BB00578

Verily thou knowest that, ere this, I beheld in a dream—in that house wherein I was seated—that in its midst there was a resting-place, and upon it a shrine. And when I drew nigh unto that sepulchre, I saw Muhammad al-Jawad come forth from the shrine in a most comely form, the like of which no art of creation can ever devise. In that very moment I recognized my Imam through the inspiration of my Lord, and I saluted Him. And there was vouchsafed unto me, from His presence, even as hath been sent down upon me this day, tokens of the bounties of my Lord.

Then I arose, facing the Ka’bah, in this my station, and I took a crust and placed it in my palm before my Master—may my soul be a sacrifice for Him. Thereupon He—may my soul be offered up for His sake—took a portion thereof… and He ate—may my soul be His ransom—and He graciously favoured me with a part thereof. Then He took, from His beloved, two handfuls of sweetmeats—of that whereof the Persians say it is nuql—and, through His bounty, bestowed upon me whatsoever He willed of His gifts. And verily, by the blessing of His bestowal, my breast was expanded.