I wish you could know how much I am looking here and there...

I wish you could know how much I am looking here and there for a teacher competent to occupy my father’s position. But how can this be attained while tumult and chaos are prevailing all the metropolis, and everything has become so confused after being attacked by the Afghanis. Now its mosques are demolished, schools are destroyed, and all hopes and desires have vanished, so what to do? Shall he forsake knowledge-seeking, secluding himself a safe place?

Shall he follow the example of other knowledge- seekers? But Muhammad Baqir was never thinking that way at all. Autumn of the Aunt At the last days of October, the aunt seemed at the end of her life... her face has shrunk into ridges, and she was inflicted with disease. So she came to her brother’s house, where Muhammad Baqir’s mother offered her some sweet and pomegranate, saying I was so concerned about you... I know that you were so shocked with the calamity.

The aunt said: I wish I were dead as happened to my brother Muhammad. Sometimes I think that my brother was lucky, since he passed away from the world before experiencing misfortunes, never witnessing all this devastation. The mother said: Don’t worry, the destined hour for these people shall come and they will perish. Have some sweets please. The aunt said: where is Muhammad Baqir? What have I done to make him depart me, that I never see him but once a month? Does he ever ask about his aunt?

His mother said: What is that you utter? He owes you much favour... and only some days ago... At this moment she heard the sound of door opening with Muhammad Baqir’s footsteps breaking the silence of the place. “Salam ‘Alaykum (peace be upon you),” said he. The aunt, with a smile, replied: “And peace be upon you.... I was about to forget you till I opened the door. You have become a man...

a man who forgets his aunt.” He interrupted her saying: “O my aunt, we are living hard days.” “She said: Really? Where are you studying these days?” “Are there any more schools after the devastation caused by the Afghans.” “What do you say?

I heard that Mirza Yahya is teaching knowledge-seekers at this house vault, and so is Mulla ‘Ali, who is a mujtahid too.” “I am fed up with this town O aunt.” He added, while taking a piece of sweets, after sitting beside his aunt: I am thinking of departing this land. “Where to? Qum or Kashan?