Imam Mahdi (ajtf) & the incident of the deceptive Pomegranate

 

 

Allamah Majlisi says, I heard from some reliable scholars that at the time of British rule in Bahrain, they appointed a Sunni Muslim as governor despite the fact that the majority of the population was Shiah.

There was also a particular Sunni minister who was enmical towards the Shiah. One day he brought a pomegranate to the governor. On the pomegranate,the names of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Imam Ali (as) were found,together with the inscription that these were the four rightful caliphs of the Muslims.

The minister claimed that this was a natural miracle and a sign from Allah that the Shiah belief was incorrect. He urged that now the Shiah should not be regarded as Muslims and be asked to become “true” Sunni or be killed or made to pay the taxes of non-Muslims.

The governor was delighted at this occurrence and summoned the Shiah scholars and put three alternatives to them.

The Shiah were perplexed when they saw the fruit and asked for three days to return with their reply. This time was granted to them and they went away wondering what to do. Finally they decided to seek help from Imam Mahdi (as).Three pious scholars were selected and each one was to go out of the city into the wilderness and pray for the assistance of the Imam (as). On the first two nights, the first two scholars spent the whole night in prayers and supplications, but with no success. On the third night, the third scholar, saw an impressive personality approach him at dawn.

The man asked him what the problem was. He replied that if he was truly his Imam then he would surely know the problem. The Imam (as) then replied that he was aware of the difficulty and not to worry. He told the scholar to go with the governor to the minister’s house the next day, and insist on going to the terrace. There he would find two moulds with the false inscription printed on them. These moulds had been fitted into the growing fruit so that, as it grew, the words were embedded on it’s skin. He further told him to ask the minister to break open the fruit and witness the power of Allah.

The next morning matters proceeded as the Imam (as) had ordered. When the minister was told to take everybody on to the terrace he went pale and began to make excuses.

At the governor’s insistence, he reluctantly led them to the place, where they found the articles as described by Imam Mahdi (as). Eventually the governor asked the minister to break open the fruit. When he did so, black dust flew from it and smeared his eyes and beard. The minister was executed for his treachery while the Shiah scholars left with honor and dignity. (Beharul Anwar volume 52 chapter 29)