On Thursday night, 3rd Rajab 1414 AH, Shaykh Muhsin Qara’ati narrated a story in his weekly lecture on Iranian TV regarding one of the seminary students of Samarra in the time of Mujaddid Shirazi al-Kabir (died in the year 1312 AH).
He related that the student was very poor and on the verge of bankruptcy. He was in great financial distress. So he decided to perform the ziyarah of Imam al-Hadi and Imam al-Askari
(A). When he recited the ziyarah, he addressed the two Imams with a sorrowful and burning heart, saying, ‘You both know my situation; I am your guest and this is your home.’ He then left the shrine and sat in the corner of the courtyard of the shrine. Whilst he was sitting in the corner, he saw the great marja’, Mujaddid Shirazi enter the haram and visit the two Imams. He then returned and approached the student.
The student was very surprised and wondered why such a great scholar would approach him. When he reached the student, Sayyid Shirazi bowed and gave the student some money and then said, ‘Surely the guests should be patient and persevere much through difficulties, poverty, migration and other such trials!’3
Upon completing his statement, Sayyid Shirazi then left, leaving the student in deep thought and shock. He cried, ‘My Lord, what must be the relationship between him and these two Imams? And how did he know that I was in need? And that I described myself in that ziyarah as a guest and nobody knew I was so!’
The Ways Of The Righteous Vol. 1