Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, went out mounting an active mule. Abū Nu’ās came nearer to him, greeted him, and said to him: “O Son of Allah’ Messenger, I have composed some poetry lines concerning you. I want you to hear them from me.”
“Recite them,” the Imām demanded.
Abū Nu’ās recited them, saying:
They (the ahl al-Bayt) are purified, and their garments are pure.
Blessings are called down upon them whenever they are mentioned.
He who is not an ‘Alawide when we ascribe him,
then he had no object of pride in the bygone times.
These people are the ahl al-Bayt who have the knowledge of the Book and what the suras have mentioned.[2]
These poetry lines are part of the most splendid poetry. Abū Nu’ās has quoted the first hemistich from the Holy Qur’ān, for Allah, the Exalted,has said:“Verily Allah intends to keep off from you every kind of uncleanness and to purify you, people of the House, with a thorough purification.” Allah purified them from deviation, kept off from them every kind of uncleanness, and made them a model of His servants, that the perplexed may follow them.
Imām al-Ridā admired these poetry lines and said to Abū Nu’ās: “You have brought us some (poetry) lines which none had composed before you.”
Then the Imām turned to his retainer and asked him: “How much money do you have?”
“Three hundred dinars,” replied the retainer.
“Give them to Abū Nu’ās,” the Imām commanded.
When Abū Nu’ās had gone home, the Imām said to his retainer: “Perhaps, Abū Nu’ās regards this money as little, so send him the mule.( Al-Ithāf bi Hub al-Ashrāf, p. 60. Nazhat al-Jalis, vol. 2, p. 105. Kashf al-Ghumma, vol. 3, p. 107. )