5. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar and Muhammad in Isma'il, from al-Fadl bin Shadhaan, all from Safwan ibn Yahya, from Abu ‘Usamah Zayd al-Shahham who has said the following:

“Once Abu ‘Abdillah said to me, ‘Convey greetings of peace from me to all that you will see of those who obey me and uphold my words. Tell them that I enjoin upon you to be pious before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, to restraint yourselves from the worldly attractions (sins) in the matters of your religion, to work hard, to maintain truthfulness in your words, keep your trust, perform long prostrations, and to maintain good neighborly relations. This is what Muhammad has brought (from Allah). Return the trust to those who have entrusted you, whether they are virtuous people or evildoers.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would command to return the needle and swing thread. Maintain good relations with the people of your tribe, attend their funerals, visit their sick people, and fulfill your obligations toward them. If one of you maintains restraint in the worldly attractions (sins) in the matters of his religion, is truthful in his words, keeps his trust, has acquired proper moral discipline to behave toward people, it will be said about him, ‘This is a Ja’fari (follower of Ja’far ibn Muhammad )’, and this will bring me joy and delight and they will say, ‘This is the discipline of Ja’far.’ If otherwise, its misfortune and disgrace will trouble me and they will say, ‘This is the behavior of Ja’far.‘

By Allah my father spoke to me about a man who lived with a Shi’a (followers) of Ali tribe whose beauty was in his keeping his trust, fulfilling his obligations, and his being the most truthful in his words. With him they would keep their important documents and valuables. If one were to ask people of the tribe about him, they would ask, “Who is like him? He is the most trusted one in safekeeping of valuables and the most truthful in his words.’””