3. We were told by Muhammed bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq al-Talaqani, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Ahmad bin Muhammed bin Yusuf bin Sa’eed al-Kufi, that he said: We were told by Ali bin Hasan bin Ali bin Faddal, from his father, that he said: I asked al-Rida, Abu’l-Hasan, peace be upon him, and so I said to him: Why was the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, nicknamed as Abu’l-Qasim? Then he said:

Because he had a son called Qasim, and so he was nicknamed due to him. He said: Then I said to him: O son of Allah’s Messenger, do you see me deserving for more? He said: Yes. Have you not known that Allah’s Messenger, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: I and Ali are the fathers of this nation? I said: Sure. He said: Have you not known that Allah’s Messenger, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, is a father to all his nation, and that Ali, peace be upon him, is in his position among them? I said: Sure. He said: Have you not known that Ali is the divider between Paradise and the Fire? I said: Sure. He said: Hence, he was called Abu’l-Qasim because he is the father of the divider of Paradise and the Fire. Then I said to him: And what is the meaning of that? Then he said: Indeed, the compassion of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and hi Family, upon his nation is as the compassion of fathers upon children, and the best among his nation is Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon him. After him, the compassion of Ali, peace be upon him, upon them is like the compassion of him, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, because he is his Bequeathed, Successor and Imam after therein. Then he said: Hence, for that he, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: I and Ali are the fathers of this nation. The Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, climbed the pulpit and said: He who leaves behind a debt or a wastage, it is upon me, and to me (shall one come), and he who leaves behind property, it is for his inheritors. By that, he became of more priority to them than their fathers and mothers, and he became of more priority to them than their own selves, and so was the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, after him, it applied to him the same as what applied to Allah’s Messenger, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family.