Rawandi etc. have narrated from Shia and Sunni tradition scholars that Safina, a freed slave of the Prophet, was sent on a certain expedition, and was shipwrecked. “My comrades and goods were all lost,” said Safina, but on a wooden plank I was borne by the waves to a mountain in the midst of the sea. On attempting to get ashore a receding wave swept me away and carried me out to sea.
Again I was hurried to the mountain, and again washed away. This was repeated several times, till at last I succeeded in reaching the shore, and rendered hearty thanks to God for deliverance. As I was wandering in amazement along the beach, suddenly a lion leaped from his covert to seize me, and I quite despaired of escape, but said, “O Lord, I am Your servant, and the freed slave of Your Prophet; having saved me from the sea, will You now leave me to be destroyed by a lion?”
It then fell into my heart to say, “O beast of prey, I am Safina, the slave of the Messenger of Allah; respect me for his sake.” “By Allah, I had no sooner said this than he ceased roaring, came to me like a cat, and rubbed himself first against my right leg, then against my left, and looking in my face, lay down, signing to me to mount him, which I did and was carried with the utmost swiftness to an island where trees, and fruit and good water abounded.
He now signified that I should dismount, and he stood by while I quenched my thirst, allayed my hunger, and gathered some leaves for a partial covering to my body. Of other leaves I made a basket, which I filled with fruit. I dipped a garment which I still retained in water, so that if thirsty in the expedition I was about to make, I might wring the garment for a drink of water.
When I had finished these preparation, the lion lay down and made a signal for me to mount, after which he carried me by another route to the seashore. Here I saw a vessel at sea, and swinging my garment the signal was observed, and the vessel came towards the shore. On approaching and seeing me mounted on a lion, they were amazed, repeated the creed, and demanded if I were a Jinn or a human being.
I replied that, “I was Safina, a slave of the Prophet, for whose sake the lion was so obedient to me.” At the name of the Prophet, they lowered their sail, cast anchor, and sent two men in a boat with clothes for me. I dismounted and dressed, the lion attentively observing my motions. One of the men said, “Let me carry you on board the boat; a lion might not be more favorable to anyone except the members of the community of the Prophet.”
Before going aboard I took leave of the lion, saying, “May Allah reward you for the Prophet’s sake.” Verily, at this, tears flowed from his eyes, and he constantly watched me till I had boarded the vessel and it was lost to sight. It is mentioned in another report that the Holy Prophet (S) had sent him with a letter for Maaz to Yemen. He saw a lion on the way sitting in the middle of the road and was terrified at the sight.
He said, “I am a messenger of the Prophet of Allah, and carrying a letter for Maaz.” The lion ran away swiftly and Safina moved on from there. The same thing was repeated on the return journey. When Safina narrated the story to the Prophet, he said, “The first time it had asked: How is the Messenger of Allah (S)? and on the return journey he said: Convey my greetings to the Messenger of Allah (S).”