Reward for the Monotheists and Gnostics

I was with `Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (AS) when he was setting off for his journey from Naysabur and was riding a grey coloured mule, while Muhammad ibn Rafi, Ahmad ibn Harb, Yahya ibn Yahya, Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, and a number of other scholars were holding on to the bridle of his mule in Marba’ah. Thus, they all requested: “With respect to your pure forefathers, relate to us a tradition that you have heard from your father.” He leaned his head out of the camel-borne sedan, and he was wearing a woven fabric gown with two designs. He said: My father, the Pious Servant (of Allah) [al-`Abd al-Saleh], Musa ibn Ja’far, related to me that; My father, Ja’far ibn Muhammad related to me that: My father, Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn `Ali al-Baqir (Opener of the Knowledge of the Prophets) related to me that: My father, `Ali ibn al-Husayn the Master of Servants of Allah related to me that: My father, the Master of the youth of Heaven al-Husayn related that: The Prophet said: Allah, Glorified be He, said: “Verily, I am Allah, and there is no god but Me; therefore, serve Me. Whoever bears true witness that `There is no god but Allah’ shall enter my Fortress, and whoever enters My Fortress is safe from My Chastisement.”

When Abu al-Hasan al-Risa (AS) reached Naysabur, and intended to go from there to al-Ma’mum, some traditionists met him. They asked him, “O son of the Messenger of Allah! You are going from us without relating any Hadith to us so that we can derive benefit from you.” He was sitting in a camel-borne sedan, so he leaned his head out, and replied: I heard my father, Musa ibn Ja’far say: I heard my father Ja’far ibn Muhammad say: I heard my father Muhammad ibn `Ali say: I heard my father `Ali ibn Husayn say: I heard my father Husayn ibn `Ali ibn Abu Talib say: I heard my father the Commander of the faithful `Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (sw) say: I heard Jibra’il say: I heard Allah, Exalted be His Glory, say, `There is no god but Allah’ is my Fortress. Whoever enters My Fortress is safe from My Chastisement.” When the camel passed by, he (AS) called out to us, “That is subject to conditions. And I am among its conditions.”
The Compiler of this book explains: Among the conditions (of the statement; there is no god but Allah) is the acknowledgment that Al-Rida (AS) is an Imam appointed by Allah, the Mighty and High, over the people [`ibad], and the one to whom obedience is due.