Narjis was the mother of Muhammad al-Mahdi the twelfth and last Imam of Shi'a Islam and the grand-daughter of Bardas (The Byzantine regent).
There are two traditions regarding her ancestry, one saying that she is African while the other saying she is Greek .
She is reportedly the descendant of the disciple Simon Peter, the vicegerent of Jesus. Narjis was a Roman princess and it was via a miracle in by which she became married to Hasan al-Askari (the eleventh Shi’ah Imam), and to subsequently become the mother of the last Imam.
She was born in the Byzantine Empire and as she narrated she turned to Islam because of a special dream. Then she was taken captive in a battle between Muslims and Byzantium and became a slave. Then Ali al-Hadi (the tenth Shi’ah Imam) bought her and married her to his son Hasan al-Askari.
One of the servants of Ali al-Hadi, Busher Ansari, narrated in this connection that, one day Imam Ali al-Hadi called me and said to me, "I want to allocate a job to you, the performing of which will have a great worth for you". He gave me a letter along with a sack containing two hundred and twenty golden dinars and said, "Take these and go to Baghdad and wait on the passage and course of river Euphrates as, a ship arrives tomorrow". There are plenty number of maids on it, which have been brought for sale. Most of the buyers and purchasers are from the Bani Abbas and a few other youths. There is a girl on that ship so when they ask her to show herself to the customers she does not do it. One of the youth comes forward and says to his master "I buy her for two hundred golden dinars". But that lady does not agree. Then his master says, "There is no alternative except your being sold, so you must submit." But she replies, "Wait, my purchaser will come". Then you go ahead give her the letter and say, "If this lady be inclined to the one who sent this letter, I purchase her." She becomes glad after reading the letter thus you purchase her from her master and bring her."
Busher says, I did what Imam Ali al-Hadi had ordered and purchased her from her master. On the way she narrated to me an amazing and astonishing story and said, "I am the daughter of the king of Rome". My grandfather was a close one to Christ. My father wanted to get me married to his nephew. One day, he organized a grand congregation in the palace and made his nephew sit with me upon the throne. All the Christian dignitaries and chieftain gathered to get me married to him.
All of a sudden the palace shook, which scattered every thing and my cousin, fell down from the throne. They again organized an assembly but again the same thing recurred. The Christian dignitaries and nobles took it for a bad omen and all of them left the palace.
On the same night, I slept sad and uncomfortable. I saw in the dream that lightened men came to the palace. Some were saying one of them was Christ and the other one was the Holy Islamic Prophet Muhammad. The Islamic Prophet Muhammad facing the Christ said, "I ask you the hand of this granddaughter of yours for my (grand) son in marriage".
Christ was overjoyed and happy and accepted it (the proposal).
I got up from the bed and did not tell anyone about this matter. Till such time that one-day, I fell ill and my father summoned the entire physician and made them present near my bed. But none of them could treat me. I requested my father to free those Muslims who were in prison. He agreed to my demand and freed them and I was cured.
On the same night, I again saw lightened women. They were saying that she is Mary (mother of Jesus) and Fatimah Zahra (the daughter of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad). Fatimah Zahra came ahead and said to me, "If you are inclined to be the wife of my son you should become a Muslim."
I embraced and accepted Islam at her hands in the dream. Then she took me along with her to her son Hassan al-Askari.
His love captured my heart very strongly and thoroughly so I became restless both days and nights till one night, I saw Hassan al-Askari in my dream. I asked him, "How can I become your wife?" He said, "very soon your father will send an army to fight the Muslims and you will be at the rear of that army. The Muslims will win the battle and you will be held prisoner and brought in to Baghdad for sale. The ship stops in the course of Euphrates and they bring you out for sale".
The customers come to purchase you. But wait, the one who will come to buy you will come along with a letter from my father. He will buy you and bring you along with him.
I awoke from the dream and was happy and after a certain time, the same thing happened what Imam had said. Oh Busher! Till this moment no one is aware of this secret, and recognize me. Beware, do not reproduce this affair, which I narrated to you to anybody, and keep it to yourself.
Busher says, as she described her story to me I trembled all over and from then onwards I respected her more and accompanied her like a servant. Then I brought her to my Lord Imam Ali al-Hadi. He asked her, "How is it that you embraced (adopted) Islam?" She replied, "You are asking me something, about which you know better than me."
Then he said, "Good tidings to you regarding a son who will fill the world with justice and legality, the son who is being awaited by all."
Then he, turning his face towards his sister Hakima said, "Oh Sister! This is the same lady you were waiting for. Take her along with you and teach her the commands of Islam." Hakima hugged her and graciously and honorable took her along."
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