The righteous and pious scholar, Sayyed Muhammad Amili narrated that once I went for the Ziyarat of the holy Mashhad of Imam Ali Reza (as) and I stayed there for a long time. Since I was in extremely poor financial conditions, whenever I decided to go with a caravan, I did not have the provisions for the journey and I was compelled to stay behind. Once, when some pilgrims set out, after they left, I decided not to leave this caravan in any way.
Winter was approaching and I had no clothes and I would perish in that climate. If I was unable to get a caravan and if I died of hunger or thirst it would be better. So I set out from the holy sanctuary in the afternoon. I came out of the town and took the road on which those pilgrims had departed; but I did not meet anyone till sunset. So much so that night fell and I had nothing to eat. I was terribly hungry and in that forest nothing was seen, except trees of bitter colocynth. In restlessness of hunger I picked quite a few of them that perhaps I will be able to consume them, but I did not succeed. After walking sometime I saw a mound and I climbed it. There I saw a spring, which amazed me a great deal and I thanked the Almighty Allah and drank from it thinking that as I was facing a certain death, I should perform ablution and pray so that I may not die leaving prayers unperformed.
So I made the ablution and prayed the Maghrib and Isha prayer. After that the forest filled up with the sounds of wild animals. At that time I had completely lost hope of survival. It was a dark night and the wilderness was terrifying and I was involved in the difficulties of the journey. In that condition I was only reminded of God and the believers in God. I fell down on the earth and felt a rider approach. I thought that death was near.
However, when the rider came near, he greeted me and I responded. Then he asked what the matter was. I gestured to my weakness and he said: You are having three musk melons, why don’t you eat them? Look behind. I glanced at my back and saw a tree of musk melons bearing three fruits. He said: You are hungry. Eat one of them now and take two with you and depart from this straight path. Then eat half a fruit in the morning and half in the afternoon. But keep the third one safe as you will be in need of it. You will reach a black tent by nightfall and the owners of that tent will convey you to the caravan. Saying this that person disappeared.
I arose and plucked those musk melons. Ate one of them immediately which was so sweet and tasty that I had never eaten anything so delicious before. I took two musk melons with me and set out on the road suggested by that gentleman till the sun arose. I cut this second musk melon and ate half of it. When it was afternoon I ate the other half. My journey continued. Night began to fall and it was the time of sunset, when I decried that tent. Some people emerged from the tent and they came running to me and held me tight and took me as if I was a spy. When they brought me before their leader, he asked me in a threatening manner: Where do you come from? Tell the truth or I will kill you.
I explained my circumstances and offered various justifications, but it was of no use. He said: The route from where you claim to come is such way that no one can take it without being dead or being killed by wild animals. Secondly the distance from here to Mashhad Muqaddas is a journey of three days. Now, tell me the truth or I will eliminate you. He pulled out the sword, but he noticed the musk melon with me. I narrated the whole story to him hearing which all them unitedly said: Firstly, there is no musk melon tree in this wilderness; secondly how is its presence possible when we have not seen the like of it. Then they thought for sometime and discussed among themselves from which I understood that they now believed in my truthfulness and they understood that it was a miracle of Imam (as). Then they changed their attitude. All of them kissed my hands and accorded great honor to me. They took away my garments as blessings and provided me with new clothing. They kept me as a guest for two days and on the third day gave me ten Tumans and sent three persons with me till I joined that caravan.
This incident is reported in Najmus Saqib under the Chapter of Those who met Imam Mahdi (as) in Ghaybat Kubra.
