قَالُوا يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللٌّهِ فَإِذَا نَسْتَغْفِرُ...

Musa al-Riza (as) was requested to make his way to the city of tus (present day Mashad) and was ordered to be the heir-apparent of Ma’mun al-Rashid, a group of the Shi’a came to see him and requested permission to enter into his presence.

The Imam asked his servant who the people at the door were to which the servant replied that, 'They claim that they are the Shi’a of ‘Ali.' The Imam told his servant to tell them that he was busy and that they should leave - not granting them permission to enter into his presence. This same scene continued for a second day, third day and went on for a period of two months. Every day they would come, ask for permission to see the Imam, however he did not grant them an audience.

This continued until the people gave up all hope of meeting the Imam. On the final day this group of people told the servant that, 'Tell the Imam that we are the Shi’a of his father, ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (as) and that the plots of our enemies will intensify at hearing about the separation of the Imam from us.

If we are to return back to our home town after being in tus for two months and the people ask us if we had a chance to visit the Imam and we tell them that he did not give us the permission to meet him then none shall respect us.' The servant went to the Imam and told him what these people said and at this point, the Imam permitted them to meet him. After they entered into the presence of the Imam and greeted him, however he did not reply their greting.

They desired to sit down however the Imam did not give them the permission to do so. The people began to cry and while standing said, 'O' Son of the Messenger of Allah! What have we done to you that you are acting in this way towards us?? The Imam replied, 'You claim that you are the Shi’a of ‘Ali whereas the true Shi’a of ‘Ali are people like Hasan, Husayn, Abu Dharr, Salman, Miqdad and Muhammad b.

Abu Bakr.' These people replied, 'We ask forgiveness, what else can we say?' The Imam replied to them, “Say that you are the lovers of ‘Ali.' When the people said this, then the Imam ordered his servant to show these people kindness.'[^1] Truly, this tradition is one which should spiritually move us.