٧- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شَيْخٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا الْكُوفِيِّينَ قَالَ دَخَلَ عِيسَى بْنُ شَفَقِيٍّ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَكَانَ سَاحِراً يَأْتِيهِ النَّاسُ وَيَأْخُذُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الأجْرَ فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَنَا رَجُلٌ كَانَتْ صِنَاعَتِيَ السِّحْرَ وَكُنْتُ آخُذُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الأجْرَ وَكَانَ مَعَاشِي وَقَدْ حَجَجْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَنَّ اللهُ عَلَيَّ بِلِقَائِكَ وَقَدْ تُبْتُ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَهَلْ لِي فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَخْرَجٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) حُلَّ وَلا تَعْقِدْ. 
7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from who has said that a Shaykh from our people of al-Kufah has said following: ‘Once ‘Isa ibn Shafaqiy visited abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam. He was a magician. People would come to him and he charged them a certain amount for wages. He said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I work as a magician and I charge a certain amount as my wages to earn for my living. From such incomes I have performed Hajj and Allah has granted me the opportunity to visit you. I have repented before Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious. Is there a way out to safety for me from this?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Open it up (turn it ineffective) but do not tie down (make it effective).”’ (Fatwa best explains this hadith and the following Chapters. Please consult Fatwa.) 