Hadith in which Imam Musa al-Kadhim (A) brings a lion image to life
Is the hadith in which Imam Musa al-Kadhim (A) brings a lion image to life in the court of Harun al-Rashid authentic and reliable?
Bringing the lion image to life by Imam Musa al-Kadhim (A) is the subject of a narration mentioned in Al-Amali by Shaykh al-Saduq, which is considered authentic (sahih) and reliable in terms of chain of transmission. Shia scholars of rijal (biographical evaluation) have deemed all narrators in the chain of this hadith trustworthy (thiqa).
According to this narration, Imam Musa al-Kadhim (A) brought to life the image of a lion in the court of Harun al-Rashid, and the lion devoured a sorcerer who had been summoned at Harun’s command to ridicule the Imam (A). Harun intended to degrade the Imam’s (A) status among people, but the Imam (A), by demonstrating this miracle, nullified Harun’s scheme.
Hadith Text and Translation
««عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَلِیِّ بْنِ یَقْطِینٍ قَالَ: اِسْتَدْعَی اَلرَّشِیدُ رَجُلاً یُبْطِلُ بِهِ أَمْرَ أَبِی اَلْحَسَنِ مُوسَی بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَیْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ وَ یَقْطَعُهُ وَ یُخْجِلُهُ فِی اَلْمَجْلِسِ فَانْتُدِبَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ مُعَزِّمٌ فَلَمَّا أُحْضِرَتِ اَلْمَائِدَةُ عَمِلَ نَامُوساً عَلَی اَلْخُبْزِ فَکَانَ کُلَّمَا رَامَ خَادِمُ أَبِی اَلْحَسَنِ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ تَنَاوُلَ رَغِیفٍ مِنَ اَلْخُبْزِ طَارَ مِنْ بَیْنِ یَدَیْهِ وَ اِسْتَفَزَّ هَارُونَ اَلْفَرَحُ وَ اَلضَّحِکُ لِذَلِکَ فَلَمْ یَلْبَثْ أَبُو اَلْحَسَنِ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ أَنْ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَی أَسَدٍ مُصَوَّرٍ عَلَی بَعْضِ اَلسُّتُورِ فَقَالَ لَهُ یَا أَسَدَ اَللَّهِ خُذْ عَدُوَّ اَللَّهِ قَالَ فَوَثَبَتْ تِلْکَ اَلصُّورَةُ کَأَعْظَمِ مَا یَکُونُ مِنَ اَلسِّبَاعِ فَافْتَرَسَتْ ذَلِکَ اَلْمُعَزِّمَ فَخَرَّ هَارُونُ وَ نُدَمَاؤُهُ عَلَی وُجُوهِهِمْ - مَغْشِیّاً عَلَیْهِمْ وَ طَارَتْ عُقُولُهُمْ خَوْفاً مِنْ هَوْلِ مَا رَأَوْهُ فَلَمَّا أَفَاقُوا مِنْ ذَلِکَ بَعْدَ حِینٍ قَالَ هَارُونُ لِأَبِی اَلْحَسَنِ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ أَسْأَلُکَ بِحَقِّی عَلَیْکَ لَمَّا سَأَلْتَ اَلصُّورَةَ أَنْ تَرُدَّ اَلرَّجُلَ فَقَالَ إِنْ کَانَتْ عَصَا مُوسَی رَدَّتْ مَا اِبْتَلَعَتْهُ مِنْ حِبَالِ اَلْقَوْمِ وَ عِصِیِّهِمْ فَإِنَّ هَذِهِ اَلصُّورَةَ تَرُدُّ مَا اِبْتَلَعَتْهُ مِنْ هَذَا اَلرَّجُلِ فَکَانَ ذَلِکَ أَعْمَلَ اَلْأَشْیَاءِ فِی إِفَاقَةِ نَفْسِهِ»»
| “ | Ali ibn Yaqtin said: Harun al-Rashid ordered that a man be brought to disgrace Imam Musa ibn Ja'far (A) in the court. A magician was brought. When food was served, the magician performed a spell on the bread so that whenever the servant of Imam (A) tried to take a loaf, it would fly from his hand. Harun burst into laughter and joy. Imam (A) then raised his head toward an image of a lion on one of the curtains and said: "O lion of God, seize the enemy of God." The image came to life, leapt out, and devoured the magician like a great beast. Harun and his companions fainted and lost their minds in terror. After some time, when they regained consciousness, Harun said: "I implore you by my right upon you, ask the image to return the man." Imam (A) said: "If the staff of Moses returned what it swallowed of their ropes and rods, then this image can also return what it swallowed." This miracle was the most impactful event in shaking Harun’s psyche. [1] | ” |
Chain of Transmission
This hadith about the lion brought to life by Imam Musa al-Kadhim (A) is narrated by Shaykh al-Saduq in Al-Amali. Shia biographical scholars have considered its narrators trustworthy:
- Muhammad ibn Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn Walid, highly regarded and respected among the Qummis. - Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Saffar, author of Basa’ir al-Darajat, a major Shi’a scholar in Qom and trustworthy. - Sa’d ibn Abdullah, leader of the Qom community, a jurist and highly respected. - Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, jurist of Qom and trustworthy. - Hasan ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin, jurist, theologian, and trustworthy. - His brother, Husayn ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin, also thiqa and reliable. - Ali ibn Yaqtin, for whom Imam al-Kadhim (A) guaranteed paradise according to narrations, and considered thiqa and of high status.
Therefore, this narration is regarded as authentic (sahih) in terms of its chain.
Miracles of Imams in Religious Sources
Performing miracles is a divine proof for establishing a divine rank. The Shia Imams, when deemed necessary, performed miracles to affirm their Imamate. According to a narration from Imam al-Sadiq (A), miracles are signs God gives to His prophets and proofs to confirm their truthfulness and distinguish them from imposters; [2] Hence, miracles and charismatic acts are among the signs of the truth and divine status of prophets and Imams (A).
A similar miracle is that of Prophet Moses (A) mentioned in the Qur’an, where his staff turned into a huge serpent and devoured the rods and ropes of the sorcerers; [3] Such miracles by prophets and their successors (the Imams) are not far-fetched. [4]
References
- ↑ Shaykh al-Saduq, Muhammad ibn Ali, Al-Amali, trans. Mohammad Baqir Kamarei, Tehran: Ketabchi, 1997, Vol. 1, p. 148.
- ↑ Ibn Babawayh, Muhammad, Ilal al-Shara’i’, trans. Mostrahami, Tehran: Mostafavi Bookstore, 6th ed., 1987, p. 264.
- ↑ Surat al-A‘raf, verse 117; Surat al-Naml, verse 10; Surat al-Qasas, verse 31; Surat al-Shu‘ara, verses 32 and 45.
- ↑ See also the she-camel of Prophet Salih in: al-A‘raf/73, Hud/64, al-Shu‘ara/155, al-Shams/13; and the cow of Bani Israel in al-Baqarah/67–73.