(124) From Ishaq ibn Ammar, peace be upon him, who said: Our Master al-Sadiq, Mighty is His Might, said to me: "Whoever finds the coolness of our love in his heart, let him praise God for the first of blessings." I said: "My Master, what is the first of blessings?" He said: "Pure birth."
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ASCETIC BELIEVERS
In this chapter, we have added what has been narrated regarding the characteristics of the ascetic believers.
(125) Among this is what we narrated from our Master, the Master of the Worshipers (Sayyid al-Abidin), Mighty is His Might, by his chain of transmission from Abu Hamza al-Thumali, peace be upon him, who said: I entered upon my Master Ali ibn al-Husayn, Mighty is His Might, while he was sitting in a house alone; there was no one with him, and he was saying: "By yourself, by yourself." I said: "My Master, whom are you addressing when there is no one with you?" He said: "Yahya ibn Umm al-Tawil complained to me of loneliness and said: 'In whom shall I find company?'" I replied: "In yourself, in yourself." I said: "My Master, I do not see him." He then called out: "O Yahya!" and behold, he was there. Our Master then said: "O Yahya, God has placed the believer’s company in his solitude and his rest in his gnosis."
(126) In another narration from him as well: "By God, he pointed to the wall to split, and it split, and from it emerged our Master Abu al-Husayn Yahya, peace be upon him. Then he turned to me and said, Mighty is His Might: 'O Abu Hamza, God has placed the believer’s company in his solitude and his rest in his gnosis.'"
(127) It was narrated by the Sheikh Abu al-Husayn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jali, may God sanctify his subtle soul, by his chain of transmission from our Master Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi, peace be upon him, that he said: I entered upon our Master al-Sadiq, Mighty is His Might, and heard him saying to a man from his followers: "Seek protection [in God], do not seek fame, and hide your person so that you are not mentioned. Learn, act, listen, and conceal. It shall not harm you if you have recognized God and desire none other alongside Him."