Among the scholars of our own times, I have seen a person who enjoyed great eminence throughout the Shi’ah world and followed the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (S).
The respected teacher and the revered faqih Hajj Shaykh ‘Abd al-Karim Ha’iri Yazdi enjoyed the sole marji’iyyah (Shiite jurisprudential authority) of the Shiite world from 1340/1921 to 1355/1936. We have all seen his simplicity. He used to travel and dine with his servants.
He used to sit on the floor and make all kind of strange jokes with the most junior of students.
During his last days, when he had taken ill, with slippers on, he used to walk in the alley after the sunset, without a cloak and turban and with a piece of cloth wrapped around his head.
Regard and respect for him grew in the hearts of the people, and these acts of him did not affect his high station either.
There were other great scholars in Qum besides him, for whom these barriers that are created for you by the Devil did not exist.
They used to buy their foodstuffs and goods by themselves, used to fetch water from the water tanks and attend to the duties of housework also.
They meted out equal treatment to the senior and the junior and did not differentiate between the first rankers and others of a subordinate rank.
Their humanity and modesty made people wonder and their respect was also not lowered; rather it was enhanced in the hearts of the people.
Anyhow, the attributes of the Prophet (S) and Imams (A) do not derogate people.
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