12. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Zurarah who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu Ja’far عليه السلام, about the marriage of people. ‘I, as you can see, of this age have not married yet.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What holds you back from getting married?’ I replied, ‘The only thing that holds me back is that I am afraid marrying them is not lawful and I wish to see what you command me to do.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What you want to do and you are young, can you bear patience without it?’ I then asked, ‘Can I find slave-girls?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘That is fine but how you make them lawful?’ I said, ‘Slaves are not like free people and if a slave-girl causes me to doubt about an issue, I can sell her or stay away from her.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘Tell me on what basis you make her lawful.’ He (the narrator) has said, I did not have any answer and I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, instruct me about marriage.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not mind if you get married.’ I then said, ‘Consider your words, “I do not mind if you get married” which may have two meanings: “I do not mind if you sinned without a command from me”, so I asked what is your command? Do you command me to get married?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, married, there was the woman of Nuh and the woman of Lot as Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has stated it, “Allah has given the example of the unbelievers, the woman of Nuh and the woman of Lot who were married to two virtuous ones of our servants but they committed treachery.’” (66:11) I then said, ‘I am not of the position of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. She was in his control and she acknowledged his commands, expressed her belief in his religion.’ ‘O yes, by Allah, in the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, “the two committed treachery” do not mean anything else other than . . . The Messenger of Allah married so and so.’ I then asked, ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, do you command me to go and marry by your command?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If you want to marry, then marry the simple-minded ones.’ I asked, ‘Who are simple minded ones?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘They are those who maintain privacy and chastity.’ I then asked, ‘What about those who are in the religion of Salim abu Hafs?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not from them.’ I then asked about those who are in the religion of Rabi‘a al-Ra’iy?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, but she is of the young ones who are not hostile to ’A’immah and do not know what you believe in.’”