First of all let us see who was Sayed Ali Behbahani.
In Sayed Sistani Official Website:
[...] And during his time of living in Qom, the late Allamah Sayed Ali Behbahani (a famous scholar from Ahwaz and one of the followers of the school of Sheikh Hadi Tehrani) exchanged letters and the subject of the letters were the rulings of Qibla as His Eminence the Sayed (may God protect him) debated some ideas of the Muhaqqiq Tehrani and Sayed al Behbahani was in the position of defense of these ideas.
وخلال فترة اقامته في قم راسل العلامة المرحوم السيد علي البهبهاني (عالم الاهواز الشهير ومن اتباع مدرسة المحقق الشيخ هادي الطهراني) وكان موضوع المراسلات بعض مسائل القبلة حيث ناقش سماحة السيد (دام ظله) بعض نظريات المحقق الطهراني ووقف السيد البهبهاني موقف المدافع عنها
- al-Sirah al-Dhatiyah (i.e biography) of Sayed Ali al-Sistani
In the book of Sayed Ali Behbahani, Misbah al-Hydaya fi Ithbat al-Wilayah we can have a summarized of his life, students etc. We can even see that he was the teacher of the son of the great Sayed Ni'matullah al-Jazaeri (rah).
It is said in the preface of his book by Redha al-Istadi:
From his student: [...] 7- Sayed Muhammad Ibn Sayed Ni'matulah al-Jazaeri - peace be upon him - the author of the book with weight [in science] Nabghat Faqih wa Hadith in the biography of his great grandfather Sayed al-Jazaeri author of al-Anwar al-Nu'maniyah.
تلامذته:
السيد محمد بن السيد نعمة الله الجزائري - سلمه الله - مؤلف الكتاب القيم " نابغة فقه وحديث " في ترجمة جده الأمجد السيد الجزائري صاحب الأنوار النعمانية.
- Muqadimat (i.e Preface) of Misbah al-Hydaya fi Ithbat al-Wilayah, Page 12.
He also protected Sayed Khomeini, and helped to the establishment of his state, as we will see.
And in the Hawza in Qom he was subject to the care of the great Marja' especially Imam Khomeini (rah) - and the Sayed (rah) has a favour in the protection of Imam Khomeini (rah) and in his Islamic uprising. The history books of the uprising have written it so consult them. (Esnad Enghelab e Eslami P. 28 - 107 - 126 - 156)
وفي الحوزة العلمية بقم كان مورد عناية المراجع العظام وبالأخص الإمام الخميني - رضوان الله تعالى عليه - وللسيد " ره " يد بيضاء في حمايته عن الإمام الخميني - رحمة الله عليه ورضوانه - ونهضته. قد دونتها تاريخ النهضة الإسلامية فراجع. (كتاب اسناد انقلاب اسلامى ص 28 و 107 و 126 و 156)
- Muqadimat (i.e Preface) of Misbah al-Hydaya fi Ithbat al-Wilayah, Page 19.
Now let us see what he said regarding the deeds of whoever does not have Aimah (as) like the opponent (i.e Sonnis).
Sayed Ali Behbahani:
"And the pious action is the Wilayah of Ahlul-Bayt (as) on the Tawatur (Multitude) of Narration of both sect [i.e Sunnis and Shias]. To the point that the Faith is not completed and the pious action (i.e A'mal) are not accepted except by the Wilayah of Amir al-Mumineen and the Infallible Aimah from his lineage (as) and knowing Allah is not complete until you know their (Aimah) Wilayah. And even if the man stay all night awake [for pious action] and fasted the day, and gave in charity all he have and done Hajj with every Dirham (he have) and he does not know [Wilayat] the Vicerent of God (i.e Waliyulah) and does not follow him and his action to him then he has nothing of the truth on his action, and he is not from the People of Faith (i.e Ahl al-Iman)."
والعمل الصالح إنما هو ولاية أهل البيت عليهم السلام، على ما تواترت فيه روايات الفريقين.
من أنه لا يكمل الإيمان، ولا يقبل عمل صالح إلا بولاية مولانا أمير المؤمنين، والأئمة المعصومين من ذريته سلام الله عليهم أجمعين. (1) وإن معرفة الله لا تتم إلا بمعرفتهم وولايتهم. (2) ولو أن رجلا قام ليله، وصام نهاره، وتصدق بجميع ماله، وحج جميع دهره، ولم يعرف [ولاية] ولي الله فيواليه، ويكون جميع أعماله
بدلالته إليه، ما كان على الله عز وجل حق في ثوابه، ولا كان من أهل الإيمان،
- Misbah al-Hydaya fi Ithbat al-Wilayah, Page 95-96.
