2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Asbat from Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj from ‘Abd Allah ibn Mus’ab al-Zubayriy who has said the following:

“I once I heard abu al-Hassan, Musa ibn Ja‘far - while we were sitting in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause - discussing issues about women and we delved in it a great deal but he (the Imam) was quiet and did not enter in our discussion not even with one word; but when we became quiet then I heard him (the Imam) saying, ‘As far as free ones are concerned you must not speak about them, however, the best slave-girl is one whom you love, who has power of reason and moral discipline so you do not need to command or prohibit. Next to this is the one whom you love but does not have moral discipline and you need to command and prohibit. Next to this is the one whom you love but who does not have the power of reason and moral discipline and you have to exercise patience because of your love. Next to this is the slave-girl whom you do not love, she does not have the power of reason or moral discipline and you keep between yourself and her, the green ocean.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I then held my beard and wanted to make the sound of loud flatus because of our so much delving and without reaching any meaningful point and for his comprehensive words. He (the Imam) said, ‘Hold it, if you did it I will not sit with you.’”