‘Ali’s Posthumous Miracles — part 2/2

The Sheikh went to his house hurriedly, asking: Where is that Alawi woman? The Zoroastrian man said: They are in my house. The Sheikh said: I want to take them to my house. The Zoroastrian man said: I will never allow it! The Sheikh said: Take this one thousand Dinars from me and let me take them! The Zoroastrian man said: By God, I will not do such a thing even if you give me a hundred thousand Dinars! The Sheikh insisted on his request. The Zoroastrian man said: I have had the same dream as you have had. That palace has been made for me. O sheikh! You were too sure of your faith! By God, no member of my family went to bed that night without converting to Islam thanks to this Alawi woman. We are all Muslims now and all the blessings have come to us due to this highly-respected lady!

Speaking of his dream, the man said: I saw the Messenger of Allah in my dream, saying to me: This palace has been built for you and your family, for you have been benevolent to my descendants. I give you the good news that you and your family will go to paradise, for God created you all believers from the very beginning.¹⁹³

Sept ibn Jawzi has related another story as follows: A man saw the Messenger of Allah in his dream, who ordered to him to see such and such Zoroastrian man and to convey to him a message that his prayer has been answered! The man who had seen the Holy Prophet in his dream refused to convey the message thinking that the Zoroastrian man might have the impression that I expect something from him.

He saw the Messenger of Allah in his dream for the second and third time. Again the Holy Prophet emphasized that the man should convey his message without any delay, for it was incumbent on him to obey the Holy Prophet! This time, the dreamer went to the Zoroastrian man and privately conveyed the Holy Prophet’s message to him.

اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: نَسِيتَ مَا قُلْتَ لِلْعَلَوِيَّةِ؟ وَهَذا الْقَصْرُ لِلشَّيْخِ الَّذِي هِيَ فِي دَارِهِ. فَانْتَبَهَ الرَّجُلُ وَهُوَ يَلْطِمُ وَيَبْكِي. وَبَثَّ غِلْمَانَهُ فِي الْبَلَدِ وَخَرَجَ بِنَفْسِهِ يُدَوِّرُ عَلَى الْعَلَوِيَّةِ. فَأُخْبِرَ أَنَّها فِي دَارِ الْمَجُوسِيِّ فَجَاءَ إِلَيْهِ فَقالَ: أَيْنَ الْعَلَوِيَّةُ؟ قَالَ: عِنْدِي. قَالَ: أُرِيدُهَا. قَالَ: مَا لَكَ إلَيْها سَبِيلٌ. قَالَ: هَذِهِ أَلْفُ دِينَارٍ وَسَلِّمْهُنَّ إِلَيَّ. فَقالَ: لاَ وَاللهِ وَلاَ مِائَةُ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ. فَلَمَّا أَلَحَّ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ لَهُ: الْمَنَامُ الَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ أَنْتَ رَأَيْتُهُ أَنَا أَيْضاً، وَالْقَصْرُ الَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ لِي خُلِقَ وَأَنْتَ تُدِلُّ عَلَيَّ بِإِسْلاَمِكَ. وَاللهِ مَا نِمْتُ وَلاَ أَحَدٌ فِي دَارِي إِلاَّ وَقَدْ أَسْلَمْنَا كُلُّنَا عَلَى يَدِ الْعَلَوِيَّةِ وَعَادَ مِنْ بَرَكَاتِهَا عَلَيْنَا، وَرَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَقالَ لِي: الْقَصْرُ لَكَ وَلأَِهْلِكَ بِمَا فَعَلْتَ مَعَ الْعَلَوِيَّةِ وَأَنْتُمْ مِنْ أَهْلٍ خَلَقَكُمُ اللهُ مُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الْقِدَمِ.

