Al-Fedl narrated, saying: “I was the chamberlain of al-Rashid. One day he came towards me angrily. There was a sword in his hand, and he was turning the sword. He said to me: ‘By my kinship to Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, if you do not bring me my cousin, I will cut off your head.’”
Al-Fedl was afraid and shook all over, so he asked al-Rashid:
-Whom shall I bring to you?
-Al-Hijazi.
-Which Hijazi?
-Musa b. Ja‘far b. Muhammed b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Abi Talib.
Al-Fedl was afraid of Allah lest evil should be at his hand. However, he thought of Harun’s vengeance and violence, so he responded to him. Al-Rashid asked al-Fedl to bring him two whips and two headsmen, and he brought them. Al-Fedl said: [I went to the house of Abu Ibrahim (Musa). I arrived at ruins where was a hut built of palm branches stripped of their leaves. Suddenly I found a black servant. I said to the servant: “Ask you master to give me permission (to enter his house), may Allah have mercy on you.” He said to me: “Come in. He has neither a chamberlain nor a door.” I came in. Suddenly, I found a black man. There were scissors in his hand. He was cutting the flesh of his forehead and his nose due to his too much prostration. I greeted him and said:]
-Respond to al-Rashid.
-What does al-Rashid want from me? Has his comfort not distracted him from me?
The Imam quickly prepared himself and said: “Were it not for that I heard a tradition from my grandfather Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, who said, ‘Obeying the supreme ruler for precautionary dissimulation is a must,’ I would not go.” He, peace be on him, went with al-Fedl, and he said to him:
-Be ready for the punishment, O Abu Ibrahim!
-Is He Who owns the world and the hereafter not with me? Al-Rashid will do no evil to me today, Allah willing.
Al-Fedl said: “I saw the Imam waving his hand over his holy head three times.”
-Here I am!
-Have you brought me my cousin?
-Yes.
-Did you bother him?
-No.
-Do not let him know that I am angry with him. For I have excited against myself something I did not want. Let him come in.
The Imam, peace be on him, came in. When al-Rashid saw him, he rose for him, embraced him, and said to him:
-Welcome to my cousin, my brother, and inheritor! What has prevented you from visiting us?
The Imam, peace be on him, answered him paying no attention to him, saying to him: “Your wide kingdom, and your love for the world.”
Al-Rashid ordered al-ghaliya[1]. It was brought to him, and he perfumed the Imam with his hand. Then he ordered some money to be given to the Imam, who said: “Were it not for that I wanted to marry the singles from among the family of Abu Talib lest his progeny should cease, I would never accept it.” Then the Imam, peace be on him, went away saying: “Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!”
Harun turned to al-Fedl and said to hi: “O al-Fedl, when you went to bring him to me, I saw some people surrounding my house. There were swords in their hands, and they inserted them in the foundation of the house. They said: ‘If he harmed the grandson of Allah’s Apostle, we would make the earth to swallow him up and his abode! If he treated him well, we would leave him and go away!’”
Al-Fedl hurried to the Imam and asked him:
-What did you say and were saved from al-Rashid’s punishment?
-The supplication of my grandfather ‘Ai b. Abi Talib, peace be on him. When he recited it, he defeated all those horsemen and troops who advanced against him. This supplication is called Kifayat al-Bela’. It is as follows: “O Allah, through You I rush upon (my enemy), through You I try, through You I neighbor, through You I attack, through You I win a victory, through You I die, and through You I live. I have submitted my soul to You and entrusted my affair to You. There is neither force neither strength save through Allah, the Exalted, the Great. O Allah, You created me, provided me, and veiled me from people. You have freed me from need through the favor of that which You entrusted to me. So when I fall, You return me. When I stumble, You release me from my stumble. When I become ill, you heal me. When I supplicate you, You grant my supplication. O my Master, be pleased with me, for You have pleased me!” ( Uyun Akhbar al-Rida. Al-Bihar.)