Our Master—exalted be His power—uprooted it with his hand. This gate of the fortress used to be closed by forty men and opened by forty men. Our Master pulled it with his hand; the two towers shook, the lintel trembled, and dust rose until it clouded the army and covered the gate. He pulled the gate toward him—it was of black stone—and the gate had a lower and upper pivot, a lower and upper threshold, and two side-posts. He wrenched it from the outside and threw it, casting it into the trench. He descended to it and made it a bridge over the trench. The Muslims crossed upon it and entered the fortress. Sa'd ibn Ubada said: "This is a power that is not among the powers of mortals."¹ God has described Himself by power, saying: {Indeed, God is the Provider, the Possessor of Power, the Firm.}² And the words of the Almighty: {That was because their messengers used to come to them with clear proofs, but they disbelieved; so God seized them. Indeed, He is Powerful and severe in punishment.}³ There is no power greater than this for the people of insight.

(253) It is related that when our Master—exalted be his glory—marched from al-Mada'in after his address to the skulls, the horses suddenly returned in retreat. He asked them: "What is the news?" They said: "A lion." Our Master—exalted be his glory—said: "Make way for me." They made way, and he rode until he stood before it. The lion crouched on its haunches before him. He said to it: "Speak." It said: "I have come to offer peace to Amir Almuminin." He said: "Your peace has reached; now move from our path." The lion turned back and the horses marched on.