Righteous Deeds

Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him) says in Hadith al-Qudsi: I swear by My Glory and power that if a (child who is) disobedient to his parents comes to me with all the good deeds of all the prophets, I will not accept them from him.

Imam Ali Naqi's (as) Judgment to send tricking Zainab into the cage of Lions:

During the time of Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil a lady claimed that she was Zainab the daughter of Fatimah (sa). Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil said, "Many long years have passed since that period when Zainab lived and you are quite young."

She replied, "Yes, but the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) drew his hand upon my head and prayed for me to remain young for ever. As such, after every forty years I turn back to become young." Al-Mutawakkil called upon all the wise men to visit him and enquired from them, "What do you say about the claim of this women." All of them said, "she tells a lie."

Al-Mutawakkil said, "I know that she is lying, but what proof and logic do you have to condemn her."

They said, "We do not know, Imam Ali Naqi (as) should solve this problem."

Al-Mutawakkil at once summoned Imam Ali Naqi (as) and told him about that matter.

Imam Ali Naqi (as) said, send her to the cage of the lions, if she is telling the truth, because the beasts do not molest the children of Fatimah (sa) and do not eat their flesh. Al-Mutawakkil said to the woman, "what do you say?"

She said, "This man wishes that I may be killed. If he is right then let him do it himself." Al-Mutawakkil said, "she is right, you must do it first yourself."

Imam Ali Naqi (as) replied, "There is no hurdle to it" He went to the lions in the cage and sat among them. All observed with amazement, that the lions sat very respectfully before the Imam Ali Naqi (as) and sometimes caressed themselves against his body and he caressed their bodies with his hand, affectionately. When Imam Ali Naqi (as) ordered that they might move to a corner, all of them crept to a nook. Then Imam Ali Naqi (as) came out of the cage and went to Al-Mutawakkil and said, "Oh woman now it is your turn."

The woman started crying and begging saying, "I told a lie, I am the daughter of such and such man, and wanted to play a trick and a hoax but it did not work."

Imam Ali Naqi (as) in Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil's party:

Al-Mutawakkil, the cruel Abbasid Caliph was very fearful that people were so drawn to our 10th Imam, Imam Ali Naqi (as). He was very upset with the realization of the fact that people were ready to do anything that the Imam Ali Naqi (as) would order. Some of the conspirators also gathered around the Caliph and told him that perhaps the Imam Ali Naqi (as) has intention of revolt. And that they might find some evidence from his house.

Thus Al-Mutawakkil ordered some of his cruel fellow men to break in and search Imam Ali Naqi's (as) house and arrest him, in the middle of the night without a notice when all were asleep. Al-Mutawakkil made this decision while he was in a party and was drinking heavily. Al-Mutawakkil's men entered Imam Ali Naqi's (as) house and decided to arrest him first. They found him alone, in a room. He had taken the carpet out and was sitting on the gravel of the floor busy in remembrance of Allah. They searched everywhere and couldn't find anything. Thus they arrested the Imam Ali Naqi (as) and took him to Al-Mutawakkil.

When the Imam Ali Naqi (as) arrived. Al-Mutawakkil was at the prime of his drinking party. He ordered the Imam Ali Naqi (as) to sit next him. Then he offered a glass of wine to the Imam Ali Naqi (as). Imam Ali Naqi (as) refuse and said: "By Allah never has wine entered my body. Excuse me from it." Al-Mutawakkil accepted and said: "Then sing for us and entertain us with beautiful poems." Imam Ali Naqi (as) said: "I am not interested in poetry and I remember only but a little of the poems of other". Al-Mutawakkil said: "There is no excuse; you must read us some poetry."

Imam Ali Naqi (as) started: "They made rising mountains their residence. And they always had armed men guarding them. But none could save them from the attack of death. At the end they were descended from those hills and placed in the deeply dug graves with misery and humility. At this time a caller called: Where is all that glory, crowns, and luxury? Where is the face that knew comfort and hid itself behind silk curtains from the gazes of the commoner? The grave disgraced them at end. Those delicate faces are the ground for worms to crawl on. For a long time they sucked, swallowed, drank and ate of the earth. But today they are food for the earth and its pests."

Imam Ali Naqi's (as) voice resonated with a deep and effected melody onto the ears of the attendants, and destroyed the high of the wine. Al-Mutawakkil threw his glass away and started crying. Thus was Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil's party ruined, and the light of truth shun into a disease heart even if it were for a fleeting moment.

Imam Ali Naqi (as) news about the unseen (Ilm-e-Ghaib

People observed from Imam Ali Naqi (as) due to his connection with Allah and the unseen world, works which were considered to be the specimen of Allah's might and power.

One of the friends of our 10th Imam, Imam Ali Naqi (as) traveled from Baghdad, Iraq to Madina and had the honor to visit Imam Ali Naqi (as). Imam Ali Naqi (as) enquired from him the condition of Al-Wathiq the Abbasid Caliph and he replied, "when I left Iraq he was fit and fine, and Al-Mutawakkil was in prison and Ibn-e-Zayyat had become famous and well known among the people.

Imam Ali Naqi (as) after a moment's silence said, "That which is Allah's will, shall take place, and there is no way to stop his orders and commands. Oh my friend be aware that Al-Wathiq has passed away and Al-Mutawakkil has succeeded him and Ibn-e-Ziyyat has been slain upon the behest of Al-Mutawakkil."

I asked, "When was it?"

Imam Ali Naqi (as) replied, "Six days after you moved out of Baghdad, Iraq."

One day one of the flatterer and glib tongued person said to Al-Mutawakkil, the cruel Abbasid Caliph, "Why do you command your court offices to honor Imam Ali Naqi (as), and when he arrives they must raise the curtains and open the doors for him. This itself is against your conduct. Let Imam Ali Naqi (as) come and go like the rest of the people so that he looses his worth in the eyes of people."

Al-Mutawakkil agreed to his demand and ordered his officials not to hold the curtains and open the doors while Imam Ali Naqi (as) comes or leaves.

One day, one of his servants came rushing to him and said: "Imam Ali Naqi (as) is coming and to whichever part of the court he arrives, the doors open and curtains are drawn automatically. This thing attracted the attention of all and if this continues on the superiority and supremacy of Imam Ali Naqi (as) will become clear and evident to all, thus your Caliphate will be endangered.

Al-Mutawakkil at once ordered that the officials must adopt the previous conduct with Imam Ali Naqi (as) and honor him more than ever.

Brief Sayings of our 10th Imam, Imam Ali Naqi (as):

The one who spends his life in refuge of God, world's discomforts will become easy for him.

The one who does not counsel with others in his matters will be harmed.

World is a bazaar in which one group makes benefit and the other faces loss.

Cutting jokes and mockery is the activity and enjoyment and amusement of foolish ones.

People are respected in this world for possessing wealth and in the Hereafter for possessing righteous deeds.