70 – ‘Īsā ibn Abī Ḥarb al-Ṣaffār and al-Mughīra ibn Muḥammad told me: ʿAbd al-Aʿlā ibn Ḥammād narrated to us; he said: al-Ḥasan ibn al-Faḍl ibn al-Rabīʿ related to me; he said: ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Fuḍayl ibn al-Rabīʿ narrated from al-Faḍl ibn al-Rabīʿ, who said: My father told me:

Abū Jaʿfar performed the pilgrimage in 147 AH and arrived in Madinah. He said, “Send someone to bring Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad to me, utterly worn out. May Allah slay me if I do not slay him!” I delayed, hoping he would forget, but the second time he spoke to me he was harsh. So I said, “Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad is at the door, Commander of the Believers.” He replied, “Admit him.”

Jaʿfar entered and said, “Peace be upon you, Commander of the Believers, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.” Abū Jaʿfar retorted, “May Allah not greet you, enemy of Allah! You deviate within my realm and seek calamities for my kingdom. May Allah slay me if I do not kill you!”

Jaʿfar said, “Commander of the Believers, Solomon was granted (dominion) and gave thanks; Job was tried and showed patience; Joseph was wronged and forgave—and you are more generous than that.”

The caliph lowered his head for a long while, then raised it and said, “Come to me, come near, Abū ʿAbd Allāh—one whose record is clear, whose side is sound, whose malice is slight. May Allah reward you, as a kinsman, with the best reward given to kinsfolk.” He then took him by the hand and seated him beside him on his own cushion.

He said, “Boy, bring me the manfaḥa ⦗70⦘.” (The manfaḥa is a large vessel of ointment containing ghāliya, a musk perfume.) It was brought, and he anointed Jaʿfar with his own hand until I thought the fragrance was dripping from his beard. Then he said, “May Allah preserve and protect you. Rabiʿ, see to Abū ʿAbd Allāh’s gift and his clothing.”

Jaʿfar departed, and I followed him. I said, “Earlier I witnessed what you did not see, and afterward I saw what you saw. I noticed your lips moving—what were you saying?” He replied, “Yes. You are one of us, the People of the House, and you have love and affection. I was saying:

‘O Allah, guard me with Your eye that never sleeps; shelter me within Your fortress that cannot be penetrated; forgive me through the power You hold over me, and do not let me perish while You remain my hope. My Lord, how many a blessing You have lavished on me for which my gratitude was scant, and how many a trial You set upon me for which my patience was little. O He whose favors receive but little thanks, yet He does not withhold; O He before whose trials my patience is small, yet He does not abandon me; O He who saw me committing sins yet did not expose me; O Possessor of bounty that never ends, O Owner of favors that can never be counted—I ask You to bless Muḥammad and the family of Muḥammad. Through You I repel his assault, and I seek refuge in You from his evil.

O Allah, help me in my religion by means of my worldly life, and help me in my Hereafter by means of my piety. Guard me in what is hidden from me, and do not leave me to myself in what confronts me. O You whom sins do not harm and whose forgiveness is never diminished, forgive me what does not harm You, and grant me what does not diminish You. Truly, You are the Ever-Bestower. I ask You for near relief, beautiful patience, ample provision, complete well-being from every affliction, and gratitude for well-being.’”