ULAMAAOFRECENTERAIslamic-lawsUlamaaBiographies-XKP

Published:2012Tag(s):religionbiographyxkpMaraje"SyedHussainBorujerdi"TabatabiMartyr"MurtazaMutahhari"Mohdulamarecenteraimamkhomeiniborujerdiayatullahmarjamohsinhakimbehjat

1ChapterImamKhomeini(ra)-(1902-1989)

ABriefBiographyofImamKhomeiniHamidAlgarTheTableofContents[1]Introduction[2]Childhoodandearlyeducation[3]TheYearsofSpiritualandIntellectualFormationinQum,1923to1962[4]TheYearsofStruggleandExile,1962-1978TheIslamicRevolution,1978-79[5]1979-89:firstdecadeoftheIslamicRepublic,lastdecadeoftheImam'slife[6]Bibliography:WorksofImamKhomeini[7]Abouttheauthor[1]IntroductionIt is inmanywaysremarkablethat tenyearsafterhisdeathandtwentyyearsafter thetriumphof

the revolution that he led no serious, comprehensive biography of Imam Ruhullah MusaviKhomeinihasyetbeenwritten,whetherinPersianoranyotherlanguage.Hewas,afterall,thepre-eminent figure of recent Islamic history, for his impact, considerable enough in Iran itself, hasalso reverberated throughout much of the Muslim world and helped to transform the worldviewand consciousness of many Muslims. Indeed, it may be precisely this magnitude of theImam's achievement, together with the complexity of his spiritual, intellectual and politicalpersonality,thathassofardiscouragedpotentialbiographers.Thematerialsavailableforthetaskare,however,asabundantashisaccomplishmentswerevaried,andthepresentwriterhopestotakeupthEchallengeinthenearfuture(Giventhepreliminarynatureofthisessay,itisnotextensivelyfootnoted.Fora complete listof the Imam'sworks,which furnish theprimarymaterial forhisbiography, aswell as select secondary sources, see the bibliography at the end of the article).What follows isthereforenothingmorethanapreliminarysketch,intendedtoacquaintthereaderwiththeoutlinesoftheImam'slifeandthemainaspectsofhispersonaasanIslamicleaderofexceptionalstature.[2]Childhoodandearlyeducation

Ruhullah Musavi Khomeini was born on 20 Jamadi al-Akhir 1320/ 24 September 1902,theanniversaryof thebirthofHazratFatima, in thesmall townofKhumayn,some160kilometresscholarship.Hisancestors,descendantsofImamMusaal-Kazim,theseventhImamoftheAhlal-Bayt,had migrated towards the end of the eighteenth century from their original home in Nishapur tothe Lucknow region of northern India. There they settled in the small town of Kintur andbegandevoting themselves to the religious instruction andguidanceof the region's predominantlyShi'ipopulation.ThemostcelebratedmemberofthefamilywasMirHamidHusayn(d.1880),authorof 'Abaqat al-Anwar fi Imamat al-A'immat al-Athar, a voluminous work on the topicstraditionallydisputedbySunniandShi'iMuslims(SeeMuhammadRizaHakimi,MirHamidHusayn,Qum,1362Sh./1983).Imam Khomeini's grandfather, Sayyid Ahmad, a contemporary of Mir Hamid Husayn, left

LucknowsometimeinthemiddleofthenineteenthcenturyonpilgrimagetothetombofHazrat'AliinNajaf.(However,accordingtoastatementbytheImam'selderbrother,SayyidMurtazaPasandida,hispointofdeparturewasKashmir,notLucknow;see'AliDavani,Nahzat-IRuhaniyun-IIran,Tehran,n.d.,VI,p.760).While inNajaf, SayyidAhmadmade the acquaintance of a certainYusufKhan, aprominentcitizenofKhumayn.Acceptinghis invitation,hedecidedtosettle inKhumayntoassumeresponsibilityforthereligiousneedsofitscitizensandalsotookYusufKhan'sdaughterinmarriage.AlthoughSayyidAhmad'slinkswithIndiawerecutbythisdecision,hecontinuedtobeknowntohiscontemporariesas"Hindi,"anappellationwhichwas inheritedbyhisdescendants;weseeeven thatImamKhomeiniused"Hindi"aspennameinsomeofhisghazals(seeDivan-IImam,Tehran,1372Sh./1993,p.50).Shortly before the outbreak of the Islamic Revolution in February 1978, the Shah's

regimeattemptedtousethisIndianelementintheImam'sfamilybackgroundtodepicthimasanalienandtraitorouselementinIraniansociety,anattemptthataswillbeseenbackfiredonitsauthor.Bythetimeofhisdeath,thedateofwhichisunknown,SayyidAhmadhadfatheredtwochildren:

a daughter by the name of Sahiba, and Sayyid Mustafa Hindi, born in 1885, the father ofImamKhomeini.SayyidMustafabeganhisreligiouseducationinIsfahanwithMirMuhammadTaqiMudarrisi before continuing his studies inNajaf and Samarra under the guidance ofMirzaHasanShirazi (d.1894), the principal authority of the age in Shi'i jurisprudence. This corresponded to apatternofpreliminarystudyinIranfollowedbyadvancedstudyinthe'atabat,theshrinecitiesofIraq,which for long remained normative; Imam Khomeini was in fact the first religious leader ofprominencewhoseformationtookplaceentirelyinIran.In Dhu 'l-Hijja 1320/ March 1903, some five months after the Imam's birth, Sayyid Mustafa

wasattackedandkilledwhile travellingon the roadbetweenKhumaynand theneighboringcityofArak.The identity of the assassin immediately became known; it was Ja'far-quli Khan, the cousin of

acertainBahramKhan,oneof therichest landownersof theregion.Thecauseof theassassinationis,however, difficult to establishwith certainty.According to an account thatbecame standard afterthe triumph of the Islamic Revolution, Sayyid Mustafa had aroused the anger of the locallandownersbecauseofhisdefenceoftheimpoverishedpeasantry.However, Sayyid Mustafa himself, in addition to the religious functions he fulfilled, was also

a farmer of moderate prosperity, and it is possible that he fell victim to one of the disputesover irrigation rights thatwere commonat the time.A third explanation is thatSayyidMustafa, inhis capacityof shar'ia judgeofKhumayn,hadpunished someone for apublicviolationof the fastof Ramadan and that the family of the offender then exacted a deadly revenge (Interview of the

presentwriterwithHajjSayyidAhmadKhomeini,sonoftheImam,Tehran,12September,1982).TheattemptsofSahiba,SayyidMustafa'ssister,tohavethekillerpunishedinKhumaynprovedfruitless,so his widow, Hajar, went to Tehran to appeal for justice, according to one account carrying theinfantRuhullahinherarms.Shewasfollowedtherebyhertwoeldersons,MurtazaandNural-Din,andfinally,inRabi'al-Awwal1323/May1925,Ja'far-quliKhanwaspubliclyexecutedinTehranontheordersof'Aynal-Dawla,theprimeministeroftheday.In 1918, the Imam lost both his aunt, Sahiba, who had played a great role in his early

upbringing,andhismother,Hajar.Responsibilityforthefamilythendevolvedontheeldestbrother,SayyidMurtaza (later to be known as Ayatullah Pasandida). The material welfare of the brothersseemstohavebeenensuredbytheirfather'sestate,buttheinsecurityandlawlessnessthathadcosthimhis life continued. In addition to the incessant feuds among landowners,Khumaynwas plagued bytheraidsmountedonthetownbytheBakhtiyariandLurtribesmenwhenevertheyhadthechance.Once when a Bakhtiyari chieftain by the name of Rajab 'Ali came raiding, the young Imam

was obliged to take up a rifle together with his brothers and defend the family home. Whenrecounting these events many years later, the Imam remarked: "I have been at war since mychildhood." (ImamKhomeini,Sahifa-yiNur, Tehran, 1361 Sh./1982,X, p. 63). Among the scenes hewitnessedduringhisyouthandthatremainedinhismemorytohelpshapehislaterpoliticalactivitymention may also be made of the arbitrary and oppressive deeds of landowners and provincialgovernors. Thus he recalled in later years how a newly arrived governor had arrested andbastinadoed the chief of the merchants' guild of Gulpayagan for no other purpose than theintimidationofitscitizens(Sahifa-yiNur,XVI,p.121).Imam Khomeini began his education by memorizing the Qur'an at a maktab operated near his

homebyacertainMullaAbu'l-Qasim;hebecameahafizbytheageofseven.Henextembarkedonthe study of Arabic with Shaykh Ja'far, one of his mother's cousins, and took lessons on othersubjects first from Mirza Mahmud Iftikhar al-'Ulama' and then from his maternal uncle, HajiMirza Muhammad Mahdi. His first teacher in logic was Mirza Riza Najafi, his brother-in-law.Finally, among his instructors in Khumayn mention may be made of the Imam's elder brother,Murtaza,who taughthimNajmal-DinKatibQazvini's al-Mutawwalonbadi' andma'ani andoneofthe treatises of al-Suyuti on grammar and syntax. (Although Sayyid Murtaza - who took thesurnamePasandidaafterthelawmandatingthechoiceofasurnamein1928-studiedforawhileinIsfahan,he never completed the higher levels of religious education; after working for a while intheregistrar'sofficeinKhumayn,hemovedtoQumwherehewastospendtherestofhislife).In 1339/1920-21, Sayyid Murtaza sent the Imam to the city of Arak (or Sultanabad, as it was

thenknown)inorderforhimtobenefitfromthemoreampleeducationalresourcesavailablethere.ArakhadbecomeanimportantcenterofreligiouslearningbecauseofthepresenceofAyatullah'Abdal-KarimHa'iri(d.1936),oneoftheprincipalscholarsoftheday.Hehadarrivedtherein1332/1914at the invitationof the townspeople, and some threehundred students - a relatively largenumber -attendedhislecturesattheMirzaYusufKhanmadrasa.ItisprobablethatImamKhomeiniwasnotyetadvancedenoughtostudydirectlyunderHa'iri;instead,heworkedonlogicwithShaykhMuhammadGulpayagani, read the Sharh al-Lum'a of Shaykh Zayn al-Din al-'Amili (d. 996/1558)one of theprincipal texts of Ja'fari jurisprudence, with Aqa-yi 'Abbas Araki, and continued his study of al-MutawwalwithShaykhMuhammad'AliBurujirdi.RoughlyayearaftertheImam'sarrivalinArak,Ha'iriacceptedasummonsfromthe'ulama'ofQumtojointhemandpresideovertheiractivity.OneoftheearlieststrongholdsofShi'isminIran,QumhadtraditionallybeenamajorcenterofreligiouslearningaswellaspilgrimagetotheshrineofHazrat-IMa'suma,adaughterofImamMusaal-Kazim,but it had been overshadowed for many decades by the shrine cities of Iraq with their superior

resourcesoferudition.The arrival of Ha'iri in Qum not only brought about a revival of its madrasas but also began

a process whereby the city became in effect the spiritual capital of Iran, a process that wascompleted by the political struggle launched there by ImamKhomeini some forty years later.TheImam followed Ha'iri to Qum after an interval of roughly four months. This move was the firstimportant turning point in his life. It was in Qum that he received all his advanced spiritual andintellectual training,andhewas to retainadeepsenseof identificationwith thecity throughout therestofhislife.Itispossible,indeed,althoughnotinareductivesense,todescribehimasaproductofQum.In1980,whenaddressingagroupofvisitorsfromQum,hedeclared:"WhereverImaybe,IamacitizenofQum,and takepride in the fact.Myheart isalwayswithQumand itspeople." (Sahifa-yiNur,XII,p.51).[3]TheYearsofSpiritualandIntellectualFormationinQum,1923to1962After his arrival in Qum in 1922 or 1923, the Imam first devoted himself to completing

the preliminary stage ofmadrasa education known as sutuh; this he did by studyingwith teacherssuch as Shaykh Muhammad Riza Najafi Masjid-i Shahi, Mirza Muhammad Taqi Khwansari, andSayyid'AliYasribiKashani.However,fromhisearlydaysinQum,theImamgaveanindicationthathewas destined to becomemore than another great authority on Ja'fari jurisprudence.He showedan exceptional interest in subjects that not onlywere usually absent from themadrasa curriculumbut were often an object of hostility and suspicion: philosophy, in its various traditional schools,andgnosticism('irfan).HebegancultivatingthisinterestbystudyingtheTafsir-iSafi,acommentaryon the Qur'an by the Sufistically-inclined Mulla Muhsin Fayz-i Kashani (d.1091/1680), togetherwiththelateAyatullah'AliAraki(d.1994),thenayoungstudentlikehimself.Hisformalinstructionin gnosticism and the related discipline of ethics began with classes taught by Haji Mirza JavadMaliki-Tabrizi,but thisscholardied in1304/1925.Similarly, theImamwasnotable tobenefit forlongfromhisfirstteacherinphilosophy,Mirza'AliAkbarHakimYazdi,apupilofthegreatmasterMulla Hadi Sabzavari (d.1295/1878), for Yazdi passed away in 1305/1926. Another of the Imam'searly instructors in philosophy was Sayyid Abu 'l-Hasan Qazvini (d. 1355/1976), a scholar ofboth peripatetic and illuminationst philosophy; the Imam attended his circle until Qazvini'sdeparturefromQumin1310/1931.The teacher who had the most profound influence on Imam Khomeini's spiritual development

was, however,MirzaMuhammad 'Ali Shahabadi (d. 1328 Sh./1950); to him the Imam refers in anumberofhisworksasshaykhunaand'arif-Ikamil,andhisrelationshipwithhimwasthatofamuridwithhismurshid.WhenShahabadifirstcametoQumin1307Sh./1928,theyoungImamaskedhimaquestionconcerningthenatureofrevelation,andwascaptivatedbytheanswerhereceived.At his insistent request, Shahabadi consented to teach him and a few other select students the

Fususal-HikamofIbn'Arabi.AlthoughthebasisofinstructionwasDa'udQaysari'scommentaryontheFusus,theImamtestifiedthatShahabadialsopresentedhisownoriginalinsightsonthetext.Among the other texts that ImamKhomeini studied with Shahabadi were theManazil al-Sa'irin

of theHanbali Sufi, Khwaja 'AbdullahAnsari (d.482/1089), and theMisbah al-Uns ofMuhammadb. Hamza Fanari (d. 834/1431), a commentary on the Mafatih al-Ghayb of Sadr al-Din Qunavi(d.673/1274).It is conceivable that the Imamderived fromShahabadi, at least in part,whether consciously or

not, the fusion of gnostic and political concerns that came to characterize his life. For thisspiritualmasteroftheImamwasoneoftherelativelyfew'ulama'inthetimeofRizaShahtopreachpubliclyagainstthemisdeedsoftheregime,andinhisShadharatal-Ma'arif,aworkprimarilygnostic

incharacter,describedIslamas"mostcertainlyapoliticalreligion."(Shadharatal-Ma'arif,Tehran,136Sh./1982,pp.6-7).Gnosis and ethics were also the subject of the first classes taught by the Imam. The class on

ethics taught by Haji Javad Aqa Maliki Tabrizi were resumed, three years after his death, byShahabadi,andwhenShahabadileftforTehranin1936heassignedtheclasstoImamKhomeini.TheclassconsistedinthefirstplaceofacarefulreadingofAnsari'sManazilal-Sa'irin,butrangedbeyondthe text to touch on awide variety of contemporary concerns. It proved popular to the extent thatthe townsfolk of Qum as well as the students of the religious sciences attended, and people arerelated to have come from as far afield as Tehran and Isfahan simply to listen to the Imam. ThispopularityoftheImam'slecturesrancontrarytothepoliciesofthePahlaviregime,whichwishedtolimittheinfluenceofthe'ulama'outsidethereligiousteachinginstitution.ThegovernmentthereforesecuredthetransferofthelecturesfromtheprestigiouslocationoftheFayziyamadrasatotheMullaSadiqmadrasa,whichwasunabletoaccommodatelargecrowds.However, after the deposition of Riza Shah in 1941, the lectures returned to the Fayziya

madrasaandinstantlyregainedtheirformerpopularity.Theabilitytoaddressthepeopleatlarge,notsimplyhisowncolleagueswithinthereligiousinstitution,thattheImamdisplayedforthefirsttimeinthese lectures on ethics, was to play an important role in the political struggles he led in lateryears. While teaching ethics to a wide and diverse audience, Imam Khomeini began teachingimportant texts of gnosis, such as the section on the soul in al-Asfar al-Arba'a ofMulla Sadra (d.1050/1640) and Sabzavari's Sharh-I Manzuma, to a select group of young scholars that includedMurtaza Mutahhari and Husayn 'Ali Muntaziri, who subsequently became two of his principalcollaboratorsintherevolutionarymovementhelaunchedsomethreedecadeslater.As for the earliest writings of the Imam, they also indicate that his primary interest during his

early years in Qum was gnosis. In 1928, for example, he completed the Sharh Du'a' al-Sahar, adetailedcommentaryonthesupplicatoryprayersrecitedthroughoutRamadanbyImamMuhammadal- Baqir; as with all Imam Khomeini's works on gnosis, the terminology of Ibn 'Arabi isfrequentlyencounteredinthisbook.Twoyearslater,hecompletedMisbahal-Hidayaila'l-Khilafawa'l-Wilaya,adenseandsystematic treatiseonthemaintopicsofgnosis.Anotherproductof thesameyearsofconcentrationongnosiswasaseriesofglossesonQaysari'scommentaryontheFusus.In abrief autobiographywritten for inclusion in abookpublished in1934, the Imamwrote that

he spentmostofhis time studyingand teaching theworksofMullaSadra; thathehad for severalyears been studying gnosiswith Shahabadi; and that at the same time hewas attending the classesofAyatullahHa'irionfiqh(Sayyid'AliRizaYazdiHusayni,Aina-yiDanishvaran,Tehran,1353/1934,pp.65-7). The sequence of these statements suggests that fiqh was as yet secondary among hisconcerns.This situation was to change, but gnosis was for the Imam never simply a topic for study,

teachingandwriting.Itremainedanintegralpartofhisintellectualandspiritualpersonality,andassuch infusedmany of his ostensibly political activities in later yearswith an unmistakably gnosticelement.The Imam did not engage in any overt political activities during the 1930's. He alwaysbelieved that the leadership of political activities should be in the hands of the foremost religiousscholars,andhewas thereforeobliged toaccept thedecisionofHa'iri to remain relativelypassivetoward themeasures taken byRiza Shah against the traditions and culture of Islam in Iran. In anyevent,asastilljuniorfigureinthereligiousinstitutioninQum,hewouldhavebeeninnopositiontomobilizepopularopiniononanationalscale.Hewasnonetheless incontactwith thosefew 'ulama'whodidopenlychallengeRizaShah,notonlyShahabadi,butalsomensuchasHajiNurullahIsfahani,

MirzaSadiqAqaTabrizi,AqazadaKifai,andSayyidHasanMudarris.Heexpressedhisownopinionsof thePahlavi regime, the leadingcharacteristicsofwhichhe identifiedasoppressionandhostilityto religion, asyetonlyallusively, inprivatelycirculatedpoems (SayyidHamidRuhani,Barrasi vaTahliliazNahzat-IImamKhumayni,I,Najaf,n.d.,pp.55-9).He assumed a public political stance for the first time in a proclamation dated 15 Urdibihisht

1323/4May1944thatcalledforactiontodelivertheMuslimsofIranandtheentireIslamicworldfrom the tyranny of foreign powers and their domestic accomplices. The Imam begins by citingQur'an,34:46("Say:'Ienjoinbutonethinguponyou,thatyouriseupforAllah,inpairsandsingly,andthenreflect'").This is thesameversethatopensthechapteronawakening(babal-yaqza)at theverybeginningofAnsari'sManazilal-Sa'irin,thehandbookofspiritualwayfaringfirsttaughttotheImambyShahabadi.TheImam'sinterpretationof"risingup"is,however,bothspiritualandpolitical,bothindividualandcollective,arebellionagainstlassitudeintheselfandcorruptioninsociety.The same spirit of comprehensive revolt inspires the first work written by the Imam for

publication,Kashfal-Asrar(Tehran,1324Sh./1945).Heissaidtohavecompletedthebookinfortyeightdays fromasenseofurgency,and that it indeedmetaneed isprovenby the fact that itwentthroughtwoimpressionsinitsfirstyear.Theprincipalaimofthebook,asreflectedinitstitle,wastorefute 'Ali Akbar Hakamizada's Asrar-i Hazarsala, a work calling for a "reform" of Shi'i Islam.SimilarattacksonShi'itraditionwerebeingmadeinthesameperiodbyShari'atSanglaji(d.1944),anadmirerofWahhabismdespitethatsect'smarkedhostilitytoShi'ism,andAhmadKasravi(d.1946),competentasahistorianbutmediocreasa thinker.TheImam'svindicationofsuchaspectsofShi'ipracticeasthemourningceremoniesofMuharram,pilgrimage(ziyara)tothetombsoftheImams,and the recitationof thesupplicatoryprayerscomposedby the Imams,was thereforea response tothe criticisms made by all three. Imam Khomeini connected their assaults on tradition with theantireligious policies of Riza Shah and bitterly criticized the Pahlavi regime for destroyingpublic morality. He stopped short, however, of demanding the abolition of the monarchy,proposinginsteadthatanassemblyofcompetentmujtahidsshouldchoose"ajustmonarchwhowillnot violateGod's laws andwill shun oppression andwrongdoing,whowill not transgress againstmen's property, lives and honor" (Kashf al-Asrar, p. 185). Even this conditional legitimacy ofmonarchywas to last"onlyso longasabettersystemcouldnotbeestablished"(Kashfal-Asrar,p.186).Therecanbenodoubt that the"bettersystem"alreadyenvisagedbyImamKhomeini in1944was vilayat-i faqih, which became the constitutional cornerstone of the Islamic Republic of Iranestablishedin1979.When Shaykh 'Abd al-KarimHa'iri died in 1936, the supervision of the religious institution in

QumhadbeenjointlyassumedbyAyatullahKhwansari,AyatullahSadr,andAyatullahHujjat.Asenseof lackwasnonetheless felt.WhenAyatullahAbu 'l-Hasan Isfahani, theprincipalmarja'-i taqlidofthe age residing in Najaf, died in 1946, the need for a centralized leadership of Shi'i Muslimsbecamemorefeltmoreacutely,andasearchbeganforasingle individualcapableoffulfillingthedutiesandfunctionsofbothHa'iriandIsfahani.AyatullahBurujirdi, thenresident inHamadan,wasseentobethemostsuitablepersonavailable,andImamKhomeiniissaidtohaveplayedanimportantrole in persuading him to come to Qum. In this he was no doubt motivated in part by the hopethatBurujirdiwouldadoptafirmpositionvis—visMuhammadRizaShah,thesecondPahlaviruler.Thishopewas to remain largelyunfulfilled. InApril 1949, ImamKhomeini learned thatBurujirdiwas engaged in negotiations with the government concerning possible emendations to theconstitution then in force, and he wrote him a letter expressing his anxieties about the possibleconsequences. In 1955, a nationwide campaign against theBaha'i sectwas launched, forwhich theImamsought to recruitBurujirdi's support, but hehad little success.As for religiouspersonalities

whoweremilitantlyactiveinthepoliticalsphereatthetime,notablyAyatullahAbu'l-QasimKashaniandNavvabSafavi,the leaderof theFida'iyan-i Islam, theImam'scontactswith themweresporadicandinconclusive.His reluctance for direct political involvement in this periodwasprobablydue tohis belief that

any movement for radical change ought to be led by the senior echelons of the religiousestablishment.Inaddition,themostinfluentialpersonageonthecrowdedandconfusedpoliticalsceneof the day was the secular nationalist, Dr. Muhammad Musaddiq. Imam Khomeini thereforeconcentrated during the years of Burujirdi's leadership in Qum on giving instruction in fiqh andgathering round him students who later became his associates in the movement that led to theoverthrow of the Pahlavi regime, not only Mutahhari and Muntaziri, but younger men such asMuhammadJavadBahonarand 'AliAkbarHashimi-Rafsanjani. In1946,hebegan teachingusulal-fiqhatthekharijlevel,takingashistextthechapteronrationalproofsfromthesecondvolumeoftheKifayatal-UsulofAkhundMuhammadKazimKhurasani(d.1329/1911).Initially attended by no more than thirty students, the class became so popular in Qum that

fivehundredwereinattendancethethirdtimeitwasoffered.Accordingtothereminiscencesofsomeof those who took the class, it was distinguished from other classes taught in Qum on the samesubjectbythecriticalspirittheImaminstilledinhisstudents,aswellashisabilitytoconnectfiqhwithalltheotherdimensionsofIslam-ethical,gnostic,philosophical,political,andsocial.[4]TheYearsofStruggleandExile,1962-1978The emphases of the Imam's activity began to change with the death of Burujirdi on March

31, 1961, for he now emerged as one of the successors to Burujirdi's position of leadership.Thisemergencewassignalledbythepublicationofsomeofhiswritingsonfiqh,mostimportantlythebasichandbookofreligiouspracticeentitled,likeothersofitsgenre,Tauzihal-Masa'il.Hewassoon accepted as marja'-i taqlid by a large number of Iranian Shi'is. His leadership role was,however, destined to go far beyond that traditional for a marja'-i taqlid and to attain acomprehensivenessuniqueinthehistoryoftheShi'i'ulama'.This became apparent soon after the death of Burujirdi whenMuhammad Riza Shah, secure in

his possession of power after the CIA-organized coup of August 1953, embarked on a seriesofmeasuresdesigned toeliminateallsourcesofopposition,actualorpotential,and to incorporateIran firmly intoAmerican patterns of strategic and economic domination. In the autumn of 1962,the government promulgated new laws governing elections to local and provincial councilswhichdeletedtheformerrequirementthatthoseelectedbeswornintoofficeontheQur'an.Seeinginthisaplan topermit the infiltrationofpublic lifeby theBaha'is, ImamKhomeini telegraphedboththeShah and theprimeminister of theday,warning them todesist fromviolatingboth the lawofIslam and the Iranian Constitution of 1907, failingwhich the 'ulama' would engage in a sustainedcampaignofprotest.Rejectingallcompromisemeasures,theImamwasabletoforcetherepealofthelaws in question seven weeks after they had been promulgated. This achievement marked hisemergenceonthesceneastheprincipalvoiceofoppositiontotheShah.Amore serious confrontationwas not long in coming. In January 1963, the Shah announced a

sixpoint program of reform that he termed theWhite Revolution, an American-inspired packageof measures designed to give his regime a liberal and progressive facade. Imam Khomeinisummoned ameeting of his colleagues inQum to press upon them the necessity of opposing theShah'splans,buttheywereinitiallyhesitant.Theysentoneoftheirnumber,AyatullahKamalvand,tosee the Shah and gauge his intentions. Although the Shah showed no inclination to retreat orcompromise, it took further pressure by Imam Khomeini on the other senior 'ulama' of Qum to

persuade them to decree a boycott of the referendum that the Shah had planned to obtain theappearanceofpopularapprovalforhisWhiteRevolution.Forhisownpart,ImamKhomeiniissuedonJanuary22,1963astronglywordeddeclarationdenouncingtheShahandhisplans.Inimitation,perhaps, of his father, who had taken an armored column to Qum in 1928 in order to intimidatecertain outspoken 'ulama', the Shah came to Qum two days later. Faced with a boycott by all thedignitariesofthecity,hedeliveredaspeechharshlyattackingthe'ulama'asaclass.OnJanuary26, thereferendumwasheld,withalowturnoutthatreflectedthegrowingheedpaid

by the Iranian people to Imam Khomeini's directives. He continued his denunciation of theShah'sprograms,issuingamanifestothatalsoborethesignaturesofeightotherseniorscholars.Inithe listed the various ways in which the Shah had violated the constition, condemned the spreadof moral corruption in the country, and accused the Shah of comprehensive submission toAmericaand Israel: "I see the solution to lie in this tyrannicalgovernmentbeing removed, for thecrimeofviolatingtheordinancesofIslamandtramplingtheconstitution,andinagovernmenttakingits place that adheres to Islamandhas concern for the Iraniannation" (Sahifa-yiNur, I, p. 27). Healsodecreed that theNauruzcelebrationsfor theIranianyear1342(whichfellonMarch21,1963)becancelledasasignofprotestagainstgovernmentpolicies.The very next day, paratroopers were sent to the Fayziya madrasa in Qum, the site where the

Imamdeliveredhis public speeches.Theykilled anumberof students, beat and arrested anumberof others, and ransacked the building. Unintimidated, the Imam continued his attacks on theregime.OnApril1,hedenounced thepersistentsilenceofcertainapolitical 'ulama'as"tantamounttocollaborationwiththetyrannicalregime,"andonedaylaterproclaimedpoliticalneutralityunderthe guise of taqiya to be haram (Kauthar, I, p. 67; Sahifa-yi Nur, I, p. 39). When the Shah senthis emissaries to the houses of the 'ulama' in Qum to threaten them with the destruction of theirhomes,theImamreactedcontemptuouslybyreferringtotheShahas"thatlittleman(mardak)."Then,on April 3, 1963, the fortieth day after the attack on the Fayziya madrasa, he described theIraniangovernmentasbeingdetermined toeradicate Islamat thebehestofAmericaand Israelandhimselfasresolvedtocombatit.Confrontationturnedtoinsurrectionsometwomonthslater.ThebeginningofMuharram,always

a time of heightened religious awareness and sensitivity, saw demonstrators in TehrancarryingpicturesoftheImamanddenouncingtheShahinfrontofhisownpalace.Ontheafternoonof 'Ashura (June3, 1963), ImamKhomeini delivered a speech at theFayziyamadrasa inwhichhedrewparallels between theUmayyad caliphYazid and theShah andwarned theShah that if hedidnotchangehisways thedaywouldcomewhen thepeoplewouldofferup thanks forhisdeparturefromthecountry(Sahifa-yiNur,I,p.46).Thiswarningwasremarkablyprescient,foronJanuary16,1979,theShahwas indeedobliged to leave Iranamidst scenesofpopular rejoicing.The immediateeffectoftheImam'sspeechwas,however,hisarresttwodayslaterat3o'clockinthemorningbyagroupofcommandoswhohastilytransferredhimtotheQasrprisoninTehran.As dawn broke on June 3, the news of his arrest spread first through Qum and then to other

cities. In Qum, Tehran, Shiraz, Mashhad and Varamin, masses of angry demonstrators wereconfronted by tanks and ruthlessly slaughtered. It was not until six days later that orderwas fullyrestored. This uprising of 15 Khurdad 1342 (the day in the Iranian calendar on which it began)marked a turning point in Iranian history. Henceforth the repressive and dictatorial nature of theShah'sregime,reinforcedbytheunwaveringsupportoftheUnitedStates,wasconstantlyintensified,andwithittheprestigeofImamKhomeiniastheonlyfigureofnote-whetherreligiousorsecular-willingtochallengehim.ThearroganceimbuingtheShah'spoliciesalsocausedagrowingnumberofthe 'ulama'toabandontheirquietismandalignthemselveswiththeradicalgoalssetforthbytheImam.The movement of 15 Khurdad may therefore be characterized as the prelude to the

Islamic Revolution of 1978-79; the goals of that revolution and its leadership had already beendetermined.After nineteen days in the Qasr prison, Imam Khomeini was moved first to the 'Ishratabad

military base and then to a house in the Davudiya section of Tehran where he was kept undersurveillance.Despitethekillingsthathadtakenplaceduringtheuprising,massdemonstrationswereheldinTehranandelsewheredemandinghisrelease,andsomeofhiscolleaguescametothecapitalfrom Qum to lend their support to the demand. It was not, however, until April 7, 1964 that hewas released, no doubt on the assumption that imprisonment had tempered his views and thatthe movement he had led would quietly subside. Three days after his release and return to Qum,he dispelled such illusions by refuting officially inspired rumors that he had come to anunderstandingwiththeShah'sregimeandbydeclaringthatthemovementinauguratedon15Khurdadwouldcontinue.AwareofthepersistingdifferencesinapproachbetweentheImamandsomeoftheotherseniorreligiousscholars,theregimehadalsoattemptedtodiscredithimbycreatingdissensioninQum.These attempts, too, were unsuccessful, for early in June 1964 all the major 'ulama' put

their signatures to declarations commemorating the first anniversary of the uprising of 15Khurdad.Despite its failure to sidelineor silence ImamKhomeini, theShah's regimecontinued itspro- American policies unwaveringly. In the autumn of 1964, it concluded a status of forcesagreement with the United States that provided immunity from prosecution for all Americanpersonnel in Iran and their dependents.This occasioned the Imam to deliverwhatwas perhaps themostvehementspeechof theentirestruggleagainst theShah;certainlyoneofhiscloseassociates,AyatullahMuhammadMufattih, had never seen him so agitated (Interview with the present writer,Tehran,December1979).He denounced the agreement as a surrender of Iranian independence andsovereignty,madeinexchangefora$200millionloanthatwouldbeofbenefitonlytotheShahandhis associates, and described as traitors all those in the Majlis who voted in favor of it; thegovernmentlackedalllegitimacy,heconcluded(Kauthar,I,pp.169-178). Shortly before dawn on November 4, 1964, again a detachment of commandos surrounded

the Imam's house in Qum, arrested him, and this time took him directly to Mehrabad airport inTehran for immediate banishment to Turkey. The decision to deport rather than arrest ImamKhomeiniandimprisonhiminIranwasbasednodoubtonthehopethatinexilehewouldfadefrompopularmemory.Physicaleliminationwouldhavebeenfraughtwiththedangerofanuncontrollablepopularuprising.AsforthechoiceofTurkey,thisreflectedthesecuritycooperationexistingbetweentheShah'sregimeandTurkey.The Imam was first lodged in room 514 of Bulvar Palas Oteli in Ankara, a moderately

comfortablehotelintheTurkishcapital,underthejointsurveillanceofIranianandTurkishsecurityofficials.OnNovember 12, hewasmoved fromAnkara toBursa,where hewas to reside anothereleven months. The stay in Turkey cannot have been congenial, for Turkish law forbade ImamKhomeinitowearthecloakandturbanoftheMuslimscholar,anidentitywhichwasintegraltohisbeing;thesolephotographsinexistencetoshowhimbareheadedallbelongtotheperiodofexileinTurkey(SeeAnsari,Hadis-IBidari,p.67).However,onDecember3,1964,hewasjoinedinBursabyhis eldest son,HajjMustafaKhumayni; hewas also permitted to receive occasional visitors fromIran,andwassuppliedwithanumberofbooksonfiqh.HemadeuseofhisforcedstayinBursatocompileTahriral-Wasila,a two-volumecompendiumonquestionsof jurisprudence. Importantanddistinctivearethefatvasthisvolumecontains,groupedundertheheadingsofal-amrbi'l-ma'rufwa'l-nahy'analmunkaranddifa'.The Imam decrees, for example, that "if it is feared that the political and economic domination

(by foreigners) over an Islamic landwill lead to the enslavement andweakening of theMuslims,

thensuchdominationmustberepelledbyappropriatemeans,includingpassiveresistance,theboycottof foreign goods, and the abandonment of all dealings and association with the foreigners inquestion.Similarly, "if an attack by foreigners on one of the Islamic states is anticipated, it isincumbentonallIslamicstatestorepeltheattackbyallpossiblemeans;indeed,thisisincumbentontheMuslimsasawhole"(Tahriral-Wasila,I,p.486).On September 5, 1965, Imam Khomeini left Turkey for Najaf in Iraq, where he was destined

to spend thirteen years.As a traditional center ofShi'i learning and pilgrimage,Najafwas clearlyapreferableandmorecongenialplaceofexile.Ithad,moreover,alreadyfunctionedasastrongholdof'ulama'oppositiontotheIranianmonarchyduringtheConstitutionalRevolutionof1906-1909.ButitwasnotinordertoaccommodatetheImamthattheShaharrangedforhistransfertoNajaf.First,therewas continuing disquiet among the Imam's followers at his forced residence inBursa, awayfrom the traditionalmilieu of the Shi'imadrasa; such objections could bemet bymoving him toNajaf. Second, it was hoped that once in Najaf, the Imam would either be overshadowed bythe prestigious 'ulama' there, men such as Ayatullah Abu 'l-Qasim Khu'i (d. 1995), or that hewouldchallengetheirdistasteforpoliticalactivismandsquanderhisenergiesonconfrontingthem.Heskirted thisdualdangerbyproffering themhis respectwhilecontinuing topursue thegoalshehad set himself before leaving Iran. Another pitfall he avoided was association with the IraqigovernmentwhichoccasionallyhaditsowndifferenceswiththeShah'sregimeandwasofamindtousetheImam'spresenceinNajafforitsownpurposes.The Imam declined the opportunity to be interviewed on Iraqi television soon after his arrival,

andresolutelykepthisdistancefromsucceedingIraqiadministrations.Oncesettled inNajaf, ImamKhomeinibeganteachingfiqhattheShaykhMurtazaAnsarimadrasa.Hislectureswerewellattended,bystudentsnotonlyfromIranbutalsofromIraq,India,Pakistan,Afghanistan,andthePersianGulfstates. In fact,amassmigration toNajaf fromQumandothercentersof religious learning in Iranwas proposed to the Imam, but he advised against it as ameasure bound to depopulate Qum andweakenitasacenterofreligiousguidance.It was also at the Shaykh Murtaza Ansari madrasa that he delivered, between January 21

andFebruary8,1970,hiscelebratedlecturesonvilayat-ifaqih,thetheoryofgovernancethatwastobe implemented after the triumph of the Islamic Revolution. (The text of these lectures waspublishedinNajaf,notlongaftertheirdelivery,underthetitleVilayat-iFaqihyaHukumat-iIslami;aslightly abbreviatedArabic translation soon followed). This theory,whichmay be summarized asthe assumption by suitably qualified 'ulama' of the political and juridical functions of the TwelfthImam during his occultation, had already been put forward, somewhat tentatively, in his firstpublishedwork,Kashfal-Asrar.Nowhepresenteditastheself-evidentandincontestableconsequenceoftheShi'idoctrineoftheImamate,citingandanalyzinginsupportofitallrelevanttextsfromtheQur'anandthetraditionsoftheProphet(s.a.w.s)andtheTwelveImams(a.s.)Heemphasizedalsotheharm that had come to Iran (as well as other Muslim countries) from abandoning Islamic lawandgovernmentandrelinquishingthepoliticalrealmtotheenemiesofIslam.Finally,hedelineateda program for the establishment of an Islamic government, laying particular stress onthe responsibilities of the 'ulama' to transcend their petty concerns and to address the peoplefearlessly:"Itisthedutyofallofustooverthrowthetaghut,theillegitimatepoliticalpowersthatnowruletheentireIslamicworld"(Vilayat-iFaqih,Najaf,n.d.,p.204).Thetextofthelecturesonvilayat-ifaqihwassmuggledbacktoIranbyvisitorswhocametosee

theImaminNajaf,aswellasbyordinaryIranianswhocameonpilgrimagetotheshrineofHazrat'Ali (a.s.) The same channelswere used to convey to Iran the numerous letters and proclamations

inwhich theImamcommentedon theevents that tookplace inhishomelandduring the longyearsof exile. The first such document, a letter to the Iranian 'ulama' assuring them of the ultimatedownfall of the Shah's regime, is dated April 16, 1967. On the same day he also wrote to primeministerAmir'AbbasHuvaydaaccusinghimofrunning"aregimeofterrorandthievery"(Sahifa-yiNur,I,pp.129,132).On theoccasionof theSixDayWar inJune1967, theImamissuedadeclarationforbiddingany

typeofdealingwithIsraelaswellastheconsumptionofIsraeligoods.Thisdeclarationwaswidelyandopenlypublicized in Iran,which led to the ransackingof ImamKhomeini'shouse inQumandthe arrest ofHajj SayyidAhmadKhumayni, his second son,who had been living there. (Some oftheunpublishedworksoftheImamwerelostordestroyedonthisoccasion).Itwasalsoatthistimethat the Shah's regime contemplated moving the Imam from Iraq to India, a location fromwhich communications with Iran would have been far more difficult, but the plan was thwarted.Other developments onwhich the Imam commented fromNajafwere the extravagant celebrationsof 2500 years of Iranian monarchy in October 1971 ("it is the duty of the Iranian people torefrain from participation in this illegitimate festival"); the formal establishment of a one-partysysteminIraninFebruary1975(theImamprohibitedmembershipintheparty,theHizb-iRastakhiz,in a fatva issued the following month); and the substitution, in the same month, of theimperial (shahanshahi) calendar for the solarHijri calendar thathadbeenofficial in Iranuntil thattime. Some developments weremet with fatvas rather than proclamations: for example, the ImamrejectedasincompatiblewithIslamtheFamilyProtectionLawof1967andclassifiedasadultresseswomen who remarried after obtaining a divorce under its provisions (Imam Khomeini, Risala-yiAhkam,p.328).Imam Khomeini had also to deal with changing circumstances in Iraq. The Ba'th Party,

fundamentallyhostiletoreligion,hadcometopowerinJuly1967andsoonbeganexertingpressureonthescholarsofNajaf,bothIraqiandIranian.In1971,asIraqandIranenteredastateofsproradicand undeclared war with each other, the Iraqi regime began expelling from its territory Iranianswhose forebears had in some cases been residing there for generations.The Imam,who until thatpointhadscrupulouslykepthisdistancefromIraqiofficialdom,nowaddressedhimselfdirectlytotheIraqileadershipcondemningitsactions.ImamKhomeiniwas,infact,constantlyandacutelyawareoftheconnectionsbetweenIranianaffairsandthoseoftheMuslimworldingeneralandtheArablandsinparticular.ThisawarenessledhimtoissuefromNajafaproclamationtotheMuslimsoftheworldon the occasion of the hajj in 1971, and to comment,with special frequency and emphasis, on theproblemsposedbyIsraelfortheMuslimworld.The Imam's strong concern for the Palestine question led him to issue a fatva on August 27,

1968authorizing theuseofreligiousmonies(vujuh-ishar'i) tosupport thenascentactivitiesofal-'Asifa,thearmedwingofthePalestineLiberationOrganization;thiswasconfirmedbyasimilarandmore detailed ruling issuedafterameetingwith theBaghdadrepresentativeof thePLO(Sahifa-yiNur,I,pp.144-5).The distribution in Iran, on however limited a scale, of the proclamations and fatvas of

ImamKhomeiniwas in itself enough to ensure that his namenot be forgottenduring the years ofexile. Equally important, the movement of Islamic opposition to the Shah's regime that hadbeen inaugurated by the uprising of 15 Khurdad continued to develop despite the brutalityunhesitatingly dispensed by the Shah. Numerous groups and individuals explicitly owed theirallegiancetotheImam.SoonafterhisexilingtherecameintobeinganorganizationcalledHay'atha-

yiMu'talifa-yi Islami (theAllied IslamicAssociations), headquartered inTehran butwith branchesthroughoutIran.ActiveinitweremanywhohadbeenstudentsoftheImaminQumandwhocametoassume important responsibilities after the revolution,men such as Hashimi-Rafsanjani and JavadBahunar.In January 1965, four members of the organization assassinated Hasan 'Ali Mansur, the

primeministerwho had been responsible for the exiling of the Imam. Therewere no individualsdesignated,evenclandestinely,asImamKhomeini'sauthorizedrepresentativesinIranwhilehewasinexile.However, senior 'ulama' such asAyatullahMurtazaMutahhari,Ayatullah SayyidMuhammadHusaynBihishti (d. 1981), andAyatullahHusayn 'AliMuntaziri,were in contactwith him, directlyand indirectly, and were known to speak on his behalf in important matters. Like theiryoungercounterparts in theHay'atha-yiMu'talafa-yi Islami,all threewenton toperformimportantfunctionsduringandaftertherevolution.The continued growth of the Islamic movement during Imam Khomeini's exile should not

be attributed exclusively to his abiding influence or to the activity of 'ulama' associated withhim. Important, too, were the lectures and books of 'Ali Shari'ati (d. 1977), a university-educated intellectual whose understanding and presentation of Islam were influenced by Westernideologies, includingMarxism, toadegree thatmany 'ulama' regardedasdangerouslysyncretistic.WhentheImamwasaskedtocommentonthetheoriesofShari'ati,bothbythosewhosupportedthemand by those who opposed them, he discreetly refrained from doing so, in order not to create adivisionwithintheIslamicmovementthatwouldhavebenefitedtheShah'sregime.Themostvisiblesignof thepersistingpopularityofImamKhomeini inthepre-revolutionaryyears,aboveallat theheartofthereligiousinstitutioninQum,cameinJune1975ontheanniversaryoftheuprisingof15Khurdad.Studentsat theFayziyamadrasabeganholdingademonstrationwithintheconfinesof thebuilding,andasympatheticcrowdassembledoutside.Bothgatheringscontinuedforthreedaysuntilthey were attacked on the ground by commandos and from the air by a military helicopter, withnumerousdeathsresulting.TheImamreactedwithamessageinwhichhedeclaredtheeventsinQumandsimilardisturbanceselsewheretobeasignofhopethat"freedomandliberationfromthebondsofimperialism"wereathand(Sahifa-yiNur,I,p.215).Thebeginningoftherevolutioncameindeedsometwoandahalfyearslater.[5]TheIslamicRevolution,1978-79The chain of events that ended in February 1979with the overthrow of the Pahlavi regime and

the foundation of the Islamic Republic began with the death in Najaf on October 23, 1977 ofHajj SayyidMustafaKhomeini, unexpectedly and undermysterious circumstances. This deathwaswidely attributed to the Iranian security police, SAVAK, and protest meetings took place in Qum,Tehran, Yazd, Mashhad, Shiraz, and Tabriz. Imam Khomeini himself, with the equanimity hecustomarilydisplayedinthefaceofpersonalloss,describedthedeathofhissonasoneofthe"hiddenfavors"(altaf-ikhafiya)ofGod,andadvisedtheMuslimsofIrantoshowfortitudeandhope(Shahididigarazruhaniyat,Najaf,n.d.,p.27).The esteem in which Imam Khomeini was held and the reckless determination of the Shah's

regime to undermine that esteem were demonstrated once again on January 7, 1978 when anarticleappearedinthesemi-officialnewspaperIttila'atattackinghiminscurriloustermsasatraitorworkingtogetherwithforeignenemiesofthecountry.ThenextdayafuriousmassprotesttookplaceinQum;itwassuppressedbythesecurityforceswithheavylossoflife.Thiswasthefirstinaseriesof popular confrontations that, gathering momentum throughout 1978, soon turned into a

vastrevolutionarymovement,demandingtheoverthrowofthePahlaviregimeandtheinstallationofanIslamicgovernment.ThemartyrsofQumwerecommemoratedfortydayslaterwithdemonstrationsandshopclosures

ineverymajorcityofIran.ParticularlygravewerethedisturbancesinTabriz,whichendedonlyaftermore than100peoplehadbeenkilledby theShah's troops.OnMarch29, the fortiethdayafter thekillingsinTabrizwasmarkedbyafurtherroundofdemonstrations,insomefifty-fiveIraniancities;thistimetheheaviestcasualtiesoccurredinYazd,wheresecurityforcesopenedfireonagatheringinthemainmosque.InearlyMay,itwasTehranitselfthatsawtheprincipalviolence;armoredcolumnsappearedonthestreetsforthefirsttimesinceJune1963inordertocontainthetrendtorevolution.InJune, theShahfound itpolitic tomakeanumberofsuperficialconcessions - suchas the repealofthe "imperial calendar" - to the forces opposing him, but repression also continued. WhenthegovernmentlostcontrolofIsfahanonAugust17,thearmyassaultedthecityandkilledhundredsof unarmed demonstrators. Two days later, 410 people were burned to death behind the lockeddoorsofacinemainAbadan,andthegovernmentwasplausiblyheldresponsible.On 'Id al-fitr,which that year fell on September 4,marches took place in allmajor cities,with

an estimated total of four million participants. The demand was loudly voiced for the abolitionofmonarchyandthefoundationofanIslamicgovernmentundertheleadershipofImamKhomeini.Faced with the mounting tide of revolution, the Shah decreed martial law and forbade

further demonstrations. On September 9, a crowd gathered at the Maydan-I Zhala (subsequentlyrenamedMaydan-I Shuhada') inTehranwas attacked by troops that had blocked all exits from thesquare,andsome2000peoplewerekilledatthislocationalone.Another2000werekilledelsewherein Tehran by American-supplied military helicopters hovering overhead. This day of massacre,whichcametobeknownasBlackFriday,markedthepointofnoreturn.Toomuchbloodhadbeenspilt for the Shah to have any hope of survival, and the army itself began to tire of the task ofslaughter.As these events were unfolding in Iran, ImamKhomeini delivered a whole series of messages

and speeches which reached his homeland not only in printed form but also increasingly ontape cassettes.His voice could be heard congratulating the people for their sacrifices, denouncingtheShahincategoricalfashionasacriminal,andunderliningtheresponsibilityoftheUnitedStatesfor the killings and the repression. (Ironically, US President Carter had visited Tehran on NewYear'sEve1977andlaudedtheShahforcreating"anislandofstabilityinoneofthemoretroubledareasoftheworld"(NewYorkTimes,January2,1978).Asthefadeofstabilitydissolved,theUnitedStates continued its military and political support of the Shah uninterrupted by anything but themost superficial hesitation). Most importantly, the Imam recognized that a unique juncture hadbeenreachedinIranianhistory,thatagenuinelyrevolutionarymomentumhadcomeintobeingwhichif dissipated would be impossible to rebuild. He therefore warned against any tendency tocompromiseortobedeceivedbythesporadicconciliatorygesturesoftheShah.Thus on the occasion of 'Id al-Fitr, when mass demonstrations had passed off with

deceptivepeacefulnessinTehran,heissuedthefollowingdeclaration:"NoblepeopleofIran!Pressforwardwithyourmovementanddonotslackenforaminute,asIknowfullwellyouwillnot!Letnoone imagine that after the blessed month of Ramadan his God-given duties have changed.ThesedemonstrationsthatbreakdowntyrannyandadvancethegoalsofIslamareaformofworshipthat is not confined to certainmonths or days, for the aim is to save the nation, to enact Islamicjustice,andtoestablishaformofdivinegovernmentbasedonjustice"(Sahifa-yiNur,I,p.97).In one of the numerous miscalculations that marked his attempts to destroy the revolution, the

