Another story
Another incident narrated by Allamah Amini is as much amazing. Its gist is that the Allamah required the book of Rabiul Abrar of Zamakhshari. We should know that before its publication, the manuscripts of this book were very rare and only three manuscripts existed. One of them was with Imam Yahya in Yemen, the second was present in the Zahiriyya Library in Damascus and the third was with a great scholar in Najaf Ashraf. After his passing away, his library, including this book, was inherited by his son.
Allamah Amini went to the house of that scholar and asked his son to lend him the book only for three days, but he declined. Allamah requested him to give it for two days, yet he disagreed. Then he asked for only a day.
Allamah Amini says: I asked him for only three hours, but he still did not agree. I said: “Allow me to sit in your place to study the book there itself.” This was also not accepted. In the end the Allamah was completely disappointed.
The Allamah adds:
After that I met a great Maraja scholar, Sayyid Abul Hasan Isfahani and requested him to recommend my case; but the man still refused. Then I came to Shaykh Muhammad Husain Kashiful Ghita, that perhaps he will accept his recommendation, but he continued to decline. I became completely hopeless of getting the book and went for the Ziyarat of the holy tomb of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). I complained about my problem and returned home crestfallen. I fell asleep and saw the Imam in dream and complained to him about the distress I had to face in obtaining that book.
The Imam said: “The reply to your request is with my son, Husain.”
I woke up immediately, performed the ablution and it was dawn. I put on my garments and set out for Kerbala. After prayers, I complained to Imam Husain (a.s.) about the trouble I had gone through in obtaining the book. Then I came out for the Ziyarat of the shrine of His Eminence, Abbas. After the Ziyarat, I petitioned Almighty Allah through the right of Abbas and his brother. I implored Him to help me in this difficulty.
Then I came out in the holy courtyard just as the sun was rising and I sat in one of the halls and began to intone divine utterance.
Suddenly the great orator of Kerbala, Mohsin Abul Hubb came towards me and after asking about my well being invited him to his house near the shrine for breakfast. I accepted his invitation. It was summer.
I seated myself in the place he offered me in his orchard and after sometime, I said: “Please allow me to visit your library.” He took me to his library.
I found a large number of fine books in that library. As I was scanning through the books, I noticed the book I was searching for all along. I looked carefully and found that it was indeed the same. I wept in joy.
Shaykh Abul Hubb asked what the matter was. I narrated to him my dream, how Imam (a.s.) had directed me to refer to his son. When Shaykh Mohsin Abul Hubb heard my story, he was also moved.
He said: “This manuscript is very rare and Qasim Muhammad Rajab owner of the Al Musanna Library in Baghdad offered me a thousand dinars1 for the copy, but I refused.”
Then the Shaykh removed his pen and wrote that it was a gift for Allamah Amini and said that it was upon the recommendation of two Imams.