Imam Khomeini was very cautious about criticizing his past mentors and professors or analyzing the arguments expressed by the Islamic theologians and scholars.
In spite of this, he examined their discussions in details and sometimes developed his own critique about their views and opinions.
For instance, in lecturing sessions, when some students claimed that:
“Your objections about the views of late Mr. Naeini on such jurisprudential issue are not valid, since he had interpreted it in another way!”
The Imam would reply gently:
“Here, we are not concerned with titles or the names of individuals. My objections regarding the view can be valid no matter who has uttered them.”
Through such creative method the Imam was training thoughtful seminary students so that they would develop their genuine standpoints on different issues in spite of the reverence they had for their masters.
Narrated by: Ayatollah Abbas Ali Amid-Zanjani
Taken from: Keeping Pace with the Sunlight, vol. 4, p. 28