Whenever Abu al-Hasan [al-Kadhim] عليه‌ السلام wanted some necessities for himself, or something of a personal nature, he would write to my father Ali: ‘purchase for me this and that or acquire for me such and such and let Hisham b. al-Hakam be the one to undertake that’. But if it had to do with his [the Imam’s] more general responsibilities he would just write: ‘purchase for me this and that’ and not mention Hisham unless it was personal. It is mentioned that his care and attention towards him was so great that he sent him fifteen thousand dirhams, saying to him, "Work with it and keep all the profits, but return the principal to us." Hisham, may Allah have mercy on him, did so, and prayers upon Abu al-Hasan.