Ayatollah Fahri[^5] related that the reverend Shaykh had told him...

Ayatollah Fahri[^5] related that the reverend Shaykh had told him: "One day I got out to the market for some business; an improper thought crossed my mind, but I repented right away. On the way, I saw a string of camels carrying in firewood from outside town. All of a sudden one of the camels gave me kick that if I hadn't pulled myself aside in time, it would severely hurt me. I went to the mosque with this question in my mind that where this event had originated from. I asked anxiously: 'O God!

What was that?! I was told intuitively: 'That was the outcome of what you thought. I said I did not commit any sin. I was responded: 'The camel's kick did not really hit you either.'[^6]" Threatened to a Destiny Like that of Balaam of Boer (Bal'am-i Ba'ura) Among the Shaykh's devoted disciples was also Ayatollah Agha Mirza Mahmud-Friday prayer leader of Zanjan-who was a scholarly student of Mirza Na'ini.

Such a learned scholar was highly impressed by the sincerity and brilliance of a detached person who was lacking formal education. The Shaykh once said: "The Friday prayer leader of Zanjan came over along with some of the dignitaries from Tehran. He introduced the latter to me. Due to this visit I felt (with a sense of self-importance) that I attained such a high status that dignitaries come to meet me. The night (of that same day) I had a strange state of mind, feeling so depressed.

With imploring and beseeching God Almighty, my state of purity was restored. I got mindful that if this attitude had continued, what I would have done. How did it turn out this way?! I was engaged in such thought when I was shown Balaam of Boer[^7] and was told: If this (attitude) continued you would turn like him; the outcome of all your struggle and attempts was that you would associate with famous figures, enjoying the world and being deprived of the Hereafter.

This event was over and done with. On Fridays, we had regular sessions. Once, the session took longer than usual and lasted until noon. The owner of the house and the other friends proposed to have lunch there, and I agreed. The next week again the session lasted until noon and once again the tablecloth was spread; naturally with more variety of foods this time. And this happened for several weeks.

In one banquet with various foods and a best quality bar of butter in the middle of the tablecloth attracting everyone's attention.