An Account Of The Intellectual Qualities Of Imam Ali Naqi (a.s)

One day poison was administered to Mutawakkil. He made a vow that if he survived he would give a lot of money in charity. When he recovered there was a difference among the scholars regarding what constituted “a lot of money.” At last, Mutawakkil sent his slave to Imam Ali Naqi (a.s). He said, “Eighty Dirhams be given in Charity.” When Mutawakkil requested for an explanation, the Imam said, “The Almighty Allah said: Allah certainly helped you on a lot of occasions. Since the military expeditions of the Prophet were eighty in number, it shows that ‘a lot’ denotes ‘eighty’. The reply of the Imam pleased Mutawakkil very much. Reference :Akhlaq al-A’imma, Morals & Manners of the Holy Imams