In the holy city of Najaf, Imam Khomeini would establish his afternoon prayers in his house and would not go to the mosque. There was a mosque called ‘Turks mosque’ in the vicinity of the Imam’s house. It is narrated that Sheikh Ansari (a revered Shiite erudite scholar) had led the mandatory daily prayers as well as given religious discourses in that mosque, and thus it was also known as ‘the Sheikh’s mosque.’ In this mosque, the late Bahr al-Ulum, who was one of the renowned Shiite theologians, would lead the mandatory daily prayers, but on being taken ill, he would not go to the mosque anymore. Time and again, Imam Khomeini was requested to lead the mandatory daily prayers in that mosque but his ethical principles and nobility of spirit would not allow him to agree to their request. The Late Bahr al-Ulum then sent his own emissary to Imam Khomeini, but the Imam refused to accede to his request until this man of God himself despite his old age paid a visit to the Imam and said: “Even if you should not come I shall not go (to the mosque and lead the daily prayers),” and then only the Imam acquiesced.
Narrated by Hujjat al-Islam wal Muslimeen Abd al-Ali Qarahi
Taken from Exclusive Memoirs from Imam Khomeini’s Life, vol. 6, p. 135