34. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah who has said the following:

“I once said to al-Rida , ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause. My father has narrated to me from your ancestors, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, that it was said to one of them, ‘In our country there is a station for travelers called Qazvin and enemies called al-Daylam. Is it obligatory to fight and arm (ourselves)?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘You must not ignore this House and must not miss performing Hajj.’ He (the narrator) has said that the question was repeated three times. Each time he (the Imam) said, ‘You must not ignore this House and must not miss performing Hajj.’ After the last time he (the Imam) said, ‘Why should one of you not love to spend on his family at home waiting for the rise of one from us with Divine Authority? If he finds him, it is as if he has joined the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, in the battle of Badr. If he does not find, him it will be as if he is standing in the tent of al-Qa’im from us like this and this.’ He placed his two fingers side by side. Abu al- Hassan , then said, ‘He has spoken the truth in what he has narrated.’”