Shaykh Ahmad Sad Tumani Najafi was unique in piety and
narrated to me that his grandfather, Muhammad Saeed Sad
Tumani was a student of Sayyid Bahrul Uloom.
One day, in the gathering of the Sayyid there ensued a
discussion of one, who saw the Mahdi till the Sayyid started
speaking.
He said: One day I decided to pray in Masjid Sahla, at a time
when I thought there would be no one there.
When I reached there I saw that the Masjid was full of
people and the sound of their recitation was loudly heard. It was
not usual that at that time there should be anyone there.
I found them standing in rows for congregational prayer.
I stood by the wall where there was sand.
I think I went up to look at the ranks, that perhaps I can find
a place there in one of the ranks. I discovered an empty space and
I went and stood there.
A person present in the gathering said: Tell me, have you
seen the Mahdi. The Sayyid fell silent as if he had just awakened
from asleep. Although every person tried, but he was not ready to
conclude his statement
Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 53, p. 240