She replied that he was a free man, to which Musa al-Kadhim responded, "If he were a servant, he would fear his Lord."
Upon hearing this account from the slave girl, Bishr ran barefoot to find Musa al-Kadhim, but he had already left.
Another story, narrated by Attar in the Memorial of the Saints, describes Bishr as having led a life of dissipation.
The next morning, he sought out Bishr, finding him at a drunken party, and relayed the message from his dreams.
From that day forward, Bishr lived a saintly life, earning a reputation for his righteousness.
He learned hadiths from individuals such as Hamad b. Zayd, 'Abd Allah b. Mubarak, Malik b. Anas and Abu Bakr al-'Ayyash.