Shah decided to seek the deportation of ImamKhomeini from Iraq, on the assumption, no doubt,that once removed from the prestigious location of Najaf and its proximity to Iran, his voice

would somehow be silenced. The agreement of the Iraqi government was obtained at a meetingbetweentheIraqiandIranianforeignministersinNewYork,andonSeptember24,1978,theImam'shouse in Najaf was surrounded by troops. He was informed that his continued residence in Iraqwascontingentonhisabandoningpoliticalactivity,aconditionhewassuretoreject.OnOctober3,he left Iraq for Kuwait, but was refused entry at the border. After a period of hesitation inwhich Algeria, Lebanon and Syria were considered as possible destinations, Imam KhomeiniembarkedforParis,ontheadviceofhissecondson,HajjSayyidAhmadKhomeini,whobynowhadjoinedhim.Once arrived in Paris, the Imam took up residence in the suburb of Neauphle-le-Chateau in a

housethathadbeenrentedforhimbyIranianexilesinFrance.Residenceinanon-Muslimlandwasno doubt experienced by Imam Khomeini as irksome, and in the declaration he issued fromNeauphle-le-ChateauonOctober 11, 1978, the fortieth day after themassacres ofBlackFriday, heannounced his intention of moving to any Muslim country that assured him freedom of speech(Sahifa-yiNur,II,p.143).Nosuchassuranceevermaterialized.Inaddition,hisforcedremovalfromNajafincreasedpopularangerinIranstillfurther.Itwas,however,theShah'sregimethatturnedoutto be the ultimate loser from thismove. Telephonic communicationswith Tehranwere far easierfromParis than theyhadbeen fromNajaf, thanks to theShah's determination to link Iranwith theWest in every possible way, and the messages and instructions the Imam issued flowed forthuninterrupted from the modest command center he established in a small house opposite hisresidence.Moreover,ahostofjournalistsfromacrosstheworldnowmadetheirwaytoFrance,andtheimageandthewordsoftheImamsoonbecameadailyfeatureintheworld'smedia.In Iran meanwhile, the Shah was continuously reshaping his government. First he brought in

as prime minister Sharif-Imami, an individual supposedly close to conservative elements amongthe 'ulama. Then, on November 6, he formed a military government under General Ghulam-Riza Azhari, a move explicitly recommended by the United States. These political maneuvringshad essentially no effect on the progress of the revolution. On November 23, one week beforethe beginning of Muharram, the Imam issued a declaration in which he likened the month to "adivine sword in the hands of the soldiers of Islam, our great religious leaders and respectedpreachers, and all the followers of Imam Husayn, sayyid al-shuhada'." They must, he continued,"makemaximumuseofit;trustinginthepowerofGod,theymusttearouttheremainingrootsofthistree of oppression and treachery."As for themilitary government, itwas contrary to the shari'ah,andoppositiontoitareligiousduty(Sahifa-yiNur,III,p.225).Vast demonstrations unfurled across Iran as soon as Muharram began. Thousands of people

donnedwhiteshroudsasa tokenofreadinessformartyrdomandwerecutdownas theydefied thenightlycurfew.OnMuharram9,amillionpeoplemarchedinTehrandemandingtheoverthrowofthemonarchy, and the following day, 'Ashura, more than two million demonstrators approved byacclamationaseventeen-pointdeclarationofwhichthemostimportantdemandwastheformationofanIslamicgovernmentheadedbytheImam.Killingsbythearmycontinued,butmilitarydisciplinebegan to crumble, and the revolution acquired an economic dimensionwith the proclamation of anationalstrikeonDecember18.Withhisregimecrumbling,theShahnowattemptedtocooptsecular,liberal-nationalist politicians in order to forestall the foundation of an Islamic government. OnJanuary 3, 1979, Shahpur Bakhtiyar of the National Front (Jabha-yi Milli) was appointed primeminister to replaceGeneralAzhari,andplansweredrawnupfor theShah to leave thecountry forwhatwasadvertisedasatemporaryabsence.OnJanuary12,theformationofanine-memberregencycouncilwasannounced;headedbyJalalal-DinTihrani,an individualproclaimed tohave religiouscredentials,itwastorepresenttheShah'sauthorityinhisabsence.Noneofthesemaneuversdistracted

theImamfromthegoalnowincreasinglywithinreach.Theverynextdayaftertheformationoftheregency council, he proclaimed from Neauphle-le-Chateau the formation of the Council of theIslamic Revolution (Shaura-yi Inqilab-i Islami), a body entrusted with establishing a transitionalgovernmenttoreplacetheBakhtiyaradministration.OnJanuary16,amidscenesoffeverishpopularrejoicing,theShahleftIranforexileanddeath.What remained now was to remove Bakhtiyar and prevent a military coup d'etat enabling the

Shah to return.The firstof theseaimscamecloser to realizationwhenSayyidJalalal-DinTihranicame toParis inorder toseekacompromisewithImamKhomeini.Herefused toseehimuntilheresigned from the regency council and pronounced it illegal.As for themilitary, the gap betweensenior generals, unconditionally loyal to the Shah, and the growing number of officers andrecruits sympathetic to the revolution, was constantly growing.When theUnited States dispatchedGeneral Huyser, commander of NATO land forces in Europe, to investigate the possibility of amilitarycoup,hewasobligedtoreportthatitwaspointlesseventoconsidersuchastep.ConditionsnowseemedappropriateforImamKhomeinitoreturntoIranandpresideoverthefinalstagesoftherevolution. After a series of delays, including the military occupation of Mehrabad airport fromJanuary24to30,theImamembarkedonacharteredairlinerofAirFranceontheeveningofJanuary31andarrived inTehran the followingmorning.Amidunparalleled scenesofpopular joy - ithasbeenestimatedthatmorethantenmillionpeoplegatheredinTehrantowelcometheImambacktohishomeland-heproceededtothecemeteryofBihisht-iZahratothesouthofTehranwherethemartyrsoftherevolutionlayburied.TherehedecriedtheBakhtiyaradministrationasthe"lastfeeblegaspofthe Shah's regime" and declared his intention of appointing a government that would "punchBakhtiyar'sgovernmentinthemouth."(Sahifa-yiNur,IV,pp.281-6).TheappointmentoftheprovisionalIslamicgovernmenttheImamhadpromisedcameonFebruary 5. Its leadership was entrusted toMahdi Bazargan, an individual who had been active

for many years in various Islamic organizations, most notably the FreedomMovement (Nahzat-iAzadi).Thedecisiveconfrontationcamelessthanaweeklater.Facedwiththeprogressivedisintegration

of the armed forces and the desertion ofmany officers andmen, together with their weapons, tothe Revolutionary Committees that were springing up everywhere, Bakhtiyar decreed a curfew inTehran to takeeffect at4p.m.OnFebruary10. ImamKhomeiniordered that thecurfewshouldbedefiedandwarnedthatifelementsinthearmyloyaltotheShahdidnotdesistfromkillingthepeople,hewould issue a formal fatva for jihad (Sahifa-yi Nur, V, p. 75). The following day the SupremeMilitaryCouncilwithdrewits support fromBakhtiyar,andonFebruary12,1979,allorgansof theregime,political,administrative,andmilitary,finallycollapsed.Therevolutionhadtriumphed.Clearlynorevolutioncanberegardedastheworkofasingleman,

norcanitscausesbeinterpretedinpurelyideologicalterms;economicandsocialdevelopmentshadhelpedtopreparethegroundfortherevolutionarymovementof1978-79.Therewasalsomarginalinvolvementintherevolution,particularlyduringitsfinalstageswhenitstriumphseemedassured,bysecular, liberal-nationalist,andleftistelements.ButtherecanbenodoubtingthecentralityofImamKhomeini'sroleandtheintegrallyIslamicnatureoftherevolutionheled.Physicallyremovedfromhiscountrymenforfourteenyears,hehadanunfailingsenseoftherevolutionarypotentialthathadsurfacedandwasabletomobilizethebroadmassesoftheIranianpeoplefortheattainmentofwhatseemedtomanyinsidethecountry(includinghischosenpremier,Bazargan)adistantandexcessivelyambitiousgoal.His role pertained,moreover, notmerely tomoral inspiration and symbolic leadership; hewas

alsotheoperationalleaderoftherevolution.Occasionallyheacceptedadviceondetailsofstrategyfrom persons in Iran, but he took all key decisions himself, silencing early on all advocates ofcompromisewiththeShah.Itwasthemosquesthatweretheorganizationalunitsoftherevolutionandmass prayers, demonstrations and martyrdom that were - until the very last stage - its principalweapons.[6]1979-89:firstdecadeoftheIslamicRepublic,lastdecadeoftheImam'slifeImam Khomeini's role was also central in shaping the new political order that emerged from

therevolution, theIslamicRepublicof Iran.Atfirst itappeared thathemightexercisehisdirectiverolefromQum,forhemovedtherefromTehranonFebruary29,causingQumtobecomeineffecta secondcapitalof Iran.OnMarch30and31,anationwide referendumresulted inamassivevotein favor of the establishment of an IslamicRepublic. The Imamproclaimed the next day,April 1,1979,asthe"firstdayofGod'sgovernment"(Sahifa-yiNur,V,p.233).Theinstitutionalizationofthenew order continued with the election, on August 3, of an Assembly of Experts (Majlis-IKhubragan), entrustedwith the task of reviewing a draft constitution that had been put forward onJune18;fiftyfiveoftheseventy-threepersonselectedwerereligiousscholars.It was not however to be expected that a smooth transition from the old regime would

prove possible. The powers and duties of the Council of the Islamic Revolutionary, which wasintendedtoserveasaninterimlegislature,werenotclearlydelineatedfromthoseoftheprovisionalgovernmentheadedbyBazargan.Moreimportantly,significantdifferencesofoutlookandapproachseparated the two bodies from each other. The council, composed predominantly of 'ulama',favored immediate and radical change and sought to strengthen the revolutionary organs that hadcome into being - the revolutionary committees, the revolutionary courts charged with punishingmembersoftheformerregimechargedwithseriouscrimes,andtheCorpsofGuardsoftheIslamicRevolution(Sipah-IPasdaran-IInqilab-IIslami),establishedonMay5,1979.Thegovernment,headedby Bazargan and comprising mainly liberal technocrats of Islamic orientation, sought as swifta normalization of the situation as possible and the gradual phasing out of therevolutionaryinstitutions.Although Imam Khomeini encouraged members of the two bodies to cooperate and refrained,

onmostoccasions,fromarbitratingtheirdifferences,hissympathieswereclearlywith theCouncilof the Islamic Revolution. On July 1, Bazargan offered the Imam his resignation. It was refused,and four members of the council - Rafsanjani, Bahunar, Mahdavi-Kani, and Ayatullah Sayyid'AliKhamna'i-joinedBazargan'scabinetinanefforttoimprovethecoordinationofthetwobodies.Inadditiontothesefrictionsatthegovernmentallevel,afurtherelementofinstabilitywasprovidedby the terrorist activities of shadowy groups that were determined to rob the nascent Islamicrepublic of some of its most capable personalities. Thus on May 1, 1979, Ayatullah MurtazaMutahhari,aleadingmemberoftheCounciloftheIslamicRevolutionandaformerpupilclosetotheImam'sheart,wasassassinatedinTehran.Foronce,theImamweptinanopendisplayofgrief.Thefinal break between Bazargan and the revolution came as a consequence of the occupation of theUnitedStatesembassyinTehranonNovember4,1979byacoalitionofstudentsfromtheuniversitiesof Tehran. Despite declarations of willingness to "honor the will of the Iranian people" and itsrecognitionof the IslamicRepublic, theAmericangovernmenthadadmitted theShah to theUnitedStatesonOctober22,1979.The pretextwas his need formedical treatment, but itwaswidely feared in Iran that his arrival

in America, where large numbers of high-ranking officials of the previous regime had gathered,might be the prelude to an American-sponsored attempt to restore him to power, on the lines of

thesuccessfulCIAcoupofAugust1953.TheShah'sextradition toIranwas thereforedemandedbythe students occupying the embassy as a condition for their liberating the hostages they wereholdingthere.It is probable that the students had cleared their action in advance with close associates of

Imam Khomeini, for he swiftly extended his protection to them, proclaiming their action "agreater revolution than the first" (Sahifa-yi Nur, X, p. 141). Two days later, he predicted thatconfronted by this "second revolution,"Americawould be "unable to do a damned thing (Amrikahichghalatinamitavanadbukunad)"(Sahifa-yiNur,X,p.149).Thispredictionseemedextravaganttomany in Iran, but amilitary expeditionmounted by theUnited States onApril 22, 1980 to rescuethe American hostages and possibly, too, to attack sensitive sites in Tehran, came to an abruptandhumiliatingendwhentheAmericangunshipscrashedintoeachotherinasandstormnearTabasin south-eastern Iran.OnApril 7, theUnited States had formally broken diplomatic tieswith Iran,amovewelcomedbyImamKhomeiniasanoccasionof rejoicingfor theIraniannation(Sahifa-yiNur,XII,p.40).ItwasnotuntilJanuary21,1981thattheAmericanhostageswerefinallyreleased.Twodays after theoccupationof theUSembassy,Bazarganonce againofferedhis resignation,

andthistimeitwasaccepted.Inaddition,theprovisionalgovernmentwasdissolved,andtheCouncilof the Islamic Revolution temporarily assumed the task of running the country. This markedthe definitive departure of Bazargan and like-minded individuals from the scene; henceforth theterm"liberal"becameapejorativedesignationforthosewhoquestionedthefundamentaltendenciesof the revolution. In addition, the students occupying the embassy had access to extensive filestheAmericans had kept on various Iranian personalitieswho had frequented the embassy over theyears; these documents were now published and discredited the personalities involved. Mostimportantly,theoccupationoftheembassyconstituteda"secondrevolution"inthatIrannowoffereda unique example of defiance of the American superpower and became established forAmericanpolicymakersastheirprincipaladversaryintheMiddleEast.The enthusiasmarousedby the occupationof the embassy also helped to ensure a large turnout

for the referendum that was held on December 2 and 3, 1979 to ratify the constitution that hadbeen approved by the Assembly of Experts on November 15. The constitution, whichwas overwhelmingly approved, differed greatly from the original draft, above all through itsinclusionoftheprincipleofvilayat-ifaqihasitsbasicanddeterminingprinciple.Mentionedbrieflyinthepreamble,itwasspelledoutinfullinArticleFive:"DuringtheOccultationoftheLordoftheAge (Sahib al-Zaman; i.e., theTwelfth Imam) thegovernance and leadershipof thenationdevolveupon the just and pious faqih who is acquainted with the circumstances of his age; courageous,resourceful,andpossessedofadministrativeability;andrecognizedandacceptedasleader(rahbar)bythemajorityofthepeople.Intheeventthatnofaqihshouldbesorecognizedbythemajority,theleader,orleadershipcouncil,composedoffuqaha'possessingtheaforementionedqualifications,willassumetheseresponsibilities."Article109specifiedthequalificationsandattributesoftheleaderas"suitability with respect to learning and piety, as required for the functions of mufti and marja'."Article110listedhispowers,whichincludesupremecommandofthearmedforces,appointmentoftheheadofthejudiciary,signingthedecreeformalizingtheelectionofthepresidentoftherepublic,and-undercertainconditions-dismissinghim(Qanun-iAsasi-yiJumhuri-yiIslami-yiIran,Tehran,1370Sh./1991,pp.23-24,53-58).These articles formed the constitutional basis for Imam Khomeini's leadership role. In

addition,fromJuly1979onwards,hehadbeenappointingImamJum'a'sforeverymajorcity,whonotonlydeliveredtheFridaysermonbutalsoactedashispersonalrepresentatives.

Most government institutions also had a representative of the Imam assigned to them.However,the ultimate source of his influence was his vast moral and spiritual prestige, which led to himbeing designated primarily as Imam, in the sense of one dispensing comprehensive leadership tothe community (Suggestions that the use of this title assimilated him to the Twelve Imams of Shi'ibeliefandhenceattributedinfallibilitytohimaregroundless).OnJanuary23,1980,ImamKhomeiniwasbroughtfromQumtoTehrantoreceivetreatmentfor

aheart ailment.After thirty-ninedays inhospital, he tookup residence in thenorthTehran suburbofDarband,andonApril22hemovedintoamodesthouseinJamaran,anothersuburbtothenorthofthe capital. A closely guarded compound grew up around the house, and it was there that hewasdestinedtospendtherestofhislife.On January 25, during the Imam's hospitalization, Abu 'l-Hasan Bani Sadr, a French-

educatedeconomist,waselectedfirstpresidentoftheIslamicRepublicofIran.Hissuccesshadbeenmadepossible inpartby the Imam'sdecision that itwasnotopportune tohavea religious scholarstand for election. This event, followed on March 14 by the first elections to the Majlis, mighthavecountedasafurthersteptotheinstitutionalizationandstabilizationofthepoliticalsystem.However, Bani Sadr's tenure, together with the tensions that soon arose between him and a

majority of thedeputies in theMajlis, occasioned a severe crisis that ledultimately toBaniSadr'sdismissal. For the president, his inherentmegalomania aggravated by his victory at the polls,wasreluctant to concede supremacy to Imam Khomeini, and he therefore attempted to build up apersonalfollowing,consistinglargelyofformerleftistswhoowedtheirpositionsexclusivelytohim.In this enterprise, he inevitably clashed with the newly formed Islamic Republic Party (Hizb-iJumhuri-yiIslami),headedbyAyatullahBihishti,whichdominatedtheMajlisandwasloyaltowhatwas referred to as "the line of the Imam" (khatt-i Imam).As he had earlier donewith the disputesbetweentheprovisionalgovernmentandtheCounciloftheIslamicRevolution,theImamsoughttoreconcile the parties, andonSeptember 111980 appealed to all branches of government and theirmemberstosetasidetheirdifferences.While this new governmental crisis was brewing, on September 22, 1980, Iraq sent its forces

across the Iranianborderand launchedawarofaggression thatwas to last foralmosteightyears.IraqenjoyedfinancialsupportinthisventurefromtheArabstatesliningthePersianGulf,aboveallfrom Saudi Arabia. Imam Khomeini, however, correctly regarded the United States as theprincipal instigator of the war from the outset, and American involvement became increasinglyvisible as the war wore on. Although Iraq advanced territorial claims against Iran, the barelydisguisedpurposeoftheaggressionwastotakeadvantageofthedislocationscausedinIranbytherevolution,particularlytheweakeningofthearmythroughpurgesofdisloyalofficers,andtodestroythe Islamic Republic. As he had done during the revolution, Imam Khomeini insisted on anuncompromising stance and inspired a steadfast resistance which prevented the easy Iraqi victorymany foreign observers had confidently foretold. Initially, however, Iraq enjoyed some success,capturingtheportcityofKhurramshahrandencirclingAbadan.The conduct of the war became one more issue at dispute between Bani Sadr and his

opponents. Continuing his efforts at reconciling the factions, ImamKhomeini established a three-mancommissiontoinvestigatethecomplaintseachhadagainsttheother.Thecommissionreportedon June 1, 1981 that Bani Sadr was guilty of violating the constitution and contravening theImam'sinstructions.HewasaccordinglydeclaredincompetentbytheMajlistofunctionaspresident,and the next day, in accordance with Article 110 section (e) of the constitution, Imam Khomeinidismissedhim.Hewentintohiding,andonJuly28fledtoParis,disguisedasawoman.Toward the end of his presidency, Bani Sadr had allied himself with the Sazman-iMujahidin-i

Khalq (Organization of People's Strugglers; however, the group is commonly known in Iran asmunafiqin, "hypocrites," notmujahidin, because of itsmembers' hostility to the IslamicRepublic).An organizationwith a tortuous ideological and political history, it had hoped, likeBani Sadr, todisplaceImamKhomeiniandcapturepowerforitself.AfterBaniSadrwentintoexile,membersofthe organization embarked on a campaign of assassinating government leaders in the hope thattheIslamicRepublicwouldcollapse.EvenbeforeBaniSadrfled,amassiveexplosionhaddestroyedthe headquarters of the Islamic Republic Party, killing more than seventy people includingAyatullahBihishti.OnAugust30,1981,Muhammad 'AliRaja'i,BaniSadr's successoraspresident,waskilledinanotherexplosion.Otherassassinationsfollowedoverthenexttwoyears,includingfiveImam Jum'a's as well as a host of lesser figures. Throughout these disasters, Imam Khomeinimaintainedhiscustomarycomposure,declaring,forexample,aftertheassassinationofRaja'ithatthekillingswouldchangenothingandinfactshowedIrantobe"themoststablecountryintheworld,"giventheabilityofthegovernmenttocontinuefunctioninginanorderlymanner(Sahifa-yiNur,XV,p.130). The fact that Iran was able to withstand such blows internally while continuing the warof defense against Iraq was indeed testimony to the roots the new order had struck and tothe undiminished prestige of Imam Khomeini as the leader of the nation. Ayatullah Khamna'i, alongtime associate and devotee of the Imam, was elected president on October 2, 1981, and heremained in this position until he succeededhim as leader of the IslamicRepublic on his death in1989.NogovernmentalcrisescomparabletothoseofthefirstyearsoftheIslamicRepublicoccurredduringhistenure.Nonetheless, structural problems persisted. The constitution provided that legislation passed by

the Majlis should be reviewed by a body of senior fuqaha' known as the Council of Guardians(Shaura-yiNagahban)toensureitsconformitywiththeprovisionsofJa'farifiqh.Thisfrequentlyledtoastalemateonavarietyofimportantlegislativeissues.Onatleasttwooccasions,inOctober1981and January 1983, Hashimi- Rafsanjani, then chairman of the Majlis, requested the Imam toarbitratedecisively,drawingontheprerogativesinherentinthedoctrineofvilayat-ifaqih,inordertobreak the deadlock. He was reluctant to do so, always preferring that a consensus shouldemerge.However, on January 6, 1988, in a letter addressed to Khamna'i, the Imam put forward afarreaching definition of vilayat-i faqih, now termed "absolute" (mutlaqa), which made ittheoretically possible for the leadership to override all conceivable objections to the policies itsupported.Governance,ImamKhomeiniproclaimed,isthemostimportantofalldivineordinances(ahkam-

i ilahi) and it takes precedence over secondary divine ordinances (ahkam-i far'iya-yi ilahiya).NotonlydoestheIslamicstatepermissiblyenforcealargenumberoflawsnotmentionedspecificallyinthe sources of the shari'a, such as the prohibition of narcotics and the levying of customs dues; itcanalsosuspendtheperformanceofafundamentalreligiousduty,thehajj,whenthisisnecessitatedby the higher interest of theMuslims (Sahifa-yi Nur, XX, pp. 170-71). At first sight, the theory ofvilayati mutlaqa-yi faqih might appear to be a justification for unlimited individual rule by theleader (rahbar). One month later, however, Imam Khomeini delegated these broadly definedprerogativestoacommissionnamedtheAssemblyfortheDeterminationoftheInterestoftheIslamicOrder (Majma'-i Tashkhis-i Maslahat-i Nizam-i Islami). This standing body has the power tosettledecisivelyalldifferencesonlegislationbetweentheMajlisandtheCouncilofGuardians.ThewaragainstIraqcontinuedtopreoccupyIranuntilJuly1988.Iranhadcometodefineitswar

aimsasnotsimplytheliberationofallpartsofitsterritoryoccupiedbyIraq,butalsotheoverhrowoftheregimeofSaddamHusayn.Anumberofmilitaryvictoriesmadethisgoalappearattainable.OnNovember29,1981,ImamKhomeinicongratulatedhismilitarycommandersonsuccessesachievedin Khuzistan, remarking that the Iraqis had been obliged to retreat before the faith of the Iranian

troopsandtheireagernessformartyrdom(Sahifa-yiNur,XV,p.234).Thefollowingyear,onMay24,Khurramshahr, which had been held by the Iraqis since shortly after the outbreak of war, wasliberated,andonlysmallpocketsofIranianterritoryremainedinIraqihands.TheImammarkedtheoccasionbycondemninganewthePersianGulfstatesthatsupportedSaddamHusaynanddescribingthevictoryasadivinegift(Sahifa-yiNur,XVI,pp.154-5).Iranfailed,however,tofollowupswiftlyon its surprise victory and the momentum, which might have made possible the destruction ofSaddamHusayn'sregime,waslostasthetideofwarflowedbackandforth.TheUnitedStateswas,inanyevent,determinedtodenyIranadecisivevictoryandsteppedupitsinterventionintheconflictinavarietyofways.Finally, on July2, 1988, theUSnavy stationed in thePersianGulf shot downacivilianIranianairliner,withthelossof290passengers.Withtheutmostreluctance,ImamKhomeiniagreed to end the war on the terms specified in Resolution 598 of the United Nations SecurityCouncil,comparinghisdecisionina lenghtystatement issuedonJuly20to thedrinkingofpoison(Sahifa-yiNur,XXI,pp.227-44).Any notion that the acceptance of a ceasefire with Iraq signaled a diminution in the

Imam's readiness to confront the enemies of Islamwas dispelledwhen, on February 14, 1989, heissuedafatvacallingfor theexecutionofSalmanRushdie,authorof theobsceneandblasphemousnovel,TheSatanicVerses,aswellasthoseresponsibleforthepublicationanddisseminationofthework. The fatva received a great deal of support in the Muslim world as the most authoritativearticulation of popular outrage at Rushdie's gross insult to Islam. Although its demand remainedunfulfilled, it demonstrated plainly the consequences that would have to be faced by any aspiringimitatorofRushdie,andthushadanimportantdeterrenteffect.Generallyoverlookedatthetimewasthe firm grounding of the Imam's fatva in the existing provisions of both Shi'i and Sunnijurisprudence;itwasnotthereforeinnovative.WhatlentthefatvaparticularsignificancewasratheritsissuancebytheImamasafigureofgreatmoralauthority.The Imam had also gained the attention of the outside world, albeit in a less spectacular way,

onJanuary4,1989,whenhesentMikhailGorbachev,thengeneralsecretaryoftheCommunistPartyof the Soviet Union, a letter in which he predicted the collapse of the Soviet Union andthe disappearance of communism: "Henceforth it will be necessary to look for communism inthe museums of political history of the world." He also warned Gorbachev and the Russianpeople against replacing communismwithWestern-stylematerialism: "The basic problemof yourcountryhasnothingtodowithownership,theeconomy,orfreedom;itisthelackofatruebeliefinGod,the sameproblem thathasdrawn theWest intoablindalleyof trivialityandpurposelessness"(AvayiTauhid,Tehran,1367Sh./1989,pp.3-5).Internally, however, the most important development in the last year of Imam Khomeini's life

was, without doubt, his dismissal of Ayatullah Muntaziri from the position of successor to theleadershipoftheIslamicRepublic.OnceastudentandcloseassociateoftheImam,whohadgonesofar as to call him "the fruit of my life," Muntaziri had had among his associates over the yearspersons executed for counterrevolutionary activity, including a son-in-law, Mahdi Hashimi, andmadefarreachingcriticismsoftheIslamicRepublic,particularlywithregardtojudicialmatters.OnJuly31,1988,hewrotea letter to theImamquestioningwhatheregardedasunjustifiedexecutionsofmembersoftheSazman-iMujahidin-iKhalqheldinIranianprisonsaftertheorganization,fromitsbase in Iraq,hadmadea large-scale incursion into Iranian territory in theclosing stagesof theIran-Iraqwar.Matterscametoahead thefollowingyear,andonMarch28,1989, theImamwroteto Muntaziri accepting his resignation from the succession, a resignation which underthecircumstanceshewascompelledtooffer(Sahifa-yiNur,XXI,p.112).

FuneralOn June 3, 1989, after eleven days in hospital for an operation to stop internal bleeding,

Imam Khomeini lapsed into a critical condition and died. The outpouring of grief was massiveandspontaneous,theexactcounterpointtothevastdemonstrationsofjoythathadgreetedhisreturnto Iran a little over ten years earlier. Such was the press of mourners, estimated at some ninemillion,thatthebodyultimatelyhadtobetransportedbyhelicoptertoitsplaceofburialtothesouthof Tehran on the road leading to Qum. A still expanding complex of structures has grown uparoundtheshrineof theImam,making it likely that itwillbecomethecenterofanentirenewcitydevotedtoziyaraandreligiouslearning.The testament of Imam Khomeini was published soon after his death. A lengthy document,

it addresses itself principally to thevarious classesof Iranian society, urging them todowhateverisnecessaryforthepreservationandstrengtheningoftheIslamicRepublic.Significantly,however,itbegins with an extended meditation on the hadith-i thaqalayn: "I leave among you two great andpreciousthings:theBookofGodandmyprogeny;theywillneverbeseparatedfromeachotheruntiltheymeetmeatthepool."TheImaminterpretsthemisfortunesthathavebefallenMuslimsthroughouthistory andmore particularly in the present age as the result of efforts precisely to disengage theQur'anfromtheprogenyoftheProphet(s.a.w.s.)The legacy of Imam Khomeini was considerable. He had bequeathed to Iran not only a

political systemenshrining theprinciplesbothof religious leadershipandofanelected legislatureand head of the executive branch, but also a whole new ethos and self-image, a dignified stanceof independence vis-vis the West rare in the Muslim world. He was deeply imbued with thetraditionsandworldviewofShi'iIslam,butheviewedtherevolutionhehadledandtherepublichehadfoundedas thenucleusforaworldwideawakeningofallMuslims.Hehadsought toattainthisgoal by, among other things, issuing proclamations to the hujjaj on a number of occasions andalerting them to the dangers arising from American dominance of the Middle East, the tirelessactivity of Israel for subverting theMuslimworld, and the subservience toAmerica and Israel ofnumerous Middle Eastern governments. Unity between Shi'is and Sunnis was one of his lastingconcerns;hewas,indeed,thefirstShi'iauthoritytodeclareunconditionallyvalidprayersperformedbyShi'isbehindaSunniimam(Istifta'at,I,p.279).It must finally be stressed that despite the amplitude of his political achievements, Imam

Khomeini'spersonalitywasessentiallythatofagnosticforwhompoliticalactivitywasbutthenaturaloutgrowth of an intense inner life of devotion. The comprehensive vision of Islam that he botharticulatedandexemplifiedis,indeed,hismostsignificantlegacy.[7]Bibliography:WorksofImamKhomeini[a]Worksongnosis[b]Worksonfiqh[c]OnIslamicgovernment[d]Proclamations,speeches,messagesandlettersTestament

[e]Bibliography:OtherSources[a]Worksongnosis:(1) Sharh Du'a' al-Sahar, commentary on the supplicatory prayer recited during Ramadan by

ImamMuhammadal-Baqir,ed.SayyidAhmadFihri,Tehran,1362Sh./1983(Arabic).(2)Thesame,withaPersiantranslationbyFihri,Tehran,1370Sh./1991(3)SharhHadith Ra's al-Jalut, commentary on an address by ImamRiza to the Chief Rabbi of

histime,unpublished(Arabic)(4)Hashiya 'ala Sharh Hadith Ra's al-Jalut, gloss on Qazi Sa'id Qummi's commentary on the

sameaddress,unpublished(Arabic)(5) Al-Ta'liqa 'ala 'l-Fawa'id al-Radawiya, glosses on the commentary of Qazi Sa'id

Qummi'scommentaryonsomeofthehadithofImamRiza,Tehran,1417/1996(Arabic)(6) Sharh-i Hadith-i 'Junud-i 'Aql va Jahl, a detailed and systematic work setting out

ImamKhomeini'sviewsongnostics,ethics,andtheology,forthcoming(Persian)(7)Misbah al-Hidaya ila 'l-Khilafa wa 'l-Wilaya, on the innermost reality of the Prophet and

the Twelve Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, with introduction and commentary by Sayyid Jalal al-DinAshtiyani,Tehran,1372Sh./1993(Arabic)(8) Ta'liqat 'ala Sharh Fusus al-Hikam wa Misbah al-Uns, notes on Qaysari's commentary on

the Fusus andMuhammad Fanari's commentary on Sadr al-Din Qunawi's Miftah al-Ghayb, Qum,1365Sh./1986(Arabic)(9) Sharh-i Chihil Hadith, voluminous commentary on forty hadith, mostly of gnostic and

ethicalcontent,Tehran,1372Sh./1993(Persian)(10)Sirral-Salat(Salatal-'ArifinwaMi'rajal-Salikin),detailedexaminationoftheinnermeanings

oftheprayer,withaprefacebyAyatullahJavadi-Amuli,Tehran,1369Sh./1980(Persian)(11) Adab-i Namaz , another exploration of the dimensions of the prayer, Tehran,1372 Sh./

1993(Persian)(12)Risala-yi Liqa'ullah, a brief treatise on the meaning in which "the meeting with God" in

the hereafter is to be understood, published as a supplement to the longer work of Hajj MirzaJavadiMaliki-Tabrizi on the same subject andwith the same title,Tehran, 1360Sh./1981, pp. 253-60(Persian)(13) Hashiya bar Asfar-i Arba'a, marginal notes on the Asfar of Mulla Sadra, unpublished

(Arabic?)(14)Risala fi 'l-Talabwa 'l-Irada,with a Persian translation and commentary by SayyidAhmad

Fihri,Tehran,1362Sh./1983(Arabic)(15) Tafsir-I Sura-yi Hamd, several commentaries on Surat al-Fatiha, Tehran, 1375

Sh./1996(Persian)Translations:(1) "Lectures on Surat al-Fatiha," in Islam and Revolution, translated by Hamid Algar,

Berkeley,1981,pp.365-425;(2)RahasiaBasmalahdanHamdalah,translatedbyZulfahmiAndri,Bandung,1994(3) Noqta-yi 'Atf, a collection of letters and poems written for Hajj Sayyid Ahmad

Khomeini,Tehran,1373Sh./1995(Persian)(4)Mahram-iRaz,anothercollectionofthesametype,Tehran,1373Sh./1995(Persian)(5)Jilvaha-yiRahmani,athirdcollectionofthesametype,Tehran1371Sh./1992(Persian)(6)Divan-iImamKhomeini,acollectionofpredominantlymysticalghazals,writtenin thestyles

ofJalalal-DinRumiandHafiz,Tehran,1372Sh./1993(Persian)(7) Sabu-yi 'Ishq, the ghazals written by Imam Khomeini during the last two years of his

life,Tehran,n.d.(Persian)(8) Jihad-i Akbar ya Mubaraza ba Nafs, a lecture on self-purification given at Najaf, Tehran,

1373Sh./1994.(Persian)[b]Worksonfiqh(1) Anwar al-Hidaya fi 'l-Ta'liqa 'ala 'l-Kifaya, notes on the Kifayat al-Usul of Shaykh

MuhammadKazimKhurasanionusulal-fiqh,2vols.,Tehran,1372Sh./1993(Arabic)(2)al-Rasa'il,acollectionof four treatises:Qa'idatLaDarar;al-Istihsab;al-Ta'adulwa 'l-Tarjih;

andFi'l-Taqiya,withnotesbyMujtabaTihrani,Qum1385/1965(Arabic)(3)Bada'i' al-Durar fi Qa'idat Nafy al-Darar, a critical edition of the first treatise in al-Rasa'il,

Tehran,1414/1993(Arabic)(4)Manahij al-Wusul ila 'ilmal-usul, a systematic treatiseonusul al-fiqh,with introduction and

notesbyAyatullahFazilLankurani,2vols.,Tehran,1372Sh./1993(Arabic)(5)RisalafiQa'idatManMalak,unpublished(Arabic)(6)RisalafiTa'yinal-Fajrfi'l-Layali'l-Muqmara,atreatiseondeterminingthetimeofdawnonmoonlitnights,Qum,1368Sh./1990(Arabic)

(7)Kitabal-Tahara,onquestionsofritualpurity,4vols.,Najaf,1389/1969(8) Ta'liqa 'ala 'l-'Urwat al-Wuthqa, a commentary on al-'Urwat al-Wuthqa by Sayyid

MuhammadKazimYazdi(d.1919),acomprehensivetreatiseonallthecategoriesoffiqh,Qum,1340Sh./ 1961al-Makasib al-Muharrama, on forbidden modes of earning, 2 vols., Qum, 1381/1961(Arabic)(9)Ta'liqa'alaWasilatal-Najat,acommentaryonthecollectionoffatvasbyAyatullahSayyidAbu

'l-HasanIsfahani(d.1946),Qum,n.d.(Arabic)(10) Hashiya bar Risala-yi Irth, a commentary on Mulla Hashim Khurasani's treatise on

questionspertainingtoinheritance,Qum,n.d.(Persian)(11)Taudihal-Masa'il (Risala-yiAhkam),basichandbookof fiqh, reprintednumerous times; the

besteditionisthatpreparedbyAyatullahRizvani,Tehran,1408/1987(Persian)(12)Zubdatal-Ahkam,abbreviatedArabicversionoftheforegoing,Tehran,1404/1984(13) Kitab al-Bay', on matters pertaining to commercial transactions, 5 vols., Najaf,

1396/1976(Arabic)(14)Kitabal-Khilalfi'l-Salat,onactsthatmayvoidtheprayer,Qum,n.d.(Arabic)(15) Tahrir al-Wasila, comprehensive handbook on questions of fiqh, 2 vols., Najaf,

1390/1970(Arabic)(16)Al-Dima'al-Thalatha,notes takenbyHujjatal-IslamSadiqKhalkhalion theImam's lectures

onritualpurity,Qum1403/1983(Arabic)(17) Istifta'at, a collection of roughly 2500 fatvas given by the Imam after the triumph of

therevolution,Qum,Vol.I,1366Sh./1987,Vol.II,1372Sh./1993(mostlyPersian,someArabic)(18) Ahkam al-Islam bayn al-sa'il wa 'l-imam, a selction of fatvas from the foregoing

collection,Beirut,1413/1992(Arabic)(19)Manasik-iHajj,anexpositionoftheritualsofthehajj,Tehran,1370Sh./1991(Persian).[c]OnIslamicgovernmentVilayat-i Faqih ya Hukumat-i Islami, text of the lectures delivered by ImamKhomeini in Najaf

in1348Sh./1969.Numerousprintings.Translations:al-Hukumat al-Islamiya, Najaf, 1389/1969; "Islamic Government," in Islam and

Revolution,translatedbyHamidAlgar,Berkeley,1981,pp.27-166.

[d]Proclamations,speeches,messages,lettersandTestament(1) Majmu'a'i az Maktubat, Sukhanraniha, Payamha va Fatavi-yi Imam Khumayni, 2 vols.,

Tehran,1360Sh./1981(Persian)(2)Sahifa-yiNur,22vols.,Tehran,1361-1371Sh./1982-1992(alsoavailableonCDRom)(Persian)(3)Payam-iInqilab,2vols.,Tehran,1360Sh./1981(Persian)(4)Kauthar,2vols.,Tehran,1373Sh./1994(Persian)(5)Ava-yiTauhid,textofthemessagetoGorbachev,Tehran,1367Sh./1989(Persian)(6) Sahifa-yi Inqilab: Vasiyat-nama-yi Siyasi-Ilahi-yi Rahbar-i Kabir-i Inqilab-i Islami

vaBunyanguzar-i Jumhuri-yi Islami-yi IranHazrat-iAyatullah al-'Uzma ImamKhumayni, Tehran,1368Sh./1989.Translations:Nass al-Wasiyat al-Ilahiyat al-Siyasiya li 'l-Imam al-Qa'id Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khumayni,

Tehran,1989;ImamKhomeini'sLastWillandTestament,WashingtonD.C.,1989***Bibliography(1)HamidAlgar,"ImamKhomeini,1902-1962:ThePre-RevolutionaryYears,"(2) Islam, Politics and Social Movements, eds. Edmund Burke and Ira Lapidus, Berkeley and

Los Angeles, 1989, pp. 263-88 Idem, "Religious Forces in Twentieth Century Iran," CambridgeHistory of Iran, VII, Cambridge, 1991, pp. 751-5, 759-64; Idem, "The Fusion of Gnosticism andPoliticsinthePersonalityandLifeofImamKhomeini,"forthcoming(3)Anonymous,Biugrafi-yiPishva,Najaf,n.d.(4) Hamid Ansari, Hadis-i Bidari, Tehran, 1374 Sh./1995 Idem, Muhajir-i Qabila-yi Iman,

Tehran,1375Sh./1996(abiographyofHajjSayyidAhmadKhomeini,thesecondsonoftheImam) (5)Muhammad Taqi Bushihri, "Ruhullah Khumayni: Tufuliyat, Sabavat va Shabab," Chashm-

andaz,5 (autumn, 1368 Sh./1989), pp. 12-37; Idem, "Ruhullah Musavi Khumayni: Dauran-I Tahsilva Ta'allum dar Dar al-Aman-i Qum," Chashm-andaz, 10 (spring, 1371 Sh./1992), pp. 52-68 Idem, "RuhullahMusaviKhumayni:Ta'allumdarHauza-yi 'Ilmiyya-yiQum,"Chashm-andaz,11(winter,1371 Sh./1992), pp. 38-5; Idem, "Ruhullah Musavi Khumayni: Mu'alliman va Ustadan,"Chashmandaz, 12 (Winter, 1372 Sh./1993), pp. 44-57; Idem, "'Arif-i KamilMirzaMuhammad 'AliShahabadi, Mu'allim va Murad-i Ruhullah Musavi Khumayni," Chashm-andaz, 13 (Spring 1373Sh./1994),pp.32-41.(6)ChristianBonaud,L'ImamKhomeyni,ungnostiqueméconnuduXxesiecle,Beirut,1997

(7)Norman Calder, "Accommodation and Revolution in Imami Shi'I Jurisprudence: KhumayniandtheClassicalTradition,"MiddleEasternStudies,18(1982),pp.3-20(8)RobinWoodsworthCarlsen,TheImamandhisIslamicRevolution,VictoriaB.C.,1982(9)'AliDavani,Nahzat-iRuhaniyun-iIran,11vols.,Tehran,n.d.(10)MuhammadRizaHakimi,Tafsir-iAftab,Tehran,n.d.(11)HajjSayyidAhmadKhumayni,Pidar,ay'Alamdar-iMaktab-iMazlum,Tehran,1372Sh./1993(12)HeinzNussbaumer,Khomeini:RevolutionarinAllahsNamen,MunichandBerlin,1979(13)AyatullahPasandida,Khatirat,Tehran,1374Sh./1995(14) Muhammad Hasan Rajabi, Zindagi-nama-yi Siyasi-yi Imam Khumayni az Aghaz ta

Tab'id,Tehran,1370Sh./1991(15)MuhammadSharifRazi,Asaral-Hujja,Qum,1332Sh./1953,I,pp.44-6(16) Sayyid Hamid Ruhani, Barrasi va Tahlili az Nahzat-i Imam Khumayni, I, Najaf, 1356

Sh./1967,II,Tehran,1364Sh./1985(17) Farhang Rajaee, Islamic Values and World View: Khomeyni on Man, the State

andInternationalPolitics,Lanham,Maryland,1983(18)Kalim Siddiqui, Hamid Algar, et al., Gerbang Kebangkitan: Revolusi Islam dan Khomeini

dalamPerbincangan,Yogyakarta,1984(19) Dirasat fi 'l-Fikr al-Siyasi li 'l-Imam al-Khumayni, ed. Muhammad 'Ali Taskhiri,

Qum,1416/1995(20) Shahidi Digar az Ruhaniyat, Najaf, n.d. (documents and reminiscences concerning

HajjSayyidMustafaKhomeini,theImam'seldestson)(21)Sarguzashtha-yiVizhaazZindagi-yiHazrat-i ImamKhumayni,6vols.,Qum,1368Sh./1989

(reminscencesofvariouspersonalitiesconcerningtheImam).[8]AbouttheauthorEnglish-bornHamidAlgarreceivedhisPh.D.InorientalstudiesfromCambridge.Since1965he

has served on the faculty of the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, where he teaches Persian and Islamic history and philosophy. Dr Algar haswrittenextensivelyonthesubjectofIranandIslam,includingthebooksReligionandState inIran,1785- 1906 and Mirza Malkum Khan: A Biographical Study in Iranian Modernism. He has beenfollowingtheIslamicmovementinIranwithinterestformanyyears.Inanarticlepublishedin1972,

he assessed the situation there and forecast the Revolution "more accurately than all theU.S. government's political officers and intelligence analysts," in the words of Nicholas Wade,Science magazine. Dr. Algar has translated numerous books from Arabic, Turkish, and Persian,includingthebook"IslamandRevolution:WritingsandDeclarationsofImamKhomeini".(83Stories-Biography(1902-1989)

43RecollectionsonPrayer-Meetings/articles)

2ChapterAl-Allamahal-SayyidMuhammadHusaynat-Tabataba'i-(1904-1981)

Al-Allamah al-SayyidMuhammadHusayn at-Tabataba'i (1892-1981) is one of the greatest and themostoriginalthinkersofthecontemporaryMuslimworld.Hewasaprolificwriterandaninspiringteacher,whodevotedwholeofhislifetoIslamicstudies.Hisinterestswerevariedandthescopeofhis learning was vast. His books number about forty-four, three of which are collections of hisarticlesonvariousaspectsofIslamandtheQur'an.Hismajorcontributionsareinthefieldsoftafsir,philosophyandhistoryof theShi'ahfaith. Inphilosophythemost importantofhisworks isUsul-efalsafahwarawish-e-riyalism(ThePrinciplesofPhilosophyandthemethodofrealism),whichhasbeen published in five volumes with explanatory notes and commentary of Martyr MurtadhaMutahhari.ItdealswiththeIslamicoutlookoftheworld,whichisnotonlyopposedtoidealismthatnegatestherealityofthecorporealworld,butisalsoopposedtothematerialisticconceptionoftheworld, which reduces all reality to ambiguous materialistic myths and fabrications. The point isestablished that while the Islamic world-outlook is realistic, both the idealistic and materialisticoutlooks are unrealistic. His other major philosophical work is a voluminous commentary of al-Asfar al-'arba'ah, the magnum opus of Mulla Sadra, the last of the great Muslim thinkers of themedievalage.Besidesthese,hewroteextensivelyonphilosophicalissues.Hishumanistapproachisunderlined by his three books onman - before theworld, in this world and after this world. Hisphilosophy is overloaded with sociological treatment of human problems. His two other works,Bidayatal-hikmahandNihayatal-hikmah,areconsideredamongworksofahighorder inMuslimphilosophy.HewroteseveraltreatisesonthedoctrinesandhistoryoftheShi'ah.Oneofthesebookscomprises

his clarifications and expositions about Shi'ah faith in reply to the questions posed by the famousFrenchorientalistHenryCorbin.AnotherofhisbooksonthistopicShi'ahdarIslamwastranslatedintoEnglishbySayyidHusaynNasrunder the titleTheShi'ite Islam.ThesebooksserveasagoodmeansofremovingpopularmisconceptionsabouttheShi'ahandcanpavethewayforabetterinter-sectarianunderstandingamongMuslimschools.Ifasingleworkistobenamedashismasterpiece,al-Mizancanbementionedwithouthesitation,

whichistheoutcomeofthe'Allamah'slifelonglaborinthesphereofQur'anicstudies.Hismethod,styleandapproachareuniquelydifferentfromthoseofallotherexegetesoftheQur'an.Among the aspects of 'Allamah Tabataba'I's personality is his unprecedented success as a greatteacher.AmonghispupilswefindagroupofsuchluminariesandthinkersofeminenceintheirownrightasMartyrMurtadaMutahhari,MartyrBeheshti,HasanHasanzadehAmuliandHusaynNasr.The 'Allamahwasalsoagoodpoet.HecomposedthepoetrymainlyinPersian,butoccasionallyinArabicalso.TheHistoryofAl-Mizan:'AllamahTabataba'I,whocametotheHawzahofQumin1325A.H.,wroteandlecturedextensively

ondifferent branches of Islamic sciences.Commentary and exegesis of theQur'anwas one of the

topicsofhisdiscussions,whichheheldwiththescholarsandstudentsoftheHowzeh-ye'IlmiyyahofQum.Aboutthemotiveofwritingal-Mizan,'AllamahTabataba'IhimselfstatesthatwhenhecametoQum from Tabriz, he tried to evaluate the requirements of the Islamic society as well as theconditionsprevailingintheHowzeh-ye'IlmiyyahofQum,andafterdueconsiderationofthematterhe came to the conclusion that the schoolwas badly in needof a commentaryof theQur'an for abetter understanding and more effective instruction of the sublime meanings of the purest of allIslamic textsand thehighestofallDivinegifts.Ontheotherhand,sincematerialisticnotionsweregainingprevalence, therewasagreatneedfora rationalandphilosophicaldiscourse toenable theHowzahtorisetotheoccasionforelaboratingtheintellectualanddoctrinalprinciplesofIslamwiththehelpofrationalargumentsinordertodefendtheIslamicposition.HethusconsideredithisdutytomakeeffortsinfulfillingthesetwourgentneedswiththehelpofGod.,theMostHigh.ThelecturesonexegesisoftheQur'anwereplannedaccordingtothisscheme.Perhaps'AllamahTabataba'ImighthavedeliveredlecturesontheentireQur'anforhisstudentsforseveraltimes,andinthemeanwhilehemighthavewrittenacommentary.During thesesessionsofwell-thoughtoutdiscoursehemighthaverenderedtheselecturesintohisterseandeloquentprose,whichwaslaterprintedinanumberofvolumes.The firsteditionofal-Mizan inArabicwasprinted in Iranand then itwasprinted inBeirut.Till

nowmorethanthreeeditionshavebeenprintedinIranandinBeirutinlargenumbers,andveryfewofthepublicandprivatelibrarieswillbefoundwithoutacompletesetofit.Allotherlibraries,too,atleasthavesomeofthevolumesofthiscommentaryontheirshelves.Theoriginaltextofal-MizaniswritteninArabic,consistingoftwentyvolumes,andeachvolume

has about four hundred pages of big size. It was intended that all those interested in reading theexegesisoftheQur'anmaybeproperlybenefitedfromthistreasureoftheQur'anicteachings.Someofthepupilsof'AllamahTabataba'IhavetranslatedthisbookintoPersianunderhisabledirectionandsupervision,andeachoneoftheArabicvolumewastranslatedintwovolumesofthePersian,makingatotalnumberofforty.Theshareof thisresponsibilitywasshoulderedbyAqaSayyidMuhammadBaqirMusawi Hamadani.With the view that the entire Persian translation of al-Mizan should notappearindifferentstyles,whichwouldhaveaffectedthebook'sreadability,'AllamahTabataba'Igavehim the beginning volumes of al-Mizan also for retranslation. Twelve volumes of al-Mizan,correspondingto6Arabicvolumes,havesofarappearedinEnglish,translatedbythelateMawlanaSa'eed Akhtar Ridwi, and it is hoped that the other volumes would be rendered into English byanothertranslatorinthenearfuture.WealsohopethatthisfineexegesisoftheDivinewordsoftheQur'anwillbetranslatedintootherlivinglanguagesoftheworld.BiographyofLateAyatullahSayyidMuhammadHusaynTabatabaiBy:MohammadYazdiAyatullahSayyidMuhammadHusaynTabataba'iwasborn inTabriz inA.H. (lunar)1321orA.H.

