The Anecdote of the Allamah’s Absence from His Son’s Funeral**
How is it possible that a father would not leave his library, his pen, his inkwell, his writing, and his studies upon hearing the news of his young son’s death?
It is said 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, as he had no time to participate in the mourning. The people imagined—God forbid—that his senses had been impaired upon hearing the news of his son’s death; otherwise, how could a father, upon hearing the news of his young son’s death, not leave his library, his pen, his inkwell, his writing, and his studies, and continue to read and write books as he always did?!
**Writing the book «عبقات الانوار» is more obligatory and superior to attending the funeral of my young son.**
The Sayyid understood through his insight what the people were thinking, so in response to their assumption, he said:
«Writing the book «عبقات الانوار» is more obligatory and superior to attending the funeral of my young son, and I do not have the time for this. You go on my behalf, make arrangements for the shrouding, burial, and mourning of my departed young son, and leave me with the writing of my book so that I may cite the words of the great scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah to prove the truthfulness of «علي المرتضى»; for «Ali has been perceived in darkness».»
