Imam Ali (as) Quenched Him with His Own Hands

The late Hujjat al-Islam Dr. Hadi Amini, son of Allama Amini, recounts: One day, my grandmother (Allama Amini’s mother) came to our home in Najaf. I asked her about Allama’s life, and she mentioned an intriguing point, saying, “After he was born, I never nursed him without performing ablution for a full two years. Each time it was time to nurse him, I felt compelled to perform ablution first. I do not recall ever nursing him without ablution, and I gained many blessings from this practice.”

It is well-known that Allama Amini showed the utmost respect toward the Infallibles (as). He would say that since coming to Najaf, he never entered the shrine of Imam Ali (as) from the head of the grave but instead would enter and exit from the lower part. When he visited, he would stand facing the grave and weep intensely. His son narrates an especially memorable story about his father: In his final days, when asked if he had any unfulfilled wishes, he replied, “I only have one wish in this world: that God grants me a long life, so I can withdraw from everyone, set up a tent in a deserted area, and spend the rest of my life crying over the oppression endured by Ali (as).”

After Allama Amini’s passing (may God bless his soul), his son recounts: “When I was preparing to leave Najaf for Iran following my father’s death in 1390 AH, I went to visit Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Taqi Bahr al-Uloom, a descendant of Allama Bahr al-Uloom. Upon seeing me, he began to weep. I asked, ‘Why are you crying?’ He replied, ‘After Allama passed away, I often wondered what reward Imam Ali (as) might bestow upon him for his efforts, particularly in authoring the invaluable book Al-Ghadir. Then one night, I saw a vision of the Day of Judgment. People were gathered in the vast plain of Mahshar, and everyone was focused on one direction. I realized it was the Pond of Kawthar. I approached and saw Imam Ali (as) by the pond, quenching the thirst of his followers with crystal bowls filled with pure water. Suddenly, a voice rose from the crowd, announcing the arrival of Allama Amini to the Kawthar Pond and the presence of Imam Ali (as). I eagerly awaited to see how the Imam would receive him. I saw the Imam place the bowl aside, roll up his sleeves, scoop water from the pond with his blessed hands, splash it onto Allama’s face, and quench Allama’s thirst with his own hands. Then he addressed him, saying, ‘« بيض الله وجهک کما بيضت وجهي» May God brighten your face as you have brightened mine.’”