‘Ali bin Hasan says that while he was at Sammurah he heard that a person was arrested and brought from Syria with the accusation that he had claims to prophet hood. ‘Ali went to the person and made some inquiries with him. The man said, “I was at the place in Syria where the severed head of Imam Husayn (as) was kept. While I was offering prayer, a person appeared and said,’ Get up and come with me!’ I went with the person.
After a while we reached the Mosque of Koofa. He asked me if I recognized the place. I replied in the affirmative. Both of us offered prayer there and were blessed with the sighting of the Prophet (S).Then we reached Mecca and performed Hajj. Immediately after the Hajj I found myself again in Syria and the person I had accompanied had vanished. The following year same person again met me and took me round, as he did earlier, and brought me back to Syria. I was surprised and under an oath of the Creator asked him as to who he was? He stood with his head bent for a while and then said, ‘I am Muhammad bin ‘Ali bin Musa (as)!’ This news spread like wildfire and Abdul Malik called and imprisoned me.”
I asked him to write down all the details and petition for his release. I provided a quill and ink to the man. He wrote down the details and sent the petition to Abdul Malik. Abdul Malik wrote back saying that one who could take him round to all the places in one night, can as well release him!
When I heard this outcome of his petition, I started crying but I also tried to commiserate with the person. The next day I went to the gaol? to inquire about the person. The gaolers? were confounded as to where the prisoner would have vanished despite the strict vigilance.