61- قال: وروى علي بن معاذ قال: قلت لصفوان بن يحيى: بأي شيء قطعت على علي؟قال: صليت ودعوت الله واستخرت عليه وقطعت عليه.
H 61 - Ali bin Maaz narrated: I asked Safwan bin Yahya: Through which reasoning have you adopted faith in the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim عليه السلام? He replied: I prayed the ritual prayer and after that sought counsel (Istikhara) from Almighty Allah and the result was that I got certainty about it.
<p class='libAr' dir='rtl'>فهذا ليس فيه أكثر من التشنيع على رجل بالتقليد وإن صح ذلك فليس فيه حجة على غيره على أن الرجل الذي ذكر ذلك عنه فوق هذه المنزلة لموضعه وفضله وزهده ودينه فكيف يستحسن أن يقول لخصمه في مسألة علمية أنه قال فيها بالاستخارة اللهم إلا أن يعتقد فيه من البلة والغفلة ما يخرجه عن التكليف فيسقط المعارضة لقوله.Explanation: In this report, there is condemnation only of one who has adopted emulation in the matter of beliefs. Even if this matter is correct, it is not a proof for others, except that it is narrated from someone [Safwan bin Yahya] who, for his excellence and piety, possessed such an exalted rank as mentioned above. Therefore, how can he say to the opponent that he adopted faith in his Imamate on the basis of counsel of God (Istikhara)? But if we say that Safwan believed that the questioner is from the ranks of such ignorance that he is beyond the pale of religious obligations, like insanity; then the objection is invalid.