7. My father, may Allah have mercy on him, that Sa`d ibn `Ad Allah, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Isa on the authority of `Ali ibn Sayf on the authority of his brother alHasan ibn Sayf on the authority of his father Sayf ibn `Amirah al-Nakha`i on the authority of Khaythamah that I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq about the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: Everything is perishable but He. He resplied: It is His Religion. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Commander of the Faithful are the Religion of Allah amongst His Servants, His Face, His Eyes, His tongue with which He speaks and the Hand with which He covers His Creation. We are the Face with which He bestows (His Blessings). We will remain in His Servants as long as Allah has any consideration [rawiyyah] for them. I enquired, “What is consideration [rawiyyah]? He explained, “Need [alhajah]. When Allah has no need for them He removes us from them, and does as He pleases.”