وَنَقَلَ أَيْضاً فِي كِتَابِهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي الدُّنْيَا أَنَّ رَجُلاً رَأَى رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِي مَنَامِهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: إمْضِ إلَى فُلانٍ الْمَجُوسِيِّ وَقُلْ لَهُ: قَدْ أُجِيبَتِ الدَّعْوَةُ. فَامْتَنَعَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أَدَاءِ الرِّسَالَةِ لِئَلاَّ يَظُنَّ الْمَجُوسِيُّ أَنَّهُ يَتَعَرَّضُ لَهُ. وَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ فِي دُنْياً وَاسِعَةٍ، فَرَأَى الرَّجُلُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ ثَانِياً وَثَالِثاً. فَأَصْبَحَ فَأَتَى الْمَجُوسِيَّ وَقالَ لَهُ فِي خِلْوَةٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ: أَنَا رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ إلَيْكَ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ لَكَ: قَـدْ أُجِيبَتِ الدَّعْوَةُ. فَقـالَ لَهُ: أَتَعْرِفُنِي؟ قَـالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَإنِّي أُنْكِرُ دِيـنَ الإِسْـلاَمِ

But the Zoroastrian man said: I do not believe in Islam and prophethood of Muhammad! I said: I know it but what should be done? The Messenger of Allah commissioned me three times to convey his message to you! The Zoroastrian man immediately pronounced the formula of the Islamic faith (there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) and became a Muslim. He invited his family and relatives to Islam, saying: Anyone of my relatives who converts to Islam can possess any portion of the property which he has at disposal or he will not have such a right, for I have found the truth!

With this message, all his relatives and friends converted to Islam. He also cancelled the marriage of his daughter to his grandchild, for marriage between two Mahrams (a near relative with whom one cannot marry) is forbidden!

Then he said to me: Do you know what that prayer which was answered was? I said: No, but I am willing to know it. The new convert said: Once I had married my daughter to a relative, I had given a wedding party, inviting people to come and have the dinner. A poor family was living in our neighborhood whom I had not invited. At dinner time, I told my servants to spread the tablecloth in the yard and to serve the food there. I heard the complaint of the little girl from the next door, who was saying to his mother:

This Zoroastrian man is annoying us with the smell of their food. I immediately ordered my servant to take some food, clothing, and a certain amount of money for them. Once the little girl looked at the food, clothing, and money, she said: By God, we will not eat this food without praying for one who has sent them. Se they all raised their hands saying: O Lord! Associate this man with our ancestor, the Messenger of Allah. All those who were present said: Amen

Ibn Jawzi has quoted his grandfather, Abul Faraj on the authority of ibn Khasib as saying: I was in charge of the finance affairs of Mutawakkkil’s mother. When I was busy with account-books, one of the agents came and gave me a purse of one thousand Dinars, saying: The lady says: Divide this money among the needy, for they are from my purest property. By the way, send me their names so that I will give them some money later. Ibn Khasib reports: I took the purse, went home and invited my friends to introduce to me the needy people.

وَنُبُوَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ. فَقالَ: أنَا أَعْرِفُ هَذَا وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَنِي إِلَيْكَ مَرَّةً وَمَرَّةً وَمَرَّةً. فَقالَ: أنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللهِ. وَدَعَا أَهْلَهُ وَأَصْحَابَهُ فَقالَ لَهُمْ: كُنْتُ عَلَى ضَلاَلٍ وَقَدْ رَجَعْتُ إلَى الْحَقِّ فَأَسْلِمُوا، فَمَنْ أَسْلَمَ فَمَا لِي بِيَدِهِ فَهُوَ لَهُ، وَمَنْ أَبَى فَلْيَنْزِعْ مَا لِي عِنْدَهُ. فَأَسْلَمَ الْقَوْمُ وَأَهْلُهُ. وَكَانَتْ لَهُ ابْنَةٌ مُتَزَوِّجَةٌ مِنِ ابْنِهِ فَفَرَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا. ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَتَدْرِي مَا الدَّعْوَةُ؟ فَقُلْتُ: لاَ وَاللهِ، وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ السَّاعَةَ. فَقالَ: لَمَّا زَوَّجْتُ ابْنَتِي صَنَعْتُ طَعَاماً وَدَعَوْتُ النَّاسَ فَأَجَابُوا، وَكَانَ إِلَى جَانِبِنَا قَوْمٌ أَشْرَافٌ فُقَرَاءُ لاَ مَالَ لَهُمْ، فَأَمَرْتُ غِلْمَانِي أَنْ يَبْسُطُوا لِي حَصِيراً فِي وَسَطِ الدَّارِ. فَسَمِعْتُ صَبِيَّةً تَقُولُ لأُِمِّهَا: يَا أُمَّاهُ، قَدْ آذَانَا هَذَا الْمَجُوسِيُّ بِرَائِحَةِ طَعَامِهِ. فَأَرْسَلْتُ إِلَيْهِنَّ بِطَعَامٍ كَثِيرٍ وَكِسْوَةٍ وَدَنَانِيرَ لِلْجَمِيعِ. فَلَمَّا نَظَرُوا إِلَى ذَلِكَ قَالَتِ الصَّبِيَّةُ لِلْبَاقِيَاتِ: وَاللهِ مَا نَأْكُلُ حَتَّى نَدْعُوَ لَهُ. فَرَفَعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلْنَ: حَشَرَكَ اللهُ مَعَ جَدِّنَا رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ. وَأَمَّنَ بَعْضُهُنَّ. فَتِلْكَ الدَّعْوَةُ أُجِيبَتْ.

