While discussing the biography (tercüme-i hāl) of Safīna, the freedman of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), it was mentioned that he boarded a ship, and when the ship broke apart due to the waves, he clung to one of the wooden planks and thus reached an island in the sea. There, Safīna encountered a lion and said to it:
– O Abū Ḥāris! I am Safīna, the freedman of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him)!
Safīna says: When I said this, it lightly struck my shoulder with its paw and, nudging me along, led me to the road. Then it growled. From its growl, I understood that it was bidding me farewell.
ʿAbd al-Razzāq narrates that Muḥammad b. al-Munkadir said:
"Safīna, the freedman of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), had lost the army in the land of the Byzantines or had been taken captive there. He escaped and set out on the roads to search for the army. On the way, he encountered a lion and said to it:
– O Abū Ḥāris (O Lion), I am the freedman of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). Such and such things have happened to me.
Upon Safīna saying this, the lion wagged its tail and stood by his side. Whenever it heard his voice, it drew closer to him. Then it began to walk beside him and eventually led him to the army. After that, it turned back."