A man named Zarafa, companion of Mutawakkil, the Abbaside
has narrated that there was an Indian conjurer in the employ of
Mutawakkil. He was an extraordinary magician having no peer.
Mutawakkil told him: “I will give you a thousand Dinars, if you can
shame Ali bin Muhammad Hadi.” He replied: “Order them to
prepare delicate and light loaves of bread. Spread out dinner cloths
and place the loaves of bread upon them.”
They did this and invited Imam (a.s.).
There was a leather couch with a picture of a lion.
The magician sat near that couch till they brought the food and
placed it on the dinner spread. They also placed the loaves of bread
before the Imam. When the Imam stretched out his hand to pick the
bread, the loaf moved away and flew out of his reach! The second
load also acted in the same manner when Imam (a.s.) tried to pick it
up. The people in the gathering and Mutawakkil began to guffaw.
At that moment Imam (a.s.) tapped that image of the lion and
said: “Seize this enemy of God.” Suddenly that image turned into a
real lion and leaped out of the picture and swallowed the conjurer in
one shot and then retracted to its position. All those present there
were shocked and terrified. Then Imam (a.s.) arose and went out
from there.
Mutawakkil said: “If you like, you can stay here for a while and
return that conjurer to us.” Imam (a.s.) said: “By God, you will never
see him again. Will you impose enemies of Allah over His saints?”
He said this and went out from there. Thus that man was never seen
again
Kharaij, in the chapter of miracles of the tenth Imam
Isbaatul Wilayah (Part One) – Ayatullah AliNamazi Shahroodi (r.a.)