In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Imam Hadi and the Liar Woman (for teens)
Once a day in the time of Imam Hadi [AS] under the government of Mutawakkil Abbasi, a woman affirmed to be the daughter of Sayyidah Fatimah [AS] and Imam Ali [AS]. Mutawakkil told her "But you are young, and the granddaughter of the Holy Prophet died years ago?”
She replied, “The Holy Prophet placed his hand on my head and prayed Allah to make me young all over again every 40 years. I remained silent all these years but now I have come out in the open to declare my true identity, and there is a purpose”.
Mutawakkil called upon all the wise men for advice but they could not solve the problem. Most of them refuted her saying she could not be the one she is purporting to be!
She irately turned towards them and said, "All of you are wrong, for none of you know the truth that I am what I am, Zainab the daughter of Sayyidah Fatimah the daughter of the Holy Prophet. None of you know this because I was living a life of exclusion and without exposing my identity, so how could anyone know about my life and death?"
All those present there did not dare to say anything. Mutawakkil announced, "If any one amongst you does not challenge her allegation, I would then free her and let her go".
All the people were very perturbed regarding this situation yet none of them dared to speak out loud; then all of a sudden they collectively suggested to call Imam Hadi [AS] for he undoubtedly must have an answer to this dilemma.
Imam Hadi was called and told about the confrontation. The Imam [AS] said “She is a liar. If you want to prove, send her to the cage of lions. Children of sayyidah Fatimah [AS] has been prohibited on all creatures. So, if this woman is what she claims to be, nothing should happen to her!”
Upon hearing this, she said “Probably this man wants that I should be killed; let him undergo this test himself before me and let us see if he himself stands this test!”
Mutawakkil within his heart had always wanted to harass, torment and cause distress to the Imam and his followers. Upon hearing this proposal, he instantly approved to send the Imam into the enclosure where some hungry lions were kept.
Imam Hadi [AS] was sent into the enclosure and he with poise and casualness, walked and sat on a rock close to the animals. The hungry lions came towards the Imam as if paying salutation to him, sat down close to the holy Imam with their front paws folded. Imam Hadi [AS] spoke kindly to those animals and also pated their manes and backs. All of the viewers were astounded.
Mutawakkil, who was feeling humiliated and discomfited, ordered to take out Imam Hadi [AS].
When the Imam was about to leave the enclosure, the lions came once again to him and started rubbing their faces with his robe; he grinned gently at them and asked them to go back and they all obeyed his orders.
On seeing that event, the woman threw commotion, started crying, and said, "I am not what I had claimed to be, do not put me to the lions."
