Manifestation of the Friend

Subtle Spirit

part 16

He went to the clinic unaccompanied

At the same time that he was a father figure for the entire theological school and his students, but he would act like a friend with individuals and would not show any negative reaction to a word of good. He would listen to everybody and if it was good, he would implement it whereas if it was not good, he would pay no attention. One day a dentist came to the residence of the Imam to check his teeth. The late martyr Muhammad Muntaziri protested to the Imam that why he did not go to the clinic.

I am not ready to listen

No affair would transform the Imam more than negligence of divine commandments especially if a person intended to indulge in gossip in his presence or wanted to insult the leaders of religion. One day I was present when a person made a remark to a theologian and source of emulation about a topic that appeared to be insulting. The Imam reprimanded him firmly and became angry at him although that person was a staunch  supporter  of  the  Imam.  The  Imam  never  compromised  with individuals when it concerned the divine commandments. Those closest to him never dared to hear a repot that smacked of gossip or slandering because the Imam would state: “I am not ready to listen to these words.”‌

I am not acquiescent that you gossip about a person in my house

When the residence of the Imam was besieged by the Ba‘athist forces, some people who were among the sources of emulation and thus were expected to enquire about the well-being of the Imam or at least call him up, did not even care to do so. Thus it was quite likely that some of the friends and companions of the Imam who were deeply disturbed would occasionally express their displeasure about them. The Imam stated to them: “Perhaps some of the friends will become a bit angry or a bit disappointed. But I am not acquiescent that you gossip about any person within the four walls of my house.”‌

Why are you slandering me in my house?

One day at noon when we were reciting obligatory prayers in his house, someone entered and began to distribute photographs of the Imam among the worshippers. When the Imam noticed this, he was extremely disturbed and with a firmness that was combined with displeasure and anger, protested saying “why are you slandering me in my own house. I will not permit such issues to be conducted here and that you do publicity for me.”‌

Forbidding distribution of photographs for propagation

The late Sheikh Nasrullah Khalkhali sent one of the photographs of the Imam from Najaf to Lebanon that was printed in two small and large sizes. After the Imam came out from the shrine of Imam Ali (A.S) and reached home,  he  went  to  the  inner  room.  Mr.  Khalkhali  took  brought  the photographs to the outer room. In the night, the Imam called out from the upper storey of the house that was connected to the inner room that: “Bring the photographs!”‌ I said okay. Because the photos looked interesting, I got the urge to keep p. one for myself. As soon as I had got this feeling the Imam called: “Keep one of them.”‌ After that as much as friends pleaded and urged me to take them from the Imam, he refused to give them stating: “I myself forbid the people from being worldly and this is worldliness.”‌

Forbiddance of gossip and insult to theologians

The clergy and seminary students had devoted part of the day and night to holding discussions in the outer room of the Imam’s residence. At times in these discussions some of the clergymen would be criticized. They were disturbed as to why the Imam not only was not taking any action for the sources of emulation; rather he was also withdrawing himself. One day the late Haj Aqa Mustafa read out a message in which the Imam had stated: “I have heard that some people here are gossiping and making insulting remarks to theologians. I am not acquiescent that a person should gossip and make insulting remarks to individuals in this house.”‌

It is inconsiderate… why are you causing people to lose their job?

Once in the shrine of Imam Hussein (A.S) the Imam was busy reciting the pilgrimage supplication when one of the attendants of the shrine removed the rug from under his feet. The Imam took his the prayer rug and the Shi‘ite book of supplication and sat down on the hard floor. Sometimes when the Imam wanted to enter the shrine they would deliberately sweep the floor and throw the dust in his direction. We too would not be able to breathe because the Imam would ask us to have nothing to do with them and let them to do their job. The reason for the behavior of the shrine attendants until the time when the attendant removed the carpet from under the feet of the Imam was that as soon as the theologians would come to the shrine, they would gather round them and would demand unnecessary sums from them whereas the Imam was not one to give such cash to them. So I told that attendant that: “I swear to God, I’ll make you suffer.”‌ The Imam overheard me and stated: “It is inconsiderate; what have you got to do with him? Let people do their job; well they must take away the carpet of the shrine.”‌ I said nothing doing and filed a complaint through the local government in which I mentioned that Sheikh  Muhammad  had  committed  such  an  insulting  act.  He  was immediately arrested. His wife and children rushed to the Imam’s residence and begged for mercy saying that he had failed to recognize that he was the Imam and now he would be thrown out of his job as he was their bread-winner. When the Imam came out of the house on his way to the shrine, ‘Hussein’ the domestic servant of the Imam introduced the woman as being the wife of that shrine attendant. She too fell at the feet of the Imam and pleaded on behalf of her husband. The Imam said: “Leave her alone; why you are causing people to lose their job!”‌

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Manifestation of the Friend: Subtle Spirit (part 14)

Manifestation of the Friend: Subtle Spirit (part 15)