روى مسعدة بن صدقة عن الصادق جعفر بن محمّد (عليهما السلام) أنّه قال: خطب أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام والصلاة بهذه الخطبة على منبر الكوفة، وذلك أن رجلاً أتاه فقال له: يا أميرالمؤمنين! صف لنا ربّنا مثلما نراه عيانا لنزداد له حباً وبه معرفة. فغضب (عليه السلام) ونادى: الصلاة جامعة، فاجتمع الناس حتى غصّ المسجد بأهله . فصعد المنبر وهو مغضب متغيّر اللون، فحمد الله سبحانه وصلّى على النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله)، ثمّ قال:
Mas‘adah ibn Ṣadaqah has related from al-Imām Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq  saying: Amīr al-mu’minin delivered this sermon from the pulpit of (the mosque of) Kūfah when someone asked him, ‘O Amīr al-mu’minin! describe Allāh for us in such a way that we may imagine that we see Him with eyes so that our love and knowledge may increase about Him.’ Amīr al-mu’minin became angry at this (request of the questioner) and ordered the Muslims to gather in the mosque. So many Muslims gathered in the mosque that the place was over-crowded. Then Amīr al-mu’minin ascended the pulpit while he was still in a state of anger and his colour was changed. Alter he had praised Allāh and extolled Him and sought His blessings on the Prophet he said :