1- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (a.s) قَالَ إِنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ الْمُنْكَدِرِ كَانَ يَقُولُ مَا كُنْتُ أَرَى أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلام) يَدَعُ خَلَفاً أَفْضَلَ مِنْهُ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ ابْنَهُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلام) فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَعِظَهُ فَوَعَظَنِي فَقَالَ لَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ بِأَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَعَظَكَ قَالَ خَرَجْتُ إِلَى بَعْضِ نَوَاحِي الْمَدِينَةِ فِي سَاعَةٍ حَارَّةٍ فَلَقِيَنِي أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ وَكَانَ رَجُلا بَادِناً ثَقِيلا وَهُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى غُلامَيْنِ أَسْوَدَيْنِ أَوْ مَوْلَيَيْنِ فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي سُبْحَانَ اللهِ شَيْخٌ مِنْ أَشْيَاخِ قُرَيْشٍ فِي هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْحَالِ فِي طَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا أَمَا لأعِظَنَّهُ فَدَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ السَّلامَ بِنَهْرٍ وَهُوَ يَتَصَابُّ عَرَقاً فَقُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللهُ شَيْخٌ مِنْ أَشْيَاخِ قُرَيْشٍ فِي هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْحَالِ فِي طَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ جَاءَ أَجَلُكَ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْحَالِ مَا كُنْتَ تَصْنَعُ فَقَالَ لَوْ جَاءَنِي الْمَوْتُ وَأَنَا عَلَى هَذِهِ الْحَالِ جَاءَنِي وَأَنَا فِي [طَاعَةٍ مِنْ] طَاعَةِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَكُفُّ بِهَا نَفْسِي وَعِيَالِي عَنْكَ وَعَنِ النَّاسِ وَإِنَّمَا كُنْتُ أَخَافُ أَنْ لَوْ جَاءَنِي الْمَوْتُ وَأَنَا عَلَى مَعْصِيَةٍ مِنْ مَعَاصِي اللهِ فَقُلْتُ صَدَقْتَ يَرْحَمُكَ اللهُ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَعِظَكَ فَوَعَظْتَنِي.


1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘ Abd al- Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), has said that Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir has said, ‘I did not think Ali ibn Al-Husayn (a.s), might leave behind a successor better than his own-self. Time passed and I one day saw his son, Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s). I decided to give him certain words of good advice but I, instead, learned a lesson from him.’ His people then asked him, ‘How did he make you learn a lesson?’ He replied, ‘One day I went outside the city of al-Madinah when it was very hot and I met Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s), who was a person of a large body frame and heavy. Two of his black slaves or friends were supporting him. I thought, Allah is free of all defects, here is this old man from Quraysh in this hot time of the day in this condition in search of the worldly gains, thus I must give him certain words of good advice. I went nearer to him and offered him greeting of peace. He responded with somewhat frowning face, and his perspiration drops were falling a great deal. I then said, ‘May Allah keep you well. You are a Shaykh of the Shaykhs of Quraysh. Why should you in such a hot hour of the day in such condition strive for the worldly gains? Suppose if death approached you in this condition what would you do?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘If death approaches me in this condition it finds me obeying the commandment of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious. It finds me safeguarding my dignity, and my family from people like you and others. I should be afraid if death approaches me when I am in a condition of disobeying Allah.’ I then said, ‘You have spoken the truth. I pray to Allah to keep you well. I wanted to give you good advice; instead I learned a lesson from you.’”