Salimatul Katib says: Whenever Imam Ali Naqi (a) arrived in Mutawakkil’s court the gatekeeper used to move aside the curtains for him. One day a sycophant said to Mutawakkil,
“Your gatekeepers move aside the curtains for Imam Ali Naqi (a) which strengthens the doubt that he is the rightful Imam. So you order your sentries not to take the trouble of moving aside the curtains for Imam. Ali Naqi can also do that himself like others.”
Mutawakkil liked this idea so he told his gatekeepers that when Imam Ali Naqi (a) visits the next time they must not move aside the curtains for him.
So when the Imam visited the following day, the gatekeepers didn’t move aside the curtains, but as soon as he approached the curtain a gust of wind came and moved it aside and the Imam entered. And when he was leaving another gust of wind moved the curtain and the Imam stepped out.
After his departure when the gatekeepers narrated the incident to Mutawakkil he told them: In future, you must lift the curtain so that people don’t realize that even the wind is at the service of the Imam.
One day the Imam was with Mutawakkil when the latter asked, “Who, in your opinion, is the best poet?”
Before that he had posed the same question to Ibne Jahm as well and in response he had mentioned some pre-Islamic and some Muslim poets.
The Imam said so and so son of so and so is the finest poet and I think it is Ibne Faham or his brother, Jumani, who composed the following lines:
A group from Quraish boasted to us saying: We are owners of magnanimity and generosity.
The judgment of this dispute was given against them in our favor by the voice of the places of worship.
“What is the meaning of ‘voice of the places of worship’?” asked Mutawakkil.
“It implies the sound of Adhaan and in every Adhaan the caller mentions the name of my grandfather and says: I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Now tell me whether the name mentioned in the Adhaan is that of my grandfather or yours?”
Mutawakkil smiled and said,
“Indeed, he was your grandfather and we cannot deny that.”
Amali, Tusi, Vol. 1, Pg. 292; Biharul Anwar, Vol. 50, Pg. 128, Miracles of Ahlulbayt (a.s. ) - Vol. 4,Pg.120
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