وَنَقَلَ ابْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ أَيْضاً فِي كِتَابِهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَبِي الْفَرَجِ بِإِسْنَادِهِ إلَى ابْنِ الْخَصِيبِ قَالَ: كُنْتُ كَاتِباً لِلسَّيِّدَةِ أُمِّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ. فَبَيْنَا أَنَا فِي الدِّيوَانِ إِذَا بِخَادِمٍ صَغِيرٍ قَدْ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدَهَا وَمَعَهُ كِيسٌ فِيهِ أَلْفُ دِينَارٍ فَقَالَ: السَّيِّدَةُ تَقُولُ لَكَ فَرِّقْ هَذَا فِي أَهْلِ الإسْتِحْقَاقِ، فَهُوَ مِنْ أَطْيَبِ مَالِي، وَاكْتُبْ لِي أَسَامِيَ الَّذِينَ تُفَرِّقُهُ فِيهِمْ حَتَّى إذَا جَائَنِي مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ شَيْءٌ صَرَفْتُهُ إِلَيْهِمْ. قَالَ فَمَضَيْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِي وَجَمَعْتُ أَصْحَابِي وَسَأَلْتُهُمْ عَنِ الْمُسْتَحِقِّينَ

They did so and I divided 300 Dinars among them, keeping the rest with me and waiting for other needy people to come to me. It was midnight when someone knocked the door. I said: who is it? The answer was: I am an Alawi man. I said to myself: Perhaps it is my neighbor. But he has never come to me. What is the reason behind this untimely visit?

The servant opened the door and the man came to me. After exchanging greeting I said: How come you are here at this hour of night? He said: A descendant of the Messenger of Allah has come to see me. I had nothing at home to make food for him. So I have come here to borrow some money, however little, from you so as not to be ashamed before my guest.

I gave one Dinar to him, saying: It is free. He thanked me and headed for his house. Being informed of it, my wife said: Were you not ashamed that you gave only one Dinar to that Alawi man who badly needed it? She said: give him whatever money that is left with you. Her words had a great impact on me. So I immediately followed the man and gave him the whole money.

After returning home, I remembered something which made me regret what I had done. If they report me to Mutawakkil given his enmity with the descendants of the Holy Prophet, only God knows what they will do with me! Seeing the sign of worry in my face, my wife asked the reason. I informed her of my worry. She consoled me and said: Do not fear! Trust God and the ancestor of this Sayyid! We were speaking about it when the agents of the lady came to our house with torches in their hands, saying: You have been called by lady!

I was prepared to go but I was at a loss. My body was shivering. With each step I took, an agent would say: Mutawakkkil’s mother is impatiently waiting for you! When I reached the palace, the ushers led me from one room to the other. When I reached the special chamber of the lady, the servant who was with me said: Wait here for the lady. I was extremely depressed not knowing what will happen! But contrary to my expectation, the lady came, weeping. I was surprised with her weeping. Calling me, she said: O Ahmad (name of Abu-Khasib)! May Allah reward you and your wife. Moments ago, I saw the Messenger of Allah in my dream, who was saying: May Allah bless you, Ahmad, and his wife with a good reward.

