It has been related that a woman who was from the descendents of Imam Ali (A.S.) used to live with her family in Balkh which is situated in the south of Iran. The lady had a few daughters, and it so happened that at the death of her husband the lady decided to leave that city and go to Samarkand. This was in order to avoid disgrace as the family was not in a good state.

The lady reached Samarkand, and left her daughters in a mosque while she looked for something to end their hunger. As she walked in the city she saw many people surrounding a man. On questioning the people she was told that the man was like a chief or head or ruler to the people and was the lover of AhlulBait.

She thought that this was the right man to approach with her difficulties, but she was disappointed when the chief asked her to produce a witness that she was from the descendents of Imam Ali (A.S.). She stated that she couldn't do so as she was a stranger and nobody knew her in this strange city. The chief turned away from her.

Well, as she walked filled of worry and anxiety, she saw another crowd of people surrounding a man, and again on asking she was told that this man too was a chief to some people, but he was a Zoroastrian in faith. She decided to try her luck perchance he may pity her. The Zoroastrian welcomed her and instructed his family to serve the woman with an abode, clothes and food.

That night the Muslim chief saw in his dream that he was standing before a beautiful castle, and as he asked for the owner of the castle, he was told that it belonged to a good obedient Muslim. Then the Muslim chief asked the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w.) the permission to enter the castle, but the Prophet (s.a.w.w.) refused him and asked him for a proof or witness to prove that he was a Muslim. The chief was offended and claimed that how could he produce a witness when nobody knew him. The Prophet (s.a.w.w.) reminded him how he had refused to help a lady, and had asked her for a proof or witness to prove that she was a descendent of Imam Ali (A.S.).

The Prophet (s.a.w.w.) then said that the castle belonged to the man who was a Zoroastrian but had given refuge to the lady for humanitarian reasons. The Muslim chief woke up and went to the Zoroastrian and asked him to allow him to serve the lady. The Zoroastrian refused and said that he too had seen the same dream, and he had accepted Islam. (JAMIUL QASAS PAGE 107)