 You find that within the life of Imam al-Hadi, salawatullahi wa salamuhu alayh, there were a number of places, a number of times in his life where he performed a number of miracles, phenomenal events and phenomenal activities through which his superiority was established over the rest of the creation. In fact, there were a number of miracles that he performed in order to prove to the people that he was the divinely selected and the divinely appointed Khalifa of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And there are very many fascinating occurrences that happened during the life of Imam al-Hadi that exhibit his superiority. However, for tonight we shall mention three of these. Number one, the Imam is divinely protected by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and the Imam is blessed with the power of wilaya taqweeniyah. The Imam has willaya or the Imam has authority over the entire creation. The historians narrate by way of example that at one time one of the governors of Mutawakkil had suggested that because of the threat Imam al-Hadi poses to the government of the time, they should just execute him. But they should not execute him in any normal way. They should give him the most painful of deaths such that if he was killed in this way, none of his followers would ever dare to openly say that they are affiliated with him. If anybody thought of affiliating themselves with Imam Ali ibn Muhammad al-Hadi, they would think twice. How? They decided to throw Imam al-Hadi into a den that was filled with lions. As you know from one of the passions and one of the past times of Mutawakkil, was that he would gather all these wild animals and he would cage them for his own entertainment, for his own pleasure. And there was a den in Samara which contained lions. The historians mentioned that the army of Mutawakkil came, they arrested Imam al-Hadi and they threw him down into the den hoping that he would be eaten alive and his body would be mutilated, he would be eaten up by the lions. The historians mentioned that as Imam al-Hadi was thrown into the den and what we understand from the narration is that he was thrown from a certain height. As he fell down to the ground Imam al-Hadi stood up, he shaked the dust or he wiped off the dust from his clothes, he dusted off his clothes. He stood in the middle of the den. The lions came running towards Imam al-Hadi, they stopped at him. The Imam was seen to be uttering some sort of vicar through his blessed lips. The historians mentioned that the lions stood by Imam al-Hadi, they went down on their four legs and they bowed their heads as if in prostration in terms of humility towards Imam al-Hadi. Hours later the governor comes together with a number of the army and they observe what has happened. They are expecting that Imam al-Hadi may already by now be devoured by these lions. When they come and they observe from the top of the den, they find that Imam al-Hadi is standing in a state of Salat with all khushu in full concentration in Salat, praying to Allah SWT while the lions are seated obediently around him. They find that actions like these, no other Imam from no other sect is able to claim that they can perform acts like these or perform miracles such as these or have any sort of willaya, authority over the creation apart from the Imams of Ahlul Bayt. The governor goes and reports this incident to Mutawakil. Mutawakil says leave Ali ibn Muhammad, i.e. Imam al-Hadi, leave him in the den for three days. Perhaps the lions out of hunger, if the lions are not fed for three days, the lion in itself being an animal with its beastly instinct to kill and hunt out of hunger for survival, perhaps they will devour Imam al-Hadi. Three days later, they come and they see that Imam al-Hadi is in the same state. Three days without any food, without any water in a state of Salat with these lions on his side. This was one incident of how, this is one incident that shows us from the life of Imam al-Hadi, how Allah SWT has bestowed him with willaya taqwiniya. Another incident that happened that also involves lions, surprisingly is during the time of Imam al-Hadi, there happened to be a lady who claimed to be Zaynab al-Qubra, say the Zaynab al-Qubra, the daughter of Amir al-Mu'mineen, alaihi salam, so she came forward to the crowd, to the people of the time in the city of Samara, and she cried out, oh people, I am Zaynab, the daughter of Imam Ali. The people were the leaders of the Talibiyyin within the family of Abu Talib who were present in Samara. They came up to her and they said, how can you be say the Zaynab al-Qubra and that she already died and these many years ago, hundreds of years ago, she said, no, I have been brought back to life by Allah SWT and I am Zaynab, the daughter of Ali. So the people were now astounded and that how can we prove, how can she prove that she is Zaynab? How can we actually be sure? So they were in confusion on how to ascertain the accuracy of this claim, and the fact that she claims that she's been reborn and that every few years Allah SWT renews her youth. They were confused on what to do and how to get to the bottom of this matter. So the historians mentioned they came to Imam Al-Hadi. They said, you are from the grandchildren of Ali ibn Abi Talib and there is this lady who claims to be Zaynab al-Qubra. How can we validate this claim? Is this true? Imam Al-Hadi says, of course it's not true. He says, how can we prove it? They call Imam Al-Hadi to the court of Mutawakil, the court of Bani Abbas. This lady is brought in front of Imam Al-Hadi and she claims to be that she is Zaynab the daughter. Say the Zaynab, the daughter of Amirul-Mu'minim. Imam Al-Hadi then makes a declaration and you got to understand that the entire public, the people of Samara, the residents of Samara had gathered within the court. This is a huge claim. The person claiming to be Zaynab, the daughter of Imam Ali is alive between them, brought back to life, miraculous claim. What goals, what reasons, what agendas they might be behind that? Allahu Alam. Imam Al-Hadi is there to disprove the claim. Imam Al-Hadi is the only one who can disprove the claim. So Imam Al-Hadi comes, she's brought in front of him. She makes her claim again. Imam Al-Hadi says, we have a tradition from our