The attitude of Imam Musa, peace be on him, toward Harun’s government was distinguished by severity and violence. For he made it forbidden for the Muslims to cooperate with it in all fields. This attitude clearly appeared through his conversation with Saffwan. He said to him: “All things issue from you are good and well except one thing.”
Saffwan burnt with grief and his soul melted, for he was sure that he did not incline to any act of disobedience; so he asked the Imam:
-May I be your ransom, which a thing is it?
-Your hiring your camels to this tyrannical one (i.e., Harun).
-I was neither joyful nor ungrateful when I hired them to him, neither for hunting nor for amusement. However, I have hired them to him for this road (i.e., the road to Mecca). I do not do that by myself; rather I send my servants with them.
-O Saffwan, do you take wage from them?
-Yes, may I be your ransom.
-Do you want them to subsist until you take your wage from them?
-Yes.
-Whoever wants them to subsist belongs to them; whoever belongs to them will enter the fire.