Al-Mahdi (a.s.)

the four riders left and ismail too followed them. imam said: «return back'. ismail replied: 'i shall never separate from you'. imam said: 'it is for your own good that you go back'. ismail replied: 'i shall not part from you under any circumstances.' the old man interrupted us and said: 'have you no shame! your imam has twice commanded you to go back and yet you are disobeying!?' ismail stopped. after imam went forward a few steps, he turned back towards ismail and said: 'when you will reach baghdad, the caliph mustansi billah will forcibly summon you. when he shall offer you something, you refuse to accept it. also tell our son razi'uddin to write on your behalf to ali-ibn-awaz. i will too beckon him to give you whatever you wish.'

after this hazrat left with his companions and ismail's eyes lay fixed at them until he could see them no more. he sat on the ground for some time and started to weep because of his separation from them.

he then went to samerra where the people surrounded him and said: why do we see you so much changed? what has happened?? ismail said: do you know who were these riders who had left the city and had gone towards the river? they said: they were from the nobles and are the owners of cattles. ismail said: they were imam and his companions. the one who had put on colourful clothes was imam and it was he who rubbed his blessed hand over my wound spot. they said: allow us to see for ourselves.' when ismail displayed his thigh to them there was not even a scar left to be seen. people started tearing his clothes to get lucky charm and then took him to the treasure house so that others could not reach him. later, the caliph's representative came and inquired about this incident and asked his name, his background, his native place and the purpose his exit from baghdad in the first week.

the next morning after reciting his prayers ismail left the city of samerra before a huge crowd. on the way he reached one spot where people had gathered in great number and were inquiring about his name, geneology and the place from where he came. when they saw and recognized him by the afore-said signs, they began to tear his clothes and took them away as blessings. the caliph's representative wrote a detailed report on this incident and dispatched it to baghded. the minister called in sayed raziuddin to inquire from him the authenticity of this incident. when raziuddin (who was one of ismail's companion and had been ismail's host before leaving for samerra) and some others saw ismail they descended down. when ismail showed his thigh to them and they could not see any trace of the wound, raziuddin remained fainted for almost an hour. after gaining consciousness, he caught hold of ismail's hand and took him to the minister. raziuddin cried and said: he is my brother and the most beloved of all men.

the minister inquired from ismail about that particular incident and he in turn described it in length. the minister ordered the doctors who had previously seen ismail's thigh to come forward. when they arrived he asked: when did you last see his wound? they replied: ten days before. the minister displayed ismail's thigh and when the doctors saw no trace of it, they said: this is the act of messiah. the minister said: we know who has performed this act.

the minister took ismail before the caliph. the caliph asked ismail to give account and ismail explained in detail all what had occurred for him. when the caliph presented ismail with a sum of one thousand dinars, the latter said: 'how dare i take even a little of this offer.' the caliph said: 'whom do you fear?!' he said: 'from the one who cured me because he has forbidden me from accepting anything from you'. on hearing this, the caliph began to cry.

ali-ibn-isa says: i was once narrating this incident to a group of people who were around me. shamsuddin, who was ismail's son was also present but i had then not recognized him.

shamsuddin said: 'i am ismail's son'.

i said: had you seen the wound on your father's thigh?

he replied: at that time, i was only a child. however i had heard this matter from my parents, relatives and neighbours and saw the place of wound after it had been cured. i could not find any trace of the wound and hair had grown on that spot.'