Dawud Bin Farqad

Dawud b. Farqad al- Asady al- Kufi reported traditions on the authority of al- Sadiq and al- Kazim, peace be on them. He had a book (i.e. a group of traditions). Many reliable narrators have reported the book. Also he had debates with some of the Zaydis. The debates denoted his Shiism and his quick, good answers. Such answers made Abu Abd Allah laugh. This is what al- Kashy has mentioned in his book 'al- Rijal', p.221, on the authority of Dawud, who said: "I said to Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him: 'There was a man behind me when I performed the evening prayer in the Mosque of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family.' The man said: 'What is the matter with you, then, that you have become two parties about the hypocrites, while Allah has made them return (to unbelief) for what they have earned? Do you wish to guide him whom Allah has caused to err?'(571) I knew that he meant me.

So, I turned to him and said: 'The Shaitans suggest to their friends that they should contend with you.'(572) Suddenly, the man was Harun b. Sa'id. He (Dawud) said: 'So, Abu Abd Allah smiled. Then he said: 'You said the right answer before the Words with the permission of Allah.' Dawud said: 'I maybe ransom for you, without doubt, by Allah, he did not say any word.' So, Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, said: 'No one is more ignorant than they are. Indeed, there are muftis (knowledgeable people) among the Murjea and there are muftis and knowledgeable people among the Kharijites. However there is no ignorant than they are.'"

Adapted from: "Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.)"