(solar) 1282, (A.D 1903) in a family of descendants of the Holy Prophet, which for fourteengenerations has produced outstanding Islamic scholars. He received his earliest education in hisnativecity,masteringtheelementsofArabicandthereligioussciences,andatabouttheageoftwentysetoutforthegreatShiiteUniversityofNajafAshraftocontinuemoreadvancestudies.Moststudents in themadrasahsfollowthebranchof transmittedsciences" (al-'ulumal-naqilyah),

especially the sciences dealingwith theDivine Law, fiqh or jurisprudence and usul al-fiqh or theprinciples of jurisprudence. Ayatullah Tabataba'i, however, sought to master both branches of thetraditionalsciences; the transmittedand the intellectualhestudiedDivineLawand theprinciplesofjurisprudencewithtwoofthegreatmastersofthatday,MirzaMuhammadHusaynNa'iniandShaykhMuhammadHusaynIsfahani.In addition to formal learning, orwhat the traditionalMuslin sources "acquired science" ('ilm-i

husuli),AyatullahTabataba'isoughtafterthat"immediatescience"('ilmi-I-hudari)orgnosisthroughwhichknowledgeturnsintovisionofthesupernalrealities.HewasfortunateinfindingagreatmasterofIslamicgnosis,MirzaAl-Qadi,whoinitiatedhimintotheDivinemysteriesandguidedhiminhisjourneytowardspiritualperfection.AyatullahTabataba'ireturnedtoTabrizinA.H(solar)1314(AD1934)andspentafewquietyears

inthatcityteachingasmallnumberofdisciples,buthewasasyetunknowntothereligiouscirclesofPersiaatlarge.ItwasthedevastatingeventsoftheSecondWorldWarandtheRussianoccupationofPersiathatbrought'AyatullahTabataba'ifromTabriztoQuminA.H.(solar)1324(A.H.1945)Qumwas then,andcontinues tobe, thecentreof religiousstudies inPersia. InhisquietandunassumingmannerAyatullahTabataba'ibegantoteachinthisholycity,concentratingonQura'niccommentaryandtraditionalIslamicphilosophyandtheosophy,whichhadnotbeentaughtinQumformanyyears.His magnetic personality and spiritual presence soon attracted some of the most intelligent andcompetentofthestudentstohim,andgraduallyhemadetheteachingsofMullaSadri,onceagainacornerstoneofthetraditionalcurriculum.TheactivitiesofAyatullahTabataba'isincehecametoQumhavealso includedfrequentvisits to

Tehran.After theSecondWorldWar,whenMarxismwas fashionableamongsomeof theyouth inTehran, he was the only religious scholar who took the pains to study the philosophical basis ofCommunismandsupplyaresponsetodialecticalmaterialismfromthetraditionalpointofview.Thefruitofthiseffortwasoneofhismajorworks,UsuI-i-falsafahWarawish-iri'alism(ThePrinciplesof Philosophy and the Method: of Realism), in which he defended realism in its traditional andmedievalsenseagainstalldialecticalphilosophies.HealsotrainedanumberofdiscipleswhobelongtothecommunityofPersianswithamoderneducation.Ayatullah Tabataba'i has therefore exercised a profound influence in both the traditional and

moderncircles inPersia.Hehas tried tocreateanewintellectualeliteamongthemoderneducatedclasseswhowishtobeacquaintedwithIslamicintellectualityaswellaswiththemodernworldManyamonghistraditionalstudentswhobelongtotheclassofulamahavetriedtofollowhisexampleinthis important endeavour Some of his students, such as Sayyid Jalal al-DinAshtiyan'i ofMashhadUniversity andMurtadaMutahhari of Tehran University, are themselves scholars of considerablereputationAllamahTabataba'ioftenspeaksofothersamonghisstudentswhopossessgreatspiritualqualitiesbutdonotmanifestthemselvesoutwardlyIn addition to a heavy program of teaching and guidance, 'Ayatullah Tabataba'i has occupied

himselfwithwritingmanybooksandarticleswhichattesttohisremarkableintellectualpowersandbreadthoflearningwithintheworldofthetraditionalIslamicsciences.(80Stories-LifePDFdoc)

3ChapterAyatullahSeyyidAbulqasimMusawiAl-Khoei(RA)-(1899-1992)

AyatullahSeyyidAbulqasimMusawiAl-Khoei(RA)wasborninAzerbaijan,Iran15Rajab1317H./1899A.D.andpassedawayinNajafAl-Ashraf,Iraqon8Safar1412A.H.(August8,1992)

Educated in the established traditionalway of Shia Theology bywell known jurists, he joined theworld-renowntheologicalinstitutionintheholycityofNajafAl-Ashrafin1912,theyearhemigratedfromIran.

Atanearlyage,heattainedthedegreeofijtihadi.e.theprocessofarrivingatjudgementsonpointsofreligiouslawusingreasonandtheprinciplesofjurisprudence.Thisachievementnormallywarrantsthetitleof'Ayatullah'.

Teaching,Juristic,andWritingMeritsHe taught inNajaf for over 70 years. For 50 years, he specialized in supervising post-graduate

studies, most advanced among which is 'Bahth-al-Kharij' - Graduation Classes - equivalent to aDoctoralthesis.Successfulcandidatesarequalifiedtopractice'Ijtihad'

HeisconsideredasthearchitectofadistinctschoolofthoughtinthepriciplesofjurisprudenceandIslamiclaw,andoneoftheleadingexponentsof'kalam'-scholastictheology-and'rijal'-studyofthebiographies of transmitters of ahadith, the Prophetic traditions, 'fiqh'- jurisprudence- and 'tafseer'-exegesisofTheHolyQur'an.Hisinterestsincludedastronomy,maths,andphilosophy.

Hewasaprolificwriterintheaforesaiddisciplines.Hewrote37booksandtreatises,mostofwhichhavebeenpublished.Hisworksinclude:

LecturesinthePrinciplesofJurisprudence-10volumesBiographiesofNarratorsofTradition-24volumes.IslamicLaw-18volumes.Al-Bayanfitafsiral-Qur'an(TheElucidationoftheExegesisofTheQur'an)Minhaju-us-Saliheen(ThePathoftheRighteous)-2volumes,reprinted78times(guidebookonreligiouspracticeandlaw).AnthologyofReligiousQuestions-ConciseversionofthePathoftheRighteous-inArabic,Urdu,Farsi,English,Turkish,Thai,Malay,Indonesian,andGujarati.Mabanial-Istinbat(EdificesofDeduction)PrinciplesofJurisprudence.Ajwad-at-Taqrirat(TheBestofRegulations)PrinciplesofJurisprudence.Sharh-el-Urwatul-Wuthqa(CommentaryonTheSteadfastHandle)-Jurisprudence.TreatiseonSuspectedAttire-RisalafilLibasAl-Mashkok,EvidentialJurisprudence.Nafahat-ulIjaz(theFragranceofMiracles),indefenceofTheNobleQur'an.

Hispost-graduateinstitutenormallyaccommodatedsome150students,atanygiventime.AmongthestudentswhoattendedclassesandwerepersonallysupervisedbyImamAl-KhoeiincludedAyatullah Al-Shaheed As-Sayyid Mohammad Baqir As-Sadr, Iraq, As-Sayyid Mahdi Al-HakimMohammadMahdiShamsuddin(Lebanon),ImamMousaAs-Sadr(Lebanon),As-SayyidMohammadHusain Fadhlallah ( Lebanon ), Ayatullah Seyyid Mohammad Al-Rohani ( Iran), Ayatullah Al-Ardabili, former Chief Justice of Iran , As-Sayyid Mohammad Ali Makki (Syria), As-SayyidMohammadAliBahrul'Uloom(UK),PoetMustafaJamaluddin(Syria).

After the death of As-SayyidMohsin Al- Hakim in 1972, Imam Al-Khoei succeeded him as TheGrandAyatullah (Al-Marja'aAl-a'alam) as hewas themost knowledgeable of the 3 livingGrandAyatullahs.HehadthegreatestfollowingamongtheShiasworldwide.

AchievementsintheWelfareSphereHewasferventlydedicatedtoestablishingwelfare,social,cultural,andeducationalinstitutionsfor

Muslimsworldwide.Thefollowingaresomeoftheinstitutionsheestablished:

Al-AkhundDarulHikmah(HouseofTheosophy)MadinatulIlm(CityofKnowledge)inQom,Iran,consideredoneofthebiggesttheologycentresintheShiaworld.Thecomplexcomprisestheschoolbuildingandlivingquarterscapableofaccommodating500families.As-SayyidAl-KhoeiCenterinBangkok,Thailand.As-SayyidAl-KhoeiCenterinDhakkah,Bangladesh.Ahlul-BaytUniversity,Islamabad,Pakistan.ImamAl-KhoeiOrphanageBeirut,LebanonImamAs-SadiqEducationInstituteforBoys,London,U.K.ImamAs-SadiqEducationInstituteforGirls,London,U.K.Al-ImanSchool,NewYork,U.S.A.

Hewasalsothepatronofabout1,000grant-maintainedstudentsoftheologyfromIraqandothercountries like Lebanon, Syria, Gulf States, India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South East Asia. Heprovided financial support for maintaining the schools including boarding expenses, teachers'salariesandlodgingcosts.OtherInstitutions

PublishingHouse-Translation,printinganddistributionofbooksworldwide,Karachi,Pakistan.CulturalComplex,Bombay,India.ConsideredamongthebiggestShi'iteMuslimsculturalcentre-underconstruction.RepresentativeOfficescateringforthereligious,social,educational,andculturalneedsofMuslimsallovertheworld,withtheHeadquartersinLondon,U.K.andbranchesintheUnitedStates,Canada,India,Pakistan,U.A.E.,Oman,SaudiArabia,Thailand,NorthAfrica,Syria,Lebanon,Malaysia.

ImamAl-Khoeiwasamanofpeacedialogueandunderstanding.Headvocatednon-violenceandpromotedtolerance,thevalueswhichmirrorthehumananduniversalprinciplesofIslam.

IntheaftermathoftheviolentcrushingofthepopularuprisinginIraqaftertheGulfWarbySaddam'stroops,hewasarrestedwithallmembersofhisfamily,andmanyulama,takentoBaghdad,andunderduresswasmade to appearwith Saddam on TV.Undermounting pressure, Saddam returned him,withouthisfamily,toNajaf,wherehewasplacedunderhousearrestonthe20thofMarch,l99l.

Massgenocide,destruction,arrests,anddisplacementofciviliansinNajaf,aswellasinothercitiesand towns in the South of Iraq and North perpetrated by the brutal Iraqi regime, left many citiesvirtuallydesertedandnormallifecametoahalt.AllclassesinNajafcametoastandstill,especiallyafter thegraverestrictionsandconstraintsonthefreedomof theSpiritualLeader.Afterhisdeathayearlater,Saddam'sregimecloseddowntheinstituteanddeported,arrestedandharrassedover1000studentswhohadbeenregisteredwiththeinstitute.AyatullahSeyyidAbulqasimMusawiAl-Khoei(RA)wasborninAzerbaijan,Iran15Rajab1317H.

/1899A.D.andpassedawayinNajafAl-Ashraf,Iraqon8Safar1412A.H.(August8,1992)

Educated in the established traditionalway of Shia Theology bywell known jurists, he joined theworld-renowntheologicalinstitutionintheholycityofNajafAl-Ashrafin1912,theyearhemigratedfromIran.

Atanearlyage,heattainedthedegreeofijtihadi.e.theprocessofarrivingatjudgementsonpointsofreligiouslawusingreasonandtheprinciplesofjurisprudence.Thisachievementnormallywarrantsthetitleof'Ayatullah'.

Teaching,Juristic,andWritingMeritsHe taught inNajaf for over 70 years. For 50 years, he specialized in supervising post-graduate

studies, most advanced among which is 'Bahth-al-Kharij' - Graduation Classes - equivalent to aDoctoralthesis.Successfulcandidatesarequalifiedtopractice'Ijtihad'

HeisconsideredasthearchitectofadistinctschoolofthoughtinthepriciplesofjurisprudenceandIslamiclaw,andoneoftheleadingexponentsof'kalam'-scholastictheology-and'rijal'-studyofthebiographies of transmitters of ahadith, the Prophetic traditions, 'fiqh'- jurisprudence- and 'tafseer'-exegesisofTheHolyQur'an.Hisinterestsincludedastronomy,maths,andphilosophy.

Hewasaprolificwriterintheaforesaiddisciplines.Hewrote37booksandtreatises,mostofwhichhavebeenpublished.Hisworksinclude:

LecturesinthePrinciplesofJurisprudence-10volumesBiographiesofNarratorsofTradition-24volumes.IslamicLaw-18volumes.Al-Bayanfitafsiral-Qur'an(TheElucidationoftheExegesisofTheQur'an)Minhaju-us-Saliheen(ThePathoftheRighteous)-2volumes,reprinted78times(guidebookonreligiouspracticeandlaw).AnthologyofReligiousQuestions-ConciseversionofthePathoftheRighteous-inArabic,Urdu,Farsi,English,Turkish,Thai,Malay,Indonesian,andGujarati.Mabanial-Istinbat(EdificesofDeduction)PrinciplesofJurisprudence.Ajwad-at-Taqrirat(TheBestofRegulations)PrinciplesofJurisprudence.Sharh-el-Urwatul-Wuthqa(CommentaryonTheSteadfastHandle)-Jurisprudence.TreatiseonSuspectedAttire-RisalafilLibasAl-Mashkok,EvidentialJurisprudence.

Nafahat-ulIjaz(theFragranceofMiracles),indefenceofTheNobleQur'an.

Hispost-graduateinstitutenormallyaccommodatedsome150students,atanygiventime.AmongthestudentswhoattendedclassesandwerepersonallysupervisedbyImamAl-KhoeiincludedAyatullah Al-Shaheed As-Sayyid Mohammad Baqir As-Sadr, Iraq, As-Sayyid Mahdi Al-HakimMohammadMahdiShamsuddin(Lebanon),ImamMousaAs-Sadr(Lebanon),As-SayyidMohammadHusain Fadhlallah ( Lebanon ), Ayatullah Seyyid Mohammad Al-Rohani ( Iran), Ayatullah Al-Ardabili, former Chief Justice of Iran , As-Sayyid Mohammad Ali Makki (Syria), As-SayyidMohammadAliBahrul'Uloom(UK),PoetMustafaJamaluddin(Syria).

After the death of As-SayyidMohsin Al- Hakim in 1972, Imam Al-Khoei succeeded him as TheGrandAyatullah (Al-Marja'aAl-a'alam) as hewas themost knowledgeable of the 3 livingGrandAyatullahs.HehadthegreatestfollowingamongtheShiasworldwide.

AchievementsintheWelfareSphereHewasferventlydedicatedtoestablishingwelfare,social,cultural,andeducationalinstitutionsfor

Muslimsworldwide.Thefollowingaresomeoftheinstitutionsheestablished:

Al-AkhundDarulHikmah(HouseofTheosophy)MadinatulIlm(CityofKnowledge)inQom,Iran,consideredoneofthebiggesttheologycentresintheShiaworld.Thecomplexcomprisestheschoolbuildingandlivingquarterscapableofaccommodating500families.As-SayyidAl-KhoeiCenterinBangkok,Thailand.As-SayyidAl-KhoeiCenterinDhakkah,Bangladesh.Ahlul-BaytUniversity,Islamabad,Pakistan.ImamAl-KhoeiOrphanageBeirut,LebanonImamAs-SadiqEducationInstituteforBoys,London,U.K.ImamAs-SadiqEducationInstituteforGirls,London,U.K.Al-ImanSchool,NewYork,U.S.A.

Hewasalsothepatronofabout1,000grant-maintainedstudentsoftheologyfromIraqandothercountries like Lebanon, Syria, Gulf States, India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South East Asia. Heprovided financial support for maintaining the schools including boarding expenses, teachers'salariesandlodgingcosts.OtherInstitutions

PublishingHouse-Translation,printinganddistributionofbooksworldwide,Karachi,Pakistan.CulturalComplex,Bombay,India.ConsideredamongthebiggestShi'iteMuslimsculturalcentre-underconstruction.RepresentativeOfficescateringforthereligious,social,educational,andculturalneedsofMuslimsallovertheworld,withtheHeadquartersinLondon,U.K.andbranchesintheUnitedStates,Canada,India,Pakistan,U.A.E.,Oman,SaudiArabia,Thailand,NorthAfrica,Syria,Lebanon,Malaysia.

ImamAl-Khoeiwasamanofpeacedialogueandunderstanding.Headvocatednon-violenceand

promotedtolerance,thevalueswhichmirrorthehumananduniversalprinciplesofIslam.

IntheaftermathoftheviolentcrushingofthepopularuprisinginIraqaftertheGulfWarbySaddam'stroops,hewasarrestedwithallmembersofhisfamily,andmanyulama,takentoBaghdad,andunderduresswasmade to appearwith Saddam on TV.Undermounting pressure, Saddam returned him,withouthisfamily,toNajaf,wherehewasplacedunderhousearrestonthe20thofMarch,l99l.

Massgenocide,destruction,arrests,anddisplacementofciviliansinNajaf,aswellasinothercitiesand towns in the South of Iraq and North perpetrated by the brutal Iraqi regime, left many citiesvirtuallydesertedandnormallifecametoahalt.AllclassesinNajafcametoastandstill,especiallyafter thegraverestrictionsandconstraintsonthefreedomof theSpiritualLeader.Afterhisdeathayearlater,Saddam'sregimecloseddowntheinstituteanddeported,arrestedandharrassedover1000studentswhohadbeenregisteredwiththeinstitute.RememberingLateAyatullahal-UzmaAbul-Qasimal-KhoeiDiedat3.13pmon8thAugust1992(8thSafar1413)TheMuslimworldlostoneofitsbrighteststarswhenGrandAyatullah,Abul-Qasimal-Khoeidied

athisKufahomeofheartfailure.HewasbornonRajab15,1317A.H.(November19,1899)atKhoeiin IranianAzerbaijan, heartland ofmany great Shi'a thinkers and sufis, ascetics. Even in his earlychildhood,al-KhoeiwasversedinreligiousPersianandArabicpoetryandlanguages,andinTurkishaswell.Itwasin1330A.H./1912A.D.thatal-Khoei,whowasthenonlythirteenyearsold,migratedtoal-Najafal-Ashraf,Iraq,inpursuitofknowledge.Eventhen,hewascharacterizedbybrillianceandareadinesstoabsorbknowledgeandscholarship.Inallstagesofhisstudyandresearch,progressandsuccesswerehiscompanions.THEHAWZATencenturies ago, auniversity-typehawzawas foundedby themostknowledgeableperson then

alive,namelyshaikhMuhammadibnal-Hassanal-Toosi,mayAllahhavemercyonhissoul.Al-Toosiwasanintellectualgiant,ageniusbyallstandards,andamanwhowasabletoabsorbvarioustypesofknowledgeandscience.Hewastheundisputedauthorityinfiqh,thefounderofthescienceofhadith,an innovative mentor of the science of usool, nay, the scholar of scholars in all branches ofknowledgerelatedtothescienceofbiographies,akhlaq,andilmalkalam.Thusdidal-Toosilaythefoundationforthehawzawhichhasbeenfunctioningsincethen,i.e.since449A.H.MENTORSOFAL-KHOEIIfwewere to research the fountainheads that nurtured the intellect of the late al-Khoei,wewill

comeacrossalistofthefinestamongallcontemporaryscholarssuchasShaikhFath-AllahwhoisbetterknownasShaikhal-Sharee'a al-Isfahani,ShaikhMahdi al-Mazandarani,ShaikhDiyaud-Deenal-Iraqi,ShaikhMuhammadHussainal-Kampanial-Isfahani,ShaikhMuhammadHussainal-Naeeni,ShaikhMuhammadJawadal-Balaghi,andothers.Allof thesemenwereconsideredaspioneers in the fieldsof their specialization.The impactof

thesemenon shaping themindof the late al-Khoei isbestdescribedbyal-Khoeihimselfwhohassaid:"Ihavelearnedfromeachoneofthemacompletecourseinthescienceofusool,anddigestedanumberofbooksinthescienceoffiqh,formanyyears.Iusedtoprovideacritiqueoftheresearchrelevant of each one of them before a number of scholars who specialized in that branch ofknowledge,andmyaudienceincludedagoodnumberofveryhighlyrespectedscholars.Al-Naeeni,

mayAllahhavemercyonhis soul,was the lastmentor Iused to accompanymore frequently thananyoneelse."AL-KHOEIASMENTORAl-Khoei had his own style in teaching and tutoring. Those who graduated from his courses

describe his method of teaching as immaculately minute, stunningly easy and clear, amazinglylogical.Theysaythatthereisneitherunduecomplexitynorambiguityinhisstyle,andthiscanbesaidabout all the courses he taught.Howwas his style in discussing and debating?The answer to thisquestionisprovidedbyoneofhisstudents:thestrugglingscientist,thepioneerandtheshiningstarShaikhMuhammadJawadMaghniyyahwhohassaidthefollowinginthisregard:"He[al-Khoei]waslikethesunthatsendsitsrayseverywhere,allthetime.Hewasmyprofessor

andtheprofessorofallotherscholarsatal-Najafal-Ashraf,andthepivotroundwhichthemotionofscholarshiprevolved,andtowhomthehawzaisindebtedforappreciationandloyalty…Hiswasthegolden age during which stars such as al-Shaikh al-Ansari and al-Shaikh al-Khurasani and theirdisciplesshone…Heremained[atthehawza]formorethanseventyyearslearning,teaching,writing,helping scholars graduate, debating newcomers as well as alumni… His style in discussing anddebating is that of Socrates". Al-Sayyid Abul-Qasim al-Khoei passed the stage of usool andcontinued teaching themuchmore advanced stage of al kharij for more than fifty years… ! Thenumberofhisgraduatesisestimatedattensofthousands…THEIMAMATHOMEHisson,SayyidAbdel-Majeedal-Khoei,saysthefollowingabouthisfather,"Myfatherwasalways

smilingwhenhewaswithus.Healwaysarbitratedbetweenhissonswhenevertherewasadispute,andhewas quitewitty. If he saw one looking forlorn or happily excited, hewould ask him about thereason,andeveryeveninghewoulddistributecandy for thechildren inaddition towhateverothergiftshehadreceivedthatdayfromtheadmiringfaithful."Despitehisextremelyloftystatus,heneverhesitatedtohelphisfamilyindomesticchores, includingkitchenchores.Heneveropenedthemailcomingtoanyofhisfamilymembers.Oneofhissonstoldhimoncethatnobodyinthehousehadanysecrettohidefromhim,andthatitwasperfectlyalrightwiththemifheopenedtheirmail,butheinsisted never to do so. He always instructed members of his family to deliver funds for highlyesteemedbut impoverishedfamilieswithoutdoingsopublicly, tellingthemtohelpthosewhomtheignorantonesmistakeaswealthybecauseoftheirabstentionfrombeggingforhelp.IMAM'SDEMISEAfter the failureof the IntifadaofMarch1991, theGrandAyatullahwasbriefly imprisoned then

forced to appear on television with the Butcher of Baghdad Saddam Hussein who always keptpressuring him to issue fatawa, religious verdicts, supportive of Saddam and his government,somethingwhichheneverdiddespiteallthepersecutiontowhichhe,hisrepresentativesandfamilymembersweresubjected.BecauseofrefusingtocooperatewiththedictatorialgovernmentofSaddamHussein,hewasput

under house arrest till his death. Saddam also exiled, jailed, or assassinated many of the giftedstudents,representativesanddistinguishedfollowersofal-KhoeiandorderedthedestructionoftheirmosquesandlibrariesparticularlythoseinNajafandKerbala.AsiftheIraqigovernmentpredictedthedeathofal-Khoei,itcutoffalltelephoneconnectionswith

hisKufaresidenceinthemorningofSaturday,August8,1992andwiththehousesofthosewhowereclosetohim.Havingperformedtheafternoonprayersthatday,thehealthofhislateholinesssuddenlydeteriorated and a severe chest swelling was visible. Doctors in the medical team charged with

supervising his health conditions was called in, but they could not tend to him early enough. Heinformedhisfamilyandthose inhispresencethat lastnighthefelt that itwas thelastnighthewasspendingwithhisfamily.Heaskedforwatertoperformhisablution,andassoonashefinishedhisablutionhissoulpassedawaytoitsMakerexactlyat3:13pm.Athree-daymourningperiodwasannouncedbythegovernmentwhichprohibitedthefamilyofthe

deceased dignitary from holding the traditional Fatiha majlis, Baghdad's official newspaper Al-Jumhuriyyahcalledhim"themartyrofIslamandthenation,"publishinghisphotographonitsfrontpage.Internationalnewsagencies,ontheotherhand,publishedphotographsofhiscoffinescortedbynomorethansixpersons.Shortlybeforehisdeath,thegreatestscholarandleaderal-Khoeiexpressednoconcernaboutanythinginthisvanishinglifemorethanthepossibilityofthelossofhispreciousmanuscriptsthewritingofwhichhadexhaustedsomanyyearsofhislife…SurelytheIslamicworldwill find it very hard to compensate for the loss of such a man, nay, a legendary institute and alighthouseofknowledgeandscholarship…InnaLillahwaInnaIlyahiRaji'oon.[Written-October1,1992-by-YasinT.al-Jibouri-abridgeversion](Laws)

4ChapterGrandAyatollahMuhammadAliShah-Abadi-(1875-1950)

Purificationof the soul and struggle for its perfection is a fundamental Islamic concept.TheHolyQuraninanabsolutelyuniquestyleemphasisesonself-purificationastheonlywaytoeternalsuccessandsalvation.“Indeed he succeeds who purifies his own self. And indeed he fails who corrupts his own

self.”91:9-10Thepath to this success is a lifetimestruggleand the journeyof selfpurificationwill endwhen

loversmeet.“Oman!Verily, youare endeavouring towards yourLordanendeavouruntil youmeetHim.”

84:6Themethodologyofhow to successfullypass the trip is the subject of Islamicmysticismcalled

Irfan. However, Islamic Irfan likemanyother Islamic scienceshasbeenonoccasionmisusedandmisrepresentedandhencethosewhofailtodistinguishtheauthenticfromtheforgedtendtodenythewholesubject.TheweaknessofthisapproachissimilartodenialofIslamicjurisprudence(al-Fiqh)for the reason that someso-called juristshaveutilisedanalogyand inference in theirdeductionorreliedonnon-authenticHadiths!Fromthe riseof Islam to thispresentday,manydevotedMuslimshavestruggledon thePathof

nearnesstotheAlmightyAllah.AmongthemwerethetruefollowersoftheImamsofAhlul-Bait(a.s)whowere satisfied from thepureprophetic fountainofKauthar; through theholyhandsofAhlul-Bait.WhatmakestheShiamysticsdistinguishedwhilstacknowledgingtheTareqeh(path)andthe

Haqiqah(Truth)istheirabsoluteobligationtotheIslamicShari’alawaccordingtothepureandauthentic teachings of Ahlul-Bait (a.s) and living in moderation far from either side ofextremes.This article aims at sharing some phases of the mystical personality of one of the great Shia

mysticsofthe20thcentury;GrandAyatollahMirzaSheikhMuhammadAliShah-Abadi,themainteacher and mentor of the late Imam Khomeini who without doubt had a grave impact on themysticalandspiritualpersonalityofImamKhomeini.ThelateAyatollahShah-AbadiwasoriginallyfromIsfahan-Iran.HewasanexpertinIslamic

jurisprudence, Philosophy and Irfan. In philosophy and Irfan, he was the student of the lateAyatollahMirza Abul-Hasan Isfahani (1823-1897AD) known as Jelweh and one of the four mostcelebrated philosophers in the history of Islamic philosophy. Apart from Jurisprudence andphilosophyandIrfan,theGrandAyatollahShah-AbadiwasacquaintedwithMathematics,al-JafrandmasteredtheFrenchlanguagetoo.ImamKhomeini&AyatollahShah-AbadiThe blessings of the Almighty Allah upon Imam Khomeini (r.a) are indisputably the most

significant of allMuslim scholars in the history of Islam. The IslamicRevolution in Iran and theestablishmentofanIslamicstateunder thefullauthorityofMuslimjuristsonly isa favour that the

AlmightyAllahdidnotbestowuponanyotherscholarthroughoutthehistoryofIslam.In theentireblessed lifeof ImamKhomeini (r.a) twodecadesare themost significantofall.

The first is the decade of studying Irfan under Ayatollah Shah-Abadi (r.a) commencing from1928andtheother,thelastdecadeofhislifecommencingfromFebruary1979duringwhichheestablishedtheIslamicgovernmentinIran.Expertsassertthatthefirstdecadewasacausingfactortothelatter.AyatollahShah-AbadiwasoneofthemainteachersofImamKhomeini(r.a)inIrfan[1].Thelate

ImamKhomeini was verymuch influenced by his teacher and repeatedly quoted from him in hisbooksreferringtohimas“ThePerfectArifSheikhShah-Abadi.”ImamKhomeiniinacknowledgingtheimpactsofhisteachersaidinoneofhisspeeches:“Indeed,

ourhonourableSheikhhadtherightofspirituallifeonmethatmyhandsandtongueareinsufficienttoappreciate.”[27April1984]ThesonofImamKhomeini;thelateSeyyedAhmadsaid:“Iaskedmyfatherwhathestudiedunder

AyatollahShah-Abadi,hereplied:SharhFosoos[2]andMesbahul-Ons[3]andManazelu-Saa’erin[4].Iaskedhowmanyclassmatesdidyouhave.ImamKhomeinireplied:Threestudentsifitwerecrowdedotherwiseusuallyitwasonlyme.”The late ImamKhomeini (r.a) studied Irfan under Ayatollah Shah-Abadi for about 6 years

althoughhewas saying:“IfAyatollahShah-Abadiwould teach for seventyyears, Iwould stillattendhisclasses,foreverydayhehadnewwisdomtooffer.”PurificationofthesoulandstruggleforitsperfectionisafundamentalIslamicconcept.TheHoly

Quraninanabsolutelyuniquestyleemphasisesonself-purificationastheonlywaytoeternalsuccessandsalvation.“Indeed he succeeds who purifies his own self. And indeed he fails who corrupts his own

self.”91:9-10

AyatollahShah-Abadi&TheLoveforAhlul-Bait(a.s)AyatollahNasrullah;oneofthesonsofGrandAyatollahShah-Abadiquotingfromhisfather

says:“ThefoundationofIslamistheloveforFatima(s.a).ThefoundationofIslamistodislikethe enemies of Fatima (s.a). Whoever loves Fatima (s.a) and dislikes her enemies, is a (true)Muslim.”

HisWorshipping

AyatollahShah-AbadiwastheImamofthegrandmosqueintheBazaarofTehran-Iran.Whenhewas standingonhisprayermat to lead theprayerhewouldbecomedetached from thisworld andwhenhewassittingupfromhisSujood(Prostration)tearsflowedontohischeekandbeard.HisrecitationofDo’aKumailwasverysignificant.Heused torecite theDo’aofKumail in the

samemosqueabouttwohoursbeforeFajrprayeratdawnwithafewpeoplewhowereenthusiastictoattendsuchaspiritualsupplication.

SomeofHisRecommendations

Hisson,AyatollahNasrullahnarratingfromhisfathersays:“MyfatheralwaysremindedusoftheSalawaatofFatima(s.a)beforetheFajrprayer.[5]Andevenifyouarenotspirituallypreparedto

praythenightPrayermakesureyouareawakeatitstimeevenforacupoftea!”“OnedayhewasinvitedtogivealectureatoneofthemosquesinTehran.Tosavehistimeandthe

timeofothershemadehisspeechveryshortbutproposedtotheaudiencethatifanyonewasreallyinterestedinself-purificationandself-buildingtheyshouldcomeandseehimlater.Oneofthebusinessmenfromtheaudiencecametohimlaterandrequestedaprescriptionfor

selfpurification.AyatollahShah-Abadigavehimthreerecommendations:1)BemindfulofSalaatinitsfixedtimes,especiallyincongregationasmuchaspossible.2)Befairinyourtransactionsanddon’tbegreedy.3)AlthoughtheobligationofKhumspaymentisannual,trytopayitmonthly.Thebusinessmansays,“IfollowedhisinstructionsforacoupleofmonthsuntilononeoccasionI

was praying behind the Sheikh in one of the mosques in Tehran. During the prayer, to myastonishment,InoticedthattheImamwasmomentarilydisappearing.ImmediatelyaftertheprayerIsharedmyobservationwithhim.Withabigsurprisehehumblyrepliedthatbeforeheattendedtheprayer,hehadbeeninvolvedinsomefamilyproblemsandhencecouldnotfullyfocusonhisprayeratalltimes.ItwasonlythenthatIrealisedIhadmyfirstmysticalexperience.TheImamhadbeendisappearingfromhispositioneverytimehelosthisconcentrationduringtheprayer.” Imam Khomeini (r.a) said: “My teacher, the late Shah-Abadi was recommending to me to

frequentlyreciteSurahal-Hashr(59)especiallyfromAyah18totheendoftheSurah.”The Perfect Arif; Grand Ayatollah Shah-Abadi departed this temporary world to his eternally

dwellinginnearnesstohisBelovedOne;theAlmightyin1950(1875AH)andhisbodywasburiedattheshrineofHazratShah-Abdul-AziminTehran.References:

1. ArifKaamelbyResearchDepartmentoftheCulturalInstitutionofShahidShah-Abadi2. Shah-AbadiBozorg;theheavenofIrfan,byMohammadAliMohammadi

[1]AnotherimportantteacherofImamKhumeiniinIrfanwasAyatollahMirzaJawadMaleki.[2]SharhFosoos by al-Qounawi, the secondmost advanced textbook inTheoretical Irfan, is an

explanationonFosoosulHekam(theGemsofWisdom)byIbnal-Arabi.[3]Mesbahul-Ons(theLightofIntimacy)byIbnFanari,themostadvancedtextbookinTheoretical

Irfan,isanexplanationfor‘Meftahul-Ghayb’byal-Qoonawi[4]ManaseluSaa’erinbyKhajeAbdullahal-Ansariwithitsmostfamousexplanationbyal-Kashani

isthemaintextbookinPracticalIrfan.{5]SalawatofFatima (s.a) is to say: “AllahummaSalléAlaaFatimaWaAbihaWaBa’lehaWa

BanihaWaSerrelMosta’da’eFeehaBeAdadehMaaAhataBehiElmok.

5ChapterAyatullahMuhammadRadhaGulpaygani-(1898-1993)

Born:On:1898ADAt:,IranDied:On:9thDecThursday1993ADAt:Qum,IranAge95yearsAyatullah Gulpaygani was born on the wiladat of the 8th Imam and was therefore named

MuhammadRadha.Helostbothhisparentsataveryyoungage;hismotherdiedwhenhewas3yearsoldandhisfatherdiedwhenhewas9yearsold.Hisfather ’snamewasSyedMuhammadBaqirImam;hewasarenownedaalimforhisworldlydetachmentandTaqwa(God-Consciousness),andwasverydiligentoncorrectetiquette,performingthemustahabaat(recommendedacts)ofthereligion,Amr-bil-Ma’ruufandNahianilMunkar.HisgraveisstillaplacewherepeoplegoandperformZiyarat.AyatullahGulpayganiwas notmuchmore then a teenagerwhen he discovered intense love for

learningIslamicknowledgefromhis teacher,AyatullahSyedMuhammadHassanKhonsari,andhisArabiclanguageteacher,SyedMuhammadTaqiGawdhi.Attheageof19yearshewenttothecityofArak,andjoinedtheMadressaofAghaSyedZayauldeenwherehecompletedhisinitialstudies,beforejoiningthelessonsofUsulFiqhattheDars-e-Kharij

leveltaughtbyAyatullahAbdulKarimHaeriYazdiforthreeyears.HismigrationtoQom:Attheageof24years,AyatullahGulpayganifollowedhisteacherAyatullahHaeri(whohadmoved

toQomtoformtheHawza) to theHolycityofQom,andjoinedtheFaiziyaMadressa.His teacherAyatullahHaerisawthetremendouspotentialandtalentinhimandbecameextremelyfondofhim.HemadeAyatullahGulpayganioneofhisprivatedisciplesandplacedhiminthecounciltoanswer

religiousqueries.AyatullahGulpayganigainedpermissionfromAyatullahHaeritopracticeIjtihad.As soon as Ayatullah Gulpaygani arrived in Qom in the year 1921, he immediately became

involvedinteachingattheHawzaandtaughtwellknowntextssuchasMakasib,RasailandKifaye.AfterthedeathofAyatullahHaeri,hebegantoteachFiqhandUsulattheDars-e-Kharij

levelandfor70yearstaughttheknowledgeoftheAhlulBayt(as).Some his well known students include: Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari, Syed Muhammad Hussein

Beheshti,AyatullahJafferSubhani,AyatullahSaafiGulpayganiandAyatullahHassan ZadehAmuli. Ayatullah Gulpaygani was aMarja-e-Taqleed for over 32 years and on a

dailybasisusedtobebusyansweringquestionsfromallovertheworld.Healsoissuedfatwasonallareasoffiqh,whicharecurrentlyavailableinanumberoftexts.Hispoliticalrole:Fromthebeginningoftherevolution,eventhoughAyatullahGulpayganiputhisownlifeatrisk,he

playedasignificantroleduringtherevolutionandthefightagainsttheShah’sregime.HewasoneofthefirstUlematoprotestagainstacontroversialbillpassedin1922,andhe

continuedissuingstatementstillthefalloftheregime.Akhlaq:Amonghischaracteristicswere:lackofworldlyattachments,humility,makinguseofopportunities

andencouragementofaalimsandwriters.HeplacedagreatemphasisonrecitingandmemorisingtheQur ’an;everyday/night,hewouldcomplete2chaptersoftheQur ’an,despiteanypains,etc.Healsoplacedemphasisonrespecttowardsteachers;hewouldreciteSuraFatehaforhisteacherbeforeeveryclass,andpaidgreatrespecttothesonofhisteacher,Ayatullah

MurtadhaHaeri,eventhoughhehimselfwashisteacher.AYATULLAH AL-U²MA AL-HAJ AS-SAYYID MUHAMMAD RIDHA AL-

GULPAYGAN«departedforhisheavenlyabodeonThursdaynight,9thofDecemberat theageof96.Hesufferedfromacuterespiratorydeficiencyandlunginfectionforwhichhewasconfinedtothehospital. The Ayatullah who was the supreme religious authority of the Shi'a world, becameterminally ill immediately after midnight Tuesday and was shed to the Cardiac Care Unit of thehospitalbuthisconditioncontinuedtodeteriorate,despitetheextracareandattentionofthedoctors.Ayatullahal-GulpayganiwentintoacomaonWednesdaymorningandeventuallyleftthemortal

worldminutesbeforetheeveningprayersonThursday.HewasborninthevillageofKoukehnearthecityofGulpaygan(135kmsnorth-eastofIsfahan)in

theclosingyearsofthe19thcentury.Attheageof20,hewenttoArakwhichwasthecentreoftheTheologicalstudies.There,hereceivedhiseducationunderAyatullahal-‘U¨maash-Shaykh‘Abdal-Karimal-Hairi.Laterin1921hewenttothecityofQumtocompletehisstudies.Intheearly1960’sfollowingthedeathofAyatullahal-‘U¨maal-Hajjas-SayyidMu¦ammadHussein

al-BurujerdiandduringthebanishmentofAyatullahal-‘U¨maal-Hajjas-SayyidR£¦ullahal-Musawial-KhumaynifromIran,hebecamesuperintendentoftheQumTheologicalSeminary.Hetookoverthe administration of the school at a crucial time when both the theological school and IslamicscholarswereinatstakeduetorepressivemeasuresdirectedbytheShah.Atthattimehehadabout800studentswhoattendedhisclassesandreceivedadvancedtraininginreligiousstudies.Ayatullah al-Gulpaygani is the author of a number of scholarly works and treatises, as well as

commentariesonvariousothervaluableIslamicworks. Amongthemisanannotationon‘UrwatulWuthqa’,'Taw¤i¦al-Masa’il',‘Manasikal-Hajj'andmanyothers.He renderedvaluable servicesduringhis superintendenceof theTheologicalSeminary inQum,

andalsohelpedestablishalmost30theologicalschoolsinvarioustownsandcitiesthroughoutIran,aswell as health clinics for students and other types of public utility centers inmany parts of thecountryandabroadaswell.Ayatullahal-GulpayganiwasagreatscholarandMarja’andhehadmanyfollowersthroughoutthe

world.HesubscribedtotheconceptofWilayat-e-FaqihiputforwardbyAyatullahal-Khumayni.ThepresentLeaderof the IslamicRevolution,Ayatullahas-Sayyid ‘Alial-Husainial-Khamenei’,

expressed deep condolence over the sad demise of the Grand Ayatullah Mu¦ammad Ri¤a al-Gulpaygani.HewasoneofthepillarsoftheIslamicRevolutionandTheIslamicRepublic,saidtheleaderinastatement.During the oppressive rule of the former regime and in confronting the bitter incidents which

occurredintheyearsafterthebanishmentfromIranofAyatullahal-Khumayni(in1963),thereweresomeoccasionswhen thevoiceof thisgreatpersonalitywas theonly threateningvoiceagainst theformer regime,whichwas raised from theQum theological seminary and gave enthusiasm to theIslamicmovement.

