I spent my night distressed and sad. At the end of the night, while I was in a state of complete purity, remembrance, and night-prayer—between sleep and wakefulness—it was as if I were in a white land of small pebbles and green plants. Suddenly, our Master Amir Almuminin, may His might be glorified, was standing there in His form and description.

When He saw me, He said: 'O Husayn, does the refusal of your family to grant you My knowledge sadden you? Rise upon My right hand.' I rose, and He lifted me up until I looked at the earth and all that is in it beneath me. I magnified Him, hailed Him, and sanctified Him. Then He returned me to His hand and said: 'Does what you saw satisfy you, O Husayn?' I said: 'From You I seek more, O my Master.'

He lifted me a second time and cast me into the air, and I saw the world beneath me like the circle of a dirham, with the stars level with me. I hailed Him, magnified Him, and sanctified Him. Then He returned me to His hand and said: 'Does what you saw satisfy you, O Husayn?' I said: 'From You I seek an increase, O my Master.'

He cast me a third time and said: 'Look.' I looked and saw nothing but the heaven beneath my head, and the angels were glorifying, hailing, and magnifying. I magnified Him, hailed Him, and glorified Him. Then He returned me to His hand and said: 'Does what you saw satisfy you?' I said: 'That is by Your grace and bounty.'

He set me down and said: 'Go, for Allah will surely exalt your status in religion and the world. Your family will not withhold My knowledge from you after this, and they will seek a father for you.' I rose and went to my father and uncle and told them what I had seen. They believed me. I asked them to 'open' (al-fath) for me, but they said: 'It is not permissible for the likes of us to grant an "opening" or anything of knowledge to the likes of you except after [establishing] spiritual fatherhood.' They refused and carried me to Sheikh Abu Muhammad Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Farisi in Junbula. They asked him to 'open' for me; he granted their request and opened for me. Thus I established his fatherhood, his authorized hearing, and the taking of knowledge from him, as well as from my father and uncle. And Allah is the Granter of success."