motionless time if it was so, then when it would take them away it would not return them and if time have returned them then why it is not taking them away? These things, O Egyptian brethren, are compelled. Why the sky is up high and why the earth is low? Why the sky does not fall down on earth? Why the earth does not flow one layer over the other and the two do not stick to each other and why those on it do not stick to it?”
The man then said, “God their Lord has made them to hold together.” Hisham has said, “He professed belief in God in the presence of Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.).” Humran then said to the Imam, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, if heretics profess belief in Allah before you, it is because the unbelievers converted to faith because of your father.” The man who had just professed belief in Allah requested Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) to allow him to become one of his students. The Imam then asked Hisham to teach him. Hisham taught him well and he became a teacher for the people in Syria and Egypt. His purification was very well and the Imam (a.s.) became happy with him.”

“He is in Mecca.” So the atheist left for Mecca. While we were with Abu `Abd Allah (AS), the atheist came close to us while we were circumambulating [tawaf] the Ka`bah. The atheist bumped shoulders with Abu `Abd Allah (AS), so the Imam (AS) asked him “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is `Abd al-Malik.” The Imam (AS) said: “Then what is your agnomen [kunya]?” He answered, “Abu `Abd Allah.” The Imam (AS) asked, “Who is the Sovereign (al-Malik) whom you serve? Is He the Sovereign of the Heavens, or is he one of the sovereigns of the earth? And tell me about your son. Is the servant [`abd] of the God of Heaven, or a god of the earth?” The atheist kept quiet. So Abu `Abd Allah (AS) continued, “Say whatever you wish to, you will be defeated.” Hisham ibn al-Hakam says: Isaid to the atheist: “Will you not refute him?” Thus, he disliked what I said. Therefore, Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said to him, “Once I complete the circumambulation, come and see me.” Once Abu `Abd Allah (AS) finished, the atheist came to him and sat down in front of him, while we had gathered before him. Thus, he (AS) addressed the atheist, “Do you know that the earth has a top and a bottom?” He replied, “I do not know, but I certainly think there is nothing below it.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said: “Thinking [zann] is incapability unless you achieve certainty. Have you ascended to the heavens?” He answered, “No.” The Imam (AS) asked, Then do you know what is in it?” He replied, “I do not.” The Imam (AS) said: “Then have you been to the east and the west and seen what is behind them?” He replied, “No.” The Imam (AS) responded, How strange! You have not been to the east or the west. You have not descended below the earth. You have not ascended to heaven. You do not have any knowledge of what surrounds them. However, you re in denial of what is in them. Does a wise man deny what he knows not? The atheist said: “No one but you has eve said such a thing to me.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said: “You are in doubt as to whether He exist or not.” The atheist replied, “That might be it.” Abu `Abd Allah said: O man! There is no authority for the one who knows over the one who knows not. Likewise, there is no authority for the ignorant over the learned. O my Egyptian brother! Understand this from me! We never doubt in Allah. Do you not see the sun and the moon, and the night and day? They have recourse, but they do not make mistakes. They come and they go. They are both compelled. There is not place for them except their own place. If they both had the power to leave, and not come back, then why do they come back? If they both are not compelled, then why does the night change into the day, and the day into night? By Allah, O Egyptian brother, they are both compelled to continue their routine. Surely, their Compeller is Wiser and Greater than they are! The atheist said: “You are right.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) then said: O Egyptian brother! They way you atheists reason is wrong. Time does not bring anything into existence. If the passage of time can take then away, then why does it not return them? And if the passage of time can return them, when why does it not take them away? They are compelled, O Egyptian brother! The sky has been raised, and the earth has been set down. Why is it that the sky does not collide with the earth? And why is it that the earth does not collide with the sky? Why is it that the earth does not go out of its orbit? Who holds them together and who holds together what is between them? The atheist said: “By Allah! Their Lord and their Master holds them together!” Thus, the atheist came to believe through his contact with Abu `Abd Allah (AS). Humran ibn A`yun said to him (AS). “May I be your ransom! Atheist become believers through you, just like the unbelievers use to become believer through your father (AS).” The believer, who had believed thanks to Abu `Abd Allah (AS), said: “Make me of your students.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said to Hisham ibn al-Hakam, “Take him with you and teach him.” Thus, Hisham taught him, and then he became the teacher of the Egyptians, and the people of the northern region (Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon). He was trained spiritually and academically until Abu `Abd Allah (AS) was pleased with it.

“If there was no one on earth in the Christian faith except Burayhah that would suffice us.” He was seeker of the truth and with that, of Islam. He had a woman with him that used to serve him and she had been with him for a long time. He use to secretly tell her about the weakness of Christianity and its weak proofs. He said: I came to know that from him. Thus, Burayhah put this matter behind him, and approached the various Muslim schools who differed a bout Islam, in search of the most learned one among them. He came asking about the Muslim leaders, their pious one, their scholars, and t heir leading intellectuals. He examined every Muslim school of though, and found nothing that satisfied him. He said: “If you leaders were on the true path, then they would have some truth with them!”
