The Story of ‘Allāmah’s Absence from His Son’s Funeral Procession
How is it possible that a father would not leave his library, his pen, his inkwell, his writings, and his studies upon hearing the news of his young son’s death?!
It is narrated that one of the Sayyid’s sons passed away, and he was informed to attend the funeral. The Sayyid was deeply affected by the death of his son, yet he instructed them to proceed with the shrouding and burial themselves, for he had no capacity to participate in the mourning. The people thought—may God forgive—that his faculties had been impaired by the shock of the news; otherwise, how could a father, upon hearing of his young son’s death, not abandon his library, pen, inkwell, writing, and study, and continue reading and writing as usual?!
Authoring ‘Abaqāt al-Anwār is More Obligatory and More Virtuous than Attending My Young Son’s Funeral
The Sayyid, with his keen insight, perceived what the people were thinking, so he said to them in clarification:
“Indeed, authoring the book ‘Abaqāt al-Anwār fī Manāqib al-A’imma al-Aṭhār is more obligatory and more virtuous than attending the funeral of my young son, and I have no capacity for this matter. So go on my behalf, prepare the shrouding, burial, and mourning for my departed son, and leave me to the writing of my book, so that I may cite the words of the great scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah to establish the truth of ‘Alī al-Murtaḍā (peace be upon him)—for it has been said: ‘Alī was looked upon in darkness.’”
