35-6 In the year 285 A.H. (897 A.D.), al-Hakim Abu Ali Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad al-Bayhaqi narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowli quoted on the authority of Abu Thakwan Al-Qasim ibn Isma’il in Seiraf on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Abbas al-Sowli al-Katib in (the city of) Ahwaz in the year 227 A.H. (841 A.D.), “One day we were in the company of Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام and he عليه السلام told me, ‘There is no true joy in this world.’ Some of the jurisprudents present there said, ‘It is not so. Did not God the Honorable the Exalted say? ‘Then, shall ye be questioned that Day about the joy (ye indulged in!).’ Is it not just the cold water we drink in this world?’” Then Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام told them in a loud voice, ‘That is how you interpret it and bring about several forms of interpretation for it.’ Some said, ‘It is cold water.’ Others said, ‘It is delicious food.’ Still others said, ‘It is good sleep.’ Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام said, ‘I quote on the authority of my father عليه السلام, on the authority of his father Abi Abdullah As-Sadiq عليه السلام that what you said about the Sublime God’s words, ‘Then, shall ye be questioned that Day about the joy (ye indulged in!)’ were told to him.Then Imam As-Sadiq عليه السلام got angry and said, ‘The Exalted the Honorable God will neither question His servants about what He has nobly bestowed upon them, nor will He mention it to them. Even mentioning a good deed is bad for the people to do. How could they ascribe to God the Exalted the Honorable what God’s creatures will not be pleased with? However, the true joy is the love for us - the Members of the Holy Household. This is what God will question the people about after questioning them about the Unity of God and the Prophethood. If one has been loyal to this he will be rewarded with Heaven which is the Eternal Joy. My father had indeed hear this from his father عليه السلام who had heard it from his forefathers عليه السلام all the way back to the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام who said, “God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said, ‘O Ali! Indeed, the first thing that one will be questioned about after death is to testify that ‘There is no god but God’ and that ‘Muhammad عليه السلام is God’s Messenger.’ He will also be questioned about testifying that ‘You (Ali) are the one with authority over the believers due to the authority which God has established and I have established for you.’ Whoever believes in these will be sent to the Joy in which there is no end.’”(Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowli added,) Abu Thakwan narrated this tradition for me without me asking him to do so. When he finished, he said, “I told you this tradition for several reasons. First of all, you have come to visit me from Basra. Secondly, its narrator is your uncle (Ibrahim bin Abbas al-Sowli). Thirdly, I was always interested solely in poetry and linguistics and did not pay any attention to anything else, until I dreamt of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. The people were greeting him, and he greeted them back. I went forward and greeted the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم but he did not return my greetings. Al-Sowli asked, “O Prophet of God! Am I not from among your nation?” He عليه السلام said, “Yes, you are. But tell the people the tradition about “joy” that you have heard from Ibrahim.” Al-Sowli said, “This is the tradition which the people narrate on the authority of God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. However, there is not such a description of “joy” in it with verses and interpretations. They just say that God’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said, “The very first thing one is questioned about on the Resurrection Day is to testify to the Unity (of God), the Prophethood and the Authority of Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام.”