AfterthevictoryoftheIslamicRevolution,hegaveanactivecontributioninmanagingthegeneralaffairsoftherevolution,andheunequivocallysupportedtheIslamicRepublicsystemanditsexaltedleadership.HewasrespectedandhonouredbythelateAyatullahal-Khumayni.“Thedepartureofthisdivinescholarwasagraveandirreparableloss”,thestatementadded.Italso

stated that theGrandAyatullahwasaMarja‘Taqlid for32years, a teacher at theQum theologicalseminaryforabout72years,whilehislearningandteachingFiqh(Jurisprudence)lastedforabout85years.Hewasthefirstpersontoestablishmoderntheologicalseminaryandhisinstitutewastheonefor

Qur ’anicstudiesinQum.HewasthefirstpersontoprepareatableofcontentsforFiqhandHadith(Tradition)byusingmoderntechnology(computersandCD-Rom).He founded hundreds of schools, mosques and Islamic propagation centres in Iran and other

countries,andhebroughtupthousandsofscholars.

6ChapterAyatullahMuhammadTaqiKhonsari-(1850-1951)

Born:On:1274HADAt:,IranDied:On:1951ADAt:Qum,IranAge:101yearsAyatullahKhonsariwasfromthelineageofthe7thImam,ImamMusaKadhimΒ,andwastheson

ofAllamahSyedAsadullah.AyatullahKhonsariwasintroducedtotheknowledgeofIslamfromaveryyoungage;hehadnot

even reached the age of 7 when he had already learnt Arabic Grammar, Introduction to IslamicKnowledge,andasectionofUsulandFiqh.Inordertotaketheinitialstudies(thathehadbegunwithhis father) to another level,AyatullahKhonsarimade hisway to theHawza inNajaf.He attendedlessons in Fiqh and Usul,taught by the great scholars Ayatullah Mullah Khorasani and AyatullahMuhammadKadhimTabatabiYazdi.HethencontinuedhislearninginUsulunderAyatullahNaaineeandAyatullahAghaDhaya Iraqi. Although he had reached the station of Ijtihad, he never actuallymadeapointtoformalisethisachievement,anditwasonlywhenAyatullahKhonsarreturnedtoIranthat Ayatullah Iraqi sent him a formal letter of proof confirming that he had obtained thequalificationsofIjtihad.AyatullahIraqiusedtomanytimescommentonthestatusandworthofAyatullahKhonsari.HistimeinthewarfrontduringtheFirstWorldWar:In thebeginningof theFirstWorldWar, theOttomanempirewasalliedwithGermany. In1903,

withthearrivaloftheBritishinIraqandtheirconquestofBasraandtheneighbouringareas,itwasaverysensitivetimeindeed.TheOttomanEmpiresoughthelpfromtheShiaUlema,andalthoughthespreadofdespotismaroundIraqwasbecauseoftheOttomanGovernment,theUlemacouldnotjustsitonthesidelinesandobservetheHolyCityofIraqbeingtrampledover.Thus,manyoftheMarajeissuedafatwaofJihad,butbecauseoftheiroldage,theysenttheirchildrentothewarfrontastheirrepresentatives.AnothergroupofMujtahids themselvesalsochose thepathof Jihad. ItwasduringtheperiodofMuharramthatthissensationalfatwawasissued.AyatullahKhonsarilefthisstudiesandwithavanguardofscholarsincludingAyatullahSyedMustafaKashani(hisstudypartner),madehisway to thewarfront in theneighbourhoodofBasra,via theRiverEuphrates ina ship.HesharedabunkerinthefrontlinewithAyatullahMustafaKashaniandAghaBaktiyariZaade.Hewasasoldieralwaysfulloflife,evenwhenthegoingusedtogettoughortheenemywasontheoffensive.Whatwas more surprising was a time when the enemy had placed them under intense siege and weregetting closer and closer; whilst most of the soldiers were preparing for the worst, AyatullahKhonsariwasgettingmoreandmorepassionateandintenseabouthisprayers,whichheusedtopraywithagreatamountoffervour.Beingtakenaprisoner:During thewar, apart ofAyatullahKhonsari’s footbecamewoundedandhegot takenprisoner.

TheoccupiersgatheredtheprisonersofwarintheportofBasra,andfromtheretheyweregatheredin ships and sent away into captivity to one of their colonies, the island of Singapore. AyatullahKhonsariwasoneof400peopletakencaptive.ThejourneytoSingaporetookfourmonthsandthecaptiveswerethenheldinaprisoninthemiddleofnowhere.Duringhistimeinprison,despitethevery toughand severeenvironment,hecontinuedand strived to teachLogicandWisdomandalsomanagedto teachhimselfEnglishfromanIndianRaja.Whentheheadof theprisonbecameawarethatAyatullahKhonsariwasascholarandknewEnglish,herequestedhimtotranslateabookmeanttomisleadthepeople;however,AyatullahKhonsarirefusedandmaybeitwasbecauseofthisrefusalthat thewardenswantedtokillhim.Ayatullahhimselfmentionsthat:‘Onedayall theprisonershadgoneout,andIwasbehindalone.Thewardenbroughtawildanimalintotheprisonandletitlooseatthefootofthedoor.Hethenhitthewildanimalandthustheanimalapproachedmewithferocity.Itcameveryclosetomebutendedupdoingnothing.Itthenwentbacktothefootofthedoorand

then returned back towards me. It did this a number of times, but each time did nothing tome.’AyatullahKhonsari spent4years inprisonandwasonly releasedbecauseof theeffortsof theRajafromIndia,whotriedforhisreleaseassoonashehimselfwasreleasedfromprison.Hissalaat:Ayatullah’s salaatused tobeawonderfulevent.Belief inAllahwas somanifested inhim that in

salaam he used to cast aside the veils and his soul used to be in the remembrance ofHeaven.Hehimself said: ‘When I stand for salaat, it is as if I amhavingaconversationwithAllahand facinghim.’Healsoledsalaat-e-jamaatatFaiziyaMadressa,wherethepeoplewhousuallyhadmanydoubtsabout theadalat(justice)of theImamsofsalaat-e-jamaatdidnot justfollowanyone.However, theyprayedbehindhimwithoutanyproblemsorobjections.Salaatforrain:OneofthemostimportanteventstoshowthestatusofAyatollahwastheeventofthesalaatforrain.

InthecityofQomintheIranianyear1323(approx.1944AD),therainshadnotarrivedandthefoodlevelshadreachedcriticallevels.Thepeoplesawtherecitalof‘salaat-e-Istagasa’(prayerforrain)asasolutiontothedrought.They

approached theUlema to lead theprayerandalthoughacoupleof theUlemadeclined theoffer torecitetheprayer,AyatullahKhonsariwasunabletorefusetherequestofthepeople.Thenewsspreadaround the city ofQom thatAyatullahKhonsari was due to lead the prayer on the Friday. 20,000people gathered together to recite the salaat at a location known asKhak-e-Faraj. On that day theprayerforrainwasnotrespondedto.AyatullahKhonsari,whohadperceivedthebeneficenceofAllahmanytimesbefore,knewverywellthatbybeggingfromAllah,theduawouldeventuallybeaccepted.Therefore,hemadeadecisiontogoandsaytheprayeragain;theydecidedtogotothegardenbehindthegraveyardof‘Nawabpaa’.WhensunsetarrivedontheSunday,theskyturnedredandcloudyandrainfellwithsuchintensitythatitissaidrainlikethathadnotbeenseenuntilthen.Someonenarrates:‘Thatday,aspernormal,IwenttotheFaiziyaMadressatosaymysalaat-e-jamaatbehindAyatullahKhonsari. At the moment, I cannot remember the reason why there was a lecture in the FaiziyaMadressa after the evening salaat, butMarhumHajjiMuhammadTaki Ishraqiwasgivinga lecturewhenitbegantorain…thateveningitrainedextensively.’

7ChapterAyatullahAl-UzamaBahauddini-(1909-1997)

Birth1909Death1997Age89yrsAyatullahBahauddiniwasbornonthedayofEid-e-Ghadeertoareligiousfamily,whonamedhim

SyedRadha.HislineagegoesbacktoImamSajjadΒ.SyedRadha’sfatherwascalledSyedSafiyudin,andhadthedistinctionofbeingoneofthehumblevolunteersintheharamofBibiMa’soomaϑ.SyedSafiyudin,togetherwithhavingaverygoodmemory,hadaveryintimaterelationshipwiththeHolyQur ’anwhichheusedtolovetoread.AyatullahBahudinni’smotherwascalledFatemahSultani,andwasfamouslyknownas‘thewifeof

Agha.’Shewasaverypiousandsincereladyaswellasaverykind,affectionateandcleverperson.Shewas from theoffspringofMullahSadraShirazi,whowasa scholarofveryhighcalibre.Hercontentment, simplicity in her life and her love and attachment for her husband was whatdistinguishedherfromothers.ShealsohadaveryintimaterelationshipwiththeQur ’anandarealfamiliaritywiththeduasoftheMa’sumin.AyatullahBahauddiniinhischildhood:Duringhischildhood,AyatullahBahauddinialwaysshowedsignsofanextraordinarymemory,a

greataptitudeandwasabletoperceiveeverythingaroundhim.Hehimselfnarratedthat:‘WhenIwasoneyearold, Iused toreally likepeopleofapurenature,andIused togetattachedto themat thelevelofthesoul.Icoulddistinguishbetweengoodandevil,andIwasalsoabletodistinguishbetweengood

andrighteouspeopleandthosethatwereevilandrebellious.’WhenSyedRadhareachedtheageoftwo,theyhadsetupaschoolforhimathomewherehelearnt

SurahHamdandSurahTawheed,theQur ’anandtheAdhanandIqamah;itwasalsoduringthisagethat he started reading andwriting.At the age of six he joined another school and began to studyArabicvocabularyandothertexts.Rightfromhisyouth,AyatullahBahauddiniusedtohavegreatloveforprayingsalaat-ul-layland

fasting.Foryearsheengagedinthesetwoformsofworship(somuch)thatithadagreatinnereffectonhissoul.Onthispointhenarratesthat:‘ThefirsttimethatIconnectedwiththesoulsofthegreatscholars

fromtheheavenlykingdomwaswhenIwasperseveringwithanextremelytoughfast.Ialsousedtofeelintenseloveandinnerdesiretoperformthenightprayer,somuchsothatevenasweetsleephadnovalueagainstthepleasureofrecitingsalaat-ul-layl.Thisloveforsalaat-ul-laylwassogreatthatIusedtoautomaticallywakeupwhenthetimewould

arrive;evenonnightswhenIwasverytired,a‘hand’fromtheheavenlyworldusedtowakemeup.IrememberthatintheIranianyear1356(approx.1977AD),Iwassickandtheresultofthisillnesswas

thatIhadbecomeextremelyweak.Ithereforemadeadecisionthatonthatevening,Iwilltakeabreakfromrecitingthesalaat-ul-layl,becauseoflackofstrength.However,whenthetimeofpre-dawnarrivedIsawAyatullahKhomeiniinmydreamandhesaidto

me, ‘Wake up and busy yourself in the prayer of the night.’ That evening, because of ImamKhomeini’swords,Iwokeupandbusiedmyselfinthenightprayer.’Ananecdotefromhislife:One of the devotees ofAyatullahBahauddini narrates: ‘In the summer of 1974, great economic

pressureweighedmeandmyfamilydown,suchthatIcouldn’tbuy(even)afewfruitsformyfamily.Becauseofthis,Iwasinalotofpainandsuffering.Eventhoughmywifedidnotspeakaboutthis,myinnerworryandashamedconsciencehadmadelifehardonme.OnenightatthetimeofMaghrib,IwasonmywaytotheHusseiniyaoftheAyatullahtopraysalaat-

e-jamaatbehindhim(AyatullahBahauddini).WhenIpassedafruitshop,withoutrealisingit,itcrossedmymind thathowgood itwouldbe if Ihadsomemoneyandcouldbuysomefruitsof theseason(just)onceforhome!WhenIenteredtheHusseiniya,Ayatullah'sgazefellonme.Hecamenearmeandsaid:‘So-and-so!

Thereissomemoney,shouldIbringitforyou?’Afterthinkingabit,Isaid:‘Ok.’Aftersalaathewenttohishouseandbrought1,500Tomansforme.Itwasasifhewasawareofmyniyyat!’

8ChapterSeyyedHosseinBorujerdi-(1875-1961)

Birth:18751292AHDeath:March30,1961(aged86)1381AH.Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi (1875-1961) (Persian: یمظعلا هللا تیآ

یدرجورب نیسح دیس ) was a Twelver Shi'a Marja and the leading Marja in Iran fromroughly1947tohisdeathin1961.[1]EducationandacademicspecialtiesBorujerdiwasborninthecityofBorujerdintheprovinceofLorestaninIran,hencethesurname.Inhisyouth,BorujerdistudiedunderanumberofShi'itemastersofIslamicjurisprudencesuchas

Mohammad-KazemKhorasaniandAqaZiaIraqi,andspecializedinfiqh.HestudiedthefiqahatofalltheIslamicschoolsofthought,notjusthisown,alongwiththescienceofrijal.Thoughheisknownforcitingmasoomeentosupportmanyofhisdeductions,Borujerdiisknownforelucidatingmanyaspects himself and is an influential fiqh jurist in his own right.He has had a strong influence onIslamicscholarslikeMortezaMotahhariandAyatollahShaikhHusainMontazeri.TenureasAyatollahandMarjaBorujerdirevivedthehawzaofQomin1945(1364AH),whichhadwanedafterthedeathin1937

of its founder, ShaykhAbdulKarimHa'iri.WhenSayyidAbulHassan Isfahani died the followingyear,themajorityofShi'aacceptedAyatullahBorujerdiasMarja'-e-Taqlid.ScholarRoyMottahedehreportsthatBorujerdiwasthesolemarja"intheShiaworld"from1945-6untilhisdeathin1961.[2]EffortstowardIslamicunityBorujerdi was the first Marja' to look beyond Iraq and Iran. He sent Sayyid Muhaqqiqi to

Hamburg,Germany,Aqa-e-Shari'attoKarachi,Pakistan,Al-FaqihitoMadinahandSayyidMusaSadrtoLebanon.He established cordial relations with Shaykh Mahmud Shaltut, the grand Shaykh of Al-Azhar.

Together, the two scholars established the "House for Bringing Muslim Sects Nearer" in Cairo.ShaltutissuedafamousfatwaacceptingtheShi'afaithasoneoftherecognisedsectsofIslam.andAyatullah Sayyid Husain Burojirdi vehemently opposed those who attacked the Khulafa' in theirspeechesandwritings.PoliticalleaningsUnlikemanyclergyandtemporalrulers,BorujerdiandShahMohammadRezaPahlavi,aresaidto

have had cordial and mutually beneficial relations, starting with a visit by the not-yet-Shah toBorujerdi'shospitalroomin1944.BorujerdiissaidtohavegenerallyremainedalooffrompoliticsandgiventheShahhis"tacitsupport,"whiletheShahdidnotfollowhisfather'sharshanti-clericalism(for example he exempted clergy frommilitary service), and until Borujerdi's death occasionallyvisitedthecleric.[3]Borujerdi'sbeliefinquietism,orseparationofchurchfromstate,extendedtokeepingsilentinpublic

onsuch issuesasIsrael's treatmentof thePalestinians, theoverthrowofMohammedMossadeqandthe end of his campaign to nationalize and control theBritish-owned oil industry in Iran, and theBaghdadPactalliancewiththeUSandUK.[4]ItisthoughtthatasarewardforthissupporttheShahensuredmorereligiousinstructioninstateschools,tightenedcontrolofcinemasandotheroffensivesecularentertainmentduringMoharram.Ayatollah Borujerdi passively opposed the Pahlavi regime's agrarian reforms, which he called"agrarian destruction."[5] In his view, the confiscations of large concentrations of landholdings ofaristocrats and clergy by the Pahlavi shahs disrupted the fabric of rural life and eroded religiousinstitutions.FuturerevolutionaryRuhollahKhomeiniwasanunderlingofBorujerdiandBorujerdiforbadehimtotakepartinpoliticalactivities,abanwhichonlyendedwithBorujerdi'sdeath.Influenced:MortezaMotahhariDeathHediedinQumon13thShawaal1381AH.attheripeageof90.BorujerdidiedinQomonMarch

30, 1961.[6]TheShah proclaimed three days ofmourning and attended amemorial service in hishonor.[7]

BIOGRAPHYOFLATEAYATOLLAHBORUJERDISayyidHussainTabatabaiiBorujerdi,popularlyknownasHaajAghaHussainBorujerdi,

son of Sayyid Ali, was born in the year 1292 A.H. (Lunar) in Borujerd, and passed away in themorningofThursday,12thShawwal1380A.H./Lunar (10thFarvardin1340A.H./Solar) inQum.Hewas a famous Faqeeh (Shi’ite Jurisprudent) and a greatMarja’ (Chief ReligiousAuthority) of the14thcenturyHegira.EDUCATION:AyatollahBorujerdihadhisprimaryeducationinBorujerd.HethenattendedNoorbakhshseminary

inBorujerdwherehecompletedhispreliminaryandintermediateIslamiceducation.Fromtheyear1310A.H. he pursued further the learningof Islamic sciences, includingphilosophy, in the city ofIsfahan. In 1319 he attained the status of Ijtihad (competence for inference of Islamic decrees andprecepts)attheageof28whenhereturnedtohishometown,Borujerd.In1320A.H.hewenttotheholycityofNajaf,andcompletedhiseducationbytheyear1328.HISTEACHERS:Hewas taught religious sciences in Isfahan by great religious teachers like SayyidMuhammad

Baaqir Durcheyi,Mirza Abul-Maali Kalbasi, SayyidMuhammad TaqiMudarris and Sayyid Abul-QasimDehkordi.InNajaf,histeachersincludedAkhundKhorasani,SayyidMuhammadKazemYazdiand Sheikh Shariat Isfahani. He was taught philosophy by renowned teachers such as MullahMuhammadKashiandHakimJahangirKhanQashqaiiinIsfahanaswell.HISTRAVELS:AftercompletinghiseducationinNajaf,AyatollahBorujerdireturnedtoBorujerdin1328andtook

hisresidencethereforseveralyears.AfteryearsofresidenceinBorujerd,hetraveledandlecturedindifferentplaces.Whereverhewent,hewasgraciouslywelcomedbylocaldignitariesandUlemawhorequestedhimtoholdteachinganddiscussionsessions.Histravelsaredetailedbelow:-TraveltoMashadin1340,wherehestayedforseveralmonths

-TraveltoQumonhiswaybackfromMashad;hissojourninthesetwocitieslasted1.5years.-HajPilgrimagein1345;thistravelwasmadethroughIraq,wherehestayedforfourmonths

inNajaf.TherehewaswelcomedbydistinguishedUlemaincludingGrandAyatollahsMirzayeNaiini,SayyidAbul-HasanIsfahani,AghaDhiyauddinIraqi,andSheikhMuhammadHussainIsfahani.WhilereturningfromHajanduponhisarrivalattheIranianborderwithIraq,hewasarrestedandtakentoTehran for the reason of participation in a gathering of Ulema in Najaf against Reza Shah (theincumbentkingofIran).- After his release from detention he stayed in Tehran for nearly three months before

proceedingtoMashad.AfterastayofsevenmonthsinMashadhereturnedtoBorujerd.-Towardstheendoftheyear1363A.H./Lunar(1323A.H./Solar)hetraveledtoTehranfor

medical treatments. He was hospitalized in Firoozabadi Hospital in Shahre-Rey for nearly twomonths.Afterhisdischargefromthehospitalinearly1364A.H./Lunar(winterof1323A.H./Solar),hewenttoQumandspenttherestofhislifeoverthere.-TraveltoMashadinthesummerof1324(A.H./Solar)foraperiodofthreemonthsINCUMBENCY OF THE POST OF SUPERINTENDENCE OF HAWZAH ILMIYYAH

(THEOLOGICALCENTER)OFQUM,ANDATTAININGTHEPOSITIONOFMARJAIYYATAAM(CHIEFRELIGIOUSAUTHORITY):In thewinterof1323A.H./Solar, after leaving thehospital,AyatollahBorujerdi arrived inQum.

Upon the request and insist of dignitaries and Ulema of Hawzah Ilmiyyah of Qum, AyatullahBorujerdiagreedtoundertaketheoverallresponsibilityforrunningtheQumTheologicalCenter.AtthesametimemanyoftheteachersandeducatorsofHawzahstoppedtheirclassestopayrespecttohimastheprominentteacherofHawzah.Before long, his Muqallideen (followers of his decrees) increased in number. The demise of

AyatollahSayyidAbul-HasanIsfahaniin1325A.H./Solar,andafewmonthslater,demiseofAyatollahHaajAghaHussainQummi,resultedintheirShi’itefollowersturningtoAyatollahBorujerdiastheirnew Marja’e Taqleed (Source of issuing Islamic Jurisprudential decrees). Thus, the chair ofMarjaiyyatAam(chiefreligiousauthority)wastakenbyAyatollahBorujerdi.AYATOLLAHBORUJERDI’SERUDITEPERSONALITY: AyatollahBorujerdihadalreadybecomewellknownforhiserudition,especiallyinthe

religioussciences,asevidencedbytheacclaimhereceivedinhistravelstoMashad,QumandNajaf. While learning atNajaf, he himself taught the book “Al-Fosul” aswell. In the branch of

scienceknownas‘UsuleFiqh’(PrinciplesofIslamicJurisprudence)hefollowedtheviewsofAkhundKhorasani;andinhislecturesonthissubject,hetriedtobebriefandtomakediscussionseasyandsimplified. He was careful about proper understanding of the viewpoints of the past ShiiteJurisprudentswhose decrees he collected and examined thoroughly and held in esteem, especiallythoseofHassanIbneAbiAquilUmmaniandMuhammadIbneJunaidIskafi.HebelievedthatTraditions,Sayings,andNarrationsofShiiteinfallibleImams(A.S.)were

bestunderstoodbyreferring to thenarrationsanddecrees issuedbySunnitecontemporariesof theImams(A.S.),forinthosedaysSunnitedecreeswereprevailing,andeventhedisciplesoftheHolyImams (A.S.) used to ask them their questions according to the decrees of Sunnite people, and theImams also replied on the same basis. For this very reason, Ayatollah Borujerdi considered thatreferencetotheSunnitedecrees,constitutedapartoftheprerequisitestudiespertainingtoFiqh.Hesaid: “TheearlierShiite Jurisprudentswereawareof theopposingviewsonproblems”.Headded:“TheancientscholarsquotedSunnitedecreesintheirbooksorintheirlessonsandsubjectedthemtotheir critical evaluation.” For this reason he initiated printing of Sheikh Tusi’s book entitled “Al-

Khilaf”forthefirsttime. To infer Islamic precepts and decrees,AyatollahBorujerdi reliedmore on a careful

scrutinytotheTraditions/Narrationsthanonpracticalities.Withregardtodifferentnarrationswhichwereallcitedbyasinglenarrator,AyatollahBorujerdi juxtaposed themaltogether,andmostoftenthis juxtaposition resulted in his conclusion that all of them were related to the same originalTraditionorsource,whichhadcometobe interpretedandassimilated invariousways laterby thesucceedingnarrators.WRITINGS/COMPILATIONS:Inadditiontosomemonographswrittenbyhisstudents,writingsofAyatollahBorujerdi

himselfincludedthefollowing:1)Jame'AhadithUl-Shia’(TheComprehensiveBookofShiiteTraditions/Narrations)2)AnEncyclopediathatincludesanindexofnarrators,aswellasabibliographyofwritingson

thesubjectsof‘Rijal’and‘Hadith’(Traditions)alongwiththeirdocumentations3)Hashiah(Annotations)onthebook‘Urwatul-Wuthqa’4)Hashiah(Annotations)onSheikhTusi’s‘Khilaf’5)Sharh(ExplanatoryMonograph)onthebook‘Kifayatul-Usul’SERVICES RENDERED BY AYATOLLAH BORUJERDI DURING HIS TENURE AS THE

SUPERINTENDENTOFHAWZAHILMIYYAHOFQUMDuringthedaysofRezaShah,theHawzahIlmiyyahofQumwasweakened.AfterAyatollah

Borujerdiundertooktheadministrationandmanagementoftheseminary,itspowerwasrestored.Theinstitutionbecameself-supportingafterthepublicincreasinglyreposedtheirconfidenceinand

allegiancetohimasMarja’eTaqleed(theirJurisprudentialadvisor).Theadministrativeandeducationalimprovementsbecameevident.Forinstance,withregardtothe

matter of collection of Islamic taxes, all cases of appointments of individuals as proxies for thispurposeweredulyregistered.Alsoallcorrespondencewasrecorded.Thenumberofstudents,whichtotaledsometwothousand(2000)whenAyatollahBorujerdi took

over,hadtrebledbythetimeofhisdeath.Specific improvements in the teaching system were also noticeable. Ayatollah Borujerdi was

successfultosetupasystematiccurriculumintheHawzahIlmiyyah.Someteacherswereappointedor nominated to be responsible for students’ tests. The students were requested to take theexaminations,andtheirstipendpaymentwasmadeconditionalupontheirparticipationintheexams.Thisrequirementmetwithsomeformidableopposition,inasmuchasinNajaf,AyatollahIstahbanatibanned participation in such exams. Although a senior Ayatollah, Sayyid Abdul-Hadi Shirazi,supportedtheexamsrequiredbyAyatollahBorujerdi,duetotheintensionofoppositions,AyatollahBorujerdihimselforderedtheexaminationscheduleinNajaftobecancelled.AyatollahBorujerdiwasinterestedingoodhandwritingandcorrectsyntaxinwriting,tothe

extentthathewantedtoincludetheminthesyllabiforthepurposeofthetests.He encouraged diligent students, and thereby contributed to the growth of learning level at the

seminary.Bypublishingmagazines like “LessonsFromThe IslamicSchool”,heprovidedopportunity for

theaccomplishedindividualsatHawzahtoexpresstheirownviewsandmakethemknowninsidethecountryorbeyondthebordersofIran.AmongAyatollahBorujerdi’scommendable initiatives is thatofdispatchingmissionariesabroad

in connection with Islamic propagation and educational activities. One of his envoys was Sheikh

MuhaqqiqRashtiwhowent toGermany andwas able to establish a grand,magnificentmosque inHamburg.AYATOLLAH BORUJERDI’S VIEWS ON BRINGING ABOUT PROXIMITY AMONG

DIFFERENTISLAMICSECTS:AyatollahBorujerdiwasaprotagonistofunityandsolidarityoftheIslamicworldandtried

tocreateakindofproximityamongdifferentMuslimsects.Inthisconnection,hecorrespondedwithDarul-Taqrib(CenterofProximity)inCairoanditsfounders,includingSheikhAbdul-MajidSalimandSheikhMahmoodShaltut,theformerRectorsofAl-Az’harUniversity.SheikhMuhammadTaqiQummi,astheSecretary-General,representedAyatollahBorujerdiinDarul-Taqrib,Cairo.Continuous communications and contacts of Ayatollah Borujerdi with Dar ul-Taqrib and the

Rectors of Al-Az’har University resulted in Sheikh Shaltut’s historic Fatwa (Islamic Decree)concerningattestationofthelegitimacyofthe“Shiite”sect.ItintroducedtheShiiteSectasoneofthelegitimateIslamicSchoolsofThoughttoallMuslimsandothersintheworld.AyatollahBorujerdi,wassensitiveandaversetowardssectariandivisivenessamongMuslims,and

triedhisverybesttopreventit.Hedidnotrecommend,orjustify,anyunduefocusofattentionontheissueofcaliphateanditshistoricalaccount.WhendealingwiththetopicofImamate,too,heabstainedfrombeingengagedintheissueofcaliphate.Onthecontrary,heconsideredtheissueofcaliphateasahistoricaleventthatispassed,anddoesnotcallforadiscussionatthepresenttime.Theimportantmatter,hebelieved,wastoidentifythesourcesof“Ahkam”(Islamicdecrees

andprecepts).Forthisreason,hehighlightedtheimportanceofthescientificdimensionofImamateaccordingtowhattheholyProphet(S.A.)hasstatedinthefamous‘HadithofThaqalain’.AYATOLLAHBORUJERDIANDTHEPAHLAVIREGIMEAsmentionedearlier,AyatollahBorujerdiwasarrestedandimprisonedonce.Thatwasin

theyear1306A.H./SolarwhenhereturnedfromHaj,andpassed-inhisroute-throughtheholycityofNajaf.HisvisittoNajafcoincidedwiththegroupimmigrationoftheUlemaofIsfahantoQuminprotest

againstthecompulsorymilitaryservice,alawthatwasapprovedbytheorderofRezaShah.Inthisconnection,asecretsessionwasheldattheresidenceofAyatollahMirzayeNaiiniwhereinagroupofUlema,includingAyatollahBorujerdi,tookpart.In that session, itwas agreed thatAyatollahBorujerdi, as the proxy ofNajafGrandAyatollahs,

NaiiniandIshafahni,traveltoTehran.LateronthematterwasdroppedandAyatollahBorujerdi,too,declined to undertake such a task. Then,AyatollahBorujerdi stayed on atNajaf for a fewmonthsbeforeproceeding to IranviaQasreShirinbordercheckpostwherehewasarrestedandshifted toTehran’s‘ArkanHarb’garrison,adetentioncenter.Inashorttimehewasfoundnotguiltyandreleased.HisreleaseorderwasissuedbyReza

Shah on the occasion of his visit to Borujerd to attend the funeral ceremony of Amir LashkarTahmasbi (murdered on 1307A.H./Solar). Itwas in that trip that theTabatabaii Family,whichwasconsideredtobeveryinfluentialintheLorestanregion,requestedRezaShahtoliberatetheAyatollah(Tabatabaii)Borujerdi,whobelongedtosamefamily.Afterhis release,AyatollahBorujerdimetRezaShahand recommendedhim toavoiddistancing

himselfformtheclergy.Also,asAyatollahhadcloselyseentheconditionsofthesoldiersin‘ArkanHarb’garrison,hehad

toldRezaShahtoincreasetherationofthesoldiersfromservingboiledriceonceweeklytotwiceweekly,becausetheywere‘soldiersofIslam’,andthissuggestionwasmuchpraisedbyRezaShah.AyatollahBorujerdi then returned tohishometown,Borujerd,wherehe stayedon in an isolated

manneruntilthedeathofRezaShahduetosevereprevailingtyrannicalconditions.WhenMohammedRezaShahsucceededhisfather,triedtoconsolidatehisroyalposition

andjustifyhisreignbyestablishingcontactswiththereligiousUlema,whichincludedaroyalvisittothesickAyahollahBorujerdiintheyear1323A.H./SinFiroozabadihospital,ShahreRey.AyatollahBorujerdimadesomeobservations,amongthemherecommendedtheShahthat thereshouldbenolongeranynegligenceinreligionsmatters.Earlier, duringRezaShah’s time,whenAyatollahBorujerdiwas imprisoned, hehadproved that

wasbynomeansimpressedbytheroyalmight.Also in the event of Reza Shah’s deposal in the month of Shahrivar, 1320 A.H./Solar, when

AyatollahQummi had come to Iran, and the Shah’s administration ignored his requests,AyatollahBorujerdi sent a telegram to Ayatollah Qummi and thereby stated that he was ready to come toTehran, if necessary. It is said that such a telegram at that time had been one of the factors thatinfluencedthesubsequentacceptancebythegovernment,ofAyatollahQummi’srequests.Yet, with all his bold encounters, Ayatollah Borujerdi remained wary of politics, in which he

intervenedonly to the extentnecessary.With a lifetimeofhigh-level encounters andexperienceofvariousevents,heremainedcareful inexercisinghispoliticalacumen.Moreover,duringthe1320sand1330sof theSolarHegira calendar, theactivistsof the ‘Tudeh’ communistpartyweremakingseriouseffortsinIran,andatthesametime,Iranwasundergreatpressurebyforeigngovernments.Underthosecircumstances,theAyatollahconsidereditratherexpedientnottoweakenthegovernmentofShahtoanextentmorethannecessary.Thus,AyatollahBorujerdi’soppositiontotheShahwasnottooovert,inthathedidreplyappropriatelytotheroyaltelegrams,andonoccasionscompliedwithroyalrequestsforhisaudience.Nonetheless,whenevernecessary,theAyatollahdidnothesitatetoencounterroyaltywithfirmness,

andevensometimesbysendingthreateningmessages.Suchoppositionwas effective inpreventing implementationof someof thegovernmental plans.

For instance, in the year 1338 AH/S, Ayatollah Borujerdi effectively opposed the proposedLatinizationofthePersianscript.TheAyatollah, furthermore, supported thosewhowere struggling against the Shah, and hewas

instrumentalinnullifyingattemptsbyShah’sagentstoenlistsupportoftheUlemaofQumagainsttheoppositiongroupof‘JibheyeMelli’and‘Musaddiq(theincumbentPrimeMinister)’SOURCES:1)MARJAIYYATDARARSEYEIJTIMAA’WASIAASAT(i.e.MarjaiyyatInTheArena

OfSocietyAndPolitics), bySayyidMuhammadHussainManzoorul-Ajdad, ShirazehPublications,Tehran2)HAYATUL-IMAMAL-BORUJERDI(i.e.TheBiographyofAyatollahBorujerdi),by

MuhammadWa’ez-zadehKhorasani,Publishedby‘MajmayeTaqribMadhahebIslami’,Tehran

AyatullahBurujerdi(R.A.)storyIt has been narrated about the spiritual station of the greatmarja, AyatullahMuhammadHusein

Burujerdi (d.1961), that he hadmade a vow (nadhr) that if he ever uttered inappropriatewordswhenangry,hewouldfastforawholeyear(totrainhissoul).Indeed,hehadaveryloftystation.Hehimselfhassaid,“BeforeIcametoQom,Iusedtohearthevoicesofangels,butafterIarrived

hereandbecameoccupiedandbusyintheroleofMarja,Ilostthatblessing!”AyatullahBurujerdiwasamarjawhosecredentialsasasupremeauthorityhavebeenendorsedby

Amiral-Mu’mineen(A.S.)himself.AllamahNahawandirelatesthefollowingincident:“WhenthelateAyatullahBurujerdicametoMashad,Igavehimmyplaceintheholyshrine-that

is,IaskedhimtoleadtheprayersandIstoodbehindhim,outofrespect.”Hecontinues,“Thatsameyear,IwasblessedwiththeopportunitytogotoNajaf-al-Ashraf.Thegreatmarja,AyatullahSayyidAbu’l Hasan Isfahani, who was the leader of the prayers in the courtyard of Amir al-Mu’mineen(A.S.), insisted that I lead the prayers. I was very surprised, that a man of the status of AyatullahIsfahani,towhomeventheImamofourAge(A)hadwrittenaletterstating:“IrkhasNafsaka-Makeyourselfeasilyaccessibletothepeople-waj�almajlisatakafial-dahliz-andsitinthestreetoutsideyourhouse(sopeoplecaneasilybenefitfromyourknowledge)-waqdhihawaijannas-andfulfiltheneedsofthepeople-nahnunansuruka-wewillhelpyou-mademestandattheheadoftheprayersandhimselfstoodbehindme.”AllamahNahawandi says, “I was still wondering as towhy a scholar of this great staturewas

following me in prayer. As I prepared to say the opening takbir, I heard the voice of Amir al-Mu’mineen(A.S.))comingfromhissacredtomb,“YoushowedrespecttomysonBurujerdi,sowehavealsohonouredandrespectedyou,bymakingSayyidAbu’lHassanIsfahanipraybehindyou.”AyatullahBurujerdi hadmade a vow, in order to train his soul, that if he ever said something

unbefitting in anger, he would fast one whole year. One day he was sitting teaching a class inBurujerd.Atthesetimeshehadagreatpresenceandaspecialdignity.Astudentbegantoarguewithhim,andAghaansweredhisquery.Heraisedanotherobjection,whichwasalsoanswered.However,whenheobjectedathirdtime,AyatullahBurujerdibecamemomentarilyangryandwithanannoyedtone,hesaidfromthepulpit,“Bequiet,youngman”.However,realisingwhathehaddone,assoonasAghafinishedhisclass,hecalledthatstudentand,

infrontofthewholeclass,hebowedandkissedhis(student’s)handandgavehimacloakand500Tumans(areasonableamountinthosedays),andthensaid,“ForgivethemistakeofBurujerdi!IdonotunderstandhowthereinsofmysoulslippedfrommyhandsandwhyIaskedyoutobequietinfrontofeveryone.”Fromtheverynextday,AyatullahBurujerdibegantofast-justforoneharshword,whichinitself

wasneitherbackbitingnoralie.Taken from the speech of Haj Agha Hashimi Najhad, as quoted in “Karamat wa Hikayate

Ashiqane Khuda” - “Miracles and Anecdotes of the Close Servants of Allah”. TranslatedAJ/091105.

9ChapterSayedArifHussainAlHussaini-(1946-1988)

BIRTH&FAMILYBACKGROUNDParaChinarPewarisavillagewhereSayedArifHussainalHussainiwasbornonNovember25,

1946.Hischildhoodwasspentinthelanesandby-lanesofthevillagesavoringtheshadesofthetalltrees, climbing the hills andwalking along the banks of the river. At a distance of 10 kilometresfrom Para Chinar is Pewarlocated at an elevation of 6,000 feet above sea level on Pakistan-Afghanistanborder. Three tribes inhabit the area—Ghund Kheel, Ali Zayee andDaveer Zayee.SayedArifHussainalHussainidescendedfromfamousSufiSaintSayedMirAqilShahAshrafBuAliQalandaribneMakhroliofDaveerZayeetribe.SayedArifwastenthinthelineofdescentfromthisSufiSaintwhowasascionofHussainalAsgharibneImamZainalAbedin(a.s).OnNovember25,1946,atthetimeoftheAdhaanforthemorning-prayerSayedArifHussainal

Hussainiarrivedinthisworld.Itwasaveryauspiciousdayforhisfather,SayedFadlHussainthathewasendowedwithasonwhowouldbeknownforhislearningandpiety.WhenSayedArif’sagewas5years,hisparentsplannedtostarthiseducation..Hewasadmittedto

thePrimarySchool atPewar.They also arranged a tutor to teach him theHolyQuran at home.For5yearsSayedArif studied at thePewar school.. Then he mved to theHigh School at ParaChinar from where he obtained hisMatriculation Certificate. From his early childhood SayedArifwasveryclosetohismaternaluncle,SayedGhulamAbbasShah.Oncehismothercomplainedwhyhespentmostofhistimewiththeelders..Hesaidthatheenjoyedlisteningtothestoriesofthevalorousdeedsofhisforbearsfromthem.FromearlychildhoodSayedArifwasverypunctualatofferinghisprayers.Heusedtosleepinhis

uncle’sroomandalsoofferedtheNamazeShabalongwithhim.Thecompanyofhisunclehadsuchan effect on his nature thatwhile hewas still a child he abhorred the practice of song and danceduring marriage functions. After the school hours he used to spend some time playing with hiscousins.Helikedtakingthesheeptograzeontheslopesof thehills.Hewouldalwaystakeabookalongtoreadwhilemindingtheflock..HeusedtoreturnhomebeforetheMaghribPrayerwhichheoffered along with his uncle. After dinner he would busy himself in his studies. From his earlychildhoodSayedArifwasveryjovialandhadagoodsenseofhumor.Heusedtomakeotherslaughwithhisrepartee.Attimeswhensomeonecamefromoutsideandfoundeveryonelaughing,hewouldcertainlyknowthatitwasSayedArifwhohadcreatedthelaughter!Fromhisearlydaysheimpressedhisteachersasapious,obedientandtruthfulchild.Ifevertherewasadisputebetweenthestudentsintheclass,theteacherwouldtakeactiononthebasisofhisevidence.Duringhisentireeducationdayshe was never angry or cross with any of his class-mates. In 1962, when he completedhisMatriculation, his parentswanted to send him to a degree college. But hewasmore inclinedtowardsreligiouseducation.ItwasthetimewhenHajiGhulamJafarofLuqmanQeelhad laid thefoundation ofMadrasa Jafaria in Para Chinar. In the beginning theMadrasawas located in abuilding of three rooms. Sayed Arif was one of the small group of students admitted totheMadrasa. The company of the other students and the Ulema at theMadrasa had a lastingimpressiononthemindofyoungSayedArif.Heused to regularlyoffer theTahajjudPrayerand

recitethesupplications.SayedArifhadtheurgetoworkfortheupliftoftheKaramAgencywherehisvillageParaChinarwassituated.

PROCEEDSTONAJAFEASHRAF.

.AfterspendingsometimeinParaChinar,SayedArifHussainithoughtofproceedingtoNajafeAshrafforfurtherstudies.Hethereforecommencedhisjourneyfortheholyplacealongwithhismentor,MaulanaGhulamHussain Besuti Hazara.MaulanaGhulam Jafar gave some advice toyoungSayedArifabout his stay inNajaf eAshraf and also gave him a letter of introduction to aseniorstudent,MaulanaGulAliParaChinar.Sayed Arif Hussain left the environs of his village sometime in 1967 and reached Najaf e

Ashraf.HedeliveredtheletterofhismentortoMaulanaGulAliwhoreceivedhimwithwarmthandafter a few days took him to Ayatullah Sayed Mohsin Hakim. Aqai Mohsin Hakim was muchimpressed with the family background of the Sayed and his enthusiasm to pursue his studies.TheAyatullahprayedforthesuccessoftheyoungstudentandassuredhimofallpossiblehelp.Thementors underwhomSayedArifHussaini studiedwere:Aqai SheikAshrafi Isfahani, Shaheed eMehrabAyatullahHazratMadani,AqaiLankaraniandAyatullahMurtadavi.WhenSayedArifHussainiwaspursuinghisstudieswithgreatdeterminationatNajaf eAshraf,

ImamKhomeiniwas living a life of exile in theHolyCity.TheImamused to lead theMaghrib-Ishaprayers at theMadrasaofAyatullahBarojardi. SayedArifHussainiwas one of themanystudentswhomadeitapointtoattendtheprayersthere!Aftertheprayers,AyatollahKhomeiniusedtogivetalksatthemosquewhichwereofgreatinterestforSayedArif.Onreturningtohishostelheusedtorecapitulatethetalkofthegreatscholartohishostel-matesandencouragedthemtoattendthetalksoftheImam.

RETURNSHOME

MaulanaSayedArifHussainireturnedhomeandgotmarried.AftersometimeheagainplannedtogotoNajafeAshraf.ButtheIraqiGovernmentrefusedhinentry to thecountrybecauseofhisassociation with the activities of Ayatollah Khomeini. His desire to visit Najaf e Ashraf andmeetAyatollah Khomeinimade the young Sayed restless. He therefore proceeded toQum afterstayingathomeforaperiodof8months.TherehereceivedinstructionsinthedisciplineofTareekhe Usool, Fiqh and Ilm e Kalam fromAyatollah ShaheedMurtadaMuttahari, Ayatollah NasirMakarim Shirazi, Ayatollah Waheed Khorasani, Ayatollah Tabrizi and Ayatollah HarmPanahi.On the advice ofAqai Harm Panahi theSayed returned home in 1977 to work for thebettermentof thepeopleof theKaramAgency.Hebecameverypopularwith theyouth in theareabecause of his gentle disposition.He always said that a goodmentor is a good friend, guide andphilosopher! This was the reason that the students fearlessly communicated their problems andconcerns to him.They aired their thoughts on the shortcomings of theMadrasaand the society ingeneral to theirmentor.TheSayedused todeliverhis talks to the students sittingon the floor.Healwayspropagatedtheconceptofequality.Oncehewasgivingatalktothestudentssittingonachair.Thestudentstoowereonchairslisteningwithinteresttohistalkwhenafewmorestudentsenteredtheclass and squatted down because there were no vacant chairs available. Seeing this, SayedArifdesacendedfromhischairtothegroundandcontinuedhistalk.Thestudentssittingonthechairstooemulatedtheirmentorandtheysquatteddowntolistentothetalk!ThewholedaySayedArif spent giving talks to different groups of students. In the evenings he

used to visit the students at their hostels to inquire about theirwelfare. One evening hewent to astudent’sroomandfoundhimgroaningundertheeffectofhighfever.Thestudenthadnoroom-matewithhimatthattime.Thementorsatnearthestudentandpressedhisheadtosoothehim.Whenthe

otherstudentsenteredtheroom,theyweremuchimpressedtoseethementornursinghissickstudent.TheSayed always treated his students kindly and with affection. He used to distribute half of hismeageremolumentstotheneedystudents.ItwasthewishofSayedAriftoenhancethereputeof theMadarisDiniya.Heused to tell tohis

friendsand the teachers to train thestudents insuchamanner that theydidn’t just remain thePeshNamaz(leadersoftheCongregations)butrosetoimportantpositionsintheserviceofthecountry.HethereforeelevatedthestandardsoftheMadrasaJafariaParaChinartoaveryhighlevel.HeusedtosaythatanAlimeDeenhastokeepaneyeonthecircumstancesinthesocietyandtoreformthepeople.Theblamefor the ills inanysocietysquarelyrestson theUlema there.AllamaSayedArifHussainiwasbecomingverypopularwiththepeopleintheKarmAgencyarea.althoughthePoliticalAgentwas very strong and theMalikswere rulingwith an iron fist.When hismovement gainedstrength, Sayed Arif Hussaini advised the youth of the Alamdar Federation that in KarmAgency,andparticularly inParaChinar, theyshouldstart social serviceactivities.Heparticularlyinsisted on the abolition of the habit of the use of intoxicants. He got a hospital established andprovided facilities for the rehabilitation of the youths who had become compulsive users ofintoxicants.He also devised a program to combat unemployment rampant among the youth in thearea. He constituted a localBayt al Maal and raised donations from the locals and also peopleresidinginothercountries.Peoplecontributedwholeheartedlytothefundthatprovidedsuccortothewidowsandtheorphansinthearea.Itstartedgivingscholarshipstothedeservingneedystudentsandprovided money for the marriages of poor girls. His close disciples say that Sayed ArifHussainiusedtovisitthehomesoftheneedyinthedarknightstoleaveprovisionsandmoneyattheirdoorsteps.Heusedtotellhisdisciplesnottosayawordaboutthisactivitytoothers.Onceadiscipleaskedhimwhyhedidn’tintroducehimselftothebeneficiariesofhishelpduringthenightlyvisitsofdistribution, thementor said, “.Hazrat Ali (a.s) used to regularly visit the hut of a blind personnearKoofatogivehimfoodandsweeptheplace.On22ndRamadanwhenapersonpassedthatway,hefoundtheblindpersonwailing:’Omybenefactor!Iamhungrysincethelastthreedays!’Whatdidhe know that on the19th of Ramadan his great benefactor was struck by the enemy’s sword andon 21st Ramadan he had departed from the world!” After relating the incident Sayed ArifHussaini’seyeswateredandhesaid,“IfeelcontentmentwhenIfollowthefoot-stepsofmyforbears!”HisthoughtsandactivitiesattractedthepeopleoftheKarmAgencyandthetribalsstartedflockingtohim for the solution of their problems. Once the Iranian Foreign Minister, AqaiWilayati,visitedPeshawarwhenSayedArifHussaini,alongwith thousandsofpeople fromKarmAgency,gavehimabefittingreception..AtthattimeanimportantdelegationaskedAqaiWilayatitoget Sayed Arif appointed as the representative of Aqai Khomeini in Peshawar. When AqaiWilayatimentioned this toSayedArifHussaini,hesaid that theconditions inKarmAgencyweresuchthathecouldn’tpossiblymoveawayfromthere.HesaidthatwheneverhehadanopportunityhedidvisitPeshawarbutitwasn’tpossibleforhimtomovethereonapermanentbasis.Sayed Arif Hussainimade plans for the establishment of a good hospital and a public school

inPara Chinar. Dr Abid Hussain extended his full support to theSayed’s efforts and the peopleofParaChinardonatedagoodpieceoflandfortheconstructionoftheschool.

