Thousand of miracles have been reported over the last fourteen hundred years surrounding the Commander of the Faithful, Conqueror of Khyber, and the spouse of the Chief of the Women of the World and Lady of Paradise, Fatima Zahra (s.a.), the Vicegerent of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.), Infallible Imam Ali (a.s.).

Some of the miracles as reported in the Holy Shrine itself are reproduced as under:

1.       A century of service at the Sacred Shrine of Mawla Mushkilkusha Imam Ali (a.s.): It happened in the year 501 A.H. The conditions in Iraq were deplorable as poverty was widespread. Everyone was leaving the town in search of sustenance. Abul Baqaa Aawiqah, one hundred and ten years old, was the caretaker of the sacred shrine of Amir-al-Momineen (a.s.), he was not willing to leave but his family forced him to leave and he responded. He came for the last time and bid farewell to the Imam (a.s.). While travelling, they made a stop for rest and Abul Baqaa slept for a while. Imam Ali (a.s.) visited him in dream and said: “O Abul Baqaa, are you leaving me after serving for a long duration of service?” Abul Baqaa got up crying. When people inquired for the reason, he explained the dream to them and returned to Najaf al-Ashraf.

Abul Baqaa narrates that: “Three days after this episode, a man entered the Shrine carrying a heavy load on his back. The man then gave him some money and requested him to buy some food for him. Abul Baqaa went home along with the stranger. They shared the food he had purchased. Afterwards, the man asked Abul Baqaa to bring some scales to weigh gold. Abul Baqaa brought the scale along with some weights, big and small, including one used for weighing grains, from a goldsmith named Zaid bin Waqisah. The visitor bunched all weights into one end of the scale and piled the other end with the gold from his bag. After weighing the gold, he gave it to the care taker of the shrine. The caretaker inquired: “O Master! What do I do with this gold?” He replied: “This is for you to keep. It has been given by the person who has called you back into service. I was commanded to give according to the measures of weights you have brought. If you have brought more weights, I would have given more.”

2.       A blind man from Tikrit regains his eyesight: Narrated by Shaikh Husyin ibn Abdul Karim, “A blind man entered the Mausoleum of the Commander of the Faithful. He was so old that his eye-balls had loosened in his sockets. After frequent supplications and entreaties, he stood before the mausoleum and spoke in a not-too-polite manner with Imam Ali (a.s.). Many a times I thought of reprimanding him for such a manner of speech but did not do so. This continued for some time. One day I heard a lot of commotion outside the shrine. I came out to investigate and was told that the eyesight of a blind man has been restored. I thought to myself: I wish it is the same blind old man. I moved to the courtyard of the shrine and found that indeed it was the same man.”

3.       A disguised Christian: Ali ibn Yahya ibn Husayn Tahhal Miqdadi has narrated from his father who has recounted from his father: A handsome man in beautiful attire came to me and said after presenting two Dinars, take them and allow me inside the shrine, locking it up that I may occupy myself in prayer without interruption. I took the money, accepted the request and went off to bed after locking him up. I saw Amir-al-Momineen in my dream.Imam Ali (a.s.) ordered me: “Get up and remove him from my mausoleum. He is a Christian”

Ali ibn Tahhal woke up. He tied the neck of the man in a rope and reprimanded: “Get up and go. You are a Christian. Trying to cheat with two Dinars, are you? He refuted: I am not a Christian.

I said: No, you are A Christian. For Amir-al –Momineen has come to me in a dream and has instructed that you are a Christian and to be removed from here.

He replied: Give me your hand. I bear witness Allah is One, there is no God except Allah, Muhammad (s.a.w.a.s.) is His Messenger, and Amir-al-Momineen (a.s.) is the caliph of Allah. By the Al-Mighty, nobody knew me when I left Syria and nobody is familiar with me in Iraq.” He spent the rest of his life as a model Muslim!

References:

Irshad-al-Qulub (v 2 page 343and 437), Bihar-ul-Anwar (v 42 page 314and 317), Furhat-ul-Quraa (page 144)

Farhatun Nawaa (page 146)