٤- أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ سِرْحَانَ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَكِيلُ تَمْراً بِيَدِهِ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لَوْ أَمَرْتَ بَعْضَ وُلْدِكَ أَوْ بَعْضَ مَوَالِيكَ فَيَكْفِيَكَ فَقَالَ يَا دَاوُدُ إِنَّهُ لا يُصْلِحُ الْمَرْءَ الْمُسْلِمَ إِلا ثَلاثَةٌ التَّفَقُّهُ فِي الدِّينِ وَالصَّبْرُ عَلَى النَّائِبَةِ وَحُسْنُ التَّقْدِيرِ فِي الْمَعِيشَةِ.
4. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from ibn Faddal from Dawud ibn Sarhan who has said the following: “I saw abu ‘Abd Allah , measure dates with his own hands; and I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I wish you would have ordered certain persons of your servants or sons to help you.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘O Dawud, a Muslim cannot achieve a proper condition without three things: proper understanding of religion, exercising patience in hardships, and proper planning for his living and sustenance.’” 