أبي - رحمه الله - قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن المفضل ابن عمر، قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: إن من قبلنا يقولون: إن الله تبارك وتعالى إذا أحب عبدا نوه به منوه من السماء أن الله يجب فلانا فأحبوه، فتلقى له المحبة في قلوب العباد، فإذا أبغض الله تعالى عبدا نوه منوه من السماء أن الله يبغض فلانا فأبغضوه قال: فيلقي الله له البغضاء في قلوب العباد، قال: كان عليه السلام متكئا فاستوى جالسا فنفض يده ثلاث مرات يقول: لا، ليس كما يقولون. ولكن الله عز وجل إذا أحب عبدا أغرى به الناس في الأرض ليقولوا فيه فيؤثمهم ويأجره. وإذا أبغض الله عبدا حببه إلى الناس ليقولوا فيه فيؤثمهم ويؤثمه. ثم قال عليه السلام. من كان أحب إلى الله من يحيى بن زكريا عليه السلام؟ أغراهم به حتى قتلوه، ومن كان أحب إلى الله عز وجل من علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام؟ فلقى من الناس ما قد علمتم، ومن كان أحب إلى الله تعالى من الحسين بن علي صلوات الله عليه فأغراهم به حتى قتلوه.
11.	My father, may Allah grant him mercy, said: We were told by Sa’d bin Abdullah, from Ahmad bin Muhammed bin Isa, from Mufaddal ibn Umar, that he said: I said to Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him: Indeed, those before us say: Indeed, if Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, loves a servant, a caller from Heaven will call his name: «Indeed, Allah loves such-a-person, so love him», and so, love for him shall be cast in the hearts of the servants, and that if Allah, Exalted is He, hates a servant, a caller from Heaven will call his name: «Indeed, Allah hates such-a-person, so hate him». He said: Will Allah cast hatred towards him into the hearts of the servants? He said: He, peace be upon him, was leaning, so he sat upright and dust off himself three times, saying: Not, it is not like they are saying. However, if Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, loves a servant, He would seduce the people on earth that they speak (bad) of him, and so, He will declare them as sinful and reward him, and if Allah hates a servant, He makes him beloved to people that they speak (good) of him, and so, He will declare them and him as sinful. He, peace be upon him, then said: Who was more beloved to Allah than Yahya bin Zakariya [1], peace be upon him? Yet, He seduced them with regards to him until they killed him. And who was more beloved to Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, than Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon him? Yet, he faced from people what you know. And who was more beloved to Allah, Exalted is He, than Hussain bin Ali, Allah’s blessings be upon him? Yet, He seduced them with regards to him until they killed him.