Miracle 27: A Bow Transforms into a Serpent

Janabe Salman (a.r.) narrates,

Imam Ali (a.s.) came to know that Umar mentioned something negative about his Shias. Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) met him in one of the paths of the orchards of Medina while he holding a Arabian bow in his hand. He (a.s.) said: ‘O Umar! It has reached me that you mentioned about my Shias’. He said, ‘Do not overlook your own faults’.

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) replied: ‘You stay right here!’ and then he (a.s.) threw the bow upon the ground and it transformed into a serpent, opening its mouth, and it went near Umar to swallow him. Umar shouted, ‘Allah! Allah! O Abu Imam Hasan (a.s.)! I will not repeat it’, and he went on beseeching Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). He (a.s.) struck his hand to the serpent and it returned to be the bow, like what it had been. Umar went to his house frightened.

Janabe Salman (r.a.) said, ‘When it was during the night, Imam Ali (a.s.) called me. He (a.s.) said: ‘Go to Umar for some wealth has been carried over to him (a.s.) from an area of the east, and he has informed anyone about it and is determined keep it for himself.

Tell him, ‘Imam Ali (a.s.) is telling you to bring out the wealth received from the east and distribute it amongst those for whom it is sent. Do not without it or I will expose you!’

Janabe Salman (r.a.) said, ‘I delivered the message to him. He said, ‘The matter of your companion confuses me. How did he come to know of it?’ I replied, ‘and can the like of this be hidden from him (a.s.)?’

He said to Janabe Salman (r.a.), ‘Accept from me what I am saying to you. Imam Ali (a.s.) is nothing but a sorcerer and I am pitying upon you from him (a.s.), and the correct thing to do is you should separate from him (a.s.) and come to be among our community’.

I said, ‘Evil is what you are saying. Imam Ali (a.s.) has inherited the secrets of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) what I have seen from him (a.s.), and what is greater than this’. He said, ‘Return to him and tell him, ‘The hearing and the obedience is to your orders’.

I returned to Imam Ali (a.s.). He (a.s.) said: ‘Shall I narrat to you with what transpired between you two?’ I said, ‘You are more knowing with it than I am’. So, he (a.s.) spoke with all what had transpired between us. Then he (a.s.) said: ‘The fear of the serpent will be in his heart until he dies!¹

Footnotes

1. Behar al-Anwaar, Vol. 41, Chp 112, Trad 17 ↩