God is aware of how much the Imam would pray for the people in the non-obligatory midnight prayers and while shedding tears. He always wanted the welfare of the people; he always wanted the security of the people and how much he would advise the authorities to work for the people. Or perhaps how much he would counsel the authorities that we had before and at the beginning of the Revolution who was not too much concerned about the welfare of the people, to work for the people. How much he would think about the security of the people. During the war God bears witness that at the time of aerial strikes, he would not move out of his room and from near the windows. Of course because the windows had been plastered for all people, they had also plastered them for him. However, he was repeatedly asked by the authorities and by some members of the family to prepare a bomb shelter for the Imam. In reply to them the Imam would say: “If all the people have a facility that protects them from being wounded, I too will avail myself of them. But I know that all the people do not enjoy such facilities. No doubt it is right that a number of bomb shelters have been built but only a small number of people can benefit from them and because not all the people can benefit from them I will not move from my room.” I said that, “By God the people themselves will be happy for your safety. Safeguard yourself for the sake of the people.”
He would say: “Yes that is one duty but this is another one. I can go to another place where I will know I am secure provided that I know all people do not have access to this.”
Because it is not available to all people, I too will not seek refuge in a bomb shelter: Ms. Fereshteh A‘rabi