She replied...

She replied, “I do not remember anything about him except that he used to evaporate Indian aloes-wood, and then put on rose water and musk. He always said his morning prayer on time at the beginning of the time to pray. Then he prostrated and did not raise his head from that state until sunrise. He would then get up and go to attend to the needs of the people or ride. No one was able to raise his voice in his house - no matter whom he was. He always spoke gently and slowly with the people.

My grandfather always sought blessings on account of this female slave. On the same day that she was donated to him, he made a covenant with her to set her free after his death. Once when my grandfather’s maternal uncle, who was a poet called Al-Abbas ibn al-Ahnaf, went to see him and saw her he became interested in her. He told my grandfather, “Can you give her to me?” My grandfather said, “She has been designated to be set free after my death.” Then Al-Abbas ibn al-Ahnaf said, O Qadr!

Deceit got adorned by your name being deceit However, the world mistreated him who well did you treat. 44-4 Al-Hakim Abu Ali Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad al-Bayhaqi narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowli quoted on the authority of Abu Thakwan that Ibrahim ibn Al-Abbas said, “I never saw that Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) be asked a question and he did not know the answer. I have never seen anyone more knowledgeable than him (a.s.) from the beginning of history up until his time.

Al-Ma’mun constantly tested him (a.s.) by questioning and he (a.s.) always responded. He cited all his words, answers and similitude from the Qur’an. He read the Qur’an completely once every three days. He (a.s.) used to say, “I can read all the way through the Qur’an even faster if I wish. But in the way I read it now, I ponder over the meanings and on the occasions in which the verses have been revealed, and the time of their revelation.

That is why it takes three whole days and nights.” One of his famous sayings is, “Minor sins are the road to major sins. Whoever does not fear God when he commits a minor sin will not fear Him when committing a major sin. Even if God had not admonished the people regarding Heaven and Hell, it was obligatory for the people to obey Him and stay away from disobeying Him.