على أن الشيعة تروي أنه جرى بينه وبين علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام كلام في استحقاق الإمامة فتحاكما إلى الحجر فشهد الحجر لعلي بن الحسين عليهما السلام بالامامة، فكان ذلك معجزا له فسلم له الأمر وقال بإمامته.
Besides, the Shia narrate that a conversation took place between him and Ali Ibne Husain  with respect to him being worthy of Imamate and they both invoked a rock to issue a verdict and the rock testified to the Imamate of Ali Ibne Husain . This humbled Muhammad Ibne Hanafiyyah and he submitted to the position to his nephew and professed belief in his Imamate.