Thereafter 'Ali wrote a letter to him through 'Ali bin...

Thereafter 'Ali wrote a letter to him through 'Ali bin Ja'far bin al-Aswad[^14] in order that the letter be delivered to the Hidden Imam. In the letter 'Ali asked for a son, to which he received a reply from Husayn bin Ruh saying “We have prayed to Allah for it on your behalf and you will be rewarded with two goodly sons”. Afterwards two sons were born of a slave girl (min umm walad), Abu Ja'far Muhammad (the celebrated Shaykh Saduq) and Abu Abdullah Husayn.

It is reported from his younger brother Husayn that Muhammad used to pride himself on the circumstances of his birth. أنا ولدت بدعوة صاحب الأمر و يفتخر بذلك. The same story is reported in Rawdatu'l-Jannat with certain variations in two different versions: (1) Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin 'Ali al-Aswad *(not '*Ali b. Ja'far al-Aswad, as said by Tusi and Najashi) was asked to request Ruh to ask the Imam, and no letter was written.

(2) Abu Ja'far asked Ruh and was informed after three days that he had prayed for 'Ali and the prayer was accepted. 'Ali had three sons, Muhammad (Shaykh Saduq), Hasan and Husayn. 'Ali was a theologian and divine and taught Shaykh Saduq.[^15] Muhammad, the eldest son was the most famous of all. The second brother Hasan was devoted to piety and did not generally mix with the people.[^16] The third and youngest brother was Husayn, also a well-known jurist and theologian.

Shaykh Saduq apparently taught at Baghdad and being a contemporary of the Buwayhid Ruknu'd-Dawla, entered into controversies at his behest. He was well known for his knowledge, memory, justice, intelligence and reliability; and he is universally regarded as a pillar of religion. Ibn Tawus and Shaykh Sulayman accepted his authority among others. Muhammad Baqir Majlisi (who according to E.G.

Browne was “one of the greatest, most powerful and most fanatical mujtahids of the Safawi period”, the well-known author of Biharu'1-Anwar, an encyclopedic work in 25 volumes, died 1111/ 1699-1700; see Pers. Lit., iv. 403, 409-410) says that his traditions were declared as reliable by a decision of a number of 'Ulama'.

[^17] His Works With regard to the works of Shaykh Saduq, it has already been pointed out that Najashi mentions 193, the Qisasu'l-'Ulama' 189, Tusi 43 and Rawdatu'l-Jannat 17 works. The last-named work says that he is the author of 300 books[^18]; this clearly follows the tradition of earlier authorities.