2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd ai-’Aziz from a man from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn al-Hajj aj who has said the following: “Once we were having food with abu ’Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and a bowl of rice was brought but we just left it untouched. He (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, said, ‘You did not eat anything thereof. You must take notice that the one among you with intense love for us is the one who eats our food well.’ ‘Abd al-Rahman said, ‘I then ate even the pieces that had fallen on the table-spread.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Now this is good’ and he (the Imam) kept speaking that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, was presented with a gift of a bowl of rice from the side of al- Ansar (people of al-Madinah). He (the Messenger of Allah) called Salman, al-Miqdad and abu Dharr, may Allah be happy with them, but they did not eat thereof. He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘You did not eat anything thereof. The one among you of intense love for us is the one who eats our food well.’”

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya Ahmad ibn Muhammad from af-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub from ‘Isa ibn abu Mansur who has said the following: “I once was having food with abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and he (the Imam) kept placing Kabab before me. He (the Imam) then said, ’O ‘Isa, it is said that if you like to find out how much one loves his brother (in belief), see how much he eats from the food of his brother.’”

4. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bandar has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from a number of his people from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sulayman al-Sayrafiy who has said the following: “I once was with abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and food was brought for us with kabab and other things in it, then a bowl of rice was brought. I ate with him (the Imam). He (the Imam) said, ‘Eat.’ I said, ‘I ate.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Eat because the love of a brother (in belief) is proportionate with how much he eats from his food.’ He (the Imam) then marked with his finger in the bowl and said to me, ‘You must eat that after you have eaten.’ I then ate it.’”

5. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah has narrated from ’Isma‘il ibn Mehran from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah from abu al-Mighra’ al- ‘ Ij liy who has said that narrated to me ‘Anbasah ibn Mus’ab saying the following: “We once visited abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, when he (the Imam) was about to leave for Makkah. He (the Imam) ordered a package of food and it was placed before us. He (the Imam) said, ‘Eat.’ We ate. He (the Imam) said, ‘You have proved it, you have proved it, because it is said to find out a people’s love for you by means of the manner of their eating your food.’ We ate and there was no formality.’”