SOMEACHIEVEMENTSOFSAYEDARIFALhUSSAINIOnce, twodaysprior toIddalAdha,SayedArifHussain returned toPeshawar after a tour of

someimportantcity.HecalledAbbas,thecheauffer,andgavehimRs500togotothebazaarandbuysomematerials for taking tohismother inParaChinar.After giving themoney to thepersonheretired tohis room for rest.Abbassat for awhile in theMadrasabrooding that themaster hadn’tgiven him his wages for the past two months and even he hadn’t given him any money for the

ensuingIdd.Hesatbroodingonthestepsofthebuildingthathehadnomoneytobuyanythingforhischildren for the celebration of the Idd.Hewondered fromwhomhe could get a loan tomeet hisurgent need. He then thought that he would go to the secretary of theMadrasa to ask for aRs2,000loanwithapromisethathewouldgivebackthemoneyafterhegothisoutstandingwages.Thedriver was immersed in his thoughts when he heard the foot-steps of someone descending thestaircase.He saw thatSayedArifHussainiwas coming down the stairs.He took out somemoneyfromhispocketandgavehimandsaidthatheshoulddosomeshoppingfortheIddforhischildren!AbbasalsorelatedthatonceAllamaArifHussainiwasinproceedingtoParaChinartocelebrate

theIddwithhischildren.ThosedaysitrainedheavilyandtherewerefloodsintheKarmAgency.AbigstreamwasflowingfuriouslyafewmilesfromParaChinarthathadobstructedtheflowofthetraffic.Onbothsidesofthestreammanyvehicleswerestranded..HundredsofpersonswereeagerlywaitingtoreachtheirdestinationsfortheIdd.Observingthisthedriver,Abbas,toowasworried.AtthatmomentSayedArifHussainaskedhimtostepintothestreamandgaugeitsdepthandflow.Afterthe inspection Abbas said that it would be impossible to negotiate the stream in the car.TheSayedthoughtforsometimeandtoldAbbastosayBismillahandcontinuethejourney.Whenhebrought the car to the bank of the stream the people waiting there pleaded not to embark on thehazardousadventure.Theysaidthatthecarwouldbewashedawaybythefuriouswavesoftheflood.AfterawhileAbbaslookedathismasterindesperation.ButSayedArifhadhiseyesclosedandwasrecitingsomeverses.Abbassaysthathefelt thatsomeonepickedupthecarandput itontheothersideofthestream!

MARTYRDOM—MYINHERITANCE

.Allama Sayed Arif Hussain al Hussainiwas martyred on the morning ofAugust 15, 1988 attheMadrasaJameatalAarifalIslamia,Peshawar.Althoughhewaselevatedtotheauguststatusofmartyrdom, the Community lost an enlightened, pious and dedicated leader. After completing hismorningprayers,theSayedwenttotheupperfloorofthebuildingwhentheIbneMuljimofthetimestealthily crept up to shed his innocent blood. The man was crouching on the staircase whentheSayedwasclimbingdown.Thefiendfiredwithhispistolonthechestofhisvictimandfled thesacene.AllamaSayedJaved,whowasperformingtheablutiononthehigherfloor,heardthethudofsomeonefallingdown.HehurrieddowntofindtheSayedinastateofTashhahud.Hethought thattheSayedhad fallendown the staircase.He tookholdofhimand tried to raisehimup.But tohisdismayhenoticedbloodgushingoutfromtheSayed’schest.Hestartedbeatinghisheadandshoutedthat the Community had been orphaned. One of the students of the Madrasa, Sayed TauseefHaider,hadseentheculpritrunningawayfromthesceneofthecrime.Theotherpersonstoorushedoutoftheirroomsandfoundtheirmentorfatallyinjured.Theycouldn’tcontroltheiremotionsandstartedbeatingtheirheadsandchests.TheSayedlookedat thewallsof thebuildingwithfeelingofadieusandlookedreadyfordeparturefromthetransientworld.HewasrushedtotheLadyReadingHospitalwherehebreathedhislast!

10ChapterGrandAyatollahSayyidMuhsinal-Tabataba'ial-Hakim-(1889–1970)

With the success of theBolsheviks inRussia, theRedmovement started to gain extensive supportaroundtheworld.ParticularlyintheMiddleEast,manyMuslimssawcommunismasthesolutiontoall their socio-economic woes, and communist parties around the Arab world began to attractmassive numbers of disenfranchised youth, especially in Iraq. And yet, the disastrous results ofcommunismwerealreadyforeseenbyaseeminglyout-of-toucholdclericlivingandteachingintheShia seminary of Najaf, whose religious edict declaring communism equivalenttoShirkandKufr(polytheismanddisbelief)markedtheendofcommunisminIraq.HewasbornSayyidMohsinibnSayyidMahdiTabatabaial-Hakimtoascholarlyfamilyintheholy

city ofNajaf in 1306AH.He received his religious education inNajaf, studying under such greatgiants of the seminary as Akhund al-Khurasani, Sayyid Abul Hasan al-Isfehani, Sayyid KadhimTabatabai Yazdi, and ShaikhMuhammad Hussain Naini. Upon the demise of his teachers, SayyidMohsinal-Hakimwas recognizedas thede facto leaderof theNajaf seminary,anduponAyatollahBurujardi'sdeath in1380AH,hewasacceptedas the soleMarjaTaqleed (ReligiousAuthority) byShiasaroundtheworld.UnderAyatollahMohsinal-Hakim,theseminarygrewextensively.Heembarkedonaprogramto

collectvariousbooksandmanuscriptsthathadhithertobeenignoredordisorganized,culminatinginhisfamouslibrarycontainingover30,000booksandnearly5,000variousmanuscripts.Itissaidthatin times of financial shortage,AyatollahMohsin al-Hakim used to offer the prayers and fasts fordiseasedindividualsandwouldusethatmoneytobuythesebooksandmanuscriptsfromtheirowners.He also established several new religious schools, including the Madressa Sharif al-Ulema inKarbala,MadressasSayyidYazdi,Daral-Hikma,and Ilmiya inNajaf,Madressa Ilmiya inHilla, aswell as a religious school especially for students of Afghan and Central Asian origin. His list ofstudents includes such great names as Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoei, Sayyid Ruhollah MusawiKhomeini, Martyr Sayyid Qadhi Tabatabai, Martyr Sayyid Muhammad Baqir as-Sadr, Sayyid AliHussainiSistani,SayyidSa'eedTabatabaiHakim(hisgrandson),ShaikhHussainWaheedKhurasani,andShaikhNasirMakaremShirazi.Duringhistime,theseminaryincreaseditsinternationaloutreachefforts,andAyatollahMohsinal-

Hakimusedtheseminary'sfinancialresourcestoestablishmosques,Hussainiyas,andIslamicculturalcentersalloverIraq,aswellasinplaceslikeLebanon,Syria,Afghanistan,andPakistan.HiscodeofpracticeandhundredsofIslamicbookswaspublishedinlocallanguagessuchasUrduandPashtoandmadeeasilyaccessibletothemassesintheseplacesforthefirsttime.As thesocialistBa'athPartywentaboutcreatinganautocratic state in Iraq,AyatollahMohsinal-

Hakim's own sons SayyidMuhammadMahdi al-Hakim andSayyidBaqir al-Hakim established theIslamicDa'waParty alongwithMartyr SayyidMuhammadBaqir al-Sadr andSayyidMurtadha al-Askari.ThePartysoughttocountertheBa'athregime'sautocraticandun-Islamicpractices,andasaresult,manyofitsmemberswerebrutallykilled.LikeAyatollahBurujardi,AyatollahMohsinal-Hakim(andlater,AyatollahAbulQasimal-Khoei)

isaccusedofmaintaininga"quietist"attitudeduringthisperiod.However,onemustrememberthathis religious leadership occurred during somevery turbulent times.Revolutions do not take placeovernight,andAyatollahMohsinal-HakimrecognizedthatinordertoeffectivelycountertheBa'athParty in the long run, theremust be a dedicated group of scholars and jurists to lead themasses.Therefore,heletSayyidMuhammadBaqiral-Sadrbeinchargeoftheresistancemovement,whereashe himself concentrating on producing the next great crop of Shia academia. Indeed,many of hisstudents and at least six of his sonswere brutally persecuted and subsequently killed by theBa'athregime.Today,theinfluentialSupremeIslamicIraqiCouncil(SIIC)isledbySayyidAbdulAzizal-Hakim,oneofAyatollahMohsinal-Hakim'ssons.In 1390 AH, AyatollahMohsin al-Hakim passed away. He was laid to rest inside his library in

Najaf,and themantleof leadership in theNajafseminarywaspassedon toSayyidAbulQasimal-Khoei.wikipedaGrand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhsin al-Tabataba'i al-Hakim (1889–1970) (Arabic:میكحلا ئابطابطلا نسحم دیس يمظعلا هللا ةیأ ) was born into a family, the Tabatabai,

renownedforitsscholarship.HewasalwaysintheforefronttodefendIslamandMuslims.HebecamethesoleMarja in1961after thedeathofGrandAyatollahSayyidHusaynBorujerdi.HissonAbdulAzizal-HakimwastheleaderofSIICthelargestpoliticalpartyinIraq.ActivitiesinHawzaIlmiyya,NajafThehawzaofNajafgrewimmenselyunderhisMarjaiyya.Hishistoricopinionpiece(although,not

an official fatwa), branding communism as kufr and atheism proved the beginning of the end ofcommunisminIraq.MuhsinAl-Hakimledthehawza,alsoknownasthemarja'iyya,thegroupofShi'ischolarsbasedin

Najaf responsible fordeterminingShi'i religiousdoctrine,duringa timeofconsiderable tumult inIraq.CommunismhadenvelopedthesouthofIraq,Iraqinationalistparties(andmostprominentlythepan-ArabistBa'athparty)werelargelyincontrolofIraq'spoliticalinstitutions,particularlyduringthelastdecadeofHakim's life. It is important tonote,however, that thehawzaisnotapapacyandthattherefore"leading"itdoesnotmeanthatHakimalonecouldpronounceShi'idoctrine,allmembersofthe hawza of sufficient standing (namely, those given the title absolute interpreter, or mujtahidmutlaq)developedtheirownrulesbasedonacceptedtechniquesandpractices.Hakimwassimplythemostrespectedoftherelativelysmallgroupofscholars.PoliticalStancesHakim'sgeneralstancewithrespecttoallofthesemovements,incontradistinctiontothoseofhis

children, who later became extraordinarily active politically, was one of quietism. In fact, Shi'iquietism, later exemplified by hawza leaders such as Grand Ayatollah Abul Qasim al-Khoei andcurrentGrandAyatollahAliSistani,probablyreached itsapotheosis in IraqduringHakim's tenure.Thus, while Hakim did attempt to limit Communist influence among the Shi'a by banning theirparticipation in the party, for the most part he preferred to remain out of politics, at least tacitlyagreeing with Baghdad's rulers to keep the hawza's scholars politically neutral in exchange forrelativeimmunityforthosescholars.Implicitinthisstancewasacertainalienationanddisaffectionwith the notion of the modern nation state and the exercise of political authority. The state, andpolitics, were assumed to be inherently sullying, and something which good Shi'is should avoid.Quietism is thus not secularism,where the state and religion are presumed to have important, butseparate,spheresofinfluence,butratheratypeofdevotiontothereligiousauthoritiesandsuspicionofpoliticalones.Politicsandreligionwouldthenbeunitedonceagainafterthereturnofthehidden

Mahdi, now disappeared for over a millennium. TheMahdi is a lineal descendant of the ProphetMuhammad who is the Imam in Shi'i theology, an infallible individual in whom political andreligiousauthorityfortheMuslimcommunityisvestedandwhowillultimatelybringjusticetotheworldwithhisreappearanceunderShi'ieschatologicaltheory.OtherPointofViewThereweresomewithinthehawzawhowerelessenamoredofHakim'sstancerespectingpolitical

authority. Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, for example, a more junior member of the hawza duringHakim's time, sought a series of reforms to the hawza to make it more politically palatable andappealingto theShi'imasseswhowereprovingsusceptible toCommunism.Sadr therefore triedtounifyandcentralizethehawza,placingmorepowerinthehandsoftheseniorscholar,andsoughttomake itsmaterialsmore accessible and understandable to the lay community, filled as itwaswitharcaneandobscurelanguage,oftenonminutiaeofnointeresttothebroaderShi'imasses.Hehelpedfound theDa'wapartyaswell, an Islamistparty thatSadr imaginedwouldgive thehawzapoliticalinfluenceinBaghdad.WhileHakimhadagreatdealofrespectfortheintelligenceandenthusiasmofSadr,heviewedhis

politicalactivismascontrarytoitsprinciplesandinterests.HakimthereforeaskedSadrtodissociatehisrelationshipwithDa'waandgenerallydiscouragedhiseffortstoreformlargepartsofthehawzacurriculum, though some important reforms were undertaken. Hakim therefore maintained thequietistbalancethroughverydifficulttimes,andultimatelyprojectedastanceonpoliticsandreligionintheShi'icommunitythatremainsinfluentialtoday.WithHakim'sdeath,Sadr's activism increasedandultimatelyhis ideasproved too threatening to

the Saddam and his government. In 1980, he and his sister were killed by Saddam Hussein'sinterrogators,aswereanymembersofthehawzawhowereinclinedtotakeSadr'spoliticallyactiveposition.With thefallof theSaddamHusseinregime,however,Shi'ismhasreachedaconsiderableperiodofferment,withthereligiouscommunityattemptingtoachievesomeformofbalancebetweenthepoliticalactivismannouncedbySadrandthequietiststanceembodiedmostclearlyintheformofMuhsimal-Hakim.Hewasburiedinthegreatandmodernlibraryhehadestablished.

11ChapterAyatullahMurtadhaMutahhari-(1920-1979)

AyatullāhMurťadhāMuťahharī,oneof theprinciplearchitectsof thenew Islāmicconsciousness in Iran,wasborn on February 2nd, 1920, in Farīmān, then a village and now a township about sixty kilometres fromMashhad,thegreatcentreofShī`apilgrimageandlearninginEasternIran.[18] His fatherwasMuhammadĤusaīnMuťahharī, a renownscholarwhostudied inNajafandspent several

yearsinEgyptandtheHijāzbeforereturningtoFarīmān.TheelderMuťahharīwasofadifferentcasteofmindthenhisson,whoinanyeventcametooutshinehim.Thefatherwasdevotedtotheworksofthecelebratedtraditionalist,MullāhMuhammadBāqirMajlisī;whereastheson’sgreatheroamongtheShī`ascholarsof thepastwasthetheosophistMullāSadrā.Nonetheless,ĀyatullāhMuťahharīalwaysretainedgreatrespectandaffectionforhisfather,whowasalsohis

first teacher, and he dedicated to him one of his most popular books, Dastān-e-Rastān (“The Epic of theRighteous”), first published in1960,andwhichwas later chosenasbookof the yearby the IranianNationalCommissionforUNESCOin1965.Attheexceptionallyearlyageoftwelve,Muťahharībeganhisformalreligiousstudiesattheteachinginstitution

inMashhad,whichwastheninastateofdecline,partlybecauseofinternalreasonsandpartlybecauseoftherepressivemeasuresdirectedbyRidhāKhān, thefirstPahlavīautocrat,againstall Islāmic institutions. But inMashhad,Muťahharīdiscoveredhisgreat love forphilosophy, theology,andmysticism,a love that remainedwithhimthroughouthislifeandcametoshapehisentireoutlookonreligion:“IcanrememberthatwhenIbeganmystudiesinMashhadandwasstillengagedinlearningelementaryArabic,

thephilosophers,mystics,andtheologiansimpressedmefarmorethanotherscholarsandscientists,suchasinventorsandexplorers.NaturallyIwasnotyetacquaintedwiththeirideas,butIregardedthemasheroesonthestageofthought.”[19]Accordingly,thefigureinMashhadwhoarousedthegreatestdevotioninMuťahharīwasMīrzāMahdīShahīdī

Razavī,ateacherofphilosophy.ButRazavīdiedin1936,beforeMuťahharīwasoldenoughtoparticipateinhisclasses,andpartlybecauseof this reasonhe leftMashhad the followingyear to join thegrowingnumberofstudentscongregatingintheteachinginstitutioninQum.Thanks to the skillful stewardship of Shaykh `Abdul Karīm Hā’irī, Qum was on its way to becoming the

spiritualandintellectualcapitalofIslāmicIran,andMuťahharīwasabletobenefittherefromtheinstructionofawiderangeofscholars.HestudiedFiqhandUŝūl-thecoresubjectsofthetraditionalcurriculum-withĀyatullāhĤujjatKuhkamarī,ĀyatullāhSayyidMuhammadDāmād,ĀyatullāhSayyidMuhammadRidhāGulpāyagānī,andĤajjSayyidŜadral-Dīnas-Ŝadr.ButmoreimportantthanallthesewasĀyatullāhBurujerdī,thesuccessorofĤā’irīasdirectoroftheteachingestablishmentinQum.MuťahharīattendedhislecturesfromhisarrivalinQumin1944untilhisdepartureforTehranin1952,andhenourishedadeeprespectforhim.Fervent devotion and close affinity characterized Muťahharī’s relationship with his prime mentor in

Qum, Āyatullāh Rūhullāh Khumaynī. When Muťahharī arrived in Qum, Āyatullāh Khumaynī was a younglecturer,buthewasalreadymarkedoutfromhiscontemporariesbytheprofoundnessandcomprehensivenessofhis Islāmicvisionandhisability toconvey it toothers. Thesequalitiesweremanifested in thecelebratedlecturesonethicsthathebegangivinginQumintheearly1930s.Thelecturesattractedawideaudiencefromoutsideaswellasinsidethereligiousteachinginstitutionandhadaprofoundimpactonallthosewhoattendedthem.MuťahharīmadehisfirstacquaintancewithĀyatullahKhumaynīattheselectures:“WhenImigratedtoQum,Ifoundtheobjectofmydesireinapersonalitywhopossessedalltheattributesof

MīrzāMahdī(ShahīdīRazavī) inadditiontoothers thatwerepeculiarlyhisown. I realizedthat thethirstofmyspiritwouldbequenchedatthepurespringofthatpersonality.AlthoughIhadstillnotcompletedthepreliminarystagesofmystudiesandwasnotyetqualified toembarkon thestudyof therationalsciences(ma`qulāt), thelecturesonethicsgivenbythatbelovedpersonalityeveryThursdayandFridaywerenotrestrictedtoethicsinthedry, academic sense but dealt with gnosis and spiritual wayfaring, and thus, they intoxicatedme. I can saywithoutexaggerationthatthoselecturesarousedinmesuchecstasythattheireffectremainedwithmeuntilthefollowingMondayorTuesday.Animportantpartofmyintellectualandspiritualpersonalitytookshapeundertheinfluenceof those lecturesandtheotherclasses I tookoveraperiodof twelveyearswith thatspiritualmaster(ustād-iilahī)[meaningĀyatullāhKhumaynī].”[20]Inabout1946,ĀyatullāhKhumaynībeganlecturingtoasmallgroupofstudentsthatincludedbothMuťahharī

andhisroommateattheFayziyaMadressah,ĀyatullāhMuntazarī,ontwokeyphilosophicaltexts,theAsfaral-

Arba`a ofMullā Ŝadra and theSharh-e-Manzuma ofMullāHādī Sabzwārī. Muťahharī’s participation in thisgroup,whichcontinuedtomeetuntilabout1951,enabledhimtoestablishmoreintimatelinkswithhisteacher.Alsoin1946,attheurgingofMuťahharīandMuntazarī,theĀyatullāhKhumaynītaughthisfirstformalcourse

onFiqhandUŝūl,takingthechapteronrationalproofsfromthesecondvolumeofAkhundKhurāsānī’sKifāyatalUŝūlashisteachingtext.Muťahharīfollowedhiscourseassiduously,whilestillpursuinghisstudiesofFiqhwithĀyatullāhBurūjerdī.In the first two post-war decades, Āyatullāh Khumaynī trained numerous students in Qum who became

leaders of the IslāmicRevolution and the IslāmicRepublic, such that through them (aswell as directly), theimprint of his personalitywas visible on all the key developments of the past decade. But none amonghisstudents bore to ĀyatullāhKhumaynī the same relationship of affinity asMuťahharī, an affinity towhich theĀyatullāhKhumaynīhimselfhasbornewitnessto. Thepupilandmastersharedaprofoundattachment toallaspectsof traditionalscholarship,without inanywaybeing itscaptive;acomprehensivevisionof Islāmasatotalsystemoflifeandbelief,withparticularimportanceascribedtoitsphilosophicalandmysticalaspects;anabsolute loyaltytothereligiousinstitution,temperedbyanawarenessofthenecessityofreform;adesireforcomprehensivesocialandpoliticalchange,accompaniedbyagreatsenseofstrategyandtiming;andanabilityto reachoutbeyond thecircleof the traditionally religious,andgain theattentionand loyaltyof the secularlyeducated.Among theother teacherswhose influenceMuťahharīwasexposed inQum,was thegreatexegeteof the

Qur’ān and philosopher, Āyatullāh Sayyid Muhammad Ĥusain Ťabā’ťabā’ī. Muťahharī participated in bothŤabāťabā’ī’sclassesontheShifā`ofAbū`AlīSīnāfrom1950to1953,andtheThursdayeveningmeetingsthattookplaceunderhisdirection.Thesubjectofthesemeetingswasmaterialistphilosophy,aremarkablechoicefor a group of traditional scholars. Muťahharī himself had first conceived a critical interest in materialistphilosophy,especiallyMarxism,soonafterembarkingontheformalstudyoftherationalsciences.According to his own recollections, in about 1946 he began to study the Persian translations of Marxist

literaturepublishedbytheTudehparty,themajorMarxistorganizationinIranandatthattimeanimportantforceinthepoliticalscene.Inaddition,hereadthewritingsofTaqīArānī,themaintheoreticianoftheTudehparty,aswellasMarxistpublicationsin`ArabicemanatingfromEgypt.Atfirsthehadsomedifficultyunderstandingthesetextsbecausehewasnotacquaintedwithmodernphilosophicalterminology,butwithcontinuedexertion(whichincludedthedrawingupofasynopsisofGeorgesPulitzer’sElementaryPrinciplesofPhilosophy),hecametomaster the whole subject of materialist philosophy. This mastery made him an important contributor toŤabā’ťabāī’s circle and later, after hismove to Tehran, an effective combatant in the ideologicalwar againstMarxismandMarxist-influencedinterpretationsofIslām.NumerousrefutationsofMarxismhavebeenessayed in the Islāmicworld,both in Iranandelsewhere,but

almostallofthemfailtogobeyondtheobviousincompatibilitiesofMarxismwithreligiousbeliefandthepoliticalfailuresandinconsistenciesofMarxistpoliticalparties.Muťahharī,bycontrast,wenttothephilosophicalrootsof thematter and demonstratedwith rigorous logic the contradictory and arbitrarily hypothetic nature of keyprinciplesofMarxism.Hispolemicalwritingsarecharacterizedmorebyintellectualthanrhetoricaloremotionalforce.However, forMuťahharī, philosophywas farmore than a polemical tool or intellectual discipline; it was a

particularstyleofreligiosity,awayofunderstandingandformulatingIslām.Muťahharībelongs, infact,tothetraditionofShī`aphilosophicalconcernthatgoesbackatleastasfarasNasīrad-DīnŤuŝī,oneofMuťahharī’spersonal heroes. To say that Muťahharī’s view of Islām was philosophical is not to imply that he lackedspirituality or was determined to subordinate revealed dogma to philosophical interpretation and to imposephilosophicalterminologyonalldomainsofreligiousconcern;ratheritmeansthatheviewedtheattainmentofknowledge and understanding as the prime goal and benefit of religion and for that reason assigned tophilosophy a certain primacy among the disciplines cultivated in the religious institution. In this he was atvariance with those numerous scholars for whom Fiqh was the be-all and end-all of the curriculum, withmodernistsforwhomphilosophyrepresentedaHellenistic intrusion intotheworldof Islām,andwithall thosewhomrevolutionaryardourhadmadeimpatientwithcarefulphilosophicalthought.[21]The particular school of philosophy to which Muťahharī adhered was that of Mullā Ŝadra, the “sublime

philosophy” (hikmat-i muta`āliya) that seeks to combine the methods of spiritual insight with those ofphilosophical deduction. Muťahharī was a man of tranquil and serene disposition, both in his generalcomportment and in hiswritings. Evenwhenengaged in polemics, hewas invariably courteousandusuallyrefrained from emotive and ironical wording. But such was his devotion to Mullā Ŝadrā that he wouldpassionatelydefendhimevenagainstslightorincidentalcriticism,andhechoseforhisfirstgrandchild-aswellasforthepublishinghouseinQumthatputouthisbooks-thenameŜadrā.InsofarasŜadrā’sschoolofphilosophyattemptstomergethemethodsofinwardilluminationandintellectual

reflection,itisnotsurprisingthatithasbeensubjecttovaryinginterpretationsonthepartofthosemoreinclinedtoonemethodthantheother.Tojudgefromhiswritings,MuťahharībelongedtothoseforwhomtheintellectualdimensionofŜadrā’sschoolwaspredominant;thereislittleofthemysticalormarkedlyspiritualtonefoundinother exponents of Ŝadrā’s thought, perhaps because Muťahharī viewed his own inward experiences asirrelevanttothetaskofinstructioninwhichhewasengagedorevenasanintimatesecretheshouldconceal.Morelikely,however,thispredilectionforthestrictlyphilosophicaldimensionofthe“sublimephilosophy”wasanexpressionofMuťahharī’sowntemperamentandgenius.Inthisrespect,hedif feredprofoundlyfromhisgreat

mentor, Āyatullāh Khumaynī, many of whose political pronouncements continue to be suffused with thelanguageandconcernsofmysticismandspirituality.In 1952, Muťahharī left Qum for Tehran, where he married the daughter of Āyatullāh Rūhānī and began

teachingphilosophyattheMadressahMarwi,oneoftheprincipalinstitutionsofreligiouslearninginthecapital.Thiswasnotthebeginningofhisteachingcareer,foralreadyinQumhehadbeguntoteachcertainsubjects-logic, philosophy, theology, and Fiqh - while still a student himself. ButMuťahharī seems to have becomeprogressivelyimpatientwiththesomewhatrestrictedatmosphereofQum,withthefactionalismprevailingamongsomeof the students and their teachers, andwith their remoteness from the concernsof society. His ownfutureprospectsinQumwerealsouncertain.InTehran,Muťahharīfoundabroaderandmoresatisfyingfieldofreligious,educational,andultimatelypolitical

activity.In1954,hewasinvitedtoteachphilosophyattheFacultyofTheologyandIslāmicSciencesofTehranUniversity, where he taught for twenty- two years. First the regularization of his appointment and then hispromotiontoprofessorwasdelayedbythejealousyofmediocrecolleaguesandbypoliticalconsiderations(forMuťahharī’sclosenesstoĀyatullāhKhumaynīwaswellknown).ButthepresenceofafiguresuchasMuťahharīinthesecularuniversitywassignificantandeffective.Many

menofMadressahbackgroundhadcometo teach in theuniversities,and theywereoftenofgreaterudition.However, almostwithout exception they had discarded an Islāmicworldview, togetherwith their turbans andcloaks. Muťahharī, by contrast, came to the university as an articulate and convinced exponent of Islāmicscienceandwisdom,almostasanenvoyofthereligiousinstitutiontothesecularlyeducated.Numerouspeoplerespondedtohim,asthepedagogicalpowershehadfirstdisplayedinQumnowfullyunfolded.Inadditiontobuildinghisreputationasapopularandeffectiveuniversitylecturer,Muťahharīparticipatedinthe

activitiesof thenumerousprofessional Islāmicassociations (anjumanhā) thathadcome intobeingunder thesupervision of Mahdī Bāzārgān and Āyatullāh Taleqānī, lecturing to their doctors, engineers, teachers andhelping tocoordinate theirwork. AnumberofMuťahharī’sbooks in factconsistof therevised transcriptsofseriesoflecturesdeliveredtotheIslāmicassociations.Muťahharī’swishesforawiderdiffusionofreligiousknowledgeinsocietyandamoreeffectiveengagement

of religiousscholars in social affairs ledhim in1960 toassume the leadershipof agroupofTehran `UlamāknownastheAnjuman-e-Mahāna-yiDīnī(“TheMonthlyReligiousSociety”).Themembersofthisgroup,whichincludedthe lateĀyatullāhBeheshtī,a fellow-studentofMuťahharī inQum,organizedmonthlypublic lecturesdesigned simultaneously to demonstrate the relevance of Islām to contemporary concerns, and to stimulatereformistthinkingamongthe`Ulamā.ThelectureswereprintedunderthetitleofGuftār-e-Māh(“DiscourseoftheMonth”)andprovedverypopular,butthegovernmentbannedtheminMarch1963whenĀyatullāhKhumaynībeganhispublicdenunciationofthePahlavīregime.A farmore important venture in 1965 of the same kindwas the foundation of theĤusayniya-e-Irshād, an

institutioninnorthTehran,designedtogaintheallegianceofthesecularlyeducatedyoungtoIslām.Muťahharīwas among themembers of the directing board; he also lectured at theĤusayniya-e-Irshād and edited andcontributedtoseveralofitspublications.Theinstitutionwasabletodrawhugecrowdstoitsfunctions,butthissuccess-whichwithoutdoubtexceededthehopesofthefounders,wasovershadowedbyanumberofinternalproblems.Onesuchproblemwasthepoliticalcontextoftheinstitution’sactivities,whichgaverisetodifferingopinionsontheopportunenessofgoingbeyondreformistlecturingtopoliticalconfrontation.Thespokenwordplaysingeneralamoreeffectiveandimmediateroleinpromotingrevolutionarychangethan

thewrittenword,anditwouldbepossibletocomposeananthologyofkeysermons,addresses,andlecturesthathavecarriedtheIslāmicRevolutionof Iranforward. But theclarificationof the ideologicalcontentof therevolutionanditsdemarcationfromopposingorcompetingschoolsofthoughthavenecessarilydependedonthewrittenword,onthecompositionofworksthatexpoundIslāmicdoctrineinsystematicform,withparticularattention to contemporary problems and concerns. In this area, Muťahharī’s contribution was unique in itsvolumeandscope.Muťahharīwroteassiduouslyandcontinuously,fromhisstudentdaysinQumupto1979the year of hismartyrdom. Much of his outputwasmarked by the same philosophical tone and emphasisalreadynoted,andheprobablyregardedashismostimportantworkUŝūl-e-FalsafawaRavish-e-Ri’ālism(“ThePrinciplesofPhilosophyandtheMethodofRealism”), therecordofŤabāťabāī’sdiscoursestotheThursdayevening circle inQum, supplementedwithMuťahharī’s comments. But he did not choose the topics of hisbooksinaccordancewithpersonalinterestorpredilection,butwithhisperceptionofneed;whereverabookwaslackingonsomevitaltopicofcontemporaryIslāmicinterest,Muťahharīsoughttosupplyit.Singlehandily,hesetaboutconstructingthemainelementsofacontemporaryIslāmiclibrary.Bookssuchas

`Adl-e-Ilāhī (“DivineJustice”),Nizām-e-Ĥuquq-e-Zandar Islām (“TheSystemofWomen’sRights in Islām”),Mas’ala-yi Ĥijāb (“The Question of the Veil”), Ashnā’i ba `Ulūm-e-Islāmī (“An Introduction to the IslāmicSciences”), and Muqaddima bar Jahānbīnī-yi Islāmi (“An Introduction to the Worldview of Islām”) were allintendedtofillaneed,tocontributetoanaccurateandsystematicunderstandingofIslāmandtheproblemsintheIslāmicsociety.Thesebooksmaywellcome tobe regardedasMuťahharī’smost lastingand importantcontribution to the

rebirthofIslāmicIran,buthisactivityalsohadapoliticaldimensionthatadmittedlysubordinate,shouldnotbeoverlooked.WhileastudentandfledglingteacherinQum,hehadsoughttoinstillpoliticalconsciousnessinhiscontemporariesandwasparticularlyclosetothoseamongthemwhoweremembersoftheFida’iyan-iIslām,theMilitantOrganizationfoundedin1945byNawwabSafawī.

TheQumheadquartersoftheFida’iyanwastheMadrasa-yiFayziya,whereMuťahharīhimselfresided,andhesought invain toprevent themfrombeingremoved fromtheMadressahbyĀyatullāhBurūjerdī,whowasresolutelysetagainstallpoliticalconfrontationwiththeShah’sregime.DuringthestruggleforthenationalizationoftheIranianOilIndustry,Muťahharīsympathizedwiththeeffortsof

ĀyatullāhKāshānīandDr.MuhammadMusaddiq,althoughhecriticizedthe latter forhisadherencetosecularnationalism.AfterhismovetoTehran,MuťahharīcollaboratedwiththeFreedomMovementofBāzārgānandTaleqānī,butneverbecameoneoftheleadingfiguresinthegroup.HisfirstseriousconfrontationwiththeShah’sregimecameduringtheuprisingofKhurdad15th,1342/June6th,

1963,whenheshowedhimself tobepolitically,aswellas intellectually,a followerofĀyatullāhKhumaynībydistributinghisdeclarationsandurgingsupportforhiminthesermonshegave.[22]Hewasaccordinglyarrestedandheld for forty-threedays. Afterhis release,heparticipatedactively in the

variousorganizations that came intobeing tomaintain themomentum thathadbeencreatedby theuprising,mostimportantlytheAssociationofMilitantReligiousScholars(Jami`ayiRuhāniyāt-e-Mubāriz).InNovember1964,ĀyatullāhKhumaynīenteredonhis fourteenyearsofexile,spent first inTurkeyand then inNajaf,andthroughoutthisperiodMuťahharīremainedintouchwithĀyatullāhKhumaynī,bothdirectly-byvisitstoNajaf-andindirectly.WhentheIslāmicRevolutionapproacheditstriumphantclimaxinthewinterof1978andĀyatullāhKhumaynī

left Najaf for Paris,Muťahharī was among thosewho travelled to Paris tomeet and consult with him. HisclosenesstoĀyatullāhKhumaynīwasconfirmedbyhisappointmenttotheCounciloftheIslāmicRevolution,theexistenceofwhichĀyatullāhKhumaynīannouncedonJanuary12th,1979.Muťahharī’sservicestotheIslāmicRevolutionwerebrutallycurtailedbyhisassassinationonMay1st,1979.

ThemurderwascarriedoutbyagroupknownasFurqān,whichclaimedtobetheprotagonistsofa“progressiveIslām,”onefreedfromtheallegedlydistortinginfluenceofthereligiousscholars.AlthoughMuťahharīappearstohavebeenchairmanoftheCounciloftheIslāmicRevolutionatthetimeofhisassassination,itwasasathinkerandawriterthathewasmartyred.In 1972, Muťahharī published a book entitled `Illal-i Girayish ba Maddigarī (“Reasons for the Turn to

Materialism”),animportantworkanalyzingthehistoricalbackgroundofmaterialisminEuropeandIran.Duringtherevolution,hewroteanintroductiontotheeightheditionofthisbook,attackingdistortionsofthethoughtofĤafiz and Hallaj that had become fashionable in some segments of Irānian society and refuting certainmaterialisticinterpretationsoftheQur’ān.ThesourceoftheinterpretationswastheFurqāngroup,whichsoughttodenyfundamentalQur’ānicconceptssuchasthedivinetranscendenceandtherealityof thehereafter. Asalwaysinsuchcases,Muťahharī’stonewaspersuasiveandsolicitous,notangryorcondemnatory,andheeveninviteda response fromFurqānandother interestedparties to commentonwhathehadwritten. Theironlyresponsewasthegun.ThethreattoassassinateallwhoopposedthemwasalreadycontainedinthepublicationsofFurqān,andafter

thepublicationoftheneweditionof`Illal-e-GirayishbaMaddigarī,Muťahharīapparentlyhadsomepremonitionofhismartyrdom.Accordingtothetestimonyofhisson,Mujtabā,akindofdetachmentfromworldlyconcernsbecamevisibleinhim;heaugmentedhisnightlyprayersandreadingsoftheQur’ān,andheoncedreamedthathewasinthepresenceoftheProphet(S),togetherwithĀyatullāhKhumaynī.OnTuesday,May1st,1979Muťahharīwent to thehouseofDr.YadullāhSahābī, in thecompanyofother

membersof theCouncilof the IslāmicRevolution. Atabout10:30atnight,heandanotherparticipant in themeeting,EngineerKatira`i,leftSahābī’shouse.Walkingbyhimselftoanadjacentalleywherethecarthatwastotakehimhomewasparked,Muťahharīsuddenlyheardanunknownvoicecallouttohim.Helookedaroundtoseewherethevoicewascomingfrom,andashedid,abulletstruckhiminthehead,enteringbeneaththerightearlobeandexitingabovethelefteyebrow.Hediedalmostinstantly,andalthoughhewasrushedtoanearbyhospital,therewasnothingthatcouldbedonebutmournforhim.Thebodywasleftinthehospitalthefollowingday,andthenonThursday,amidwidespreadmourning,itwastakenforfuneralprayersfirsttoTehranUniversityandthentoQumforburial,nexttothegraveofShaykh`AbdulKarīmHā’irī.ĀyatullāhKhumaynīweptopenlywhenMuťahharīwasburiedinQum,andhedescribedhimashis“dearson,”

andas“thefruitofmylife,”andas“apartofmyflesh.”ButinhiseulogyĀyatullāhKhumaynīalsopointedoutthatwiththemurderofMuťahharīneitherhispersonalitywasdiminished,norwasthecourseoftherevolutioninterrupted:“Let theevil-wishers know thatwith thedepartureofMuťahharī - his Islāmicpersonality, hisphilosophyand

learning,havenotleftus.AssassinationscannotdestroytheIslāmicpersonalityofthegreatmenofIslām…Islāmgrowsthroughsacrificeandmartyrdomofitscherishedones.Fromthetimeof itsrevelationuptothepresenttime,Islāmhasalwaysbeenaccompaniedbymartyrdomandheroism.”[23]ThepersonageandlegacyofĀyatullāhMuťahharīhavecertainlyremainedunforgottenintheIslāmicRepublic,

tosuchadegreethathisposthumouspresencehasbeenalmostasimpressiveastheattainmentsofhislife.Theanniversaryofhismartyrdom is regularlycommemorated,andhisportrait isubiquitous throughout Iran.Manyofhisunpublishedwritingsarebeingprintedfor thefirst time,andthewholecorpusofhiswork isnowbeing distributed and studied on a massive scale. In the words of Āyatullāh Khamene’ī, President of theRepublic,theworksofMuťahharīhavecometoconstitute“theintellectualinfrastructureoftheIslāmicRepublic.”

Efforts are accordingly under way to promote a knowledge of Muťahharī’s writings outside the Persian-speaking world as well, and the Ministry of Islāmic Guidance has sponsored translations of his works intolanguagesasdiverseasSpanishandMalay.In a sense, however, it will be themost fittingmemorial toMuťahharī if revolutionary Iran proves able to

constructapolity,society,economyandculturethatareauthenticallyandintegrallyIslāmic.ForMuťahharī’slifewasorientedtoagoalthattranscendedindividualmotivation,andhismartyrdomwasthefinalexpressionofthateffacementofself.Notes:[18]This sketch of the life and works of Āyatullāh Muťahharī is based chiefly on Muhammad Wa'izzāda

Khurāsānī’s,“SayrīdarZindagi-yi`IlmīwaInqilābiīyiUstadShahīdMurtadhāMuťahharī,”inYadnāma-yiUstādShahīdMurtadhāMuťahharī,ed.`AbdulKarīmSurūsh,Tehran,1360Sh./1981,pp.319-380,anarticlerich ininformationonmanyaspectsoftherecenthistoryofIslāmicIrān.ReferencehasalsobeenmadetoMujtabāMuťahhari,“Zindagi-yiPidaram,”inHarakat(journalofthestudentsattheTehranFacultyofTheology),no.1(n.d.), pp. 5-16;M.Hoda, InMemoryofMartyrMuťahharī, a pamphlet publishedby theMinistry of IslāmicGuidance,Tehran,April,1982;andĀyatullāhMuťahharī’sautobiographical introduction to theeightheditionof`Ilal-iGirayishbaMaddīgarī;Qum,1357Sh./1978,pp.7ff.[19]`Ilal-e-GirayishbaMaddīgarī,Page9.[20]`Ilal-iGirayishbaMaddigari,Page9.[21]TheauthoritativestatementofthisviewwasmadebySayyidQutbinhisKhasā’isal-Tasawwural-Islāmī

waMuqawwimatuhu,Cairo,numerouseditions,whichwastranslated intoPersianandhadsomeinfluenceonviewstowardphilosophy.[22]Muhahharī’snamecomesninthinalistofclericaldetaineespreparedbythemilitaryprosecutor’sofficein

June,1963.SeefacsimileofthelistinDihnavi,Qiyam-e-Khunin-i15Khurdad42baRivāyat-e-Asnād,Tehran,1360Sh./1981,Page77.[23]TextofĀyatullāhKhumaynī’seulogyinYādnama-yiUstād-iShahīdMurtadhaMuhahharī,pp.3-5

SomeMutahari,sbooksinenglish1.UnderstandingtheUniquenessoftheQur'an2.GlimpsesofNahjal-Balaghah3.Introductionto'Irfan4.'Ashura:MisrepresentationsandDistortions5.HistoryandHumanEvolution:PartI,PartII6.TheRoleofReasoninIjtihad7.TheRoleofIjtihadinLegislation8.Introductionto'Ilmal-Kalam9.WesternNationalismandIslamicNationhood10.TheCausesResponsibleforMaterialisttendenciesintheWest:PartI,PartII,PartIII,PartIVAyatollahMortezaMotahari,born1920,receivedhiselementaryeducationintheologyfromhisfather,Sheikh

MohammadHosseininhishometown,FarimaninKhorasanprovince.WhenhewastwelveyearsofagejoinedtheIslamicEducationalCenteratMashhadandpursuedhisstudiesthereforfiveyears.ThenheproceededtoQom, thegreatcenterof Islamiceducation.Hestayed there for fifteenyearsandcompletedhiseducation inIslamic Beliefs and Jurisprudence under the supervision of the renowned philosopher Allameh MohammadHosseinTabatabai,AyatollahKhomeiniandmanyotherdistinguishedscholars.ThenhemigratedtoTehran.DuringtheperiodofhiseducationtheMotaharifeltthatthecommunistswantedtochangethesacredreligion

of Islamanddestroy its spirit bymixing their atheistic viewswith the Islamic philosophy and interpreting theversesoftheQur'aninamaterialisticmanner.Communismwasnottheonlythingwhichreceivedhisattention.HealsowroteonexegesisoftheQur'an,philosophy,ethics,sociology,historyandmanyothersubjects.InallhiswritingstherealobjecthehadinviewwastogiverepliestotheobjectionsraisedbyothersagainstIslam,toprovetheshortcomingsofotherschoolsofthoughtandtomanifestthegreatnessofIslam.HebelievedthatinordertoprovethefalsityofMarxismandotherideologieslikeit,itwasnecessarynotonlytocommentontheminascholarlymannerbutalsotopresenttherealimageofIslam.AyatollahMotahariwroteassiduouslyandcontinuouslyfromhisstudentdaysrightupto1979,theyearofhis

assassination.Hewasoneof themostversatile Islamicscholarsandprolificwritersof recent times,deeplyrootedintraditionallearningandenamouredofitsexponents.HewasaIslamicthinkerwhohadfullyabsorbedarigorousphilosophicaltraining.MuchofhisworkhasbeenpublishedinandoutsideIran.The activities of the Ayatollah Motahari were intolerable for the followers of some other Islamic faction,

Forqan,andthey, therefore,decidedtoremovehimfromthescene.Eventually theysucceededonthe1stofMay1979.WhenthesadnewswasconveyedtoAyatollahKhomeinihe, inhiscondolencemessage,said:"I

havebeendeprivedofadearsonofmine.Iamlamentinguponthedeathofonewhowasthefruitofmylife."AyatollahMotaharywasapopularfigureinthereligiouscirclesofIran.HeservedintheTehranUniversityas

theHeadof theDepartmentofTheologyand IslamicLearning's.At the timeofhisassassinationhewas thepresident of the Constitutional Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a member of the RevolutionaryCouncil.

12ChapterAllamahSayyidMurtadhaAskari-(1901-2007)

PassedawayinTehranonMonday17thSept2007-7thMaheMubarakRamadhan1428.TheLateAllamahAl-Askariwasan illustrious scholarwhoauthoredseveralbooksandwas

alsooneofthefoundersoftheIslamicMovementinIraq.AneminentHistorian,traditionalist,and one of the Seminary’s learned masters who was expert in so many researches and hadcompiledmanybooksonImamate,Wilaayat,ReasoningandTraditionalResearches.Allamah Askari was born in Samarrah on 18 Jumada al- Thaani in 1332 (1901). He began his

primary school inSamarrah (Iraq), and thenhe joined the seminaryof that city. Whenhewas28yearsold,hemigratedtotheholycityofQomandbeganhisstudyinUsoolandFiqh,andbenefitedfrom the lectures of Ayatullah Mar`ashi Najafi and Ayatullah Shaykh Muhammad HusaynShari`atmadariSauooji.HealsobenefitedfromthelateAyatullahUzmaImamKhomayni,AyatullahMirzaKhalilKamra’I,AyatullahHajShaykhMahdiShaheed(PayeenShahri)inthefieldsoftheologyandbeliefs,tafseer,ethics,andpurificationofthecarnalsoul.Followinghis studies,AyatullahAskaribegan to research in the fieldofbiography,history, and

itinerary. The result of these studies, especially having studied the writings of Ayatullah MirzaShiraziregardingtheissueoftobacco,wasthathebecameacquaintedwiththebeginningsoftheculturalassaultoftheWesterncolonialforcesagainstIslamicworld.AyatullahAskarimightbethefirstIslamicthinkerwhorecognizedtherealityofeducational

methodsappliedfortheeducationcentersintheEasterncountries,bytheEuropeancounselorsof that time.Hemademany significant researches in this field fromwhichhe got the reasonsbehindtheEasterncountries’backwardness.Hechallengedthemethodsofeducationofthaterawithhisstudies.

2AyatullahAskaribeganhis tripsand journeys tomany Islamiccountries, andmetmanyeminent

personalitieslikeAhmadAmeen(theauthorofthebooktitled:CompletioninIslam).In1363A.H.,both personalities decided to establish a special school inwhich the childrenwere taught genuineteachingsofIslam.Oneof thestudentsof thatschoolwasAyatullahMartyrSayyidMuhammadBaqiral-Sadr.When

theproject ofAyatullahAskari gavegood results in its first stage, hedecided tobegin the secondstage.Forthis,heneededthepermissionofestablishingaspecialplacewhereinIslamicsciencesaretaught.Thisstepprecededtheestablishingofauniversityforteachingtheprinciplesofreligion.He divided his researching program into many parts. These parts consisted of the earlier

stages of creation, the formation of religiousmission based on themain core (i.e. the Islamicmission),andtheIslamichistoricalerastotheendoftheAbbasiddynasty.

