1. Al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan al-Hashimiy has narrated from Salih ibn abu Hammad from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Ziyad ibn abu Salmah who has said the following: “I once went to visit abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.), and he (the Imam) asked me, ‘O Ziyad, do you work for Sultan ? 5 I replied, ‘Yes, I do so . 5 He (the Imam) said to me, ‘Why do you do so ? 5 I replied, ‘I am a man of fairness and I have a family to feed. I do not have any other means for support . 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘O Ziyad, if I fall from the top of a mountain and I am cut into pieces, it is more beloved to me than working for any of these people, or spread the furnishing of any of them except for what ? 5 I replied, ‘I do not know, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause . 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘Except for relieving the agony of a believer, freeing him from his shakle, or paying his debts. O Ziyad, the least that Allah will do to those who become agents of these people for a certain work is that He will place them in the chamber of fire until Allah completes His judging all creatures. O Ziyad, if you become the person in charge of a certain work for them, you must do good to your brothers in belief one for one and Allah is behind it (to keep the account). O Ziyad, if anyone of you becomes the person in charge of a certain work for these people, then treats you just as he treats them, you must tell him that he is a pretending liar. O Ziyad, if you find yourself to have power over people, you must also remember the power of Allah over you tomorrow, and that what you give them will soon perish and what you receive remains forever . 555

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘ Abd al-Jabbar from ibn abu Najran from ibn Sinan from Habib from abu Basir who has said the following: “In the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), a man of this group (followers of ‘A’immah) was mentioned and that he had become the in charge person of an official position of the rulers. He (the Imam) asked, ‘How is his dealing with his brothers in belief ? 5 I (the narrator) replied, ‘There is nothing good in him in this issue . 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘It is awful. They involve themselves in something which they are not supposed to do; then they do not do anything good for their brothers in belief . 555

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from those whom he has mentioned from Ali ibn Asbat from Ibrahim ibn abu Mahmud from Ali ibn Yaqtin who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘How is working for these people ? 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘If you do not have any choice, you must observe caution about properties of al-Shi 5 ah . 5 He (the narrator) has said that Ali told me, ‘He would collect funds from al-Shi 5 ah in public, then return it to them secretly . 555

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ali ibn al-Hakam from al-Hassan ibn al-Husayn al-Anbariy who has said the following: “I wrote to abu al-Hassan, al-Rida 5 (a.s.), for fourteen years asking his permission to work for Sultan. In the last letter I wrote saying that I fear for my life if I did not work for the Sultan, because he calls me a Rafidiy (rejecter) saying, ‘We have no doubt that you have refused to work for the Sultan because of your rejection . 5 Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), wrote to me, ‘I have noted what you have mentioned in your letter and your fear for your life. If you know that on accepting to work for him you will not violate what the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has commanded you to do and employ people from your nation to work for you as clerks and helpers, and if you gain anything you will assist the poor believing people until your gains and help is equal, otherwise, it (permission) is negative.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn al-Husayn from his father from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Mehran ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘With every tyrant there is a believing person with whom Allah defends the believing people, and he (such believing person) receives the least of rewards in the next life because of his association with the tyrant.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Muhammad ibn Ahmad, from Sayyari, from Ahmad ibn Zakariya al-Saydalani, from a man from Banu Hanifa, from the people of Bust and Sijistan, who said: "I accompanied Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) in the year he performed Hajj during the beginning of al-Mu'tasim's caliphate. While we were at the table, and a group of the Sultan's officials were present, I said to him: 'May I be your ransom, our governor is a man who is loyal to you, Ahl al-Bayt, and he loves you. I owe taxes in his registry. If you see fit, may Allah make me your ransom, to write a letter to him recommending kindness to me.' He (the Imam) said to me: 'I do not know him.' I replied: 'May I be your ransom, he is as I have described—a lover of you, Ahl al-Bayt. Your letter would benefit me with him.' So, he took a piece of paper and wrote: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. The bearer of this letter has mentioned something praiseworthy about you. Indeed, you shall be rewarded for your good deeds, so be kind to your brothers. And know that Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, will question you about even the weight of an atom and a mustard seed (of deeds). The man continued: When I arrived in Sijistan, news had already reached Husayn ibn Abdullah al-Naysaburi, the governor. He met me two farsakhs (around 12 kilometers) outside the city, and I handed him the letter. He kissed it and placed it on his eyes. Then he said to me: 'What do you need?' I replied: 'I owe taxes in your records.' He ordered for the taxes to be removed from my name and said to me: 'You will not have to pay any taxes as long as I am in office.' He then asked about my family, and I informed him of their situation. He provided for me and my family generously, enough for our sustenance and more. I did not pay taxes as long as he was in office, and he continued supporting me until his death."

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from certain persons of our people from Ali ibn Yaqtin who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), once said to me, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has friends with the Sultan through whom He protects His friends.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.