‘O Sa’eed, stay as you are until we bring you a candle!’

one day al-Mutawakkil was afflicted with abscesses and he was about to die from that. Al-Fat~h bin Khaqan counseled him to send a messenger to Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) to tell him about his case that he might have some remedy. Al-Mutawakkil sent a messenger to Imam al-Hadi (a.s.), who prescribed a remedy for him. After using the remedy al-Mutawakkil was restored to health. When his mother was informed that he recovered, she sent Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) a pouch of ten thousand dinars and she sealed it with her seal. Muhammad bin al-Qassim al-Bat~hawi went to al-Mutawakkil and told him that money and arms were carried to the imam. Al-Mutawakkil was terrified and ordered Sa’eed the custodian to break into the house of Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) in the night and fetch all weapons and monies he might find there. Sa’eed went to the house of Imam al-Hadi (a.s.). He put a ladder and went up to the roof. It got too dark and Sa’eed did not know how to get to the yard of the house. While he was confused, he heard Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) saying to him, ‘O Sa’eed, stay as you are until we bring you a candle!’ He was given a candle and then he came down to the yard. He found Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) wearing a wool-garment and a wool cap, and saw a prayer-carpet on a mat. He searched the house but found nothing except that pouch and ten thousand dinars. He lifted the prayer-carpet of the imam and found a sword. He took all that to al-Mutawakkil. When al-Mutawakkil saw the seal of his mother on the pouch, he sent for her and asked her about matter. She said to him that she had vowed to give a gift to Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) when al-Mutawakkil would recover from his illness, and said that when al-Mutawakkil recovered, she carried out her vow. Al-Mutawakkil felt shy and added another pouch of money to that pouch of his mother and ordered Sa’eed to take them to the imam. He took them to the imam and apologized to him. Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) replied to him by reciting this Qur’anic verse, (Those who do wrong will come to know by what a (great) reverse they will be overturned). Reference : The Life of Imam ALI bin Muhammad AL-HADI