It is narrated from Sadeer Sairafi (RA) who said: I asked Imam Sadeq (AS): What has prevented you from uprising? Imam Sadeq (AS) asked: Why? What has happened? Sadeer replied: Your friends, Shias, and followers have increased. Swear to God, if Amiral Momeneen, Ali (AS) had this many helpers, no one could be greedy about the Caliphate. Imam Sadeq (AS) said: What is the number of my helpers? Sadeer replied: One hundred thousand. Imam (AS) asked: Hundred thousand?
Sadeer replied: Yes, maybe, two hundred thousand. Again, Imam (AS) asked: Two hundred thousand? Sadeer replied: Yes, maybe, half the world. Imam Sadeq (AS) said nothing. We went towards Yanbu area, and in middle of the way, Imam Sadeq (AS) saw a young man who was the shepherding some goats. Imam (AS) said: If the number of my Shias was the same number of these goats, I would not have avoided uprising. Sadeer said: I counted the number of goats and there were seventeen of them [1].
Source: Shafaqna
[1] Al-Kafi, Page 242.
