Sayyid Muhsin (RA) began his blessed Hajj journey from Kadhmayn, where he paid his respects to Imam Mussa Al Kadhim (a.s) and then proceeded to Makkah Al Mukarramah.
After he performed Umrah at tamatu, there was some time before the starting of the Waajib Hajj, so King Faisal invited him to the palace for dinner with other respected dignitaries, among whom was Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Baz (aka Bin Baz), who later went on to be the Grand Mufti of KSA – a Wahaabi/Salafist to the core. He was stricken by blindness from the age of 20.
Upon Sayyid Muhsin’s arrival to the palace, he was cordially received by the King and introduced to others. When he was brought to Shk. Bin Baz and introduced to him; Shk. Bin Baz uttered with hatred, “Laa`natullahi A`lay.”
King Faisal intervened; as he was the host and his guests could not be disrespected – saying to Sayyid Muhsin not to mind the words of an old, blind man. To which the Sayyid smiling said, ¬_
“It is good to know that you (Wahaabi/Salafi) at least believe in sending La`anat!”_
Sayyid Muhsin Al Hakim further asked :“And why do you curse us the Shias?”
Shk. Bin Baz replied : “Apart from the apparent meaning, you people believe in the hidden meaning of the verses of the Holy Qur`an…” (implying that referring only to the apparent meaning was correct).
Sayyid Muhsin Al Hakim responded : “Please elaborate for me the meaning of the verse – But those who were blind in this world, will be blind in the hereafter, and most astray from the Path
(Surah 17, Verse 72)”
Shk. Bin Baz, who was blind himself and against the hidden / deeper meaning of the Holy Qur`an, just turned away his face saying, “I do not know what this verse talks about!”
King Faisal immediately asked the Sayyid what the verse actually meant. Ayatullaah Sayyid Muhsin Al Hakim said : The Holy Prophet (saww) told his companions in respect to this verse, that whosoever is blind from the Love of A`ly Ibn Abu Twaalib (a.s) in this world, will be resurrected blind in the hereafter, and his will be the most wretched of abodes!
As they sat for dinner; Shk. Bin Baz raised another issue saying : “Till when will you (Shi’a) people keep on worshipping the shrines and the graves… the Golden structures and the Dusty graves…”
(Golden structures = probably Sayyid’s visit to Kadhmayn … Dusty graves = probably Sayyid’s visit to Jannatul Baqi’)
– And for some reason, King Faisal was also for this objection.
While narrating this entire incident, Sayyid Muhsin (r a) paused here and said : “I had several academic answers to present, but since King Faisal was also involved in this objection, I turned to Kadhmayn to my Imam (a.s) and asked for His intercession so that the King himself gets convinced with my answer.”
Sayyid Muhsin (r.a) requested to reply after the dinner was over.
Once the dinner was over, suddenly someone announced that a very old, original copy of the Holy Qur`an was being brought for King Faisal.
This Qur`an was written on dried animal skin during the Holy Prophet (saww)’s time. It was wrapped in Silk and stitched with gold thread. Out of respect, the King stood from his throne and received the Holy Qur`an with his two hands and kissed the silk cloth, stitched in gold thread.
At this moment, Sayyid Muhsin (r.a) stood up in objection uttering :
“SHIRK! BID`AH! HARAAM! How can you kiss silk and gold?!”
The entire courtyard froze! King Faisal and Shk. Bin Baz both staring at the Sayyid.
King Faisal interjected,
“I may be kissing the silk and the gold threads, but my respect is meant for the Glorious Qur`an wrapped within this cloth.”
And so Ayatullah Sayyid Muhsin Al Hakim (r.a) concluded,
“We do not worship the golden structures nor the dusty graves, rather we pay our utmost respect to the personalities buried in there!”
OUR ALAM AND TA’ABUUT ARE NOT MERE STRUCTURES, THEY ARE THE REPRESENTATION OF THOSE PERSONALITIES WHO SACRIFICED IN THE LOVE OF ALLAH (SWT).