2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Al-Hassan ibn ‘Atiyah from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Do you think the sustenance of a man who stays in his home and closes his door, keeps falling on him from the sky?”’

3. Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from Ayyub, brother of ‘Udaym Bayya’ al-Harawiy who has said the following: “Once we were in the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, when al-‘Ala’ ibn Kamil came in and sat in front of abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and asked, ‘Please pray for me so Allah will make me affluent.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, said, ‘I will not pray for you. Has Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, not commanded you to seek and find your sustenance?”’

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from abu Talib al-Sha‘raniy from Sulayman ibn Mu’alla’ ibn Khunays from his father who has said the following: “Once abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, asked about a man, when I was present, and it was said to him, ‘He has become very needy.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘What is he doing today?’ It was said, ‘He is in his home worshipping his Lord.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘Wherefrom he receives for his living?’ It was said, ’It comes from a certain one of his brothers.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, then said, ‘By Allah, the one who provides him his living does a much more powerful worship than his worship.’”

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn abu ‘Umayr from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamzah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that one who works to earn his sustenance in this world so he would not need to spread his hands before people for help, to better the living conditions of his family and to show kindness to his neighbors will, on the Judgment Day, go before Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, with his face as bright as the full moon.’”

6. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ibn Mahbub from abu Khalid al-Kufiy in a marfu’ manner from abu Ja’far who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Worship has seventy parts. The most excellent part in it is working to make lawful living.’”

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from ‘Isma’il ibn Muhammad al-Minqariy from Hisham al- Saydalaniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, once said to me, £ 0 Hisham, even if you find yourself in the two armies facing each other to fight, you must not neglect working for your sustenance on such day.’”

8. Ahmad ibn ‘ Abd Allah Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu ‘ Abd Allah from Safwan from Khalid ibn Najih who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Say Salam (greeting of peace) to whoever of your people you meet and say to them, “So and so son of so and so (the Imam) says Salam (greeting of peace).” Then say to them, “You must maintain piety before Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious. You must observe such issues through which you can receive whatever of the reward is with Allah. By Allah, I do not command you to do such things that we do not command our own souls to do. You must work hard and strive. After performing your morning Salat (prayer) you must go out early in the morning to work for your sustenance and seek lawful sustenance. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, will grant you sustenance and assists you to find such sustenance.”’

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad from Shihab ibn ‘Abd Rabbihi who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, once said to me, ‘Even if you find enough reason to believe that this task (the rise of al-Qa’im with divine authority) will take place tomorrow, still you must not neglect work for a living. If you cannot complete the work do (what you can)”’

10. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from those whom he has mentioned from Aban from al-‘Ala’ who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, saying, ‘Why should anyone among you be weaker than an ant which pulls (food) to its colony?”’