Ibn Akkasha visited Imam Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be on him. His son Abu ‘Abd Allah was standing before him to hand some grapes. ‘He turned to us to give us some teachings on the manners of having food, saying. The old man and the young boy must eat grapes one by one; those who think that they do not get full must eat it three or four (by three or four); and you eat it two by two because it is recommended.'”
Ibn ‘Akkasha said: “I looked at Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq and saw that he became a grown-up; I asked his father to marry him, saying: ‘My master, why do you not marry Abu ‘Abd Allah, for he has attained puberty.’ The Imam told me that he had decided that; there was a purse (of money) before him and he said to me: ‘A slave trader will come and stop at Maymun’s house; we will buy him (al-Sadiq) a slave-girl for this purse (of money).'”
The people left the Imam’s house. Shortly after that b. ‘Akkasha along with a group of his companions visited the Imam. When they had sat down, the Imam told them about the arrival of the slave-trader and the slave-girl. He asked them to buy the slave-girl for the purse they have seen before. They all arose and their hearts were full of happiness and delight. When they reached the slave trader, they asked him to show them the slaves he had. He told them that he had no slave girl except two sick ones. They asked him to bring them and he did. They chose the one who was about to get well. He wanted to sell her for seventy dinars. They asked him to reduce her price, but he refused. They opened the purse and found seventy dinars wherein. They gave the money to him, took the slave-girl, and brought her to the Imam, who praised and lauded Allah, became happy and asked the slave-girl:
“What is your name?”
“Hamida,” she answered with a voice dripping shamefulness.
The Imam gave her a medal of honor and dignity, saying: “You are praiseworthy (Hamida) in this world and praised (Mahmuda) in the hereafter.”
The Imam happily turned to his son and granted her to him. Abu ‘Abd Allah (al-Sadiq) married her; she was the dearest, most beloved, and preferred of all his wives to him.