Al-Hakam ibn Utaiba related the following:
I was with Imam al-Baqir (a) in his house, which was suffocated by his people when an old man came leaning on a stick. As he stopped at the door of the house, he said: “Peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you, son of God’s Messenger.” Abu Ja’fa r (a) replied: “Peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you, too.” The old man turned his face to the others and said: “Peace be upon you,” and each one answered him. He then turned his face towards Imam al-Baqir (a) and said:
“Son of God’s Messenger, let me approach you, God may make me your sacrifice. By God I swear, I do love you and love everyone who loves you. By God I swear, my love for you and my love for him who loves you is not purposed for a worldly desire. I also ha te and disavow your enemy. By God I swear, my hatred and disavowal of your enemy is not for a previous personal enmity between him and me. By God I swear, I deem lawful all that which you decide as lawful, deem unlawful all that which you decide as unlaw ful, and expect your Affair. Do you –may God make me your sacrifice- accept me, then?”
Having heard these words, Imam al-Baqir (a) said to him: “Come to me, come to me.”
When the man sat next to him, the Imam (a) said: “Old man, my father Ali ibn al-Hussein (a), once, was visited by a man who asked him the same question that you have just put. My father’s answer was, ‘If you die bearing these beliefs, you will be receive d by the Messenger of Allah, Ali, al-Hasan, al-Hussein, and Ali ibn al-Hussein (a), and you will be pleased, delighted, and cheerful. And when your soul reaches your mouth –i.e. about to depart your body-, you will be greeted with rest and happiness by t he Honorable Recording Angels. And if you live, Allah will show you delighted things, and you will be with us on the Highest Peak… etc. ( al-Wafi; part 3 page 139 (as quoted from al-Kafi) )