Finally, he learned about the Shi`ites from Hisham ibn al-Hakam. Yunus ibn `Abd al-Rahman says: Hisham said to me. I was sitting in my shop at the door of al-Karkh while a group of people were reciting the Qur’an to me. I was suddenly taken aback by a group of Christian clergymen. There were approximately one hundred men, dressed in the black clothing and chasubles (of the Coptic priests) and the Great Catholicos. Burayhah was among them. They came down around my shop and placed a chair for Burayhah to sit on. The bishops and monks stood learning over their staffs, and on their heads were their chasubles. Burayhah addressed me and said: “I have exhausted every single Muslim theologian in debate regarding Christianity, and they had nothing that impressed me. Hence, I have come to you wishing to debate Islam.” He says: Hisham laughed and said: “O Burayhah! If you expect me to give you the same type of signs that he Messiah gave, you have come to the wrong place as I am not the Messiah, not even close. I would never critics him, though, as he was one of the purified ones, who was humble in character, yet sublime in spirituality. The Signs of Allah wee manifest in him.”
Burayhah responded, “Your words astonish me.” Hisham said: “If you want to argue then go ahead.” Burayhah said: “Yes. I certainly want to question you: What is the physical tie between your Prophet and the Messiah?’ Hisham replied, “He is the son of his maternal grandfather, because Jesus is from the children of Ishaq, and Muhammad (SA) is from the children of Isma`il.” Burayhah asked, How do you relate him to his father?” Hisham answered, “If you want his lineage from your view, I will inform you of it, and if yo want his linage according to us, I will inform you of that.” Burayhah enquired, “I want his lineage according to us.” Burayhah says that I was thinking that if he described his lineage according to us, I would overpower him. So I said: “Describe his lineage the way we relate it.” Hisham explained, “Yes. You say: “He is without beginning from the one without beginning. Then who is the Father and who is the Son?” Burayhah said: “He who came unto the Earth is the Son.” Hisham asked, “He who came unto the Earth is the Father.” He said: “The Son is the messenger of the Father.” Hisham added, “Verily, the Father is wiser than the Son, because the Father is the Creator.” Burayhah said: “Verily, the Father and the Son are both the Creators.” Hisham continued, “What prevented them from coming down to Earth together like they were together when they created the world?” Burayhah replied, “How do they associate while they are both one thing? They differ only by name.” Hisham responded, “Verily, they unite with the name.” Burayhah said: “This statement is unknown.” Hisham said: “This statement is well-known,” Burayhah responded, “Verily, the Son is connected to the Father.” Hisham replied, “Verily, the Son is disconnected from the Father.” He replied, “This is contrary to what the people would think.”
Hisham explained, “If what the people think is true, then I have overcome you for the Father was when the Son was not. Is that what you are saying, O Burayhah?” He answered, “I do not say this.” Hisham responded, “Then why did you seek to confirm your beliefs on the beliefs of those whom you reject?” He said: “Verily, the Father is a name and the Son is a name, and the eternal has decreed them.” Hisham said: “Are the two names without beginning? Are they eternal like the Father and the Son? Burayhah declared, “No, The names are originated.” He responded, “You have certainly made the Father a Son, and the Son a Father. If the Son brought these names about, and not the Father, then he is the Father. And if the Father brought these names about, and not the Son, then he is the Father, and the Son is the Father. Thus, there is no Son here.” Burayhah said: “Verily, the Son is a name of the Holy Spirit when it came down to the Earth.” Hisham responded, “What was its name prior to coming down to Earth?” Burayhah continued on, baffled: “Its name is the Son whether it came down or did not came down.” Hisham advocated, “So before the coming down of this Spirit, it was all one but it had two names.” He said: “It is all one; one Spirit.” Hisham acclaimed, “You are pleased to make some of it the Son and some of it the Father.” Burayhah replied, “No, because the name of the Father and the name of the Son are one.” Hisham said: “Therefore, the Son is the Father of the Father, and the Father is Father of the Son, and there is one Son.”
The bishops said to Burayhah with one voice: “Nothing like this has ever happened to you, stand up!” Thus, Burayhah was confused and wanted to leave, so Hisham attached and said: What prevents you from embracing Islam? Is there any rancour in your heart? Then say it, otherwise I will ask you a question about Christianity. I will give you the night to think about it. Then, when you wake up, you will only be interested in me. The bishops said: “Do not ask him the question, for it may create doubts about your faith.” Burayhah said: “Say it, O Abu al-Hakam.” Hisham went on, “Tell me, does the Son know everything that the Father does?” He answered, “Yes.” Hisham asked, “Tell me, does the Father know everything that is with the Son?” He answered, “Yes.” Hisham asked, “Tell me, does the Son have power over everything that the Father has power over?” He answered, “Yes.” Hisham asked, “Tell me, does the Father have power over everything which the Son has power over?” He answered, “Yes.”
