Right from the beginning of adolescence the Imam firmly believed that one must not backbite. Even when we his students would sit in his presence, we didn't dare to gossip about any person because with a stern look he would nip us in the bud. In these instances, he had an exceptional dignity.
The Imam firmly believed in a few things including standing for congregation prayer immediately after the call to prayer, reciting the optional pre-dawn prayer and not indulging in backbiting. His friends would recount that during his youth when he was still unmarried, he would avoid committing even the minor sins.
Abstinence from sin right from the beginning of adolescence: Ayatullah Martyr Mahallati, ibid., vol. 3, p. 292.