The result of these studieswas thatAyatullahAskariwas able to achieve information and analysis

which no one before himwas able to achieve in that form. This achievementwas represented byreachingaconvincingproofregardingtheunrealityofthetraditionscollectedbySayfIbnOmaral-Tamimiandotherpersonalities.Hisresearchpresentedtotheworldtheforgeryregarding:(1)AbdullahIbnSaba’,and(2)150(Socalled)CompanionsThisproofshockedtheresearchersandthepublicalike,andmadethemcheckagain thesubjects

theyinheritedthroughcenturies,andtherefore,manySchoolsofThoughtwhichwerebuiltbyTabariandmanyeminenthistoriansweredestroyed.AyatullahAskariprovedthatthesematters,whichmanythoughtwereindisputablefactsandevents,hadnoproofoftheirbeingreal.The firstbookofAyatullahAskari in this field, titled"Abdullah IbnSaba’"and thesecondbook

"WithDral-Wardi"werepublishedin1954.AyatullahAskaricontinuedhissignificantactivitiesinvariousfields,especiallyinthesocial

affairs,evenafterhisreturntoIran.Besidethat,heestablishedmanyschoolsandclinics.Ayatullah Sayyid Murtadha Askari passed away in Tehran on Monday 17th Sept 2007 –

7thMaheMubarakeRamadhan1428.MayAllahswtresthissoulinpeace.

13ChapterShaheedBeheshti-(1928-1981)

http://www.dartabligh.org/biographies/ShaheedBeheshti.html

Remember those who demonstrated us the true path of Sayyadus Shohada .."YOU ARE ANATION(Ummah)FOROURNATION"….ImamKhoeminiforShaheedBeheshti

Shahid (themartyr) SayyedMohammadHosseiny Beheshti was born inAban 2nd, 1307 (October24th,1928)inadistrictcalledLombaninIsfahan(Chaharsouqdistrict).HewasborninafamilywhosememberswerefamiliarwithIslamicvalues.Hisfatherwasoneof

Isfahan'sclergiesandprayer-leaderofLombanmosquewhowenttothevillageonceaweekinordertopreachandsolvetheproblemsofpeopleandestablishthecommunityprayers.Hepassedawayin1341(1962).HismaternalgrandfatherthelateHajMirMohammadSadiqModarresKhatunabadi,wasoneoftheleadingauthoritiesondivinelaw.WhenShahid(Martyr)Beheshtiwasjustoneyearold,hepassedawayandShahidBeheshtiwasdeprivedofhismeeting,however;knowingabouthisgrandfather'smannerlateronaffectedShahidBeheshti'spersonality.Withfouryearsofageheenteredtraditionalelementaryschool.HewassogeniusthathelearnedhowtoreciteQuranandhowtoreadandwriteinaveryshorttime.Afterawhile,havingpassedtheentranceexam,heenteredtheprimaryschoolatthesixthgradebutsincehewasnotoldenoughtotakepartinthatgradehewasregisteredinfourthgrade.Neverthelesshetookpartinthefinalexamsandwasgrantedthesecondbeststudenttitle.Wishingtocompletehisstudied,heenteredthehighschool.In1321(1942)hegaveitup,sincehewasinterestedinthetheologicalmattersheenteredthetheologicalcenter.AlthoughhishomewasinIsfahanforsavingtime,beingindependentwhilethinkingandstudying,since1324(1945)herentedaroomatSadrschoolofIsfahanandhelivedthere.During1321to1325(1942-1946)hecouldstudytheArabicliterature,logic,Fiqh(Jurisprudence),divinelaw&fundamentalsandstoletheattentionofhisprofessorstotheextentthatwhentheymethimasifheremindedhismaternalgrandfatherIn1325(1946)whenhewas18yearsold,heleftforQomtocontinuehisstudiesandin6month-timehe studied the rest of subjects namely : Sath , Kefayeh and Makasib. In the same year, AllamehTabatabeecametoQomandhisclassesandsessionsattractedtheactivestudentslikeShahidBeheshtiwholaterontookpartinhisclasses.In1326(1947)Dr.BeheshtiwithShahidMotahari,andsomeofhisfriendspreparedascheduleaccordingtowhichtheyhadtogotothemostremotevillagestopreachIslamicvalues,bymeansofalittleamountofexpensewhichAyatollahBoroujerdigavetothemtoguidethevillagersandinformeachotherabouttheirideasconcerningplanningforfutureactivities.In1327(1948)hecontinuedthenormalhighschooleducationandhecouldgethisliteraldiplomain

finalexamsoflatecomers.ThenheenteredthecollegeofTheology(atthattimerationalsciences)andin1330(1951)hereceivedhisBA.During(1329-1330)(1950-1951)hewasinTehranandattheendofmentionedyearhereturnedtoQomagainandthistimeheofficiallystartedhisteachingatHakimNezamihighschoolasanEnglishteacher.During(1329-1330)(1951-1956)hespenthislifecarryingoutresearchesandphilosophicalmatters.InOrdibehesht1331(May1952)hemarriedoneofhisrelativeswhoseresultwas4children(2sonsand2daughters).In1333(1956-1959)hewasastudentofPh.D.oftheologicalphilosophy(andofcoursein1353(1947)hedefendedhisthesiscalled_theproblemsofMabadulTabi_einQuran_,underguidanceoftheShahidProfessorMortzaMotahari.DuringthistimehewascomingandgoingtoTehranandQom.In1338(1959)hefoundedanEnglishclassat_DinandDaneshSchool_fortheologicalstudentsandinthesameyearalongwiththethoughtoftheleadingfigureslikeMotahari,Taleqani_etc,heheldthemonthly speech sessions in Tehran on which the programmed lectures were held with the largenumberofthestudentsandintellectualsasanaudience.From1339(1960)theideaoforganizingthetheologicalcenterandarrangingthesyllabusofitfor17yearswasinhismindwhoseresultwasfoundationof_Haqqani_and_Montazeriyeh_schools.In1341(1962)hedecidedtoestablishtheIslamiccenterofstudentsandeducatorswhichwasameasureforlinkingbetweentheeducatedpeopleinthepastandpresentmethods.Hewasactivelytakingpartin(1341-1342)(1962-1963)campaigns.Andincollectingandcomposingthe_statements_hewasagreathelp.From1342heformedasearchinggroupforsurveyingabouttheIslamicgovernmentandinthesameyearSavak(thecontrollingsystemforsecurityatthattime)madehimleaveQom.HecametoTehranandinprogrammingonpreparingthetextbookswascloselycooperatingwithShahid(martyr)Bahonar,inthesameyearhewasalsocooperatingwithcampaigninggroupsandcoalitionbodies.Besides,hewasparticipatingina4-membercouncilinthenameof_divinelaw-politicalcouncil_withhelpofShaid(martyr)Motahari,Mr.AnvariandMr.Molaee.In1343(1963)withtheproposalofAyatollahHa_eriandAyatollahMilaniheleftforHamburgandhebegantomanageanddirectthemosqueandformationofreligiousgroupsoftheyoungandrevealingShah_s(thelastking)crimes.AtthistimehetraveledtoSaudiArabia(inHaj.time)Syria,Lebanon,TurkeytovisitImamMousaSadrandin1348hetraveledtoIraqtovisitImamKhomeini.In1349(1970)hereturnedtoIrananditwasimpossibleforhimtoreturntoGermany.HestartedtoteachinsessionforinterpretingQuranandexaminedthetextbooksandthisprocesscontinuedtill1355(1976).In1359(1971)heformed50sessionsofinterpretingofQuranonSaturdayswhichwascalled_theSchoolofQuran_wherewasaplaceforgatheringtheactiveyoungpeople.In1354(1975)duetothementionedsessionsandtherelationshipswiththecampaigningorganizationsinsideandoutsideofIranhewasarrestedbySavakandafteratimehewasreleased.From1355(1976)andlaterhebegantodealwithformationaltasksandin(1356)(1977)hewasdeterminedtoformthebroadformationsbeingactiveinsecretactivitiesandalsoovertonesforformingaparty.InthesameyearduetothedisagreementsamongtheIslamicactivegroupsinabroad(whichtherehavebeensomeconflicts)hetraveledthereandeventotheUnitedStatesandhepavedthegroundforestablishingnewrelationshipsamongtheIslamicgroups.In1357(1978)hewasarrestedforacoupleofdaysandhewasfreed.AfterwhichhewenttoImamKhomeiniinParis.AfterhisreturnheplayedaneffectiveroleregardingdeterminingthepolicyoftheIslamicrevolution.

FromAzar1357(December1978)accordingtoImam'scommandheformedtherevolution'scouncilandhewasdealingwiththattillthevictoryoftherevolution.Aftertherevolutionasanintellectualpersonintherevolution'scouncilhewantedtoorganizeandarrangetheaffairs.RegardingthismentionedfacthefoundedtheIslamicRepublicParty.HetookpartintheelectionofExpertsAssembly,andasavicepresidentofMajlishedealtwithmanagingtheaffairs,preparingandformingtheConstitution.Afterresigningoftheinterimgovernmentin1358(1979)hewasdoinghisdutyasaministerofjustice.ThenthroughthecommandofImamhewaschosenandappointedasthechairmanofSupremeCourt.He was busy with his duties till the evening of Tir, 7, 1360 (June 28,1981) after Namaz Maqrib(eveningprayer)andEsha(nightprayer)whilegivinglecture,hewasmartyredduetotheexplosionof a bomb planted by themembers ofMKO terrorist group, known asMonafeqinwith 72 peoplefromhiscolleaguesandthroughthetearsandsighsandsorrowsofmillionsofIranianpeoplehewasburiedinBehesht-eZahraTomb.Mayhissoulrestinpeace.

14ChapterAllamaSayedSafdarHussainNajafi-(1933AD)

BIRTH&FAMILYBACKGROUNDAllama Sayed Safdar Hussain Najafi was born in 1933 AD at Alipur in Muzaffergadh

District.Theareaisfamousforitsfertilityandlushgreenenvirons.HeisfromawellknownNaqviSayedfamily.HedescendedfromSayedjalalalDinSurqposhBukhariwhowasfromabranchofthescionsofImamAliNaqi(a.s.).SafdarHussain’sfatherwasSayedGhulamSarvarNaqviwhowasapersonofgreatpietyandnobility.Atthetimeofhisbirth,hisparentschosetonamehimSafdarHussain.Itisapleasantcoincidence

thattheverysamedayhisuncle,UstadalUlemaSayedMohammedYarNaqvi,wasdeclaredpassedinhismatriculationexamination.Thosedaysitwasdeemedaveryimportantandhighqualification!Thefamilythereforereveledinthetwohappyevents!VerysoonUstadalUlemaproceededtoNajafeAshrafandreturnedfromtherein1940.SayedSafdarHussainwassevenyearsofageatthattimeandwasreadytocommencehisstudies.

INITIALEDUCATION

Hisfather ’swishwastogroomhimtobecomeaneruditescholarinIslamicShariah.ThereforehewastotallycommittedtothetutelageofUstadalUlema.AtthattimetheUstadwasteachingattheMadrasaofUstadSayedMohammedBaqirNaqavilocatedatthevillageChak38.Thisisthesameplacewhereresidesthewell-knownZakir(sermonizer),SayedKhadimHussainShah.Sayed

SafdarHussainspentabout6monthsattheMadrasaandthenproceededwithhismentortoMultantopursuehisstudiesatMadrasaBabalIlmthere.Afterspending2monthstheymoved

toMadrasaThutSialintheenvironsofMuzaffargadh.Theretoohedidn’tstayformorethan6months.In1941theuncleandnephewmovedtoJalalpurlangianawherehepursuedhisstudiesfor4years.HewasattheMadrasainSitpur,MuzzafargadhDistrict,forsixmonths.

In1946hewentonceagaintoMadrasaBabalIlm,Multan,andstudiedunderMaulanaSayedZainalAbedinandMaulanaSheikMohammedYar.Tillthattimehehadcompletedthestudy

ofMubadiyat.Sayed Safdar Hussain has recounted an incident that took place during his second stint

atMultan.The urge for acquiring knowledge took him to aSunniMadrasawhere a well knownscholar used to give lessons. When Sayed Safdar entered the class a lesson on the eventsofKarbalawasinprogress.Theteacher(whotookprideincallinghimselfaSayed!)saidthatitwasabattle between twoprinces ofwhomonewasvictorious and theother got vanquished!After thatday,SayedSafdarHussaindidn’teverentertheportalsofthatschoolwheretheaccursedYazidwasequated with Imam Hussain (a.s)! In 1947 Sayed Safdar went toMadrasa Sadiqya Khanpur,District Rahimyar Khan and studied under Maulana Hussain Baksh who is known for hiscommentary of the Holy Quran. In 1948 he proceeded to Khangadh and studied Shara JamiQutbiandSharaBabHadiAshrunderMaulanaAhmedHussainQibla.In1949MaulanaHussain

Bakshwenttohisancestralvillageandstartedgivinglessonsthere.SafdarHussaintoowent to thevillageJadaandcompletedthestudyofDarseNizamiunderhim.

DURINGHISSTUDENTDAYSTwonotable events took place during his student days.At one point he felt very home-sick and

returnedtotheancestralvillagesayingthathewasn’tabletopursuethestudiesanyfurther.Hetoldhisparentsthathedesiredtodofarminginthevillage.Hisfatherveryfirmlypersuadedhimtoreturnbacktohisstudies.Thisyoungtruantturnedouttobeaneminentreligiousscholarinhislateryears!Theothereventisthatatonepointhefeltthattherewasnothingforhiminhisancestralcountry

andhemustgotoNajafeAshrafandpursuehisstudiesintheprecinctsoftheMausoleumofHazratAmir alMomineen (a.s).He had neithermoney nor themeans for travel. Hemade his plan withanotheryounglad.TheystartedwalkingontherailwaytracktowardsQuettathinkingthattheywouldwalk to Iran and then to Iraq. They walked about 125 miles and reached Checha RailwayStation.ThereagoodSamaritantookpityonthemandarrangedfortheirreturnhome!ThepersontoldthemthattheymustwaitpatientlywhenMaulawouldhimselfcallthemtoNajafeAshraf!

PROCEEDSTONAJAFEASHRAFInthelastquarterof1951AllamaNajafigotacallfromHazratAmiralMomineen(a.s).On17

October 1951he started his journey forNajaf eAshraf. It is the practice of all the internationalcentresoflearningthattheydon’tacceptthedegreesawardedbyPakistaniuniversitiesandexpectthestudentstoqualifyintheentrancetestsconductedbythemforthesamecurriculum.Whentheysatisfythemselves that the student has the required proficiency to pursue the higher studies, they giveadmittance to the candidate. Allama Najafi too took up the study of KifayaRasaelandMakasibfor4yearsinNajafeAshrafandthentookDarsekharijforoneyear.DarseKharij isequivalent toadoctorate inauniversity.Hismentors inNajafwereAlSayedMohsin alHakim,AyatollahAbulQasimKhoee,AllamaSheikMohammedAliAfghani,AllamaSayedAbulQasimRashti, Aqai Buzurg Tehrani (who gave him the certification for study of the Hadit),SheikMohammedTaqiAleRaziandSheikalJameahMaulanaAkhtarAbbas.While Allama Sayed Safdar Hussain faced much hardship during his journey to Najaf e

Ashraf,hisstaytheretoowasn’toneofease.Hecouldn’tgetadmittancetoanyofthehostelsthere.Heusedtospendhisnightsonthepavements.HoweverhehadtheprivilegeofacquiringknowledgeinthedisciplinesoftheAleMohammed(s.a)inamplemeasure.AtthebeginningofthefourthyearofhisstayatNajafeAshrafhemarriedintoarespectablefamilyofNajaf.Thenexttwoyearshehada life of considerable ease. After spending 5 years in the Holy City Allama Sayed SafdarHussaindecided to returnhometoPakistan.. In theyear1956hearrived inhishomecountryandservedhiscommunitytherestofhislifethere.Hisscholasticandoratoricalserviceshavebeenhighlycommendable.HewasinstrumentalinestablishingmanyMadrasaswherelargenumbersofstudentsacquirelearning.

HISDISCIPLES

Asafruittreeisrecognizedwiththequalityoffruitsitputsforth,soisamentorrecognizedbythequalityofthediscipleshetrains.Thecultureofmentor-discipleinIslamistimetested!ThedisciplesofAllamaNajafiarethereineverynookandcornerofthecountry.Theyarethereinotherlandsaswell!WearementioninghereonlythosedisciplesoftheAllamawhoarerecognizedasscholarsofhigh

caliber:

Allama Hafiz Riyaz Hussain Najafi, He succeeded Allama Safdar Hussain as the principalofHauzaeIlmiaJamehalMuntazar,MaulanaSheikMohsinAliNajafiPrincipalMadrasaJamehAhl al Bayt, Islamabad, Maulana Sayed Ashiq Hussain Najafi Principal Jameh al Ghadeer,Maulana Sheik Karamat Ali Principal Jameh Jafaria, Maulana Sheik Hassan Reza GhadeeriPrincipal JamehMuntazar London,MaulanaMoosa Baig Najafi mentor Jameh alMuntazar,Maulana Baqir, Maulana Taj ud deen Haidari, Maulana Mohammed Aslam Sadiqi, MaulanaManzoorHussainAbidi,MaulanaSayedMohammedHussainAkbarPrincipalMinhajalQuran,Maulana Sayed Mohammed Abbas, Maulana Sayed Khadim Hussain Naqvi, Maulana AbulHassanNaqvi,MaulanaSayedMohammedSibtainNaqvi.

LITERARYWORKS

MaulanaNajafiwasendowedwithashortlifebytheAlmighty.Buthelivedafulllifeoflearningand erudition in that short period. Despite his multifarious activities he has left behind morethan70booksandchronicles.Mostofthemhavebeentranslationsoftheworksofmasters.Butthecolumnsandcommentshepennedonthecontentshaveaddedqualitytohisefforts.Thebooksthathetranslated,addinghislearnedcomments,are:TafseereNamoona:Theoriginalworkis inPersiancompiledbyaboardconsistingoferudite

scholarsunderAqaiNasirMakarim.Thiscommentaryissocomprehensivethatonewouldn’tneedto refer to any other commentary. This work had been done under the instructions of ImamKhomeini.AllamaNajafitranslatedthebookintosimpleUrduthatrunsinto27hardboundvolumes.Heaccomplishedthemonumentalworkinaperiodof6years.KitabalSaqifa:Thisbook, in fact,was translatedbysomeoneelse,butAllamaNajafi reviewed

andeditedit.ThisbookthrowslightonthepoliticsoftheinfamousSaqifa.Tazkirat al Khawaas: The original book was written by Sibt ibn e Jauzi, an

eminentSunnischolar.ThebookisbasedontheSiratalAimma—thelifesoftheImams(a.s).TauzeehalMasail:ThisistheUrdutranslationofImamKhomeini’s“TauzeehalMasail”.HukumateIslami:ThisisanUrdutranslationofthetalksgivenbyImamKhomeinionthesubject

of governance under Islamic Norms. The theme of these talks, delivered in Najaf eAshraf,Iraq,wasWilayateFaqeeh.Tafseer eMauzooee:This is anUrdu translation of the commentary of theHoly Quran done

byAqaee Jafar Subhani.This is a commentary dealingwith thetopics (Mauzooaat) in theHolyQuranseparately.ThiswasoneofthelastsignificantworksofAllamaNajafi.AhsanalMiqaal:ThisisatranslationofSheikQummi’s“MuntahialDamaal”whichhighlights

thelivesandworksoftheInfallibles(a.s).InteqaabTarikhTabari:This is anUrdu translation of the chapters dealingwith the lives and

timesoftheFirstThreeImams(a.s)fromthemonumentalbookofhistorywrittenbyAllamaibneJarirTabari.Serat eAimma:AllamaNajafi translated12small booklets on the lives of the Infallible Imams

(a.s).HuqooqaurIslam:ThisisthefirstbookauthoredbyAllamaNajafi.ItencompassesaMuslim’s

dailyrightsandduties.TheotherworkscreditedtoAllamaNajafiare:IrfanalMajalis,Sa-aadaalAbadia,Maadanal

Jawahir,IrshadInqilab,AqaedImamia,BarahImamiShiaandAhlalBayt(a.s),AitraafHaqiqatIrshadalQuloob,RisalaalMawaizetc.

THEDIFFICULTTIMES

WhentheIranianRevolutionsucceeded,everyoneseemedtobeeulogizingit.Whoeverhadanyanimosity against any other person he would blame him of being an antagonist oftheRevolution.PeoplehadstartedspreadingsuchcanardagainstsomeeminentUlema.TheystartedprintinganddistributingpamphletsagainstsuchUlemaandeventheymailedcopiestotheirsubjectsoftheinsinuation.AllamaNajafiexperiencedallthisandhisheartcried.SometimestheyspreadthefalsehoodthattheAllamawasagainsttheKalimaeWilaya.Thisdespite

the fact thatAllama Najafiwas the member of the team that represented to theHigh Court thattheKalima e wilaya—Ali an Wali Allah— is an important pillar of the Shia Creed and it wasofficiallyendorsedinRahnumaeAsataza,animportantguidebookissuedbytheGovernmenttotheteachers.TheAllama’santagonistsalsoridiculedhiminthepresenceofhisownnextofkin.Hissonisonrecordsayingthat if thewordswererepeated infrontofaCourt thepersonswouldbegivensixtyflogsinpunishment.TheyrecitedlampooningversesagainsttheAllamainthegatheringsofthecommunity.Notwithstanding all these attacks,AllamaSafdarHussain’sonly reactionwas patienceandequanimity.HeprovedatruepractitionerofKazimainalGhaiz—Patienceinanger!TheAllama’sfriendsreceivedthesadmessageofhisdemise.Hewasnowfreeoftheworldlytrials

andtribulations.Hislifewaslikeadiamondthathasmanyfacets.Ineveryfacetofthisdiamondwehave lessons to learn. He was an exemplary brther, a son-in-law and a spouse. His spouse’sassessmentofhimisweightier thana thousandpraises.Shesaid,“Iamnotproudofmyhusband’sachievement,IamonlythankfultoAllah!”Hewasanaffectionatefatherandaconsideratementor.Inhis33yearsofteachingheneveroncereprimandedadisciple.Theonlytimeheusedhisrodtobeathis discipleSayedAta al RehmanNaqvi.The disciple cried.TheAllama’smother asked him torefrainfromusingtherod!Fromthatdayhewasverysoftandconsideratewithhisdisciples.Whenhis disciples visited him to pay their last homage to him he said, “My sons! If I had ever beenunreasonable to you; please do forgive me!” The disciples cried inconsolably over this.TheAllamawasalsoaveryeffectivereformer.Henotonlypointedoutthesocialillsinhistalks,butheadvisedthestepstoovercomethem.Althoughhewasn’tfinanciallyindependent,healwaysstrivedtohelptheneedy.HewaslessaMaulviandmoreaDervish.Hisfood,dressandlivingstylereflectedthelifeofamendicant.HenevertookhometheKhumsfund.OnceapersongiftedtohimadruggetandtwoshawlsandsaidthattheywerefromhisKhumsmoney.Heimmediatelygavehundredrupeestotheperson.ThepersontookfiftyrupeesfromthatbeingthecostofthegiftedarticlesandreturnedtheremainingfiftyrupeestoAllama.

15ChapterAyatullahal-Uzmaal-Hajjas-ShaykhMuhammadFadilal-Lankarani-(1931-2007)

1.HisBirthAYATULLAHAL-UZMAAL-HAJASH-SHAYKHFADILLANKARANIwasborn in1931 in the

HolycityofQum.Hisfather,thelateAyatullahFadilLankaraniwasagreatteacherandscholarintheIslamicSeminaryofQum.Hisdearmother,wasapureandnoblewomanofdescentfromthefamilyoftheProphetofIslam,Peacebeuponhimandhisfamily.2.HisStudiesAttheageof13,afterthecompletionofprimaryschool,hebeganstudyingIslamicstudiesinthe

seminaryofQum,whereduetohisgreatabilityandaptitude,hewasabletofinishthepreliminarystagesofIslamicstudieswithinsixyears.At the age of 19, he started attending lessons in Fiqh (Jurisprudence) and Usul (Principles of

Jurisprudence)at theKharij level(thehighest levelofIslamicstudies),whichwerebeingtaughtbyAyatullah al-Uzma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Burujerdi, May Allah raise his status.Becauseofhisyoungageandhisabilitytopickupinformationveryquickly,hisfellowstudentsandhisteachersquicklyrecognizedhim.Oneofhisclosefriendsandstudypartners,duringhisquestforknowledge,wasnoneotherthanthebelovedsonofthefounderoftheIslamicRepublicofIran,thelateShaheedMustafaKhumayni,MayhebeshoweredinAllah'speace.3.HisTeachersAyatullah Lankarani benefited from Ayatullah al-Uzma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein

Burujerdi'slecturesinthesubjectsofFiqhandUsulforalmost11years.HealsoparticipatedintheclassesofthelateAyatullahal-Uzmaal-Hajjas-SayyidRuhullahal-Musawial-Khumaynifor9years.Underthesetwogreatteachers,hewasabletobenefitagreatdeal,andquicklyexcelledinhisstudies.HealsotookpartinthelecturesonphilosophyandTafsir(Explanation)oftheHolyQur'anunder

thegreatscholar,'Allamahas-SayyidMuhammadHussaynal-Tabataba'I,MayAllahraisehisrank,inwhichhegainedmuchknowledgeandenlightenment.Becauseofherperseveranceandendeavors,hewasabletoreachtothegreatstageofIjithadatthe

early age of 25, something that his eminent teacher, the late Ayatullah al-Uzma al-Hajj as-SayyidMuhammadHusseinBurujerdigavetohiminwriting.4.HisTeachingFormanyyears,hewasbusyteachingtheintermediatelevelofstudiesintheIslamicSeminaryof

Qum to agreat numberof students. In addition to this, for thepast 25years, hehasbeen teachinglessonsofKharij in theareasofFiqhandUsul (Kharij is thehighest levelof Islamic studiesafter

which,ifcompletedintheirentirety,elevatethepersontoaMujtahid).Hislessonsaresopopularthatinanyonelesson,over700scholarsandpersonalitiesof theHawza 'IlmiyyahofQumcanbeseentakingpart! In addition to this, for the past fewyears, his lessons onFiqhhavebeenbroadcast byIranianRadio,thus,thoselivingwithintheIslamicRepublic,andeventhoseinforeigncountrieshavebenefitedfromhisvastamountofknowledge.5.HisStrugglesagainsttheDespoticRegimeoftheShahFromthebeginningofthepoliticalandsocialstruggleanddefianceofAyatullahKhomeiniagainst

theoppression,corruptionandtyrannicalgovernmentofthePahlavidynastyinIran,AyatullahFadilLankarani was one of the helpers and supporters of Ayatullah Khomeini. Step by step in everymovementthatthedefendersofIslamtook,AyatullahLankaraniwasthereandplayedanactiverole.OneofhisimportantmoveswastobeinvolvedwiththeJami'ahMudarasin,agroupthatconsistsoftheteachersintheHawza'IlmiyyahofQuminwhichtheywerebusyspreadingthewordofIslamandtheIslamicRevolutionamongthemasses.Morethanthis,itwastheywhoannouncedtheMarja'iyatand Leadership of Ayatullah Khomeini…Many times during this difficult period, Ayatullah FadilLankaraniwasjailed,andfinally,asiftheShahcouldnolongertakethe'Ulamaandtheirstandingupforthetruth,hewasforcedtoexilehimtoanareaknownasBandarLange.Afterstayingtherefor4months,wewasmovedtothecityofYazd,wherehewasforcedtoresideforaperiodof18months.AfterthevictoryoftheIslamicRevolutionofIran,AyatullahFadilLankaranicontinuedtoplayan

importantrolealongsidetheleader,AyatullahKhomeini,Mayhisspiritbesanctified,andeventoday,undertheleadershipofAyatullahKhameni'i,heisstillfullysupportiveandactive.After the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatullah Lankarani was appointed as a member of The

CouncilofExperts,andformorethan10years,servedastheadministratoroftheIslamicSeminaryofQum.6.HisLovefortheAhlal-Bait,PeacebeuponallofthemFromtheearliestof times,himselfandhis familyhavebeen loversandfollowersof theAhlal-

Bait, Peace be upon all of them, and as has been noted, weekly gatherings to commemorate themartyrdom of Abu 'Abdillah al-Husayn, Peace be upon him, and his loyal family and followers,gatherings to commemorate the martyrdom of the Ma'sumin, Peace be upon all of them, andprogramstocelebratethebirthanniversariesoftheLeadersofIslam,Peacebeuponallofthem,wereheldbyhislatefather,andeventoday,continuetobeheld.7.Salatal-Jama'atinQumAfterthepassingawayofAyatullahal-Uzmaal-SayyidShahabad-DinNajafial-Mar'ashi,hewas

inundatedwithrequestsfromthestudentsoftheHawza'IlmiyyahofQum,aswellasfromthepeopleofQum,nottomentionfromthoseinchargetooverseeandrunthedailyprogramsoftheHaramofFatimah al-Ma'sumah, Peace be upon her, to lead the Salat al-Jama'at. He humbly accepted thisresponsibility,andeverynight,under thegracefuleyesof thesisterofImam 'Ali ibnMusaal-RidawhoisburiedinQum,thousandsofscholars,students,visitorstothisholycityandresidentsofQumofferedtheirprayersbehindthishumbleman.8.TheStationfMarja'iyatAfter the death of Ayatullah al-Uzma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khumayni, May

Allahraisehisrank,thebelieversturnedtohimforTaqlid.AftertheuntimelydemiseofAyatullahal-

Uzma ash-Shaykh Araki, May Allah raise his rank, Ayatullah Fadil Lankarani was officiallyintroduced,bytheHawza'IlmiyyahofQumintheirstatement,asthenumberoneMarjaTaqlidoftheMuslimUmmah.9.HisWritingsAlongwiththeimportanttaskofteachingthefuturescholarsofIslam,andraisinguptheguardians

oftheReligion,healsofindstimetowriteandcompilebooks,someofwhichinclude:1.Tafsilal-Shari'ah(Arabic):Aconcise, explanatoryworkdetailing thebookTahrir al-Wasilah,

whichwasAyatullahKhomeini'scompilationofIslamicrulesandregulationswritteninArabic.Uptonow, 13 volumes of thiswork have been printed and are available,with another 5 volumes underprint.2.Hashiahal-'UrwatulWuthqa (Arabic):The detailed bookofFiqhwritten byAyatullahSayyid

KazimYazdi,withtheopinionsofAyatullahFadilLankarani.3. Nihaya al-Taqrir (Arabic): The notes of the lessons of Ayatullah al-Uzma al-Hajj as-Sayyid

MuhammadHusseinBurujerdi'sclassesonSalat,printedintwovolumes.4.HashiahKitabat-TaharahMisbahal-Faqihi (Arabic):Thenoteson the"BookofCleanliness"

writtenbyMuhaqqiqHamdani.5. A summary on the topic of "al-Ijtihad and at-Taqlid" from the book al-'Urwatul Wuthqa in

Arabic.6.Kitabas-Sawm(Arabic):TheBookofFasting7.Kitabal-Qada(Arabic):TheBookofPassingJudgement8.Al-Masailal-Mustahditah(Arabic):AcompilationoftheIslamiclaws.9.AdiscussionontherulingofreadingtheSalatwhilewearingclothingthatonehasdoubtsabout.

(Arabic)10.AdiscussionontheHajjand'Umrah.(Arabic)11.Al-Ahkamal-Wadihah(Arabic):CompilationoftheIslamicrules.12.Ahkamal-Hajj(Arabic):NotesonthebookTahriral-WasilahonthesectionofHajj.13.Al-Qawa'idal-Fiqhhiyah(Arabic):AtextcoveringthevariouslawsofIslamicJurisprudence.14. Taqrirat al-Usul (Arabic): His notes on the lessons of Ayatullah Khomeini, printed in 5

volumes.15.Tibyanal-Usul (Arabic):His notes on the lessonsofUsul that hehas taught, printed in four

volumes.16.Taqriratal-Usul(Arabic):HisnotesonthelessonsofUsulthatweretaughtbyArakiBurujerdi.17.TaqriratDars-e-KharijUsul(Farsi):HisNotesonthelessonsofUsulthathehastaught,printed

in8volumes.18.Tawdhial-Masail(Farsi):CompletecollectionofIslamiclaws.19.ManasikHajj(Farsi):RulesfortheHajj.20.AnIntroductiontoTafsirintheScienceoftheQur'an(Arabic)21.TafsirofSurahal-Fatiah(Arabic)22.PossessingacountryintheviewpointofImam'Ali,Peacebeuponhim.23.TheInfallibilityoftheProphets24.ACollectionofIndexes:AnindextoBiharal-Anwar,al-Ghadirandal-Mizan.25.Ahlal-Bait,Peacebeuponthem:The14lightsintheAyahofTathir(33:33)26.ThePureA'immah,Peacebeuponall of them: TheGuardians of theRevelation in theHoly

Qur'an. (These two books (Ahl al-Bait, Peace be upon them: The 14 lights in the Ayah of Tathir(33:33)andthisone))werecompiledandwrittenalongwithAyatullahAshraqi.27.ManasikHajj(Arabic)28.QuestionsandAnswersregardingtheHajj(Arabic)29.QuestionsandAnswersregardingtheHajj(Farsi)30.Jami'al-Masa'il(Farsi):TwovolumesofQuestionsandAnswersdealingwithvariousIslamic

topics.http://www.islamcpo.com/islam/fazelfazel@islamcpo.comTel:9825130860,Fax:98251723098

16ChapterMartyrSayyidMuhammadBaqiral-Sadr-(1933-1980)

Born:On:March11935At:KazmaynIraqDied:On:8April1980At:NajafIraqAge:47BiographyHisfatherdiedin1937,leavingthefamilypenniless.In1945thefamilymovedtotheholycityof

Najaf, where al-Sadr would spend the rest of his life. He was a child prodigy who, at ten, wasdelivering lectures on Islamic history, and at eleven, he studied logic and wrote a book to refutephilosophy.[1]MuhammadBaqir al-Sadr completed his religious teachings at religious seminariesunderal-KhoeiandMuhsinal-Hakimattheageof25andbeganteaching.WhileteachinghebecameaprominentmemberoftheIraqiShiacommunity,andwasnotedforhis

manywritings.His firstworkswere detailed critiques ofMarxismthat presented early ideas of analternativeIslamicformofgovernment.PerhapshismostimportantworkwasIqtisaduna,oneofthemost important works onIslamic economics. This work was a critique of both socialism andcapitalism. He was subsequently commissioned by the government of Kuwait to assess how thatcountry'soilwealthcouldbemanagedinkeepingwithIslamicprinciples.ThisledtoamajorworkonIslamicbankingthatstillformsthebasisformodernIslamicbanks.16.Al-Bankal-laRibawifial-Islam(Usury-freeBankinginIslam).HealsoworkedwithSayyidMohammedBaqiral-HakiminforminganIslamistmovementinIraq.

This attracted the attention of the Baath Party, which resulted in numerous imprisonments for theAyatollah.Hewasoftensubjugatedtotortureduringhisimprisonments,butcontinuedhisworkafterbeingreleased.OneofthefoundersofmodernIslamist thoughtheiscreditedwithfirstdevelopingthenotion,laterputinoperationinIran,ofhavingwesternstyledemocraticelections,butwithabodyofMuslimscholarstoensurealllawscorrespondedwithIslamicteachings.In1977,hewassentencedtolifeinprisonfollowinguprisingsinNajaf,butwasreleasedtwoyears

later due to his immense popularity. Upon his release however, hewas put under house arrest. In1980, after writing in the defense of the Islamic Revolution, Sadr was once again imprisoned,tortured,andexecutedbytheregimeofSaddamHussein.Hissister,AminaSadrbintal-Huda,wasalsoimprisoned, tortured, and executed. It has been alleged thatSadrwaskilledbyhaving an ironnailhammeredintohishead[2]andthenbeingsetonfire.During the execution of Saddam Hussein, chants of "Long live Mohammed Baqir Sadr!" were

heardbeingchantedbysomeoftheShi'aguards.CNNarticle

PoliticalPhilosophy:WilayatAl-UmmaMohammadBaqirAl-Sadr'spoliticalphilosophy,knownasWilayatAl-Umma(Governanceofthe

people), set out his view of a modern day Islamic state. Using his mastery of the Quran and hisinnovative subject-based approach to Quranic exegesis, Al-Sadr extracted two concepts from theHolytextinrelationtogovernance:khilafatal-insan(ManasheirortrusteeofGod)andshahadatal-

anbiya (Prophets as witnesses). Al-Sadr explained that throughout history there have been '…twolines.Man’slineandtheProphet’sline.Theformeristhekhalifa(trustee)whoinheritstheearthfromGod;thelatteristheshahid(witness).'[3].Al-Sadr demonstrated that khilafa (governance) is ‘a right given to thewhole of humanity’ and

explainedittobeanobligationgivenfromGodtothehumanraceto‘tendtheglobeandadministerhuman affairs’. This was a major advancement of Islamic political theory. Al-Sadr stated that thelegitimacyofagovernmentinanIslamicstatecomesfromthepeople,andnotfromtheclerics.Al-Sadrexplainedthatthroughouthistorytherehavebeen'…twolines.Man’slineandtheProphet’sline.The former is the khalifa (trustee) who inherits the earth from God; the latter istheshahid(witness)'[3].WhileAl-Sadr identifiedkhilafaas theobligationandrightof thepeople,heusedabroad-based

exegesisofaQuranicverse[4]toidentifywhoheldtheresponsibilityofshahadainanIslamicstate:First,theProphets(anbiya’);second,theImams,whoareconsideredadivine(rabbani)continuationoftheProphetsinthisline;andlastlythemarja’iyya(seeMarja)[5].Whilethetwofunctionsofkhilafa(governance)andshahada(martyrism;supervision)wereunited

duringthetimesoftheProphets,thetwodivergedduringtheoccultationsothatkhilafa returned tothepeople(umma)andshahadatothescholars[6].Al-Sadr alsopresented apractical applicationofkhilafa, in the absenceof the twelfth Imam.He

argued the practical application of the khilafa (governance) required the establishment of ademocraticsystemwherebythepeopleregularlyelecttheirrepresentativesingovernment:

'Islamictheoryrejectsmonarchyaswellasthevariousformsofdictatorialgovernment;italsorejectsthearistocraticregimesandproposesaformofgovernment,whichcontainsallthepositiveaspectsofthedemocraticsystem.'[7]

Hecontinuedtochampionthispointuntilhisfinaldays:

'Lastly,Idemand,inthenameofallofyouandinthenameofthevaluesyouuphold,toallowthepeopletheopportunitytrulytoexercisetheirrightinrunningtheaffairsofthecountrybyholdingelectionsinwhichacouncilrepresentingtheummah(people)couldtrulyemerge.'[8]

Al-SadrwasexecutedbySaddamHusseinin1980beforehewasabletoprovideanydetailsofthemechanismforthepracticalapplicationoftheshahada(martyrism)conceptinanIslamicstate.AfewelaborationsofshahadacanbefoundinAl-Sadr ’sworks.Inhistext‘RoleoftheShiahImamsinthereconstructionofIslamicsociety’,Al-Sadrillustratesthe

scopeandlimitationsofshahadabyusingtheexampleofthethirdShi’iImam,HusseinibnAli(thegrandsonoftheProphet),whostooduptoYazid,theruleratthetime.Al-SadrexplainsYazidwasnotsimplygoingagainst Islamic teachings, asmany rulersbefore andafterhimhaddone,buthewasdistortingtheteachingsandtraditionsofIslamandpresentinghisdeviatedideasasIslamitself.This,therefore, is what led Imam Hussein to intervene to challenge Yazid in order to restore the trueteachingsofIslam,andasaconsequencelaiddownhisownlife.InAl-Sadr ’sownwords,theshahid’s(witness–personperformingshahadaorsupervision)dutiesare‘toprotectthecorrectdoctrinesandtoseethatdeviationsdonotgrowtotheextentofthreateningtheideologyitself'.Listofworks[9]Jurisprudence

1.BuhuthfiSharhal-'Urvahal'Wuthqa(DiscoursesontheCommentaryofal-'Urvahal-Wuthqa),4volumes.2.Al-Ta'liqah'alaMinhajal-Salihin(AnnotationofAyatullahHakim'sMinhajal-Salihin),2volumes.3.Al-Fatawaal-Wazihah(ClearDecrees).4.MujazAhkamal-Hajj(SummarizedRulesofHajj)5.Al-Ta'liqah'alaManasikal-Hajj(AnnotationofAyatullahKhui'sHajjRites).6.Al-Ta'liqah'alaSalahal-Jumu'ah(AnnotationonFridayPrayer)

Fundamentalsofthelaw

7.DurusfiIlmal-Usul(LessonsintheScienceofJurisprudence),3Parts.8.Al-Ma'alimal-Jadidahlil-Usul(TheNewSignpostsofJurisprudence).9.Ghayahal-Fikr(TheHighestDegreeofThought)

Philosophy

10.Falsafatuna(OurPhilosophy)

Logic

11.Al-Ususal-Mantiqiyyahlil-Istiqra'(TheLogicalBasisofInduction)

Theology

12.Al-MujazfiUsulal-Din:al-Mursil,al-Rasul,al-Risalah(TheSummarizedPrinciplesofReligion:TheSender,TheMessenger,TheMessage).13.Al-Tashayyu'waal-Islam-BahthHawlal-Wilayah(DiscourseonDivineAuthority).14.BahthHawlal-Mahdi(DiscourseonImamMahdi)

Economics

15.Iqtisaduna(OurEconomics).16.Al-Bankal-laRibawifial-Islam(Usury-freeBankinginIslam).17.MaqalatIqtisadiyyah(EssaysinEconomy).

Qur'aniccommentaries

18.Al-Tafairal-Mawzu'ilil-Qur'anal-Karim-al-Madrasahal-Qur'aniyyah(TheThematicexegesisoftheHolyQur'an).19.Buhuthfi'Ulumal-Qur'an(DiscoursesonQur'anicSciences).20.MaqalatQur'aniyyah(EssaysonQur'an).

History

21.Ahlal-BaytTanawwu'AhdafwaWahdahHadaf(Ahlal-Bayt,VarietyofObjectivesTowardsaSingleGoal).22.Fadakfial-Tarikh(FadakinHistory).