Hisham responded, “Then how can one of them be the Son of his partner, while they are both equal, and how does each one of them oppress his partner?” Burayhah said; “There is no oppression between them.” Hisham continued, “The truth between them is that the Son is the Father of the Father, and the Father is the Son of the Son. Spend the night thinking about this, O Burayhah.” The Christians dispersed, and they were wishing that they had never seen Hisham and his friends.
Yunus ibn `Abd al-Rahman says: Burayhah returned in grief and anxiety till he reached his home. The woman that served him asked him, “Why is it that I see you grieved and anxious!” Hence, he related to her the debate between Hisham and him. She asked, “Woe unto you! Do you want to follow truth or falsehood?” Burayhah replied, “Truth, of course.” She said to him, “Wherever you find truth, then turn to it. Be careful of obstinacy. For verily, obstinacy is doubt, doubt is calamity, and those with doubt are in Hell.” The reporter says: He agreed with her statement and decided to go to Hisham the next morning.
The next morning he went to Hisham when none of his companions were with him. He enquired, “O Hisham! Do you have someone whose views and words you turn to, and profess his obedience?” Hisham answered, “Yes, O Burayhah.” “What is his description?” “Are you asking about his lineage or his religion?” Hisham replied, He said: ”Both of them, the description of his lineage and his religion.” Hisham responded, As for his lineage, it is the best of the lineages: He is the leader of the Arabs, the best of the Quraysh, and the most distinguished of the Hashimites. Whoever argued about his lineage always found it to be better than his own, because the Quraysh are the best of the Arabs, and the Hashimites are the best of the Quraysh. And, as he is the best of the Hashimites, he is the most pious among them, and their master. He descends from the children of the master, who are better than all other children. He is the son of the master.
He said: “Describe his religion.” Hisham said: “His law or description of body and his purity?” He said: “Describe his body and his purity/” Hisham described, He is infallible; thus, he does not sin. He is generous; hence, he does not act miserly. He is brave; so he does not act cowardly. He has been bestowed with knowledge; therefore, he does not act ignorantly. He is the Protector of the Religion, firm in what is made mandatory. He is from the Progeny of the Prophets (AS), and the Vessel of Prophetic Knowledge (AS). He pardons when he is angry. He is fair in times of oppression. He helps when pleased, and is just towards both friend and foe. He does not ask of deviation for his enemy and foes not prohibit benefiting his friends. He practices the Book and speaks wonders. He is one of the Purified Ones. He relates the words of the Divinely Elected Leaders without violating their Proof. He is not ignorant of any question. He can derive a ruling [fatwa] from any tradition, and makes clear all darkness.
Burayhah responded, “You have described the Messiah in his attributes, and proved him by his proofs and signs, except that you have applied this description to another person. If there is a person who fits this description, we will believe in him.” Hisham said: “If you believe you will be guided, and if you follow the truth you will not be blamed.” He then added, “O Burayhah! There is not a proof which Allah establishes over the first of His Creation, except that He establishes it over the middle creation and the last creation. Therefore, Proofs do not become invalidated, just like nations and practices do not disappear.” Burayhah admitted, “How close is this to righteousness, and how near it is to the truth. This is the attribute of the wise. They establish proof that negates suspicion.” Hisham said: “Yes.”
Then they both departed together until they arrived at Medina. The woman was with them. They both wanted to see Abu `Abd Allah (AS). However, they met Musa ibn Ja`far (AS), so Hisham related to him the account. When he finished, Musa ibn Ja`far (AS) said: “O Burayhah! How is your knowledge of your Book (the Bible)?” He answered, “I am knowledgeable of it.” The Imam (AS) asked, “How is your faith in its interpretation?” He replied. “I am confident that I am knowledgeable about it.” The reported says: Musa ibn Ja`far (AS) began reading the Bible. Burayhah responded, “The Messiah must have read like this, and no one has read this recitation but the Messiah.” Burayhah then said: “I have been seeking you or someone like you for the past fifty years.”
The reporter says: Therefore, he embraced Islam and so did the woman, and both were expediently faithful. The Hisham, Burayhah, and the woman entered the presence of Abu `Abd Allah (AS). Hisham related the account and the discussion that took place between Musa (AS) and Burayhah. Thus Abu `Abdillah (AS) read: Offspring one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. So Burayhah asked, “May I be your ransom! How do you view the Torah, the Bible and the Books of the Prophets?” Abu `Abdillah (AS) replied: “We are their Heirs. We read them the way they were originally read, and we convey them as they were originally conveyed. Verily, Allah does not place a Proof [hujjat] on His earth who, when questioned about something, answers: `I do not know.’”
Hence, Burayhah remained with Abu `Abdillah (AS) until Abu `Abdillah passed away. Then he remained with Musa ibn Ja`far (AS) until Burayhah died in his time. The Imam (AS) washed his corpse with his own hands, shrouded his body, and placed him in the grave and said: “This is a disciple from the disciples of the Messiah, who recognized the right of Allah over him.” The reported says: Thus, most of the Companions of the Imam (AS) wished they were like him.