Muḥammad ibn ‘Abdillāh ibin Ja’far Al-Ḥimyari narrated to me from his father...

Muḥammad ibn ‘Abdillāh ibin Ja’far Al-Ḥimyari narrated to me from his father, from ‘Ali ibn Muḥammad ibn Sālim, from Muḥammad ibn Khālid, from ‘Abdillāh ibn Ḥammād Al-Basri, from ‘Abdillāh ibn ‘Abdil Raḥmān Al-Asam, from Misma’ ibn ‘Abdil Malik Kirdīn Al-Basri, who said: Abu Abd Allah (Imam Sādiq -asws ) said to me, “O Misma’! You are from Iraq. Do you not go to the grave of (Imam) Ḥussain -asws ?” I replied: No.

I am well-known among the people of Basra and we have some people there who are the followers of the Caliph. We (also) have lots of enemies from among the tribes, Nussab, and others. I do not feel safe, for they might report me to the son of Sulaymān (the governor of Kūfah) and they will torture me to act as a deterrent for others.

Imam -asws asked, “Do you not remember what was done to him -asws (Al-Ḥussain -asws )?” I replied, “Yes.” Imam -asws asked, “Do you grieve impatiently (over Ḥussain -asws ’s martyrdom)?” I replied, “Yes! I swear to Allah -azwj (that I do)! I cry over (that which was done to him -asws ) so much that my family sees the effect (of my grief) over me. And I abstain from eating and its effects (also) appear on my face.” Imam -asws said: May Allah -azwj ’s Mercy be upon your tears!

Verily you are counted among those who grieve impatiently for us -asws , those who are happy for our -asws happiness and grieve over our -asws grief, and those who are afraid when we -asws are afraid , and feel safe when we -asws feel safe. Verily when you die, my forefathers -asws will be there for you and they -asws will be giving recommendations to the Angel of Death about you.

Verily, the glad tidings that they -asws (my forefathers -asws ) will give to a greater reward than (in addition to) this. Verily, the Angel of Death will be kinder and merciful to you than a compassionate mother is to her son. Then the Imam -asws started to cry and I cried with him -asws . Then he -asws said: Praise be to Allah -azwj , who by His -azwj Mercy, Gave preference to us -asws and favoured us -asws , the Ahl Al-Bayt -asws , above (the rest of) His -azwj creation. O Misma’!

Verily the earth and the heavens continuously cry for us -asws , sympathizing with us -asws since the day the Amir Al-Momineen -asws was killed. And the number of angels who cry over us -asws is even greater than this. The tears of the angels -as have never stopped since (the day) our -asws killing began.