IslamicCulture

23.Al-IslamYaqudal-Hayah(IslamDirectivetoLife).24.Al-Madrasahal-Islamiyyah(IslamicSchool)1.Al-Insanal-Mu'asirwaal-Mushkilahal-Ijtima'iyyah(ModernManandSocialProblems)2.MazaTu'raf'anal-Iqtisadal-Islami?(WhatcouldbeKnownofIslamicEconomy?)25.Risalatuna(OurMission).26.NazrahAmmahfial-Ibadat(GeneralViewonRitesofWorship).27.MaqalatwaMuhazrat(EssaysandLectures)

Books

IqtisadunaFalsafatuna

References

1. ^BaqirAl-Sadr,OurPhilosophy,TaylorandFrancis,1987,p.xiii2. ^AnthonyShadid,NightDrawsNear:Iraq'sPeopleintheShadowofAmerica'sWar,(Holt,

2005),p.1643. ^abMohammedBaqirAl-Sadr,Al-Islamyaqudal-hayat,Qum,1979,p.1324. ^Quran5:445. ^BaqirAl-Sadr,Al-Islamyaqudal-hayat,Qum,1979,p.246. ^FalehAJabar,TheShi’iteMovementinIraq,London:SaqiBooks,2003,p.2867. ^MohammedBaqirAl-Sadr,Lamhafiqhiya,p.208. ^MohammedBaqirAl-Sadr,PrinciplesofIslamicJurisprudence,London:ICAS,2003,p.159. ^TheSuperGeniusPersonalityofIslam

Mallat,Chibli."MuhammadBaqiras-Sadr."PioneersofIslamicRevival.ed.AliRahnema.London:ZedBooks,1994ArabicBiography

ShaheedAl-Iraq,MuhammadBaqirAl-SadrAfourpartdocumentaryonthelifeofShaheedMuhammadBaqiral-SadrintheArabiclanguage.Thedocumentaryfeatureshisacademicandpoliticallife;andhisinnovativecontributionsinthesefields.ShaheedAl-Sadrwasmartyredonthe9thofApril1980alongsidehissisterSayyedaAminaAl-Sadr,famouslyknownasBintAl-Huda.TheAhlulBaytIslamicMissionpresentsthisseries,ontheanniversaryoftheirmartyrdom,tocommemoratethesegreatbeaconsoflightwho,throughtheirlives,contributionsandesteemmartyrdom,gavelifetomillions…ArabicdocumentaryonthelifeofAyatollahAl-MujahedAl-ShaheedAl-SayyedMuhammadBaqir

Al-SadrShaheedAl-Iraq1of4 ردصلا رقاب دمحم دیسلا قارعلا دیهش -ArabicTheRoleofMuhammadBaqirAl-SadrinShi'aPoliticalActivisminIraqFrom1958to1980

http://islamicinsights.com/religion/history/sayyid-muhammad-baqir-al-sadr.htmlSayyidMuhammadBaqiral-Sadr"Ithasbecomeclear–althoughwithgreatsorrow–thatthedeceasedAyatollah,theMartyrSayyid

Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr and his honorable, oppressed sister – who was among the teachers ofknowledgeandethicsandamong themostprideful inknowledgeand literature–haveattained theelevatedstatusofmartyrdomatthehandsoftheIraqiregime.Andthiswascarriedoutinaterriblyhorridway."Butitisnotasurprisethatsuchgreatonesshouldbemartyred–thosewhohavespenttheirlives

strugglinginthewayofIslamicgoals–andatthehandsofmurdererswhohavewastedtheirlivesinoppressionandblood-sucking."–FromanannouncementattributedtoImamKhomeiniHis namewas SayyidMuhammadBaqir al-Sadr. His ancestry could be traced back to theHoly

ProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhimandhisfamily)throughtheSeventhImam,ImamMusaal-Kadhim(peacebeuponhim).Hewasbornonthe25thofThilHijjah,1353AH(March1,1935CE)inthecityofKadhmiyya,Iraq.SayyidMuhammadBaqiral-SadrlearnedreadingandwritingattheMuntadaal-Nashrelementary

school in the city ofKadhmiyya. Even at a young age, his teachers and peerswere amazed at hisbrilliance and ability to grasp advanced material. His ability was such that he studied most oftheSutooh-levelbookswithoutateacher.WhenSayyidal-Sadrturned12,hestartedstudyingthebookMa'aalimal-Usoolunderhisbrother

Sayyid Ismail al-Sadr. It is said thatwhenSayyidMuhammadBaqir al-Sadrwould object to someaspectsofthebook,hisbrotherwouldsay,"ThesearethesameobjectionsthattheauthorofKifaayatal-Usool(whichisamongthehighest,ifnotthehighest,levelbooksinseminarystudies)hadagainsttheauthorofMa'aalim."SayyidMuhammadBaqiral-SadrthentraveledtotheholycityofNajaftocompletehisIslamicstudies.Whiletheentiredurationofhisstudies,frombeginningtoend,didnotexceedabout18years,this

periodwaslengthyinitsquality.TheSayyidwasalwaysconcernedwithhisstudies,committingallhistimetoseekingknowledge.SomeofSayyidMuhammadBaqiral-Sadr'steacherswereAyatollahSayyidAbulQasimal-Khoei,AyatollahSayyidMuhsinTabatabaial-Hakim,andothers.SayyidMuhammadBaqiral-Sadrbegangivinglessonsbytheyoungageof25,teachingthefirst

roundofIlmal-UsoolinJamadial-Thani,1378AH,andendingitinRabeeal-Awwal,1391AH.HestartedteachingBahthal-Khaarij(externalresearchinIslamicjurisprudence)in1381AH.AfewofhisstudentsweretheMartyrSayyidMuhammadBaqiral-Hakim, theMartyrSayyidMuhammadal-Sadr,andSayyidKamalal-Haidari.Sayyid Baqir al-Sadr believed in the importance and necessity of establishing amature Islamic

government which would govern by the Divinemessage of Islam and reflect all the enlighteningaspectsofIslam.HebelievedthattheleadershipinIslamicworkmustbeanawareMarjaiyyat–onewhich is fullyawareof thecircumstances,hopesandgoalsof theMuslimcommunity.Hewasalsoconcerned about the situationof the Islamic seminary, emphasizing theneed to attract theyouth tostrengthentheseminary.TheSayyidworked to change the curriculum in the IslamicSeminary tobetter suit theneedsof

society, because the old curriculumswere not producing enough scholars in the appropriate timeframe. To help solve this problem, Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr wrote the revolutionarythreeHalaqaat(lessonsinIlmal-Usool).Sayyid Kathem al-Husaini al-Haa'iri has described SayyidMuhammad Baqir al-Sadr as, "…the

prideofhistime…thegeniusofthisage, themiracleofthiscentury…aprincipledjurist,aMuslimphilosopher…hewasaMarja'among theMaraja' of theMuslims inNajaf…he started the IslamicrevolutioninIraqandledituntilhewasmartyred…."In addition to hisworks on jurisprudence,SayyidMuhammadBaqir al-Sadr pennedmanyother

books, including Falsafatuna and Iqtisaduna, ground-breaking works on Islamic philosophy andeconomics.AstheBa'athistswentaboutattackingthereligiousandculturalfabricofIraq,thescholarsofNajaf

responded.AttheforefrontwereSayyidMuhammadBaqiral-SadrandhissisterBintulHuda.Alongwithseveralnotablescholars,includingMartyrSayyidBaqiral-HakimandAllamaMurtadhaAskari,Baqiral-SadrfoundedHizbulDawatulIslamiya,ortheIslamicCallParty,inordertopromoteIslamicvalues and combat the socialist and secularist influences of the government. The party activelycampaigned against the Ba'athists' reign of terror that shortly overtook the entire Iraqi nation.Meanwhile, his sister Amina Bintul Huda, aMujtahidaherself, conducted a literary and academicstruggle against theBa'athists.She established schools forwomen, and shewrotenumerousbooksandarticlesaimedatthewomenofIraqinordertopromoteIslamicvalues.Aftertenmonthsofhouse-arrest,SayyidMuhammadBaqiral-SadrandBintulHudawerearrested

onthe19thofJamaadial-Awwal,1400AH(April1980).OnthenightofApril9,1980,theBa'athistregimecutofftheelectricityfromtheholycityofNajaf

andsentasecurityforcetothehomeoftheircousinSayyidMuhammadal-Sadr.SayyidMuhammadal-Sadrwentwith security force back to their headquarters,where they showed him the bodies ofSayyidMuhammadBaqiral-SadrandBintulHuda.Bathedinblood,thesignsoftorturewereallovertheir bodies. SayyidMuhammadBaqir al-Sadr andBintulHudawere buried in theWadi as-SalamgraveyardintheholycityofNajafthatsamenight.SayyidMuhammadBaqiral-SadrandBintulHudasawoppressionandinjusticearoundthem,and

they spokeupagainst it. In that sense, theywere true followersof ImamHussainandLadyZainab(peace be upon them). Indeed, when Saddam was asked to spare Bintul Huda's life, he instantlyremarked,"Killthebrotherandsparethesister?YouwantmetomakethesamemistakeasYazid?!"And yet, Saddam failed to learn from themistakes of his predecessor. By assassinating Sayyid

Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr and Bintul Huda, he actually helped give fresh blood to the Islamicrevolutionarymovements in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan, and around theMuslimworld. In theirmartyrdom, the two have become icons of the Shia revolutionary spirit. Leaked video footage ofSaddam's execution showswitnesses shouting "LongLive SayyidMuhammadBaqir al-Sadr!"AndplasteredonwallsandbillboardsalloverIraqtoday,SayyidMuhammadBaqiral-Sadr'subiquitousimagecontinuestoechothewordsofIqbal:"ThemurderofHussainisactuallythedeathofYazid.AftereachKarbala,Islamisreborn."

http://ar.electionsmeter.com/%D9%81%D9%8A_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%8A%D9%84/Mohammad-Baqir-al-Sadr-id1272ENG - Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muḥammad Bāqir al-Ṣadr (Arabic: هللا ةیآردصلا رقاب دمحم دیسلا ىمظعلا ) (March 1, 1935 – April 9, 1980) was an Iraqi Twelver

Shi'acleric,aphilosopher,andideologicalfounderofIslamicDawaPartyborninal-Kazimiya,Iraq.Heisthefather-in-lawofMuqtadaal-SadrandcousinofbothMohammadSadeqal-SadrandImamMusaas-Sadr.HisfatherHaydaral-Sadrwasawellrespectedhighrankingshi'acleric.His lineagegoesbacktoMuhammad,throughtheseventhShiaImam,Musaal-Kazim.(SeeSadrfamilyformoredetails.)MuhammadBaqiral-Sadrcompletedhisreligiousteachingsatreligiousseminariesunderal-Khoei

andMuhsinal-Hakimattheageof25andbeganteaching.- لیصافت فرعت BarzaniMassoud?-WhileteachinghebecameaprominentmemberoftheIraqiShiacommunity,andwasnotedforhismanywritings.His firstworksweredetailed critiquesofMarxism thatpresented early ideasof analternativeIslamicformofgovernment.HealsoworkedwithSayyidMohammedBaqiral-HakiminforminganIslamistmovement in Iraq.This attracted the attention of the Baath Party, which resulted in numerous imprisonments for theAyatollah.Hewasoftensubjugatedtotortureduringhisimprisonments,butcontinuedhisworkafterbeingreleased.OneofthefoundersofmodernIslamist thoughtheiscreditedwithfirstdevelopingthenotion,laterputinoperationinIran,ofhavingwesternstyledemocraticelections,butwithabodyof Muslim scholars to ensure all laws corresponded with Islamic teachings. Publicly he was asupporterofAyatollahKhomeni.In1977,hewassentencedtolifeinprisonfollowinguprisingsinNajaf,butwasreleasedtwoyearslaterduetohisimmensepopularity.Uponhisreleasehowever,hewasputunderhousearrest.- نكمیMohammad Baqir al-Sadr ىلع ریثأت اهل Massoud Barzani ? - In 1980, after writing in thedefense of Khomeni and the Islamic Revolution, Sadr was once again imprisoned, tortured, andexecutedbytheregimeofSaddamHussein.Hissister,AminaSadrbintal-Huda,wasalsoimprisoned,tortured,andexecuted.IthasbeenallegedthatSadrwaskilledbyhavinganironnailhammeredintohisheadandthenbeingsetonfire.DuringtheexecutionofSaddamHussein,chantsof"LongliveMohammedBaqirSadr!"wereheardbeingchantedbysomeoftheShi'aguards.

PDFTHECONTRIBUTIONOFMUHAMMADBÄQIRAL-SADRTOCONTEMPORARYISLAMICECONOMICTHOUGHTWILSONJournalofIslamicStudies.1998;9:46-59

Martyral-Sadr(mayHismercybeuponhim)(…SayyidMuhammadBaqiral-SadrwhowasaMuslimintellectualanditwashopedthatIslamcouldprofitmorefromhim.AndIhopethisgreatman'sbooksarestudiedbyMuslims…)ImamKhumayni(mayHebepleasedwithhim),Sahifa-yeNur,vol.14,p.177(…hishonoredsisterwasateacherofthought,ethicsandprideofscienceandliterature…)ImamKhumayni(mayHebepleasedwithhim),Sahifa-yeNur,vol.12,p.56)ABriefAccountoftheMartyrSayyid'sBiographyThemartyrSayyid'sfatherisSayyidHaydaral-SadrwhowasborninSamarra'Iraqin1309A.H.Hewasagrandmarja'(supremereligiousauthority)ofhistime.Hislivelihoodwastoanextentofhumblenessthathisfamilypassedthenightofhisdemisewithoutsuper.HediedinthecityofKazimayn,Iraqin1359A.Hleavingthreechildren:SayyidIsma'il,SayyidMuhammadBaqirandSayyidahAminah(KnownasBintal-Huda).ThemartyrSayyidal-Sadr'smotherwastheAyatullahShaykhMuhammadHassanAlYassin'shonoredgranddaughter;andtheAyatullahShaykh'abd-ulHussaynAlYassin'sdaughter;andthesisterofthegrandAyatullahMuhammadRidaAlYassin,AyatullahMurtadaAlYassinandRadiAlYassin's.

ThemartyrSayyidwasborninthecityofKazimayn,IraqonDhilQu'dah,25,1353A.H/2.3.1933CE.Inearlydaysofhischildhood,hewasdeprivedoffatherhoodandbroughtupbyhiselderbrotherandbonored mother. He completed all hawzah (religious seminary) stages at the age of 25 in 1378A.H/1958CE.Ayearafterthat,hehimselfstartedteachingal-Bahthal-kharij(thetopacademicstage)athawzah.Hisexcellencygotmarriedwithhispaternalcousin(theImamMusaal-SadrandAyatullah

SayyidRidaal-Sadr'ssisterandthegrandAyatullahSayyidSadral-Dinal-Sadr'sdaughter).

Fivechildrenwas theFruitof theblessedmarriage.Theywere:AsoncalledsayyidJafarandfourgirlsthatthreeofthemgotmarriedwiththreesonsofthemartyrmarjaSayyidMuhammadal-Sadr.Recently,twooftheirhusbands(SayyidMustaphaandSayyidMuammal)weremartyredalongwiththeireminentfather.

Hismostimportantactivities:

1.Teachingal-Bahthal-Kharij(atopacademicdegreeathawzah)formorethantwentyyears.

2. Offering intellectual support to Jama't al-Ulama in Najaf at al-Adwa' magazine and otherperiodicals.

3.OfferingintellectualsupporttoUsulal-DinandFiqhcolleges.

4. Innovating a new institxution for marja' iyyat in the Shi'ah world called al-Marja'iyyah al-Mawdu'iyyah(subjectivemajaiyyah).

5.EsteemedworksinEconomy,logic,usul,fiqh,principlesofbeliefs,etc.

6.EsteemedPolitical-intellectualstancesindefenseoftheIslamicRepublicofIran.Itsufficesheretomentionsomeofhisbrave-daringpositionsindefenseofImamKhumayni(mayHebesatisfiedwithhim)aswellastheIslamicRevolutionwhentheIraqiBa'thpartycastitsfearfulshadowoverNajaftoanextent thatpeoplecouldhardlybreathe:1.Urgingsomeofhisstudents toattend the late Imam'slessons.2.PayingvisitstotheImamathishouse.3.SendingadetailedlettertothelateImaminParisin 1357A.H/1978. 4. Delivering lectures, extending congratulations and closing classroom on theoccasion of the Islamic Revolution's Victory, while no other marja could have taken such a duemeasure in Najaf. 5. Calling for his supporters to hold demonstration in support of the IslamicRevolutionandcarryingthelateImam'spictures.6.Writingalettertohisstudentswhohadmigratedto Iran toFully support the late Imamandbeat the serviceof the IslamicRevolution.7.WritingalettertotheIranianArabsofKhuzistanaskingthemtofollowImam'sleadership,assomemysterioushandssought tosowdiscordbetween theArabsand the Islamicgovernment.8.At theoutsetof theIslamic Revolution's victory, he discerned the existence of deviated groups as a danger for theRevolution.Therefore, he started towrite a series of "Islam leads the life" inorder to stablize theRevolution'sidealogicfoundations.Sixissueswerepublished,butunfortunately,hismartyrdomdidnotlettheseriestobecontinued.9.HiscorrespondencewiththelateImam,whentheImamreturnedtoIran.10.HoldingaceremonyincommemorationofmartyrAyatullahMutahhari.

HisArrest:1.RecentdaysofRajab1392A.H./1972CE2.InSafar1397A.H./1977CEfollowingtheSafarriseofIraqipeople.3.OnRajab,17,1399A.HwhichFollowedbyRajabriseofIraqiPeople.4.Eventually,afterseveralabortiveattempts, themartyrSayyidwasarrestedonSaturdayafternoonat14:30Jumadaal-Ula1400A.H/April,5,1980CE.OnApril,8,1980atabout22:00Najaf'spowerwascut.Atmidnight, the Iraqi forces summoned thegrandAyatullahSayyidMuhammadSadiqal-Sadr,themartyrsayyid'spaternalcousin(themartyrmarjaSayyidMunammd,anddeliveredthebloodyandtorturedbodiesofthemartyrandhissister.Attheverymidnight,theywereburiedatWadial-SalamofNajaf.Hisscholarandoppressedsisterwashismostpowerfulcompanioninthiscourse.

AnIntroductiontoHisScholarlyWritings.MartyrSayyidal-Sadr(mayHebepleasedwithhim),likeeveryotherscholar,hadprofoundedthoughtsandhadnotimetoapplythem;ofcourse,regardingthemartyrSayyiditsadoublepity,forhewasmartyredattheageof47.Aboveall,someofhisworkswere robbed by Ba'thist executioners, namely, a book about analysing human thought related tophilosophy of cognition and some other esteemed writings. HisMost Scholarly characteristics 1.Comprehensiveness 2. Perfect comprehension in percieving discussed subjects. 3. Innovation 4.Reguliarity5.Logicalandconscientioustendency.

HisMostImportantWritings

1.Iqtisaduna(oureconomy),2vols.

2.Falsafatuna(ourphilosophy)whichincludesphilosophyofknowledgeandexistence.

3.TheLogicalBasisofInduction,whichincludesamodernperspectiveonphilosophyofknowledgeaswellasanewanswertothephilosophicalproblemofinduction.

4.Discourses in Jurisprudence, four vols.which includes three complete series of©ilmal-usul inthreescholarlylevels.

5. Discourses on Explanation of al-©Irwat al-Wuthqa, four vols. which includes argumentative-jurisprudentialdiscourses.(mayherestinpeace)

Apartof thelateImam'smessageontheoccasionofthemartyrdomofthegrandAyatullahSayyidMuhammdBaqiral-SadrandhisreveredsisterIntheNameofGod,theCompassionate,theMerciful."Surelywe areAllah's and toHimwe shall surely return" theQur©an (2:156)Withmuch regret,according tohis exellencyMr.Minister ofForeignAffairswho received that from several sourcesandMuslim states authorities and according to other sources, the latematyrAyatullahMuhammadBaqir al-Sadr alongwith his revered-oppressed sisterwhowere of teachers of thought, ethics andeminents of knowledge and literature achieved high degree of martyrdom by the Iraq, debasedBa'thist regime in a heart-rending way. Martyrdom is an inheritance which is inherited by theauthorized to these dear personalities. And crime and oppression are also inheritance which isinherited by their oppressive predecessors to these criminals of history.These eminentswho havespenttheirlivesforthecauseofIslamandachievemartyrdombycriminalswhohavespenttheirlivesinblood-suckingandoppression isnotasurprise. It issurpise thatmujahidindie in thewayof theTruth, while the criminal-oppressive do not welter them in blood. In commemoration of thisscholarlyandmujahidfigurewhowasofeminentsofhawzah, religiousanauthoritiesandMuslimintellectuals, I announce three days (fromWednesday,Urdibehesht, 3) asmourning and Thursday,Urdibehesht,4asapublicholiday.MayGodcompensateforthisbiglossandgrantgreatnesstoIslamandMuslims.AndpeacebeupontheAllah'srightservants.Ruhullahal-Musavial-Khumayni2.2.1359S.H/Sahifa-yeNur

17ChapterAyatullahal-Uzmaal-Hajjas-ShaykhMirzaJawadat-Tabrizi-(1926-2007)

AYATULLAHAL-UZMAAL-HAJJASH-SHAYKHMIRZAJAWADAT-TABRIZIwasbornin1926inthe city of Tabriz, Iran. After finishing his secular studies, and reaching the age of eighteen, heenteredatheologicalschoolinhishometown.Withinfouryearsofenteringthis,hemanagedtocompletethepreliminaryandintermediatelevels

of his Islamic studies. In the year 1948, he migrated to Qum and finished other lessons at theintermediate level. In Qum he reached the Kharij level where he attended the lectures of the lateAyatullahal-Hujjat,andAyatullahal-'Uzmaal-Hajjas-SayyidMuhammadHusseinBurujerdi.Asidesfromstudying,healsotaughttheintermediatetoadvancedcoursesofIslamicstudiesinQum.AyatullahMirza Jawad al-Tabrizi thenmigrated toNajaf al-Ashraf andwas fortunate enough to

benefit fromeminentscholarssuchas the lateAyatullahal-SayyidAbual-Hadiash-Shirazi,andthelate Ayatullah al-'Uzma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i, where he reached the level ofIjtihad.Ayatullah al-Tabriziwas invited byAyatullah al-'Uzma al-Hajj as-SayyidAbu al-Qasim al-Khu'itojointheAssemblyofConsultants,whichwasanorganizedgroupofscholarsthatrespondedtothequestionsofthepeople.Ayatullahal-TabrizistayedintheholycityofNajafforabout23years,leavingonlyintheholidays

to do propagation in different countries. He later returned to Iran and began teaching Fiqh(Jurisprudence)andUsul(PrinciplesofJurisprudence)intheIslamicSeminaryofQum,Hepassedawayin2007&isburiedintheqomshrineiniranDetailsofhislife&worksishere..

http://www.tabrizi.orgtabrizi@tabrizi.org

Tel:982517744286,98251-743939,Fax:98251774374

18ChapterAyatullahal-UzmaMarashiNajafi(R.A.)-(1897-1990)

ExtractsofhisWill

FounderoftheLibraryAyatullahal-UzmaMarashial-Najafi(R.A.),theleadingjurist,theGrandMarja

of theShi'ites in theworld, the great preserver of Islamic heritage, renownedjurisprudent,thegreatresearcher,historianandgenealogist. Ayatullah al-Uzma Sayyid Shihab al-Din Hussaini al-Marashi al-Najafi was

bornon20theSafar1315A.H./July21,1897intheholycityofNajaf(Iraq)inafamousreligiousfamilyrenownedforitshighknowledgeandardentfaith.InthebeginninghewastaughtbyhislearnedfatherAyatullahal-UzmaSayyidShamsal-Din Mahmood Husaini al-Marashi al-Najafi (passed away in 1338 lunarHijrah)whowasoneofthegreatestIslamicjurisprudentofthatera. He also learned Qur'anic sciences and its exegesis, fundamentals of

jurisprudence,mathematics, astronomy,medicine, Rijal, Dirayah and theologyfromalargegroupofwell-knownprofessorsintheHawzah(Islamicseminaries)intheholycityofNajaf(Iraq),whichwasoneofthegreatestIslamicseminaryintheIslamicworld.He attained the highest degree of Ijtihad in a short period and be came

renownedamongstthescholarsforhisindepthresearchandalsoforlecturingreligioussciencesintheseminary.Some years later Ayatullah al-Uzma Marashi al-Najafi(R.A.) went to

mashhad(Iran) to perform the ziyarah of Imam Reza(A.S.). On his return hestayedinTehrantopursuehisstudiesandresearches.After a year stay inTehranhedecided tomove to the holy city ofQom to

attendthelecturesofAyatullahal-UzmaShaykhAbdulKarimHaerial-Yazdi,thefounderoftheHawzah(IslamicSeminary)inQom.OnhisarrivalinQomhealsobegan lecturing in the Islamic seminary as well as attended the advancedcoursesinjurisprudencelecturedbyAyatullahalUzmaHaerial-Yazdi.He decided to stay in the holy city of Qom and very soon emerged as a

leadingprofessorintheHawzah.AfterashorttimetheleadingUlamaandprofessorsoftheIslamicseminaryof

QomdeclaredhimastheGrandMarja(religious leader) of theShi'ites in theworld.Millions of theShi'ites in

Iran,Iraq,Lebanon,Kuwait,U.A.E,Bahrain,Pakistan,India,Turkey,Tanzania,Kenya,ZanzibarandtheeasternprovincesofSaudiArabiafollowedhisrulingsinIslamicjurisprudence.Ayatullahal-UzmaMarashi al-Najafi(R.A.)was the leadingprofessor in the

HawzahofQomformore than67years.His lectureseverydaywasattendedby hundreds of Ulama and Tullab (seminary students). He also led the dailycongregationalprayersintheholyshrineofHadratFatimaMasoomah(A.S.)formorethanhalfacentury.Ayatullahal-UzmaMarashial-Najafi(R.A.)dedicatedallhiseffortstowardsthe

progressandadvancementof theHawzah in theholycityofQom.He trainedhundreds of jurisprudents and theologians who later on became famousprofessorsinHawzahandtheuniversitiesinIranandabroad.HewroteoutstandingbooksinalmostalltheIslamicsciences.mostofthem

werewritteninArabicandtheyareasfollows:* Molhaqat al Ahqaq * Al Hashiyah Ala al-Orwat al-Wothqa * Minhaj al-

Momineen*Taqriratal-Qusas*Tabaqatal-Nassabeen*Al-HashiyahAlaKifayahal-Usul*Al-HashiyahAlaAl-Rasail*AlMashhahed

WalMazarat*Aayanal-Marashieen*Al-MoawalFeeAmral-Motawal *Ulamaal-Sada'at *Masarehal-AfkarWa

al-HashiyahAlaTaqriratalShaykhal-Murtuzaal-Ansari

*Al-Fawa'idal-Rijaliyah*Kashfal-Irtiyab*AlMujdiFiHayatSahebal-Mujdi*Rafal-GhashiyahAnWajhal-Hashiyah*Al-RadAlaModdae'ial-Tahreef*TaliqahAlaOmdatal-Taleb*Mushajjarat

AalRasoolAllahal-Akram*RehlahIsfahan,Shiraz,SamarrahWaAzarbaijan.The Prominent Personalities Who Met Ayatullah al-Uzma Marashi Al-

Najafi(R.A.)1)ThefamousIndianpoetRabindranathTagore.2)RashidRaza,theEgyptianauthorofTafseeral-Manar.3) Shaykh al-Tantawi al-Jawhari, the famousEgyptian author of Tafseer al-

Jawaher.4)TheCardinalAl-KermilyfromBaghdad(Iraq).5)HenryCorbin,thefamousFrenchphilosopherandorientalist.6)ShaykhMuhammadBinZebarah,thefamoushistorianfromyemen.OneofthemostfamousandimportantculturalservicesofImamMarashial-

Najafi(R.A.) was the establishment of a grand library in the holy city of Qomwhich has international reputation and prestige to its credit. This library isconsideredasthegreatestculturalheritageinthehistoryofIran.ImamMarashial-Najafi(R.A.) is also famous as "The Greatest Preserver of the IslamicHeritage"intheworld'sscientificcirclesandcentres. After rendering selfless service in the fields of learning, teaching and

disseminatingIslamicculturefornearlyacentury,ImamMarashial-Najafi(R.A.)passedawayaftersufferingaheartattackonWednesday,29August1990.Hewas96yearsofage.OnFriday,31August1990,millionsofdevotedShi'itesfromthroughoutIran

andvariouscountriescarriedtheholyremainsofImamMarashial-Najafi(R.A.)inthehistoricalfuneralprocessionwhichwasattendedbyalltheGrandMarja,Ulama, Tullab, high-ranking government and military officials of Iran anddiplomaticstaffof themanyIslamiccountriesbased inTehran.Asperhis lastwill he was laid to rest at the entrance of the Grand Library which wasestablishedbyhisceaselessand incessantefforts.His lastwill states: "Burymeat theentranceof the libraryso that the feetof the researchersof Islamicsciencesstepbesidemygrave."Library'sDevelopmentStages The first step of constructing the library was achieved when the great

founderwasbusystudyingintheIslamicseminaryofNajaf.Hewasthefirstpersontocompiletheindexofthemanuscriptsandtherare

publishedbookswhichwasconsideredasanoutstandingachievement. ImamMarashial-Najafi(R.A.)usedtosellhisclothesandhishouseholdequipmentstobuybooksandmanuscripts.Hetook lotsofpainandtrouble in thissacredendeavour. He used to avoid eating one of his daily meals in order to savemoneytobuytherareprintedbooksandmanuscripts.Healsousedtoperformthe fastingandNamazof thedeceasedpersonsand themoneypaid for thispiousactswerededicatedbyhimtobuythemanuscripts.Thebookswhichhe inherited fromhis late fatheralsoplayedan important

role in providing the library with books at its initial stage. Imam Marashi al-Najafi(R.A.) migrated from Najaf(Iraq) to Iran in 1342 A.H./ 1923 A.D., andcarriedwith himself all the bookswhich he had bought and inherited inNajafand preserved them in his residence in Qom. He continued collecting andbuyingmanuscriptsandother rareprintedbooks. In1959,hepresented278raremanuscriptsinArabicandPersiantoTehranUniversity'sCollege of Theology and Divinity. He also presented numerous rare

manuscriptsandvaluableprintedbookstomanyoftheleadinglibrariesinIran.Afterestablishing "Marashiyah IslamicSeminary" in theholy cityofQom in

1385A.H./ 1965A.D., he reserveda coupleof roomsof the seminary for thelibrary. That was the turning point in this glorious and shining path ofestablishingagrandlibrary.During the same year the library was inaugurated in the third floor of the

Islamicseminary.Avastcollectionofmanuscriptsandrareprintedbooksweretransferredtothislibrary. The increasing number of researchers who daily visited this librarymade

thissmallbutveryrichlibraryovercrowded.Thus,1000sq.metresofadjoiningland was bought and attached to "Marashiyah Islamic Seminary" in the year1390A.H./1970by ImamMarashial-Najafi(R.A.).On15thShaban1394A.H./1974, the reference section of Ayatullah Marashi Najafi's library wasinaugurated with the collection of 1600 rare manuscripts and thousands of

printedbooksandsoonafteranother500raremanuscriptswereaddedtothetreasuryofthelibrary. Inthecourseof timethe libraryemergedasthecentreof thescholarsand

researchers.Withthegradualincreaseinthenumberofthevisitorsthespaceshortagewasonceagainfeltbythelibrary.In1989,ImamKhomeini(R.A.),thefounderofIslamicRepublicofIranissuedadecreeorderingthegovernmentofthe Islamic Republic of Iran for implementing the plans for the manifoldexpansionof the library inaccording towith themasterplan forexpansionaspreparedbyHojjatal-IslamDrMahmudMarashi,thepresidentofthelibrary.On20thZee-al-Hajjah1410A.H./1989,ImamMarashial-Najafi(R.A.)laidthe

foundation stone of the new grand building. The new building possessessevenstoriesandoccupiesa totalareaof16000sq.meters .Atpresentboththe old and the new buildings of the grand library occupies a total area of21,000sq.meters.MailingAddress:TheGrandLibraryofAyatullahal-UzmaMarashiNajafi(R.A.).AyatullahMarashiNajafi(R.A.)Avenue.P.O.Box.No:37157.Qom,IslamicRepublicofIran.Tel:0098-251-7741970-78Fax:0098-251-7743637Websites:http://www.marashilibrary.comhttp://www.marashilibrary.nethttp://www.marashilibrary.orgE.mail:sm_marashi@marashilibrary.orgTheAims:

Thegreat founderof this libraryestablished thisgrand librarywith theaimofcollecting and preserving the manuscripts for the purpose of research andanalysisbythescholarsandresearchers.Theseaimshavebeenachievedbyimplementingthefollowingmeasures:1 -Establishing thisGreat International IslamicCulturalCentrewhichhelps indevelopinganddescribingthetremendousand extensive scientific achievements of the Islamic culture and civilizationduringthelastfourteencenturies.2 - Creating excellent group discussions and research facilities for theresearchersinthelibrary.3 - Keeping at the disposal of the researchers the valuable manuscriptspreservedinthisgreatcenterwhichexhibitsandmanifests for themthewrittenIslamiccultureandheritage in ifferent fieldsandbranchesofsciencesandarts.Manyoftherare manuscripts have been edited after under going a through process ofextensiveresearchandanalysis.4 -Collectingandpreserving theexquisiteand raremanuscripts in thisgreatcentre.5 -Providing themicrofilms and photocopies of themanuscripts preserved inotherlibrariesoftheworld.6 - Delivering this vast treasure of Islamic heritage preserved in this greatlibrarytothenextgenerationssothattheycanknowabouttheirgloriouspast,culture,civilizationandheritage.7-Thephotocopies,microfilmsandslidesofall themanuscriptspreservedinthislibraryaremadeavailable.Allthesafety measures and the international standards for book-keeping andpreservationarestrictlyimplementedinthislibrary.Library'sDepartmentsandSectionsThis grand library comprises of various departments and sectionswhich aredirectlyadministeredbythepresidentofthe

library. Imam Marashi al-Najafi(R.A.), delegated the administration andmanagementofthelibrarytohissonandchieftrustee,Hojjatal-IslamDrMahmudMarashiabout35yearsago.Thevariousdepartmentsandsectionsofthegrandlibraryareasfollows:A-ThePresident'sOffice:This section comprises of the president's office room, reception room, theprivatesecretary'sroom,assistanceroomandtheofficeroom of the manager of the women's section. The president is the chiefexecutiveofthelibraryandrunstheadministration.Thepresident'sofficeconsistsofvariousdepartmentswhichareasfollows:1-EndowmentsDepartment:This department looks after the administration of all the properties likeresidentialbuildingsandcommercialcomplexesendowedtothegrandlibrarybyphilanthropistsinQom,TehranandIsfahan.2-PublicRelationsandInternationalAffairsDepartment:Thisdepartmentisinchargeoftheinvitationsandreception'stimetablesfortheIranianandforeignguests,releasingthenewsregarding the activities of the library, establishing relations with internationalculturalcentersandlibraries,organizingandmanagingconferences,exhibitions,visits,scientificcompetitions,evaluatingthevisitorsideasandopinionsaboutthelibraryandpreparingthemonthlyandannualstatistics.3-CeremoniesandReceptionDepartment:ThisdepartmentisinchargeofwelcomingandreceivingtheIranianandforeignguests,providingthenecessaryinformationregarding the library's different sections and departments, presenting gifts totheguestsandsoforth.Everyseasonmorethan2000guestsvisitthelibrarywhich also includes more than 200 high-ranking visitors and scholars fromvariouscountries.4-SecretariatDepartment:This department carries out all the internal and external correspondenceduties.5-Women'sDepartment:Thisdepartment takes the responsibilityofassistingwomen researchersandscholarstogetaccesstoscientificsourcesandreferencesavailableinthegrandlibrary.6-CorrespondenceDepartment:This department has the responsibility to post, deliver or exchangebooks tosomeorganizationsorindividualsasapprovedbythepresidentofthelibrary.B-PublicServicesDivisionThissectionisinchargeofrenderingservicestothevisitorsandresearchersinthevarioushallsandreadingroomsofthelibrary.Itconsistsof:1 - Ibn Sina Hall: This hall occupies an area of 2200 sq. meters with 750personsseatingcapacity.Morethan2000personsvisitthishalldailyduringthemorningandeveningworkinghours.2-ExclusiveReadingHallfortheHawzah(IslamicSeminary)Books:

ThishallisexclusivelyassignedforthestudyandresearchofthescholarsandstudentsoftheIslamicseminaries.3-KhajaNasiral-DinTusiAuditorium:This auditorium has a seating capacity of 200 persons and various nationalandinternationalseminarsandsymposiumsareconductedinthisauditorium.

4-ShaykhMufidHall:In this hall local conferences, seminars and academic sessions are regularlyconducted.5-BookExhibitionHall:Inthishallthelibrary'spublicationsaredisplayedforthevisitors.C-ReferenceSection:Thisdepartmenthasthefollowingdivisions:1-ManuscriptsTreasury:ThemanuscriptcopiespresentinthetreasurytilltheendofOctober,2001wasmorethan60,000volumescomprising32,000titlesofbooks.SixtyfivepercentofthesemanuscriptsareinArabicandtherestofthemareinPersian.AfewTurkish,Urdu,Abyssinian,SyriacandLatinmanuscriptsarealsoavailableinthetreasury.Every year about 500-800 other valuable and raremanuscripts are added tothisgreatcollectioneithergiftedorprocured.Thecopiesof theHolyQur'an inKuficscriptbelonging to thesecondcenturyHijrahcomprisestheoldestcopiespreservedinthemanuscripttreasuryofthelibrary.ThemanuscriptcopiesofthirdandfourthcenturyHijraharealsoavailableandtheoldestamongthemistheillustratedcopyoftheHolyQur'ancalligraphedin392A.H./1002A.D.,byAliibnHilalBaghdadialsofamousasIbnBawwab,therenownedcalligraphistofthefourthcenturyHijrah.Tillnow thecatalogueof12,000manuscriptsavailable in the libraryhasbeenpublishedin30volumes.Thecompletecatalogueofthemanuscriptsofthisgrandlibrarywillbepublishedin90volumesseries.2-PhotographsoftheManuscripts:Thissectionpreservesmore than4000photographedcopiesof thepricelessandvaluablemanuscriptsobtainedfromthedifferentlibrariesintheworld.3-MicrofilmSectionIn this section the microfilms of more than 13000 rare manuscripts areavailable.4-DocumentsTreasuryThissectionconsistsofmore thanonehundred thousandwrittendocumentsbelongingtothelastfivecenturies.5-PermanentExhibitionoftheRareManuscripts.6-PermanentExhibitionoftheBooksandDocumentsWrittenbytheFounderoftheLibrary.7-RarePrintedBooksStoreSomeoftherareprintedbooksdatingbacktolastfivecenturiesarepreservedinthisstore.8-RarePetrographyStore9-TheTreasuriesofArabic,Persian,TurkishandUrduBooks.Thetreasuriesofthebooksintheabove-mentionedlanguagesarelocatedinthethreefloorsofthisgrandlibrarybuilding.10-NewspapersandPeriodicalsSection:Inthissectionmorethan2500newspapersandperiodicals inPersian,ArabicTurkishandUrduarekeptatthedisposalofthevisitors.11-OpenReferenceBookStore

12-TheStoreoftheIslamicManuscripts'Cataloguesofthedifferentlibrariesintheworld.13-TheStoreofthePeriodicalsinForeignLanguages.14-TheArchivesoftheForbiddenBooks.15-TheStoreofMapsandGeographicalCharts.16-TheStoreoftheExtraCopiesofthePrintedBooks.17-TheGrandReadingHall.18 - The Special Section for the Research Scholars of the Manuscripts andRareDocuments.19-TheCentreforQomStudies.20-TheCentreforGenealogicalStudies.21-TheCentreforPreparingtheIndexandtheCataloguesoftheManuscripts.22-TheCentreforPublishingtheWorksoftheFounderofthegrandLibrary.23-IslamicManuscriptsEditionandResearchDepartment.D-AdministrativeDepartment:Itincludesthefinancial,staffaffairsandtrainingunits.E-PublicServicesDepartment:It consists of eighteen different sections such as: Computing Services,TelephoneExchange,WirelessConnections,ElectronicMail (e-mail)Services,Publication and Distribution, Conducting Seminars and Exhibitions Affairs,MaintenanceoftheGuestHousesandRestaurants,PurchaseandExcangeofBooks and Reference Materials, Photo Xerox, Office of Technical Advisors,Mirath Shahab Journal Office, Finance Office, Translation Department,Management and Programming Office, Library's Sub-divisions, TechnicalSupportandBuildingSecuritySections.F-BookInformationResearchCentreG-ManuscriptsandDocumentsPreservationUnitThisunitincludesthefollowingsections:1-BookPreservationSection:Inthissectionbooksarefumigatedandmadefreefrompestsandtermites2-BooksandDocumentsMendingSection: This section is the important and sensitivesectionof the library.3 -MicrographicCentre:hiscentrepreserves50millionbooktitles indifferent languagesintheformofminimizedfilms.Thissectionisalsoequippedwithopticalcleanerwhichisinturnconnectedtointernetthroughcomputers. 4 -TheModernLaboratory: It isalsoequippedwithultra-modernand sophisticated equipments such as electronic microscopes which areconnectedtointernetthroughcomputers.H-ExquisiteObjectsMuseumItexhibitsvarioustypesofvaluableandexquisitecompasses,astrolabes,coins,keysetcI-TheCentreoftheEncyclopediaoftheLibrariesintheWorld.Publications1 - Mirath Shahab Journal: A specialized journal in Persian dealing with thestudyofbibliographyanditsrelatedsubjects.ThechiefeditorofthisjournalisDrMahmudMarashi, thePresidentof theGrandLibrary.Tillnow30 issuesofthisjournalhasbeenpublished.2-TheGrandLibrarytilltheendof2002haspublished165titlesofbooks

comprising405volumes.

This grand library also enjoys the rare distinction of preserving the largestcollectionof raremanuscripts in Iranand in this regard italsostands third intheIslamicworld. The library has also published the "Molhaqat Ihqaq al-Haq in 36 volumes

written by Ayatullah al-Uzma Marashi al-Najafi(R.A.), the late founder of thegrandlibrary.In1994,thisbookreceivedthe"BookoftheYearAward"fromthegovernmentofIran.Thelibrary'sworkinghoursforthevisitorsisfrom7A.Mtill9.30P.M.,without

anyinterval.Themembershipcardsareprovidedfreeofcosttotheresearchers,scholarsandstudentsbythesecretariatofthelibrary.Thedailyaveragenumberofvisitorstothelibraryismorethan2000visitors.

19ChapterAyatullahAl-UzamaMohammedAliAraki-(1894-1994)

Birth1894Death1994Age100yrsAyatullahArakibeganhisHawzastudiesinArak,andwasthestudentofmanyprominentscholars

duringthistime,includingSyedJafferSheeshi.Formanyyears,heattendedthe lessonsofAyatullahAl-UzamaNurudinAraki andAyatullahHaeri andgained a tremendous

amountfromthem.AyatullahHaeri had a great fondness forAyatullahAraki; it was the aptitude and the genius of

AyatullahArakithatcaughtthelateAyatullah’sattention.ItwasattherecommendationofAyatullahHaerithatAyatullahArakibecameaRuhani(thisiswhensomeonequalifiestowear

theturbanandtherobe)andmarriedsomeonefromhisownfamily.HismigrationtoQom:After studying for a numberof years in theHawza inYazd,AyatullahAraki followedAyatullah

HaeritoQom,andcontinuedhisHawzastudiesunderAyatullahHaeri’sguidance and supervision. It was also during this very period thatAyatullahAraki got to know

AyatullahKhomeini,andhadintenseloveforhim.AfterImamKhomeini’sexileintheIranianyear1341(approx.1962AD),AyatullahArakialways

usedtosupporthimandstuckpictureuponpictureofImamKhomeinionKhiyabanIram(amainroadinQompassingtheharam).WhenAyatullahArakiwasreturningfrom

MadressaFaiziya,andhiseyesusedtofallonthepictureoftheImam,heusedtosay:“IswearthatifthepersononthispicturewasinKerbala,hewouldhavebecomeamartyronthelapofImamHusseinΒ.WhenheusedtogohomeandnewsofImamKhomeiniusedtobegiventohim,heusedtocrya

greatdeal.HistearsweretearsofloveforthelateImamKhomeini.’AyatullahArakiusedtoteachandputforththemostcomplexofsubjectsforover35yearsinthe

HawzaofQom.Hewasknownfornotbeingrepetitiveandusedtocarefullychoosehiswordsthatwouldbefullofmeaning.After the death of Ayatullah Mohammed Taqi Khonsari, Ayatullah Araki received numerous

requestsfromhis(AyatullahKhonsari’s)studentstoteachthemFiqhandUsulattheDars-e-Kharijleveltowhichheobligedto.Manyoftheoutstandingandprominentteachers

intheHawzaofQomandthoseinchargeofthemovementoftheIslamicRevolutionwerestudentsofAyatullahArakiformanyyears.Duringhisblessedlife,AyatullahArakiwasalso

aMarja-e-TaqleedoftheShiasandwrotemanybooksinthefieldofFiqhandUsul.HewasalsoanImamoftheFridayPrayers.

AYATULLAHAL-U²MAAL-HAJJASH-SHAYKH‘AL«ARAK«wasbornintheearly1890’s,buttheexactdateisnotknownduetothelackofappropriatebirthrecordsatthetime,intheIraniancityofArak.Following his preliminary religious studies, he demonstrated an aptitude to further his Islamic

studies,andcommentedonthescholarlybook,‘UrwatulWuthqasome48yearsago(1952).ThisisabookuponwhichallMujtahidincommentassoonastheyarerecognizedasanexpertinindependenttheologicalstudies,accordingtotheirviews.Atthetimeofhisreviewof‘UrwatulWuthqa,hewasinthe company of such great leaders asAyatullah al-‘U¨maKhunsari, and others. Although hewaslearned and a declared Mujtahid, following the demise of Ayatullah al-‘U¨ma al-Hajj as-SayyidKhusaniandAyatullahal-‘U¨maal-Hajjas-SayyidMu¦ammadHusseinal-Burujerdi,hedidnotopenlydeclarehisMarja’iyyah.HewasoneofImamKhomeini’steachers,havingtaughttheFounderoftheIslamicRepublictheinitialcourseoftheHawzaentitledJami’atulMuqaddamat.Inotherclasses,hewasacontemporaryofthelateImam.Ayatullah al-‘U¨ma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh ‘Ali Araki was a strong encouragement to the Islamic

Republic,andrequentlyguided thegovernmentwheneverrequested. UponthedemiseofAyatullahKhomeini,manyofhisMuqalladinfollowedAyatullahAraki.AtthedemiseoftheGrandAyatullahal-‘U¨ma al-Hajj ash-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khoe’i (May Allah raise his rank), the JamiatulMudarrasin (Councilof theTheologicalSchools) inQumdeclared inacommunique, the topmostMarja’ tobeeitherAyatullahal-‘U¨maal-Hajj ash-Shaykh ‘AliArakiorAyatullahal-‘U¨maal-Hajjas-SayyidMu¦ammadRi¤aal-Gulpaygani,preferringthelater,andonDecember10,1993,followingthe departure of Ayatullah al-‘U¨ma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Mu¦ammad Ri¤a al-Gulpaygani fromthismortalworld,theCouncildeclaredthegrandAyatullahArakitobetheMarja’fortheShi’aworld. AyatullahAraki, up until his death used to lead students of theHawzaFaiziyah in the

congregationalSalat. His teachingwasactive rightup tohishospitalization. ThePresidentof theCouncil,AyatullahIbrahimAmini,inhisFridaysermononDecember10,1993,saidthattheShaykhwas“sincethetimeofthelateShaikh‘AbdulKarimHa’iri(founderoftheQumTheologicalCenter),oneof themost brilliant personalities in the fieldof theology and religious sciences, and a friendamoungtheUlama…”AyatullahY£sufSana’ialsoofQumsaidthattheGrandAyatullahhas“ahighexpertiseinfiqhand

itsdifferenttopicsandalsoisskillfulInmanipulatingtheprinciplemaximsofjurisprudence.”Asforhispiety,AyatullahJawadiAmulimentionedinastatementthattheAyatullahprotectedhis“soulfromwordlydesiresandhisobediencetotheSacredExistenceoftheMasteroftheSeenandUnseen…”ThegrandAyatullahdiedonthe25thofJumadial-Akhar,1994,oneyeartothedayofthe

demiseofAyatullah al-‘U¨ma al-Hajj as-SayyidMu¦ammadRi¤a al-Gulpaygani, andwasburied inQumonThursdaythe27thofJumadial-Akhar.

