In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
"Surely we are Allah's and to Him we shall return." [The Holy Quran Sura Baqarah (2), Ayah 156]
I received the sad news of the demise of the erudite scholar, high-ranking Islamic jurisprudent, and clear-sighted mystic, Ayatollah Hajj Sheikh Mohammad Taghi Bahjat (may Allah purify his immaculate soul). This is a great tragedy and loss for me and all his devotees. "That was an irreparable loss for Islam." [In Arabic]
That honorable man, who was considered one of the most prominent Marja Taqlids (muftis), was a great teacher of ethics and mysticism and the source of innumerable spiritual blessings. The sincere heart of that pious man was the reflection of divine light and his words were the beacon of guidance for pious men and those who sought the path of righteousness. I hereby express my heartfelt condolences to the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake), prominent religious scholars, grand Marja Taqlids, his students, his devotees, and those who benefited from his knowledge, especially his honorable family members and his esteemed son. I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow patience and forbearance on me and all the bereaved. I also ask Allah the Exalted to bestow mercy and blessings on the immaculate soul of that great man.
Greetings be upon him and Allah's mercy
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
Jumada al-Awwal 22, 1430