About Ayatullah Behjat

By his (Ayatullah Behjat) deeds and words, this great scholar has always directed himself to God alone.  A great mujtahid has said about Agha Behjat, “It cannot be just said about him that he is a man of piety; in fact he is the true essence and manifestation of taqwa.”

Ayatullah Shaykh Javad Kerbalayi says about him, “One of his close students (in Najaf) reports that every night, or in fact at most times, Agha Behjat sits alone, deep in thought and contemplation.  He never wastes a moment of his time, and does not participate in vain gatherings. When the time comes for his class, or his ziyarat of Amirul Mu’mineen (A), he gets up abruptly, puts on his cloak and leaves the house without interfering in the activities of others. He is extremely reserved and does not like to reveal anything about himself, especially about the special favours and extraordinary spiritual powers that God has granted him.”

Condensed from “Bargi az Daftar-e Aftaab”, A Leaf from the Book of Radiance (About the Life of Ayatullah Behjat). 

Piety and Self-Building of Ayatullah Behjat

Piety and Self-Building

From his youth, Agha Behjat was constantly engaged in self-purification and self-building.

In his ethical instructions, he always insists that one should work hard at this task and forego and abandon many luxuries in order to make headway against the endless demands of the soul. 

He is of the opinion that in order to succeed in this jihad al-akbar, ethical purity (akhlaq) and knowledge (‘ilm) go hand in hand.  In fact he considers knowledge without self-purification, to be the more damaging than anything else.   

His famous advice to youths is ‘to read and practise one hadith daily from the Chapter of Jihad al-nafs in Wasail al-Shi’a of Shaykh Hurr al-Amili

The Status of Supplication (Du’a)

The Status of Supplication (Du’a)

Ayt. Behjat believes that du’a has a very great status and insists that du’a governs the outcome of every stage of our lives.

Ustad Hadawi relates:  “My daughter was very ill and I came to Ayt. Behjat and asked him to pray for her.  He told me, “You yourself recite the following du’a three times every day: 

“Allahumma ishfiha bi shifaa-ika, wa daawiha bi dawaa-ika, wa ‘aafiha bi ‘aafiyatik” “O Allah, cure her with Your cure, and treat her with Your medicine, and restore her health with Your strength”.  

Then, after the third time say: “Bi’l Imami’l-Kazim (A.S.), fa innaha amatuka wa bintu ‘abdik”. 

“By the sake of Imam al-Kazim (A.S.), for she is your servant, and the daughter of your servant.”

Condensed from “Bargi az Daftar-e Aftaab”, A Leaf from the Book of Radiance (About the Life of Ayatullah Behjat). AJ260106.

How to Train one’s Soul (Tahdhib al-Nafs)

How to Train one’s Soul (Tahdhib al-Nafs)

Once, some hawza students from Lebanon requested Ayt. Behjat for spiritual and akhlaqi (moral) advice. 

He replied:  “One of the most beneficial actions in these matters is to sit with your fellow students every day and study one hadith from the chapter jihad al-nafs of the book Wasail al-Shi’a of Shaykh Hurr al-Amili. 

Of course, the hadith must be discussed properly, pondered over carefully and then transformed into action. This will be a spiritual tonic that within one year, will transform an individual in a way that he will himself see the change.”

Condensed from “Bargi az Daftar-e Aftaab”, A Leaf from the Book of Radiance (About the Life of Ayatullah Behjat). AJ260106.