Al-Silâh Asad

A scholar once asked Shahīd Ayatullah Mutahharī, “Why do you respect ‘Allāma Tabātabā’ī so much and say may I be sacrificed for him”?

He replied,

I have seen many philosophers and mystics. My unique respect for ‘Allāma is not related to his being a philosopher. Rather, my reverence stems from the fact that he is an enamored lover of the Ahlul-Bayt. [For example] ‘Allāma Tabātabā’ī used to break his fast in the month of Ramadhān by kissing the shrine (dharīh) of Hazrat Ma’sūmā (a). He would walk to the holy shrine, kiss the dharīh, and then return to his home to eat. It is this characteristic of his that has captivated me to such a degree.

Shahīd Mutahharī