ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Elixir of Love Divine Training Spiritual stations and virtues of the reverend Shaykh are quite evident to all those who knew him closely or those who had listened to him in his sessions.[^1] The major question regarding the life of this great charismatic figure is that how he achieved such high human status.

How a person, who lacked formal academic education and had no experience in Hawza (Islamic seminary), attained such high spiritual achievements that not only the general public but also educated scholars from Hawza and university enjoyed the blessings of his guidance? What was the secret of the reverend Shaykh's leap forward in his achievement? And finally: Who has trained him and who was his spiritual instructor?

The Shaykh's Masters Although the reverend Shaykh was lacking in formal knowledge commonly acquired at universities and Hawza centers, he had actually enjoyed the company of some great dignitaries in scholarship and spirituality .Some great scholars such as the Ayatollah Muammad Ali Shah Abadi -Imam Khomeini's (ra) teacher[^2] -and the late Ayatollah Mirza Muhammad Taqi Bafqi and the late Ayatollah Mirza Jamal Isfahani,[^3] were as his teachers.

He also enjoyed the teachings of two other noble scholars: Agha Sayyid Ali Mufassir and Sayyid Ali Gharavi -the interpreter of the Qur'an and the prayer leader at a Masjid in Salsabil neighborhood of Tehran. As a result of the same informal education, he (the Shaykh) had become quite familiar with the Holy Qur'an and Ahadith, and would translate and interpret the Qur'an, the Ahadith, and supplications, presenting very fine and accurate comments of them that others were less aware of.

Thus, the reverend Shaykh's familiarization with the Islamic knowledge was due to his benefiting from the presence of such great dignitaries and their like. However, the beginning of his leap forward and spiritual development must be sought somewhere else, which was a turning point in his blessed life. That is, when the Shaykh said, "I had no teachers", he was pointing out to this issue.

One of his devotees quoted the Shaykh as having said: "I had no teachers, but I attended the sessions by the late Shaykh Muhammad Taqi Bafqi'[^4] held in the courtyard of Harat Abdul Azim's (a) holy shrine where he lectured in the evenings. He was a spiritual man.