فَسَمَّوْا لِي أَشْخَاصاً، فَفَرَّقْتُ فِيهِمْ ثَلاَثَمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ وَبَقِيَ الْبَاقِي بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ إِلَى نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ. وَإِذَا بِطَارِقٍ يَطْرُقُ عَلَيَّ بَابَ دَارِي. فَقُلْتُ: مَنْ هُوَ؟ فَقالَ: فُلانٌ الْعَلَوِيُّ. وَكَانَ جَارِي. فَقُلْتُ: هَذَا جَارِي مِنْ مُدَّةٍ وَلَمْ يَقْصِدْنِي. فَأَذِنْتُ لَهُ، فَدَخَلَ فَرَحَّبْتُ بِهِ وَقُلْتُ: مَا شَأْنُكَ؟ فَقالَ: إِنِّي جَائِعٌ. فَأَعْطَيْتُهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ دِينَاراً. فَدَخَلْتُ إِلَى زَوْجَتِي فَقَالَتْ: مَا الَّذِي عَنَاكَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ؟ فَقُلْتُ: طَرَقَنِيَ السَّاعَةَ طَارِقٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدِي مَا أُطْعِمُهُ، فَأَعْطَيْتُهُ دِينَاراً فَأَخَذَهُ وَشَكَرَنِي وَانْصَرَفَ. فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ إلَى الْبَابِ خَرَجَتْ زَوْجَتِي وَهِيَ تَبْكِي وَتَقُولُ: أَمَا تَسْتَحِي! يَقْصِدُكَ مِثْلُ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ وَتُعْطِيهِ دِينَاراً وَقَدْ عَرَفْتَ اسْتِحْقَاقَهُ! أَعْطِهِ الْجَمِيعَ. فَوَقَعَ كَلاَمُهَا فِي قَلْبِي وَقُمْتُ خَلْفَهُ فَنَاوَلْتُهُ الْكِيسَ فَأَخَذَهُ وَانْصَرَفَ. فَلَمَّا عُدْتُ إِلَى الدَّارِ نَدِمْتُ وَقُلْتُ: السَّاعَةَ يَصِلُ الْخَبَرَ إِلَى الْمُتَوَكِّلِ وَهُوَ يَمْقُتُ الْعَلَوِيِّينَ فَيَقْتُلُنِي. فَقَالَتْ لِي زَوْجَتِي: لاَ تَخَفْ وَاتَّكِلْ عَلَى اللهِ وَعَلَى جَدِّهِمْ. فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ كَذَلِكَ إِذَا بِالْبَابِ يُطْرَقُ وَالْمَشَاعِلُ بِأَيْدِي الْخَدَمِ وَهُمْ يقُولُون: أَجِبِ السَّيِّدَةَ. فَقُمْتُ مَرْعُوباً، وَكُلَّمَا مَشِيتُ قَلِيلاً تَوَاتَرَتِ الرُّسُلُ. فَوَقَفْتُ عِنْدَ سِتْرِ السَّيِّدَةِ وَقَالَ لِي الْخَادِمُ: السَّيِّدَةُ وَرَاءَ هَذَا السِّتْرِ. قَالَ: فَسَمِعْتُ بُكَاءَهَا وَهِيَ تَنْتَحِبُ وَتَقُولُ: يَا أَحْمَدُ، جَزَاكَ اللهُ خَيْراً وَجَزَى زَوْجَتَكَ خَيْراً. كُنْتُ السَّاعَةَ نَائِمَةً فَجَاءَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَقالَ لِي: جَزَاكِ اللهُ خَيْراً وَجَزَى زَوْجَةَ ابْنِ الْخَصِيبِ خَيْراً. فَمَا مَعْنَى هَذَا؟ فَحَدَّثْتُهَـا الْحَدِيثَ وَهِيَ تَبْكِي. فَأَعْطَتْنِي دَنَـانِيَر وَكِسْوَةً وَقَـالَتْ:

Now tell me what is the interpretation of this dream? I told her the whole story. She started weeping! At this time, she gave me some money and clothing, saying: This money is for that Alawi Sayyid! This money and clothing is for you, and this money and clothing is for your wife. Her gift was a hundred thousand Dirhams on the whole!

After she thanked me and prayed for me, I said goodbye to her and rejoicingly headed for home, saying to myself: I should inform the Sayyid of the event. As soon as I reached the house of Sayyid and knocked the door, he came to welcome me with tears in his eyes. He said: O Ahmad! Give me whatever you have with you.

I asked the reason for his weeping. He said: When I returned home from your house, I informed my wife of the event. She said: Let both of us rise up, perform prayer, and pray for Mutawakkkil’s mother, Ahmad, and his wife. Having prayed, we went to our bed. In my dream, the Messenger of Allah said to me: My son, I thanked them for what they did to you! Now, Ahmad will bring you money from Mutawakkkil’s mother. Accept it and pray for her!