٣ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ الأنْصَارِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَامَ رَجُلٌ بِالْبَصْرَةِ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنَا عَنِ الإخْوَانِ فَقَالَ الإخْوَانُ صِنْفَانِ إِخْوَانُ الثِّقَةِ وَإِخْوَانُ الْمُكَاشَرَةِ فَأَمَّا إِخْوَانُ الثِّقَةِ فَهُمُ الْكَفُّ وَالْجَنَاحُ وَالأهْلُ وَالْمَالُ فَإِذَا كُنْتَ مِنْ أَخِيكَ عَلَى حَدِّ الثِّقَةِ فَابْذُلْ لَهُ مَالَكَ وَبَدَنَكَ وَصَافِ مَنْ صَافَاهُ وَعَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ وَاكْتُمْ سِرَّهُ وَعَيْبَهُ وَأَظْهِرْ مِنْهُ الْحَسَنَ وَاعْلَمْ أَيُّهَا السَّائِلُ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَلُّ مِنَ الْكِبْرِيتِ الأحْمَرِ وَأَمَّا إِخْوَانُ الْمُكَاشَرَةِ فَإِنَّكَ تُصِيبُ لَذَّتَكَ مِنْهُمْ فَلا تَقْطَعَنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ وَلا تَطْلُبَنَّ مَا وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ ضَمِيرِهِمْ وَابْذُلْ لَهُمْ مَا بَذَلُوا لَكَ مِنْ طَلاقَةِ الْوَجْهِ وَحَلاوَةِ اللِّسَانِ. 
3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Isma’il ibn Mehran from Yunus ibn Ya’qub from abu Maryam al-Ansari from abu Ja’far  who has said the following: “Once a man in Basra stood before Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib)  and asked, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, speak to us of brothers (in belief).’ The Imam said, ‘Brothers are of two kinds: Trustworthy brothers and smiling brothers. The trustworthy brothers are one’s palms, wings, the family and wealth. If they are trustworthy you may spend and work for them, be sincere to those sincere to him, and be the enemy of his enemies, conceal his secrets and faults and publicize his virtuous qualities. You (questioning person) must know that they are as rare as red sulphur. On the other hand, you may enjoy the smiling brother’s association that you should not cut it off from them but do not seek anything beyond it of their conscience. Do for them as much as they do for you like a happy face and sweet expressions.’” 