Statements of prominent Shia personalities
Numerous senior Shia personalities have mentioned the story of the robbery
of the dress, but we won’t mention it here as it would prolong the discussion. We
shall be content only to mention statements not mentioned previously:
Shaykh Saduq in Uyun1 and Kamaluddin2 has narrated from Harwi that Dibil
bin Ali Khuzai came to Abil Hasan Ali bin Moosa ar-Reza (a.s.) in Merv and
said:
“O son of Allah’s Messenger, I have composed a panegyric in your honor
and I vowed that I will not recite it to anyone before you. The Imam said: Recite
it. And he recited as follows:
“Schools of verses empty of recitations
And the House of revelation horrendously empty.”
When I reached the verse:
“Their property has been distributed to others
Their hands are empty of their own wealth.”
Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) began to weep and said: “O Dibil you have said the truth.”
When Dibil reached to the verse:
“When they are being oppressed, they stretch to the enemies
Their hands which cannot hold the bow.”
Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) began to rub his hands and then said: By Allah my
hands are tied. When Dibil reached to the verse:
“Indeed I am fearful of the world and the changing times
Thus, I hope in peace and security after my death.”
Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) said: “O Dibil, May Allah keep you in His protection
till Judgment Day.”
When Dibil recited the last verse of the panegyric:
“There is a tomb of a purified personality in Baghdad
That Allah has placed in gardens of Paradise.”3
Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) said: “O Dibil, would it not be better if I add the following two verses at the end of your panegyric?”
Dibil said: “Indeed, son of Allah’s Messenger.” The Imam recited:
“And a tomb shall be made in Tus by whose tragedy
The inner portion of the body will be scorched.
And this will continue till resurrection when Allah sends a Qaim
Through him would He remove the calamities from us.”
Dibil asked: “O son of Allah’s Messenger, whose tomb would be made at
Tus?”
“Mine,” said the Imam, “I would soon move to Tus, where my tomb will
become a place of visitation for my Shias. So, one, who visits me in my isolation
in Tus, shall be with me on Judgment Day and he shall get salvation.”
After listening to the verses of Dibil, Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) arose. A servant
of the Imam came to Dibil with a hundred dinars minted in the Imam’s name and
said: The Imam has sent these for your traveling expenses. Dibil said: I don’t
need it and neither did I compose the panegyric for monetary gain. But I beseech
the Imam to give me a dress he has worn, so that it be a blessing and honor for
me.
The Imam sent a gown to Dibil and also gave him the dinars saying that he
would need them. Dibil took all the things and departed along with a caravan of
Merv. When the caravan camped at Qauhan, they were attacked by robbers, who
looted everything and took the travelers as hostages. Then they began to divide
the loot among themselves. One of the robbers hummed the following verse of
Dibil:
“Their property has been distributed to others
Their hands are empty of their own wealth.”
Dibil asked him: “Whose verse is it?”
He replied: “A person of Khuzai tribe, called Dibil bin Ali.”
Dibil said: “I am the same Dibil, who composed these verses.”
That robber took Dibil to his leader, who was praying on top of a mound and
he was a Shia. He himself came down to meet Dibil and asked: “Are you Dibil?”
“Yes,” Dibil said. He said: “Recite that panegyric.” He recited it.
The robbers released all hostages and returned with respect everything they
had looted. When Dibil reached Qom, it was announced that he would recite the
panegyric composed by him in the mosque.
A time was fixed and people gathered in the Jame mosque. Dibil mounted
the pulpit and presented the panegyric. People gifted him in cash and kind. When
they came to know that Dibil had a gown of Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) they offered a
thousand dinars for the same, but he refused. They said: “Give us a piece from
this gown for a thousand dinars.” But Dibil refused and he departed from Qom.
He has hardly left the Qom area when a desert tribe attacked and looted the
Imam’s gown also. Dibil demanded them to return it, but they refused. They
asked for a ransom of 8000 dinars, but Dibil refused. At last when Dibil became
helpless he told them to give only a piece from this gown. So they gave him a
piece of gown and also gave him 8000 dinars.
Dibil returned to his hometown, but on the way dacoits surrounded him and
looted everything he had. He was left with only a hundred dinars that the Imam
had given. Dibil converted these into 10000 dirhams. At that time he remembered
the Imam’s statement that he would need that money.
Dibil was accompanied by a maidservant, who was seriously ill. The doctors
said that her right eye was lost, but it was possible to cure the left eye. Dibil was
shocked and wept much. Then he remembered that he was having a piece of that
gown. In the early evening, Dibil rubbed that piece against the maid’s eyes and
by the following morning both her eyes were cured and by the blessings of Abul
Hasan (a.s.) even the signs of disease did not remain.”4
According to Mishkatul Anwar5 and Mawajjajul Ahzan:6
It is narrated that when Dibil recited the Qasida to Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) and
mentioned Hazrat Hujjat (a.t.f.s.), saying:
“Uprising of an Imam, which would definitely occur; he would stage an uprising with the name of God and His blessings.”
Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) placed his hand on his head as a mark of respect while
he stood and prayed for reappearance.