Sayyid Murtaza Najafi was a contemporary of Shaykh Ja’far
Najafi, author of Kashful Ghita and famed for his piety and good
deeds. I accompanied him in journeys and at stations for some
years, but I never noticed any of his shortcomings in religious matters. He narrated to me twenty years ago:
Once many of us entered Masjid Kufa together including a
very senior, well known scholar of Najaf, whose name he did not
reveal for maintaining his respect, although I asked him a number
of times.
He went on to say that when it was time for Maghrib Prayer,
the Shaykh took his place in the Prayer Niche. Those seated
behind began to ready for the prayer. Some gentlemen were
performing the ablution.
I also decided to perform the ablution and get ready for
prayers. There was a gentleman on the side of water, making
ablution slowly. The place was congested. I waited for him to
finish so that I may sit and perform the Wudhu. Just then Iqamah
was called out and I was compelled to say: The prayer has begun.
But he did not arise.
I asked: Do you not wish to join the congregation? He
replied: No. I asked: Why not? He replied: This Shaykh is a
Dukhni. I did not understand.
At last when he concluded his ablution, I sat down and after
performing it hurriedly joined the congregation. After the prayers
when people dispersed, since the awe of the words of that
gentleman was still on me I narrated the whole conversation to
the Shaykh; hearing which, he paled. He said: You were honored
by meeting Hazrat Hujjat, but you could not recognize him. The
Imam has revealed something, which other than the Almighty
Allah, no knew about.
This year I sowed Bajra in Dukhna, a village in the west of
Kufa and that place was open to the risk of attack by Bedouins,
matters. He narrated to me twenty years ago:
Once many of us entered Masjid Kufa together including a
very senior, well known scholar of Najaf, whose name he did not
reveal for maintaining his respect, although I asked him a number
of times.
He went on to say that when it was time for Maghrib Prayer,
the Shaykh took his place in the Prayer Niche. Those seated
behind began to ready for the prayer. Some gentlemen were
performing the ablution.
I also decided to perform the ablution and get ready for
prayers. There was a gentleman on the side of water, making
ablution slowly. The place was congested. I waited for him to
finish so that I may sit and perform the Wudhu. Just then Iqamah
was called out and I was compelled to say: The prayer has begun.
But he did not arise.
I asked: Do you not wish to join the congregation? He
replied: No. I asked: Why not? He replied: This Shaykh is a
Dukhni. I did not understand.
At last when he concluded his ablution, I sat down and after
performing it hurriedly joined the congregation. After the prayers
when people dispersed, since the awe of the words of that
gentleman was still on me I narrated the whole conversation to
the Shaykh; hearing which, he paled. He said: You were honored
by meeting Hazrat Hujjat, but you could not recognize him. The
Imam has revealed something, which other than the Almighty
Allah, no knew about.
This year I sowed Bajra in Dukhna, a village in the west of
Kufa and that place was open to the risk of attack by Bedouins,
so I was all the time occupied by those thoughts; that is why the
Imam called me a Dukhni. Since more than twenty years have
passed since I heard this, there is possibility of increase and
decrease in it
Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 53, pp. 257-258