grandfather, the Holy Prophet. Whereby he says, the flesh of the sada, the flesh of the children of Ali Amna Abitollib, and say the Fatimah of Zahra, is haram upon the animals. If you truly claim to be from the children of Amirul-Muminian, no animal can devour you. There is a divinity and a sanctity. In regards to their body, you can't be devoured by wild animals. So if you are true to your claim, let us put you into the den filled with lions. If they do not devour you, we know that your claim is true. And if they devour you, we know that you are a liar. Motawakil was absolutely pleased with this, and he said, this is a good idea. I think we should do it. The historians mentioned that as they were taking the lady to the den of the lions, she began to cry, and she confessed that she was lying. Motawakil saw an opportunity. Motawakil says to Imam Al-Hadi, well, if what you, your claim that the true children from the lineage of Imam Ali, Amirul-Muminian, said the Fatimah of Zahra will never be devoured by wild animals, see if you yourself fit this bracket or not. So they decided to throw Imam Al-Hadi into the cage of lions or into the den of lions. The narration mentions just like the first time Imam Al-Hadi was thrown into the den and the lions approached him. They stood by his side and they went down on their four limbs as if in a state of prostration. And this is happening in the presence of the entire population of Samarra. And through this, Motawakil's plan failed. He wanted to humiliate and perhaps he thought this would be the best way to get rid of Imam Al-Hadi. But you find that actually the opposite happened. And this incident in itself became a reason for hundreds of people, if not converting to what Stashayu for their love and their respect for Imam Al-Hadi to raise inside of their hearts. Another incident from the Mojizaat that took place during the time of Imam Al-Hadi is the incident of Yunus on Nakash, which shows that from amongst the characters of a divinely selected Imam is that apart from the fact that they have Wilayatakwinia, that they are endowed. They are bestowed with Ilmul Ghayb from Allah SWT. They have knowledge of the unseen. They have the knowledge of the past and they have the knowledge of the future even before it occurs. And one such example, a display of this character by Imam Al-Hadi was during the time of Yunus on Nakash. The historians mentioned that there was a governor of Bani Abbas by the time of Musa Ibn Bagha and Musa Ibn Bagha had a particular gem, a rare stone you could say or a gem where he went to one of the companions of Imam Al-Hadi who was known to work in this industry of rings. He went to him and he said to him that I have got this ring. I need an engravement to be done on this and I need this ring back by XYZ there. The companion said, fine. As he was making the engravement on the ring, the gem or the stone broke into two pieces. You are a subcontracted by the governor of Bani Abbas, the likes of Musa Ibn Bagha who are known for bloodshed, who are known for their atrocities, for you to have damaged one of his belongings. The longings, that even something such as a pure gem, this was definitely leading towards execution. This companion comes running to Imam Al-Hadi and he says to him, yabda Rasool Allah, this is the incident that happened. Musa Ibn Bagha had given me a job to engrave the ring and instead the ring, I have broken it and I'm sure that when I'm someone he's going to execute me. Imam Al-Hadi smiles and he says to him, don't worry. How do you mean don't worry? He's definitely going to kill me. This person was summoned to the court of Musa Ibn Bagha a couple of days later. He comes to Imam Al-Hadi and he says, ya Imam, I'm coming to you to give you my final wasiyah, my final testimony, my final will. Please take care of my family after me. Musa Ibn Bagha is summoned me to the court. I know it has to do with the ring and because I've broken it, I'm definitely going to be executed. Imam Al-Hadi smiles at him with all coolness, with all calmness and he says to him, do not worry. Allah SWT will take care of you. For a moment if you and I put our, we put ourselves in the situation of this companion. How much iman and how much yakin does it take for you to submit to the words of their Imam? This is a level of conviction that you are supposed to have within our Imam that even if the odds are against us, if the Imam tells you that something is going to be okay, it's going to be okay. Musa Ibn Bagha goes to sleep that night. Allah knows how he slept that night. But he had iman and he had full belief in the words of the Imam. He had this trait within him, taslim. Total submission to the Imam. Whatever the Imam says goes. Imam had promised him and comforted him that Musa Ibn Bagha will not touch him and whatever happens it will be care, will be goodness. Companion goes to the court the following day and he's trembling and shivering. Musa Ibn Bagha comes to him and he says, listen, you know that ring that I gave you some days back for engravement? Companion says yes. He says I have a problem. Companion says what problem? I was astounded. He says what problem? He says that between both my wives, both my wives like this gem so much, each one of them wants this gem. But because it's so rare, it's difficult for me to find another gem like this. So I have someone on you to the court to ask you if you would be able to carve this gem or break this gem into two parts, into two equal parts. That way I can gift each and every one of them one of these gems. And from here the companion was filled with relief. And he said to Musa Ibn Bagha, yes it can be done. When he was let out of the court, he went straight away to Imam Al-Hadi and he thanked him for comforting him and for assuring him. How did the Imam know that this is going to be care? Ilmul Ghayb granted to him by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. When we listen to incidences like these, we understand that the Imam has Ilmul Ghayb. Number one, these is definitely not sure. This is an Ilm given to them by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. And it is incidences like these that show us the superiority of the Imams of Ahlul-Bayt in that they are selected by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.