Ali bin Yaqtin, minister of Harun Rashid, narrates that the
caliph summoned a magician, who performed spells, so that His
Eminence, Musa bin Ja’far (a.s.) may be disgraced; that his respect
decreases and in this way, he is insulted in the view of people. So he
invoked a spell and placed a loaf of bread on the dinner spread of
His Eminence. When His Eminence tried to pick the loaf, it moved
and flew away, upon which Harun and others laughed much.
His Eminence was infuriated and he raised his head. The
command of the owner of the Wilayat was issued to the print of lion
on the curtain and he said: “O lion seize this enemy of Allah.” The
picture turned into a huge beast and it seized that sorcerer, tore him
into bits and devoured him.
Harun and his friends swooned in terror. When they regained
consciousness, Harun beseeched: “I ask you by my right upon you to
make the picture of the lion return that magician.”
His Eminence said:
“If the staff of Musa (a.s.) had returned what it
swallowed from the productions of the sorcerers, this picture would also return that fellow.”
Behaarul Anwaar (Vol. 48, p. 41)
Isbaatul Wilayah (Part One) – Ayatullah AliNamazi Shahroodi (r.a.)