On his arm...

Surely, falsehood was bound to vanish.” (Surah Bani Israael, 17: 81) [^2] “Sahl al-Shaybani narrates, ‘Bishr ibn Sulaiman al- Nakhkhaas, a descendant of Abu Ayyub Ansari and a devotee of Abu al-Hasan (a.s.) and Abu Muhammad (a.s.) and their neighbor at Saamarraa, Kafur, the servant came to me and said, “Our Master Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad (a.s.) is calling you.’ I went to the Master and as I sat in front of him, he said: “O Bishr, you are from the descendants of the Ansaar.

This devotion is your legacy, which each coming generation of yours inherits from your preceding generation. You are the trusted ones of us Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). I am elevating you and ennobling you by an excellence through which you will surpass all Shiites in devotion, by sharing a secret with you and sending you to purchase a certain bondmaid.” He then wrote a very fine letter in Roman script and Roman language and imprinted his seal on it.

He took out a yellow cloth wherein were two hundred gold coins. He said, “Take this and go to Baghdad.” He told me to go to the crossing of the Euphrates on noon of such and such day and when I reach the boats of the captives, he said: “You will see bondmaids in them. You will find buyers working for the procurers of the Abbasids and a small group from the Arab youths.

When you see that keep an eye on a man called Umar ibn Yazid al-Nakhkhas from a distance all day long, until a bondmaid with the described qualities is brought to the buyers.” ...

At that moment go to Amr Ibn Yazid al- Nakhkhas and tell him you have a kind-hearted letter from a certain man of nobility, which he has written in Roman language and in Roman script, describing therein his benevolence, his fidelity, his excellence, and his generosity, so she may discern from it the character of its author.

Should she be interested in him and choose him, then I am his representative in buying her from you.” Bishr Ibn Sulayman says, “I did all that which my Master Abu al-Hasan (a.s.) had ordered me to do with respect to the bondmaid. When she saw the epistle, she cried profusely and said to Amr Ibn Yazid, “Sell me to the author of this letter.” She took the solemnest of oaths that should he refuse to sell her to him, she will take her life.