مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ بَعْضَ أَصْحَابِنَا يَقُولُ بِالْجَبْرِ وَبَعْضَهُمْ يَقُولُ بِالاسْتِطَاعَةِ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي اكْتُبْ بِسْمِ الله الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ بِمَشِيئَتِي كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَشَاءُ وَبِقُوَّتِي أَدَّيْتَ إِلَيَّ فَرَائِضِي وَبِنِعْمَتِي قَوِيتَ عَلَى مَعْصِيَتِي جَعَلْتُكَ سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً مَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ الله وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَفْسِكَ وَذَلِكَ أَنِّي أَوْلَى بِحَسَنَاتِكَ مِنْكَ وَأَنْتَ أَوْلَى بِسَيِّئَاتِكَ مِنِّي وَذَلِكَ أَنِّي لا أُسْأَلُ عَمَّا أَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ قَدْ نَظَمْتُ لَكَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ تُرِيدُ.
Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah and others have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr who said the following:
“Once I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida , ‘Certain persons of our people believe in compulsion and others believe in people’s capabilities. The Imam said, ‘Write down, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, (Imam) Ali ibn al-Husayn , has said that Allah, the Most Majestic has said, ‘O son of Adam, through My will it is you who wish. With My power you fulfill your obligations to Me. With My bounties you become strong to sin. I made you to hear and see. Whatever good you receive is from Allah. Whatever evil befalls you is from your own soul. It is because I have more credit in your good deeds than you do and you are more responsible for your bad deeds than I am. It is because I am not questioned about what I do and they are the ones who are questioned about their deeds. I have organized for you all things that you want.’”