One night at the time when the Imam would visit the holy mausoleum of Hadrat 'Ali ('a), on the way we encountered the Imam in a lane and because we liked to accompany him, we walked behind the Imam towards the holy mausoleum. When the Imam saw us, he stopped and stated: "Gentlemen! Do you have any question?" we replied in the negative but added that we only desired to be with him and it was a pleasure for us. He stated: "Thank God. I thank you for your kindness. You are honorable personalities; you are clergymen; you are respectable. I do not wish that your personality be demeaned by walking behind me."[1]
[1]I don't wish your personality to be demeaned: Sayyid Hamid Ruhani: excerpts from "The Path of Imam Khomeini"