In former times, once the Imam traveled to Mashhad by bus. In that same year I too intended to travel to Mashhad with the same bus. Of course at that time I was a young seminary student but I knew the Imam. He was extremely simple. For instance, when we reached Semnan city on the way and the bus halted, he ate food over there, then performed ablutions, removed his robe, sat down and relaxed right there. Imagine a brilliant seminary professor and religious authority of the Theological School behaves like the rest of the passengers that included all sorts of individuals. It was evident that he worked for the cause of God. Later when the bus stopped at Khwajah Rabi‘, I saw he too get down and pay his respects at the mausoleum of that sage and returned. His simplicity was truly interesting for all of us. We thought that since the Imam wanted to go on a pilgrimage to Mashhad, perhaps there would be a lot of protocol. But we were mistaken.
The simplicity of the Imam attracted everybody: Hujjat al-Islam Ahmad Sabiri Hamadani