It was an Abbasid court, with all the splendor. Al-Mansur was the Caliph. Just as Al-Mansur was attending the business to state, a small fly sat on his nose. With a wave of his hand, he whisked it off. But the fly sat on his nose again. This continued till at last Al-Mansur felt greatly disturbed.

Turning to our 6th Imam, Imam Sadegh (as), who was present that day, Al-Mansur said: O Son of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), can you tell me why Allah created these lousy flies? "Yes", Imam Sadegh (as), said: "So that the mighty and the proud are rendered humble and helpless."

It was a dark, cold night. Our 6th Imam, Imam Sadegh (as) was walking along carrying a heavy sack. "Where is Imam Sadegh (as) going with this heavy sack?" I said to myself. "In this dark night perhaps he will find himself in danger. It is best for me to walk along with him and guard him."

I walked quietly along behind Imam Sadegh (as), but I couldn't think where he was going or what he was carrying. We walked through a few lanes, and then I heard a noise. It sounded as if Imam's sack had fallen to the ground. I heard Imam's voice as he prayed, "O Lord, help me this dark night to find what I have lost."

I went closer to Imam Sadegh (as) and could just see that the sack which he had been carrying on his back was lying on the ground. Imam Sadegh (as) was trying with his hands to gather all its contents. I came up to Imam Sadegh (as) and greeted him. Imam Sadegh (as) returned my greeting and. recognizing my voice, asked me,

"Is it you. Mu'alla?"
"Yes, O Son of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw)" I replied.
"Will you let me help you?"

Imam Sadegh (as) had been carrying loaves of bread and packets of food, and I helped him gather them and put them back in the sack. When the sack was full I asked him if he would allow me to carry it for him.

"No", he said. "It is more fitting for me to carry it. My grandfather the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) used to say that whoever doesn't think about the needs of the Muslims is not a Muslim, and that whoever sleeps at night with a full stomach while his neighbors are hungry is not a Muslim."

Together we walked along until we came to the lodge of "Bani Sa'idah" where many poor people were living. Imam Sadegh (as) put his load on the ground and, quietly, without awakening anyone, began to distribute the food he had brought. He put the share of each person by the side of his head, and, without any one knowing who it was from, we quietly left.

Allah tells us in the Holy Qur'an: "Give to the poor and distribute from what We have provided you and render them needless, before the Day of Resurrection when you will be sorry for your hoarding of wealth and you will be faced with a severe chastisement."

One day when our 6th Imam, Imam Sadegh (as) was walking down a street he saw that some people had thrown the food that they could not eat onto the street.

Imam Sadegh (as) was very sad to see this. He told the people that what they had done was very wrong because there were so many people in the world who are hungry as they have no food.

Our Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) has told us that if you do not think about the needs of other Muslims then you are not a Muslim. This is why Imam Sadegh (as) used to go out in the middle of the cold dark nights to give food to the poor.

Moral: You should never take more than you need of anything. You should always think about other people, especially Muslims, who have not got as much as you have.

A man had returned from Hajj pilgrimage. He was relating his adventures to our 6th Imam, Imam Sadegh (as), and his companion. He was most impressed with one of his companions of Hajj pilgrimage, and was praising him. What a gracious man, we were so blessed to have him with us, he was busy praying and worshiping all the time. As we would stop somewhere, he would rush to a corner and start prayers.

Imam Sadegh (as): "Then who was attending to his duties? Who was watering and feeding his animal (ride)?"

Man: "Of course, we had the honor of doing all that for him. He was busy in his sacred quest, and had nothing to do with such mundane things."

Imam Sadegh (as): "Then indeed, you all are better than him."

Malik bin Anas, who was a famous scholar in Madina, went to Hajj pilgrimage with our 6th Imam, Imam Sadegh (as). They arrived in Miqat, and got ready to put on the Ihram, and saying the Dhikr of Talbiyah (We say yes to your call our Lord). Others said this prayer in their own common ways. Malik bin Ans noted that Imam Sadegh (as) was in a different state. Every time that Imam Sadegh (as) was about to say these words, his voice would crash in his throat, and lose control of his limbs such that he would be on the verge of falling off his ride.

Malik bin Anas, approached Imam Sadegh (as) and said: "O Son of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw)! You must say this Dikhr of Talbiyah, no matter what your condition." Imam Sadegh (as) said: "O son of Abi Amir! How could I have the courage to say Labbaik? Saying Labbaik means that: My Lord, I am hurrying to what you are calling me towards, and I am always ready. With what confidence should I enact this boldness against my Lord, and call myself an ever ready servant? And what shall I do if the response from Him is La Labbaik (and we don't accept of you)?

Malik bin Anas son of Abi Amir is one of the leaders of the four Sunni schools of thought. The school of thought of Maliki stems from him. He lived around the time of Abu Haneefa. Shafi'i was a student of Malik bin Anas and Ahmad bin Hambal was Shafi'i's student.

Imam Sadegh (as) was kind to Malik bin Anas. Imam Sadegh (as) would tell him that: "I like you." Malik bin Anas used to be very happy whenever the Imam Sadegh (as) was affectionate towards him. Malik bin Anas is reported to have said: "I used to visit Imam Sadegh (as) for a time. I would find him praying, fasting, or reciting Holy Qur'an. No ear has heard, no eye has witnessed, and no mind has imagined better than Imam Sadegh (as) in knowledge, piety, and worship."

It is also Malik bin Anas who is reported to have said: "Imam Sadegh (as) was one of the best of his time, who feared Allah , and knew a great deal of Hadith. He was pleasant and had an excellent character. Being in his presence was a blessing. Whenever he heard the name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), he would be awe stricken, and his state would change."

As soon as Umme Hameeda the mother of Imam Musa Al-Kazim (as) saw Abu Baseer, who had come to pay his condolences for the death of her husband Imam Sadegh (as), she cried. Abu Baseer cried as well. When she was comforted, Umme Hameeda told him: "You were not present at the last moments of Imam Sadegh (as) to see what happened."

Abu Baseer asked: "What happened?" She said: "It was the last moments of Imam Sadegh's (as) life. He eyes were closed. All of a sudden he opened his eyes, and said: 'gather all the family members now.' It was strange that Imam Sadegh (as) had ordered as such in this last moment. So we put our efforts together, and gathered all relatives. All were ready to hear what Imam Sadegh (as) had to say. When Imam Sadegh (as) saw that every one was present, he told them: "Verily, our intercession (Shafaat) does not reach the one who takes (Namaz) prayers lightly".

A man asked to the Imam Sadegh (as), "By which sign a person is determined to be a believer?" Imam Sadegh (as) replied, "By Submission to Allah and satisfaction with the sad and happy events occurring to him."