Imam Sadegh (as) mentioned a chapter on how Imam Sajjad (as) worshipped God; for instance, he stated: “Once, my father, Hazrat Abi-Ja’far Baghir [Imam Baghir (as)], went to see his father [Imam Sajjad] and entered his room. He found his father worshipping and in a state, no one else had experienced before.” he expands: “He was so pale due to lack of sleep, his eyes depicted too much crying, his feet were swollen, etc.” Imam Baghir (as) saw his father and his heart broke: “When I entered my father’s room and saw him in this state, I couldn’t help crying loudly, out of feeling pity for him.” Imam Sajjad was contemplating--contemplation is a form of worshiping, too. He knew why his son, Imam Baghir, was crying. He wanted to teach a lesson to his son. He raised his head: “Search among my booklets and bring the one that describes worshipping manners of Imam Ali (as).” Apparently, there had been notes and books at the disposition of the Imams (as) following Imam Ali (as), about his judgments, his life, and his hadiths. Other narrations, overall, reveal that these notes were used in various cases. Here, Imam Sajjad (as) asks his son, Imam Baghir, to fetch the note about the worshipping manners of Imam Ali (as). Imam Baghir (as) continues: “I fetched the notes and gave them to my father (as). He observed them for a while--Imam Sajjad gives a lesson to Imam Baghir (as), as well as to Imam Sadegh (as), and also to us--and put it down sadly; then, he stated: “Who can worship God like Imam Ali (as) did?”
Notice who mentioned this sentence in reference to Imam Ali: Imam Sajjad (as) who performed worshipping acts so much that made Imam Baghir (as) distressed--not like me and you who might consider much less than these prayers as great-- but, Imam Baghir (as) who is himself an Imam and has a very high spiritual status, is distressed by the worshipping manners of Imam Sajjad (as) and cannot help crying. Then, Imam Sajjad (as), with such worshipping practices, says about Imam Ali (as): “Who can worship God like Imam Ali (as)?” That is, he sees a long distance between himself and Imam Ali (as).
Statements during a sermon made on Friday Prayer in Tehran December 31, 1999
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