20ChapterGrandAyatullahMohamedTaqiBehjat(R.A.)-(1915-2009)

Biography&StudiesGrandAyatullahMuhammadTaqiBehjatFumaniwasbornintoareligiousandpiousfamilyin

the year 1334AH (1915CE) inFuman inNorth Iran.& returned back to his lord on 17May09 inQom.Helosthismotherbeforehewas2yearsold.Abouthisfather,MahmoodBehjat,familymembersrelateaninterestingevent.Whenhisfatherwasaround16-17yearsofage,hefellseriouslyillandtheythoughthewouldnot

survive. When the relatives gathered around this youngman, one of the familymembers heard avoice saying,“Do not worry, he will be fine, because he is going to be the father ofMuhammadTaqi.”Afterthisevent,theyouthsoonrecoveredfromhisillness,gotmarriedafewyearslaterandhad several sons. He named his third son Muhammad Taqi in memory of the event of hischildhood.However,ininfancy,thischildfellintoapondandwasdrowned.Hehadonemoresonafterhim,andhealsonamedhimMuhammadTaqi. This lastsongrewuptobethegreatscholarand‘arif,AyatullahBehjat.HisfatherwasareciterofmarsiyasandhewouldoftentaketheyoungAghaBehjatwithhim

tohisrecitals,thusinculcatinginhimadeepandabidingloveforSayyidal-Shuhada(A.S.).Fromayoungageheshowedsignsofgeniusandagreatthirstforacquiringknowledge.Afterhis

primary studies, he went straight into religious studies, and at the age of 14, he moved toKerbala.FouryearslaterhecametothefamousseminaryofNajaf,wherehehadanopportunitytostudy under some of the best teachers and scholars in the Muslim world. HestudiedUsul underGrand Ayatullahs Abu’l Hasan Isfahani, Mirza Na’ini and ShaykhMuhammadHasan Gharawi Isfahani (known as Kumpani), and Fiqh under Ayatullah Mirza Muhammad TaqiShirazi.He studied the philosophical texts of Ibn Sina andMulla Sadraunder Ayt. S. HasanBadkubeyi.Atthesametimeasattendingtheintermediateandhigherlevelsofreligiousstudies,hewasvery

meticulous in his pursuit of spiritual and mystical instruction. In this regard, his teacherswere Ayatullah Muhammad Hasan Isfahani and Ayatullah Sayyid Abdu’l Ghaffar, and finally, theGodly scholar, the matchless instructor, the giant amongst spiritual masters,Ayatullah Sayyid AliQadhi Tabataba’i. He remained with his last teacher for many years, learning from him thesecretsofthehigherpathsofAkhlaqand‘Irfan.15yearslater,hereturnedtoIranandsettledinQum.Here,inthecompanyofAyatullahKhomeini,

AyatullahGulpayganiandothergreatfuturefigures,hecontinuedhisstudiesunderGrandAyatullahBurujerdi.HisCharacterandQualities

1.PietyandSelf-BuildingFromhisyouth,AghaBehjatwasconstantlyengagedinself-purificationandself-building.Inhis

ethicalinstructions,healwaysinsiststhatoneshouldworkhardatthistaskandforegoandabandonmanyluxuriesinordertomakeheadwayagainsttheendlessdemandsofthesoul.Heisoftheopinionthatinordertosucceedinthisjihadal-akbar,ethicalpurity(akhlaq)and

knowledge(‘ilm)gohandinhand.Infactheconsidersknowledgewithoutself-purification,tobethemoredamagingthananythingelse.Hisfamousadvicetoyouthsis‘toreadandpractiseonehadithdailyfromtheChapterofJihadal-nafsinWasailal-Shi’aofShaykhHurral-Amili.[1]By his deeds andwords, this great scholar has always directed himself toGod alone. A great

mujtahidhassaidaboutAghaBehjat,“Itcannotbejustsaidabouthimthatheisamanofpiety;infactheisthetrueessenceandmanifestationoftaqwa.”AyatullahShaykhJavadKerbalayisaysabouthim,“Oneofhisclosestudents(inNajaf)reportsthat

everynight,orinfactatmosttimes,AghaBehjatsitsalone,deepinthoughtandcontemplation.Heneverwastesamomentofhis time,anddoesnotparticipate invaingatherings.When the timecomesforhisclass,orhisziyaratofAmirulMu’mineen(A),hegetsupabruptly,putsonhiscloakandleavesthehousewithoutinterferingintheactivitiesofothers.Heisextremelyreservedanddoesnotliketorevealanythingabouthimself,especiallyaboutthespecialfavoursandextraordinaryspiritualpowersthatGodhasgrantedhim.”2.HisAsceticism(Zuhd)andSimpleLifestyleThecloseservantsofGodalwayslookattherealityofthisworld,contrarytootherhumanbeings

whose eyes are fixed on its pleasures and luxuries. By foregoing material comforts, they attainspiritualstrength,andwhiletherestofthepeoplestumbleinthisdarkworld,theseawliyasoarintheilluminatedheightsinproximitytoGod.AghaBehjatisoneofthemostglowingexamplesoftheseawliyainourtimes.Heisamystic

andscholarwhohasalways livedasimple life,withouttheremotestmaterialattachments. Hehasunderstoodmorecompletelythanotherstherealityofthisworldandtheworthlessnessofitspleasures.Helivesinasimple,smallandoldhouseandhasresistedthemanyoffersfromrelativesandwell-

wisherstomovetomorecomfortableaccommodation.AyatullahMisbahsays,“Formanyyears,hehas lived ina rentedhousewith tworooms.Oneof theroomshasacurtain,whichhewoulddrawwhen we would visit him. On the other side of the curtain his family would carry on with theirhousehold chores.Wewould sit on one side of this curtain and benefit greatly from his wisdom.Althoughsimple,theatmospherewasalwaysfullofaspecialnurandspirituality…”AyatullahMas’udisays,“Manytimespeoplewouldsincerelyoffertopurchaseabetterhouse

forhim,buthewouldnotagree. Imyself toldhim,“Agha!Thishouse isdamaged,Idoubt ifeventheshariaallowsforamantoliveinthissortofaccommodation!”,buthewouldnotpayanyattention.”.3.HisWorship

AghaBehjat’sstudentsreportthathehasaspecialclosenesstoGod,thatisimmediatelyevidentinhismanner ofworship. Thosewhohave prayed behindhimhave described it ‘as a spirituallyupliftinganduniqueexperience’.Infact,theFatimiyyahmosqueattheendoftheGuzarkhanmarket,wherehehasledprayersthreetimesadayforthelast40years,isalwaysfullatprayertime.Highranking scholarsmake a special effort to come and pray behind him. Allamah Tabataba’i wouldcomeheretopray.AlmostassoonasAghaBehjatbeginshisprayer,tearsflowfromhiseyes-frequentlyhehas topausebecausehisvoice ischokedwithemotion- such ishisawe inGod’spresence.Oneof the scholars remarks, “In the early days,AghaBehjatwouldgo to theundevelopedpart

of Qum, past some farms, and recite his evening prayers with some companions in that remotelocation.Oneday,afterthemaghribainprayers,hecommented,“Ifonlythekingsofthisworldrealisedhowmuchpleasurea servantexperiences inworship, theywouldneverevenglanceattheworldlydelights…”Ayatullah Shaykh Javad Kerbalayi says, “Agha Behjat never misses his late night prayers

(namaze-shab)andspendsalongtimeweepinginthemiddleofthenight,especiallyonthenightprecedingFriday.”Ascholarreports,“IcameuponhimoneThurdaynightinMadressay-e-SayyidinNajaf.Isawhim

weepingandcryinginprostration.Hewasrepeatinginabrokenvoiceoverandover,“Ilahi!Manlighayruk,asaluhukashfadhurri,wan-nazarafiamri?!(MyLord!WhohaveIgotbesidesYou,WhoIcanaskforreliefandsupport?)”.4.HisZiyaratandTawassul(SalutingtheAhlulBayt(A.S.)Despitehisadvancedyears,thedailyroutineofAghaBehjathasremainedunchanged.Earlyevery

morning(exactlyat7.00am),hepresentshimselfattheshrineofLadyFatimaMasuma(A.S.)topayhisrespectsandsendsalutations.Withthegreatestofhumility,hestandsnearherZarih,andrecitestheZiyarateAshuraofImamHusain(A.S.).SayyidMuhammadHuseinTehrani,inhisbook,Anwaral-Malakut,quotesAyatullahShaykhAbbas

Quchani, the great scholar and spiritual successor of the famousMirza Ali Qadhi Tabataba’i, asnarrating:“WhilehewasinNajaf,AghaBehjatwouldoftengotoMasjid-eSahlahandspendwholenights alone there inworship and contemplation. On one very dark night, when the lights in themosquewerenotliteither,heneededtogoouttorefreshhiswudhu.He went out of the mosque towards the wudhu area to the east of the mosque. Suddenly he

experiencedsomeanxietyandfear,perhapsdueto the totaldarkness.Immediately,a lightappearednexttohim,bywhichhecouldclearlyseehisway.Thislightaccompaniedhimwhilehewentout,madewudhuandreturnedtohisplaceinthemosque.Thenitdisappeared.”.5.HishumblenessOneofhisnoticeabletraits ishishumblenessandsimplicity,despitehis fameandstatusasa

leadingcontemporaryscholarandjurist. Formanyyearshehadrefusedtoprinthisreligiousedicts (tawdhih al-masail) and he only agreed after much pressure. When he is scheduled tolectureherequeststhathisnamenotbementionedasthelecturer.A scholar reports, “Once Iwentwithmy guest, ShaykhNasrullahLahuthi, to visitAghaBehjat.

AghaLahuthisaid tohis teacher,“Agha! Iwas inMashhadandsomeonewascriticisingyou,andIbecame very annoyed.” Agha Behjat responded, “We have reports in the ahadith, that if ascholar pays toomuch attention to worldlymatters, then he will be criticized by others.” Iremember thinking, “If thewayAghaBehjat lives is called “paying toomuch attention toworldlymatters”,thenwhataboutus!”6.HisMysticalWayfaring(sayrwasuluk)andhisSpiritualStationAyatullahBehjat hasmanydecades of experience inmysticalwayfaring, the special journey

throughestablishedstationsthatthesoulundertakestoattainproximitytoGod.Heisoneoftheoutstandingpupilsof thegreatmaster,AyatullahSayyidAliQadhiTabataba’i andhad receivedspecialinstructionsfromhisteacher.Evenasayouth,hehadpassedmanystationsofthespiritualpath.Hiselevatedrankinthesemattersiswellknownbyotherswhotravelthispath;immediately

after the revolution, one of the first scholars thatAyatullah Khomeini visited was AyatullahBehjat inQum. Similarly,whenAyatullahKhamene’i assumed the position of Rahbar, he firstcametoAghaBehjatinQumforspiritualinstructions.7.HisAwarenessoftheUnseen(Ghayb)andhisWondrousActs(Karamat)Unlike themajorityofmen,whohaveno ideaof the existenceorhappeningsof theunseen

world, Ayatullah Behjat has reached a station, by the grace of God, where he frequentlywitnessestheeventsthatoccurinthatworld.In fact, a reminderof this ability ishis constant repetitionof theDivinename“al-Sattaar” - the

Concealer. This dhikr and tasbih is constantly on Agha Behjat’s lips, whether he is walking orsitting. Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi says in this regard, “It seems that he is at the level where hewitnessesmanythingsfromghayb.Oftenheisawareoftherealnatureandinnersecretsofthosewhositaroundhim,andheinvokesGod,whoistheConcealerofdefects-al-Sattaaral-‘Uyub, sothatthesecretsofthepeoplearoundhimmaybeconcealedfromhim.”ThisisusuallythewayofthesecloseservantsofGod.Theirhumblenessissuchthat theywould

notliketodisplayanything,ordoanything,thatwillbringaboutevenatraceofprideinthemselves.Andinreturnfortheirutterhumility,Godgrantsthemevengreaterinsightandstatus.ThereisnodoubtinthemindsofthosewhoknowAghaBehjatwell, thatheisoneofthosefor

whommany secrets are revealed. AyatullahMisbah says in this regard, “Those who have beenaround him for many years have seen things that he has done or said that are trulyextraordinary.He sometimes says something that seemsquitenormal, but on later contemplation,onerealisesthatitwasduetosomespecialknowledgethathepossessed.For example, when ImamKhomeini was in exile in Turkey, many of his students would make

statements inhisdefenceandget into troublewith thegovernment.Theywouldbe imprisonedandfrequentlytortured.IrememberdistinctlywhenAghaJannatiwascapturedandnooneknewwherehehadbeentaken.ImentionedittoAghaBehjat,whosaid,“Inshallah,youwillsooninformmeofhis release.” Of course, somemight say thiswas just a prayer, but in fact, he did notmake suchstatementsabouteveryprisoner.Manytimeswewouldsay,“prayforsoandso,”buthewouldremainsilent.Justashehadpromised,AghaJannatiwasreleasedsoonwithouthavingbeenhurt.”

Oneofhisstudentssays,“Mywifewasexpectingachild.ItwasthemonthofRamadhan,andIwantedtogoonajourney,soIcametoAghaBehjattosaygoodbye.Heturnedtomeandsaid,“Inthismonth,youwillbeblessedwithababyboy,namehimMuhammadHasan.”Thisisexactlywhattranspired.”TherearemanysuchepisodesthatpeoplehaverelatedabouttheirencounterswithAghaBehjat.AghaBehjathimselfdislikesalotoffussmadeabouttheseepisodesbuthisstudentsoccasionally

narratethemsothemu’mineenmayrealisethatthereexistinourtimescertainindividuals,towhomGodhasgrantedspecialfavours.Certainly, for the one who sincerely strives in God’s way, then He Himself becomes their

guide, “And (as for) those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in Ourways.(Ankabut,29/69)”DrinkingfromtheFountainoftheWisdomofAyatullahBehjatIn this section we will examine several examples of the advice and replies of Agha Behjat to

questionsaboutdifferentmatters.1.Howtocounterandcureriya(showingoffortryingtoimpressotherswhileengagedinacts

ofworship)A student in theHawza ofQum relates thatAghaBehjatwas once asked, “Sometimes a person

decidestoperformavirtuousactsincerelyforGod,butShaytanconvertshisintentionandthepersonstartstothinkinsteadabouthowpeoplewillbeimpressed,howhewillbecomepopular,etc.,whenheperformstheact.Arethesethoughtscountedasriya,anddotheynullifyhisvirtuousactandmakeitworthless?”AghaBehjat stated in reply, “Riya is only relevant in acts ofworship (‘ibadat). And any act of

worshipthathasriyaassociatedwithitisasin,anditmakestheactnullandvoid.However,riyaitselfcanbecomeacounterandcureforriya,bysimplychangingthefocusofwho

oneistryingtoimpress!Ifamancanapproachapresidenttosortouthisproblemdirectly,wouldhewastetimeintryingtoconvincethepresident’sservants?Inthesamemanner,ifamanhassense,hewouldraisehissightsfromthepeople,andattempttoimpressandperfecthisactionsforGod,whoistheCreatorofman-thisattitudewoulditselfbecomethecureforhisriya.”At another time, he said, “About riya, there is ahadith that says, “Whoever tries to impress the

peoplebyhismannerofprayers (salat),willbe resurrected in the formofadonkey.” And this isquite true becausewhat can bemore donkey-like than aman trying to impress the slaves ofGodinstead of directing his attention to God Himself?! Now, if someone calls us a donkey, we feelinsulted,butwhyshouldwefeelinsulted,ifnightanddayouractsresemblethoseofadonkey?”2.Theconditionsnecessary toobtainpresenceofheartandpleasure fromactsofworship,

especiallysalat.OneofhisstudentssaysthatAghaBehjatwasasked,“Ourliveshavepassedawayandwestillhave

notexperiencedpleasure(halaawa,lazzat)fromourworship,especiallysalat.What isyouradvice

sothatwecantastesomeofthepleasuresthatourinfallibleleaders(A)havedescribed?”Theesteemedmasterreplied,“Thisissomethingthatwewouldallliketoexperience!”Thestudent

replied, “Please,Agha, you have a high status in thesematters,whilewe are empty-handed.Whatshouldwedo?”AghaBehjatagaingaveamodestreply,saying,“PerhapsyourownstatusisonethatIenvy…”.However, the studentwas insistent, and soAghaBehjat replied, “This pleasure that you seek in

worship has two prerequisites; one outside salat, and one withinsalat itself. What is necessarybeforesalatandoutsideofitisthatapersonabstainstotallyfromsin,anddoesnotblackenhisheartwith the disgrace of disobedience, because sin will rob his heart of light. As for the secondrequirement,within the salat itself amanmust create a barrier around himself so that no thoughtotherthantheremembranceofGodcanenter.HemustnotallowhisthoughtstostrayawayfromGodevenforaninstant.[Inthismanner,youwillachievewhatyouseek.]”To another scholar who asked a similar question, he responded, “In order to achieve absolute

control of one’s thoughts in salat, and to acquire presence of heart, the groundwork must beginoutsideandpriortosalat.Onemustcontrolone’sfivessensesduring thedayandbecarefulaboutwhatheallowshimselftoobserve,hear,eatetc.Thiswillenablehimtoachievepresenceofmindandheartinsalat.”Toayoungstudent,hesaidinreplytothesamequestion,“Neverknowinglyletyouthoughtsdrift

awayfromGodinsalat.”3SincereintentionandharmonybetweenknowledgeandactionHewasaskedbyascholar:“Agha, what should we bear in mind so that our intention in wearing the amamah (turban) is

sincere?”Hereplied:“Yourcriterion inyouractsmustbeAllah swt’sreligion.Alwaysaskyourselfwhetheryour

wordsanddeedsconformwiththeshari’aornot.Youshouldmaketheniyyatthattheknowledge(‘ilm) that you possess andwill gain in the future,will always be translated into actions. In otherwords,thereshouldbeperfectharmonybetweenwhatyouknowandwhatyoudo.Thegreatestmisfortuneiswhenscholarsactwithoutproperknowledgeorpossessknowledgebutdonotactuponit.Somakeafirmresolvethatyourknowledgeandactionswillbeharmonious.”AnotherstudentreportsthatAghasaidtohimaboutthesamematter:“An‘alimwhodoesnotactonhisknowledgeis likethecandlethat illuminatesthepathfor

othersbutitselfburnsaway.”4.TrustandrelianceonAllahswtAyatullahMisbahnarratesthatAghaBehjatoncesaidtohim:“OnedayIwassittinginmyroomandcouldhearthevoicesinthestreetoutside.Iwentoutand

sawthatmyneighbour ’ssonwasplayinginthestreetwhenabeggarapproachedhimsaying,“Iamaneedyperson.Canyoupleasegointoyourhouseandgetsomethingforme?”

Theboyreplied,“Whydon’tyouaskyourmotherifyouwantsomething?”Thebeggarsaid,“Idon’thaveamother.Yougoandaskyourmothertogivemesomething.”AghaBehjatremarked,“Iwasstruckbythisconversationandtheinnocenceofthechildwhohad

somuchtrustandfaithinhismotherthathefeltthatshecouldsolveanyproblem.Andthenhesaid,‘IfonlywecoulddevelopthesameabsolutetrustandrelianceonAllahswtthatthischildhadinhismother.IndeedallourproblemswouldbesolvedifonlywesincerelyturnedtoHimforallourneeds!”5.IfweconstantlythinkofImam-eZamana(A.S.),wouldhenotthinkofus?AghaQuddusrecallsthatheonceaskedAghaBehjat:“MypresenceinthevillagewhereIhavegonefortableeghwasveryproductive.Thepeoplehave

respondedpositively,treatedmewithrespectandheededmyreligiousadvice.However, they are very poor and themoney that they giveme in themonths ofMuharram and

Ramadhan isvery little. Inotherplaceswhere Icango, thepublic isnot so receptive,but theypaymore.”AghaBehjatreplied,“Ifyoumakean intentiontoenter intotheemploymentofImamMahdi

(A.S.),doyouimaginethathewillnotlookafteryou?”6.CareinnarratingtraditionsAghaQuddusnarratesthatoncehewasrecountinghisprogramandtableeghiactivitiesperformed

duringthemonthofRamadhantoAghaBehjatandhesaid:“IdonotgoonthepulpitinthedaytimeinthemonthofRamadhanandonlydelivermytalksand

lecturesatnight.”AghaBehjataskedhimwhy,andhereplied,“BecauseIhavesomedoubtsaboutcertainahadiththat

IreciteandIamafraidthatiftheyareincorrect[thenmyfastswillbecomeinvalid].”AghaBehjatstated:“Thenatnightareyoucertainaboutthesetraditionsthatyoufeelconfidentin

repeatingthem?”AghaQuddus says: “I realised that he disapproved ofmy actions and was advisingme to be

certainofthefactsbeforeIrepeatedthemtoothers.”7.TablighbyAction(andnotonlywords)Hujjatu’l IslamLutfi says: “One day, after themorning prayers I approachedAyat. Behjat and

requestedhimtogivemesomeadvice”. He said, “kunu du’atan nasi ilallahi bighayri alsinatikum” [2]“Call people to Allah swt with

somethingotherthanyourspeech.”Iunderstoodthatalthoughasascholar,myresponsibilitywastoengageintabligh(propagatingthe

faith),Aghawantedtodrawmyattentionthatthebesttablighwasnotthatwhichwasdeliveredfrompulpits,butthatwhichwasdemonstratedbyconduct.

8.StayingawayfromSinAyat.ShaykhJawadKerbalai,thegreatscholarofakhlaqremarks:“I had a great benefit from themany years that I studied underAyat.Behjat. In that time I also

witnessed first-hand many of the wondrous gifts that he has been granted. Among his words ofwisdomIrecall:Healwaysinsistedthatnoprogresscouldbemadewithoutabandoningsin.Heusedtosay,“The

great and special bounties of Allah are available freely to all His true servants, the onlyrequirement is thatapersonhas toqualify for thesegifts. Theonlyway toqualify for thesespecialfavoursisbyabandoningthedisobedienceofAllahswt.Ofcourse, theremustbesomecommitment toattainproximity toAllahswtaswell.Themorea

personknowsthestationofGod(attainsma’rifat)andthemorehelovesHim,themoreimportantitistoavoideverysin,evenminoronesandevenlossofconcentrationinHispresenceinworship.It is because some servants reach this stage of proximity that it is said, “hasanaatu’l abrar,

sayyiatu’lmuqarrabeen”,or“thevirtuousactsoftherighteouspeopleare(only)ordinaryactsforthecloseservants”.”OnceastudentwhohadonlyrecentlyjoinedthehawzaaskedAyatBehjat:“Ihavecometothehawza toattainknowledge. WhatshouldIdosothatIcanbecomeaproper

scholar?” Ayat. Behjat lowered his head and remained silent for a while, then he said, “There is no

differencebetweenahawza student andanybody else. What is important is thathedoesnotcommitasin.”On another occasion hewas asked:“What is thebestdhikr (invocation)?” He replied, “In the

opinionofthissimpleservant,thebestdhikristhedhikrofaction!WhatImeanisrefrainingfromsinfulbeliefs (aqida)andsinfulconduct (‘amal).Goodnessand truesuccesswillonlycomefromthisway.”In a letter, he was asked how one could attain proximity to God and also gain closeness to

Hiskhalifah,theImamofourtime(AF).Hereplied:“Bismihita’ala.Refrainfromsinandpraythesalatattheexacttime.”9.TheSecretofSalaatAyatBehjathassaid:“Namaz(Salaat)symbolizestheKa’ba.TheTakbirarut’lIhramstandsforcastingasideeverything

other than Allah swt and entering His haram (sanctuary). TheQiyam represents a conversationbetween two friends. The Ruku’ symbolizes the bowing of a slave in front of his master andtheSajdahistheultimatedisplayoflowliness,humilityandhelplessnessinfrontoftheMaster.AndwhentheslavereturnsfromsuchaNamaz,thesouvenirhebringsbackisthegreetingofpeace(salaam)fromhisLord…”

10.StayingAwakeatDawn(Sahr)andintheNightAyat.Ahmadisays:“AyatBehjatalwaysadvisedustostayawakeinworshipbetweendawnandsunriseandtorise

inthenightforprayer,(Namaz-e-Tahajjud/SalaatulLayl).Heevensaid,“Iactuallybelievethatitwasthroughtheseverytwoacts that theProphet(S)acquiredhisperfectgnosis(ma’rifat)ofAllahswt.”OnceIaskedhimaboutthehadithoftheImams(A.S.)that“WeeagerlyawaitThursdaynightsso

thatthegatesofAllah’smercyareopened.We,thefamilyoftheProphet(SAWW),areblessedwithanincreaseinourknowledgeoneveryThursdaynightandeverynightofQadr.”Ayt. Behjat replied: “Indeed, these are special times when the mercy of Allah swt is especially

available. Andoneof thebest of times is the sahr (dawn). Andhe repeated thesewords “sahr,sahr”severaltimes.”Ayat.Behjat relates fromhis teachers thatwhenever theydesired toreceivegreater favour

and understanding from Allah swt, they would take advantage of the solitude, peace andabundantblessingsthatisavailableinthedepthsofthenightandatdawn.Atthesetimes,onecanformaconnectionwithGodthatisnoteasilypossibleatothertimes.11.TheFirstStepsintheJourneytoGod(SayrIlallah)AyatBehjathassaid:“ThefirststepinthejourneytowardsGodandinattainingHisproximityisforaservanttorealise

thathehasallowedagulftoformbetweenhimselfandhisMaster.Hemustensureatallcoststhathedoesnotallowthisgulftowidenandthismustbehisfirstgoal.Whenhehasputthatcontrolinplace,thenhemaybeginthepracticesthatwillgraduallydrawhimcloserandclosertohisLord.”12.TheValueofContemplationandThoughtAghaShahiremarks:“AyatBehjat is constantly stressing the importance of controlling one’s tongue andmaintaining

silence. He would say, “We must control our speech. We should spend 23 hours of the day incontemplationandthought,andonlyonehourinspeech;infact,ofteneventhatistoomuch.13.BeinginaStateofConstantDhikrAyt. Behjat often advises his students to inculcate the habit of being da’im al-dhikr, i.e.

remaininginconstantremembranceofAllahswt.Hehassaid,“Someonewhoisconstantlyindhikr,willalwaysperceivehimselfinthepresenceofAllahswtandwillbecontinuouslycommunicatingwithHim.”For those who want to combat waswasa, (constant suspicion of the motives of others), he

recommendshighlytocontinuallyrecitethe“tahlil”,whichisthedhikr,“LaIlahaIllallah”.Anothergreatcontemporaryscholar,Ayt.HasanHasanzadehAmulihasremarkedthattahlilisal-

dhikr-al-khafi (secretdhikr); i.e. it canbeconstantly repeatedwithoutanyoneelsebeingawareofwhat you are doing, because this dhikr can be pronounced without even moving the lips, unlikeotherdhikrslike“Subhanallah”orAlhamdulillah”!14.NotConsideringone’sownVirtuousDeedsas‘Significant’UstadKhusrushahirelates:Ayt.Behjatalwaysconsidersthevirtuousdeedsandtheworshipthat

heperformsasinsufficient.Heoftensays,“Howgooditwouldbethatwhenapersonperformsvirtuousdeedsandactsof

worship,hesaystohimself,“Ihavedonenothinggreat”,butwhenheseesthevirtuousactsofothers,headmiresthem,thinking,“whatanobledeedtheyhaveperformed.”The Ustad concludes, “In other words, his advice is to consider one’s own virtuous acts as

insignificant,whileregardinghighlythegooddeedsofothers.”15.GettingtheSealofApprovalofImamal-Asr(AF)AytBehjatonceadvisedthestudentsofhawza:“Westudentsshouldconstantlybethinkingabout

howwecanearnthesealofapprovalofourmaster,theWalial-Asr(AF).Allstudents,whetherjuniororgraduatesorpreachers,shouldbeconcernedabouthowtheylearn

theirlessons,whatshouldtheirattitudebeandhowtheyshouldconductthemselves.They shouldcontinuallyask themselves if theirattitude, conduct, speechandactionswould

pleasetheirmasterwhentheyarepresentedtohimandwouldheapproveofthem.Ayt.Behjatsaysthat:“Ifthisthoughtisalwaysatthebackofourminds,wewillneverstrayin

ourconduct,speechordeeds.”16.ThePurposeofHigherIslamicStudiesAyt. Behjat greatly encourages students who are pursuing higher Islamic studies and frequently

advises junior students also by saying, “Whenever you learn something new, immediately applythisknowledgetoimproveyourwajibactsandtohelpyouinstayingawayfromsinfulacts.Hewould remind them of the hadith, “man ‘amila bima ‘alima, warrathahu’llahu ‘ilma ma laya’lam”,whoeveractsonwhatheknows,Allahswtwillteachhimwhathedoesnotknow.[3]17.ItistheProximitytoAllahswtthatmatterintheendTo senior students, his words are more thought provoking. One of his students recalls, “I

remember once when I was accompanying him from his house to the mosque where he led theprayers.AytBehjatturnedtomeandasked:“Astudentstartswith“muqaddamat”(introductorylessons) and then studies the “ma’alim” and “mughni” and then where does he go next?” I said,“lum’ah”.Heasked,“thenwhat?”Isaid,“makasib”.Heasked,“thenwhat?”Isaid,“kifayah”.Heasked, “then what?” I said, “Dars al-kharij”. He asked, “then what?” I said, “Heattainsijtihad”.Onceagain,heasked,“thenwhat?”

Thestudentcontinues,“Thiswasagreatlessontome.Irealisedthatknowledgeitselfwasnot

thegoal;itwasonlythemeans(toachievethegoal)i.e.togaintheproximityofAllahswt.Ifateveryoneofthesesuccessivestages,thestudentdidnotachieveevenalittlemoreproximitytoAllahswt,thenhehasnotprogressedmuchatall.”18.HowtoTrainone’sSoul(Tahdhibal-Nafs)Once,somehawzastudentsfromLebanonrequestedAyt.Behjatforspiritualandakhlaqi(moral)

advice.Hereplied:“Oneofthemostbeneficialactionsinthesemattersistositwithyourfellowstudentseverydayandstudyonehadith fromthechapter jihadal-nafsof thebookWasailal-Shi’a ofShaykhHurral-Amili. [4]Of course, thehadithmust be discussed properly, ponderedover carefully and then transformed intoaction.Thiswill be a spiritual tonic thatwithinoneyear,willtransformanindividualinawaythathewillhimselfseethechange.”19.TheStatusofSupplication(Du’a)Ayt.Behjatbelievesthatdu’ahasaverygreatstatusandinsiststhatdu’agovernstheoutcomeof

everystageofourlives.UstadHadawirelates:“MydaughterwasveryillandIcametoAyt.Behjatandaskedhimtopray

for her. He told me, “You yourself recite the following du’athree times every day: “Allahummaishfihabi shifaa-ika,wadaawihabidawaa-ika,wa ‘aafihabi ‘aafiyatik”“OAllah, cureherwithYourcure,andtreatherwithYourmedicine,andrestoreherhealthwithYourstrength”.Then,afterthethirdtimesay:“Bi’lImami’l-Kazim(A.S.),fainnahaamatukawabintu‘abdik”.“BythesakeofImamal-Kazim(A.S.),forsheisyourservant,andthedaughterofyourservant.”AndthisconcludesthesectiononthisgreatscholarandcloseservantofAllahswt(mayAllah

swtprolonghislife,Ameen).Condensedfrom“BargiazDaftar-eAftaab”,ALeaf fromtheBookofRadiance(Aboutthe

LifeofAyatullahBehjat).AJ260106.

[1]ThisisnowtranslatedintoEnglishasCombatwiththeSelf,availablefromICASPress.[2][1]Usulal-Kafi,vol.2,p.77-quotingimamal-Sadiq(A).

[3]Biharal-Anwar,vol.78,p.189.[4]ThischapterhasbeentranslatedintoEnglishandisavailablefromtheIslamicCollegefor

AdvancedStudies(ICAS)Press,London.

=========================================================================================Uswatal-Aarifeen-ALookattheLifeofAyatullahBahjatbyYasin

JibouriDownloadentire10chaptersWordzipfile

Asummaryofwhathasbeenwrittenabout thegreatgnosticAyatullahBahjat. It includesanecdotesfromhislife,histeachingsandtheviewsofothers.

http://al-islam.org/action.php?action=go&id=15448INTRODUCTION

Praise is due toAllah, Lord of theWorlds. Praise toAllahWho sent, from the gardens ofHisMercy,trustees:messengerstoguidepeopletothestraightpath.ThenHemadeImamateandWilayatafountainheadfromwhichthirstysoulsdrink.ThenHegranted,fromthemountainofHisgenerosity,abundanceoffiqhaftertheabsenceofHisgreatestwali(as)sotherighteousremnantfromamongtheseekersofthetruthmayquenchtheirthirstfromit.Sincethatday,hundredsofyearshavepassed.Duringthem,manydivinetheologianscame

andwentby;eachoneofthemwaslikeatorchthatlitthepathforthosewhotreadit.Someofthemearnedfame,theirnamebecameprominent,whereassomeofthemremainedunknownacrossthesecenturies. As regarding thecreed's faqihs, theyhadanotherpullwhen theymixedbiographies in

thefiqh-relatedviewswiththeconductintheworldsoftheunknown.Ourcontemporaryfaqih,AyatollahBahjat,isoneofthosedescribedbyImamAli(as)in

thesewords:"GreatistheCreatorintheirhearts,soeverythingbesidesHimisintheireyessmall."He is agreatwiseman.The lightofhispresenceglitters in thegatheringof theGnostics, and thesoulsinhisreveredaudienceshine.Hisstudent,mentorRidaBaqiZadeh,authorofBergiazDaftarAftab,saysthefollowingintheintroductiontothisbook:"Sincethedaywhenbreezesfromthelovedoneblewuponme,whentheflowerofexistenceopened,andIwasguidedtothefulltruthintheself,wheresuccessisachievedthroughpullsoftheLord,Irealizedthatreachingthereallovedonecannotbeachievedexceptthroughguidancefromonewhoisfamiliarwiththepath.I,therefore,resortedtotheImams(as)soIcouldupholdthemandpleadtothem.Itisthenthatthissacredtraditionmetmeontheroad:'KeepcompanywiththosewhosecompanyremindsyouofAllahandwhoselogicincreasesyourknowledge.'Andthusitwas.IupheldthefactthattheadoredOnedoesnotleavethosewhoseekHis path alone or lets them rely on themselves. The earth is never without divine guides. I waslookingforarolemodelthatguidesmetothepathofthelovedOneduringtheabsenceofthesunoftheHouseholdofInspiration(as)soIcould,throughseeinghim,polishthedustawayfromtheheartandfusemyselfthroughremembranceofthelovedOneintoallexistence.Duringthistime,Isawallofthatandmore.Isawitmanifestingitselfinthepersonalityofonewhoisuniqueinhistime,awiseGnostic, onewhodrownshis soul into the remembranceof the lovedOne,who is the lightof theheartsoftheseekers,thejoyoftheGnostics,theperfectGnostic,theSalmanofthetime,theonewhoistrulyloyal tothegreatestAyatollah, theCommanderof theFaithfulAli ibnAbuTalib(as) inhisknowledge and practice, namely Ayatollah Muhammed Taqi Bahjat, may Allah prolong his wideshade.IknewthatthetruthGnosticisnotknownexceptbyAllahorbyaGnosticlikehim,soIkeptearnestly looking foreveryonewhocouldhavebreatheda fragranceofhisholybreath,andaboutanywrittentextfromwhichthefragranceofhisholysoulemanates,hencethisbookthatisinyourhands,dear reader,my finalmerchandise,havingbravedmanyhardships. Ipresent it to thosewhoseektherolemodelinthepurebranchesofknowledge."So,thestudyofbiographiesofsuchgreatmencaninstillhopeforlightingthemindsof

menofvirtue,scholars,students,professorsofthehawza (religiousseminary),universitiesandthesonsofthenation.Thebookinyourhands,dearreader,isthesummaryofwhathasbeenwrittenandsaid about this great divine Gnostic. In it, I try to acquaint the Arab reader with this Islamicpersonality that mixed between the pursuit of knowledge and disseminating it as well as walkingalong thepathofAllah.He isdescribedby imamKhomeini asone "…whoenjoys the ability for'deathbychoice'; inotherwords,hecanextracthis soul fromhisbody then returns itany timehewants.ThisisregardedasoneoftheloftystationstheGnosticscanreachalongthetriptothepathandtheGnosticconduct."

CHAPTERONE

GlimpsesoftheLifeofGrandAyatollahBahjatGrand AyatollahMuhammed Taqi Bahjat Fomani was born in late 1334 A.H. to a God-fearing

familywellknownforitspietyintheconservativecityofFomanintheGailangovernorate.Hewasnotyetsixteenmonthsoldwhenfateclaimedhismothersohewouldtastethebitternessofbeinganorphanwhile still a suckling baby.There is an interesting incident to narrate aboutwhyAyatollahBahjatwasnamed"MuhammedTaqi"whichwasnarratedbyoneof thoseclose tohim,andI thinkthatnarratingithereisnotwithoutanicety:ThefatherofSheikhBahjatpassedawaywhilehissonwas16–17ofageafterfallingsick

toanepidemic.Hebecamebed-ridden,andhisconditionofhishealthdeterioratedtotheextentthathisfamilylosthopeforhisrecoveryfromthedisease.Thefatherofthesheikhnarratesthatheheardinthisstateacallasifitwassaying,"Leavehim!Youhavenothingtodowithhim.HeisfatherofMuhammedTaqi".Thenhelostconsciousnessashewasinthatstate,somuchsothathismotherthoughthe

died.Butafterashortwhile,thefatherofthesheikhwokeupandstoodupandafterthatrecoveredhishealthfully. Afterthepassageofafewyears,thesheikh'sfatherdecidedtogetmarriedafterhaving

completelyforgottentheincidentofhisfallingsickandthecallwhichhethenheard.Whenhewasblessedwithhisfirstson,hecalledhim"Mehdi"afterhisownfather(grandfatherofSheikhBahjat).Afterthathewasblessedwithadaughterthenwithasonwhomhenamed"MuhammedHussain".Hedidnotrememberthisincidentexceptafterhehadbeenblessedwithhisfourthson;so,hedecidedtocallhim"MuhammedTaqi".Butthissonfellinawaterpoolanddrowned.Thefatherofthesheikhagain named his fifth sonwithwhomAllah blessed himwith this same name, "MuhammedTaqi",whichlaterbecameGrandAyatollahBahjat.Yes, indeed, Ayatollah Bahjat was reared in the laps of a man whose heart was filled with the

warmth of lovingAhl al-Bayt (as) and grief for their tragedies, particularly the tragedies ofAbuAbdullah (as). He grew up in the environments of the mourning majalis for Imam al-Hussain,drinkingoftheirsprings.Sincehisearlylife,heavoidedplayingandhavingfunlikeotherchildren.The signs of genius showed on him, and his face was painted with the marks of conviction anduprightness. Itwas obvious this childwould have a glorious future in the field of knowledge andattainment.Hefinishedhiselementarystudiesatthecity'straditionalstudycircles(knownaskatatib),thenhe

startedhistheologicalstudiesinthesamecity.Anyhow,hissoul,thatwasthirstyforperfection,didnotquenchitsthirstbywhathehadreceivedofbranchesofknowledgeinFoman;therefore,heleftitafterhavingfinishedthepreparatorystageofreligioussciencesinitandleftforIraqwherehewashonoredbyresidinginsacredKerbalain1348.Hewasthenalmostfourteen.According towhatwas transmittedbyoneofhisclosestudents,HisHolinessmentorBahjathad

told him that he had come of age and became a man of responsibility one year after his stay inKerbala.Yes,thehandofthedivinemercyremainscaringfortherighteousservantssincetheirbirthuptotheiryouth,thelightsofloveandkindnessbeingcompassionatetothemsotheywouldbecomein the future torches emitting light along the path of thosewho seek themostKindOne, themostExalted,themostGreat.Thus,AyatollahBahjatspentfourofhishonorablelifespaninsacredKerbala,inhalingthe

closeness toAbuAbdullah (as), the fragranceof thepurityofhis soul,cultivatinghimself thereby.Duringthatperiod,hestudiedthelargestportionofthebooksoffiqhandusooltaughttohimbythegreatscholarsinthatholycity.

In1352A.H.,hewenttoNajafal-Ashraftocontinuehisstudiesandacquirethetheologicalbranches of knowledge.He attended the courses of theSutoohstage [an equivalent to a study for aMaster'sdegree]under the tutelageofanumberofAyatollahs includingAyatollahmentorMurtadaTaleqani.Despite that, his determinationwas not confined to continuing his studies but he focusedmostofhisattentiononlookingforthemenofAllah,Hisrighteousservants,sohecouldsatisfyhisthirstfromtheirfountainhead,thethirstofhissoulwhichwaseagertoturnthephasesofperfectionandreachthemostsublimeobjective.Oneofthestudentsofthementorsaysthefollowing:"DuringtwoyearswhichIspentunder

thepulpitofhislessons,Ineverheardhimtalkabouthimselfexceptonveryrareoccasions.Oneofthoseoccasionsisthathetalkedabouttheprocessoflaudingthemoralstatusofhismentor,Naeenithecritic.Hesaid,'Iusedtoparticipateduringmyyoungdaysinthecongregationalprayerservicesledbyourmentor,al-Naeeni,andIsometimesusedtorealizesomeofhisspiritualconditionsduringtheprayers.'"INTHECOURTYARDOFTHEGENIUSESOFFIQHANDUSOOLHaving completed theSutooh stage and realized the lessonsof great professors, such asSayyid

Abul-Hassanal-Isfahani,AghaMirzaal-Naeeni,heenteredinthecourtyardofknowledgeandvirtuesohecouldcompletehishigherstudiesatthehandsofthegreat`allamaal-HajjSheikhMuhammadHussain al-Gharawi al-Isfahani who is known as al-Kampani. Through his piercing intellect andsound judgment, he was able to follow the waves of deep intellectual waves and precise pursuitswhich `allama al-Kampani used to dictate to his students through his swift and roving intellect,seekinghelpfromAllah,relyingonHim,themostGreatOne,themostSublime.SheikhMuhammadTaqiMusbahsaysthefollowinginthisregard,"AyatollahBahjatstudied

most of his fiqh with the late Sheikh Muhammad Kazim al-Shirazi, student of the late MirzaMuhammadTaqial-Shirazi,whoisoneoftheprominentprofessorsofal-Najafal-Ashraf.HestartedstudyingtheUsoolatthehandsofthelateNaeeniandfinishedthegreatestportioninthepresenceofthe late SheikhMuhammadHussain al-Kampani al-Isfahani whether in the science of Usool or inotheraspectsanddimensions."BIOGRAPHIES,CONDUCTANDGNOSTICISMDuringhisstudies,andshortlybeforereachingadolescence,AyatollahBahjatpaidattentiontoself-

cultivation and moral perfection. He, therefore, kept since residing in Kerbala looking for aprofessorofmannerstoembraceandcultivatehim.HeheardaboutAyatollahSayyidal-QadibeinginNajaf al-Ashraf, so he felt honored to reside in this city so he could be inspired in manners bykeepingcompanywithhisprominentmentor,thelateal-HajjSheikhMuhammadHussainal-Isfahanial-Kampani.SheikhMusbahal-Yazdisaysthefollowinginthisregard:"TheimpactofthelateSheikh

MuhammadHussainal-Isfahaniwasobviousontheconductofthementor,AyatollahBahjat.Heusedtoquotesomeofhispursuitswithadmiration.Weusedtoseesamplesofhisconductwhichremindedusofhiscitingthementor.Itwasquiteobviousthat thismentorhadagreat impactonbuildinghismoralcharacter." Thementoralsoattended lessons inmannersbySayyidAbdal-Ghaffar inal-Najafal-

Ashraf before being tutored by the spiritual scholar and famous Gnostic, His Holiness AyatollahSayyidAli al-Qadi,mayAllahAlmighty be pleasedwith him.He started his studieswith him anddrankofthespringofhisnicetiesandcarewhenhewaseighteenofage;therefore,thementortooklongstridesinthestagesofGnosticismevenwhenhewasintheprimeofhisyouth.SheikhMusbanal-Yazdisaysthefollowing:"Thementorbenefitedfromhisbeinginthe

presenceof the late al-HajjMirzaAli al-Qadi in as far asmanners andmorals are concerned anddirectly, and hewas tutored by him for long years.Ayatollah al-Qadiwas specialist in cultivatingpersonsmorally. Each of the late`allama Tabatabai, the lateAyatollah SheikhMuhammadTaqi al-Amuli and the lateAyatollahSheikhAliMuhammadBurujardi aswell as a largenumberof othergreat men of knowledge and even some religious authorities from his lessons in manners andGnosticism." AyatollahBahjatquotessomepursuits fromother individualssuchasAyatollahSheikh

MurtadaTaleqani.Hesays,"Duringthosedays,someonewastryingtofindoutthenumberofthosewhowere committed to reciting the supplicationbyAbuHamzahal-Thumaliduring thequnoot ofthewitrprayerriteduringtheevesofthemonthofRamadanandintheshrineofImamAli,peacebewithhim.Whenthispersonmadeacountoftheseindividuals,hefoundouttheirnumberexceedingseventymen.Thenumberofpeoplewhowerecommittedtoritualsandtospiritualityatthattimewasa lotmore than it is in our time, and this is regrettable.Of course,wedonot know the unknown.Perhapspeopleundertaketheseformsofworshipattheirhomesnowadays,butwecansayforsurethat thecommitmentforactsofadorationhasseenadecline inour times.This isquiteregrettable,indeed." In hismemoirs, one of the students of Bahjat thementor has written the following:

"Someone heard that more than seventy men were reciting the supplication by Abu Hamzah al-ThumaliintheirwitrprayerandintheshrineofImamAli,peacebewithhim,sohedecidedtoverifythenumberofthosewhohavecommittedthemselvestosodoingduringhistime.Hefoundoutthattheirnumberdidnotexceedfiftymen,asIremember,andthepersonspeakingwastheTehrani."PHILOSOPHYAyatollah Bahjat studied the signals of Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and the travels of the most highly

spiritualpersonswithprofessorAyatollahSayyidHussainBaduba-Ay.MIGRATIONTOHOLYQUMAyatollahBahjat return tohis homeland,Foman, after having completedhis studied in the lunar

year1363.Hestayedinthatcityforfewmonthsthenhedecidedtoreturntothetheologicalseminaryinal-Najafal-Ashraf.Butpriortohisdepartureforal-Najaf,hedecidedtomakeapilgrimagetotheshrine of the Lady of Ahl al-Bayt, Fatima the infallible one, peace be with her, in the city ofholyQumandtofamiliarizehimselfwiththeconditionsatthetheologicalseminaryinthiscity.Hestayed there for fewmonths.But those days coincidedwith the demise of senior professors of al-Najafal-Ashrafwhopassedawayoneaftertheother,somethingthatpromptedhimtodecidetostayintheholycityofQum. In this city, thementor attended theclassesofGrandAyatollah the lateHujjatKuwah-

Kamrah-Ay and distinguished himself among his students. Then he attended the classes of the lateAyatollahBurujardi in thecompanyofgreatayatollahsuchas imamal-Khomeini,Gulpayganiandothers. SheikhMusbah says the following in this regard: "Ayatollah Bahjat was one of the

distinguishedstudentswhomaintainedregularattendanceoftheclassesofferedbythelateAyatollahBurujardi. It is customary in reference to the Kharij researches that some students are moredistinguished thanothers in fixing thepursuitsandsubmittingconfusingmatters thanothers.Thesestudents are more precise than their fellows, and their confusing issues take sometimes a greatscholarly shape,making answering them amatter that needsmore precision and depth than otherconfusingissues.AyatollahBahjathadthusastatusintheclassesofthelateAyatollahBurujardi."

TEACHINGAyatollahBahjatusedtoteachthehighSutoohinNajafal-Ashrafwhenhewasattendingclassesof

majorayatollahsuchal-Isfahani,alKampaniandal-Shirazi.Inotherwords,heusedtoteachandstudyatthesametime,andthiswashishabitevenafterhismigrationtotheholycityofQum.AsregardingteachingtheKharijresearch,wecansayhestartedteachingKharijal-Fiqhand

theUsoolformorethanfortyyears,andheusedtoteachthissubjectathishouseinordertoavoidfame.Manymenofvirtuebenefitedfromhimduringthoselongpastyears.

USWATAL-AARIFEENCHAPTERTWOAQUICKLOOKATSOMEBIOGRAPHIESOFPROFESSORSOFHISHOLINESSGRAND

AYATOLLAHSHEIKHBAHJATInthisChapter,wewillcastaquicklookatthelifeofsomegreatprofessorswhoplayedamajor

roleinbuildingthescholarlylifeofthesheikh,hismannersandspirituality.Ayatollahal-Mashkinisays, "The professors of Sheikh Ayatollah Bahjat enjoy a lofty scholarly station and a greatprominencewhichmakeuslookatthemaswelookatthestarsinthesky."GRANDAYATOLLAHSAYYIDALIAGHAAL-QADIAl-HajjMirzaSayyidAliAghaal-QadiwasborninthecityofTabrizonthe13thofthemonthof

Thil-Hijjaof1282A.H.Havingfinishedhispreparatorystudy,hewastutoredbyhisfather, thelateHajjSayyidHussainal-Qadi.ThenheattendedthelecturesofthelateMirzaMousaal-Tabrizi,authorofthebooktitledHashiyatal-Rasaail.HealsoattendedtheclassesofMirzaMuhamamdAlial-QarajDaghiandcompletedtheclassesinArabandPersianliteratureofthefamouspoetMirzaMuhammadTaqial-Tabriziwhoisknownas"HujjatulIslam"andtheonegiventhetitle"Nir".HequotedmanypoeticversesbyhiminbothArabicandPersianlanguages.Thenhemigratedtothecityofal-Najafal-Ashraf andwas honored to reside in it in 1308A.H.whenhewas then 26 years old. In the cityof Najaf , he was taught by these ayatollahs: Fadil al-Sharabyani, Sheikh Muhammad Hassan al-Mamqani,SheikhShari'at,Akhundal-Khurasaniandal-HajjMirzaHussainal-Khalili.Sayyidal-Qadiwasoneofthemostrespectedofthestudentsofal-HajjMirzaal-Khalili.He

alsostudiedinhispresencethecultivationofmanners. Sayyidal-QadiwasaGnostic,a faqih,andamanofagreatstature.Healsohadsome

miracles and revelations. Allama Sheikh Agha Buzurg al-Tehran wrote the following lines in hisbookTabaqatA'lamal-Shi'a inhisbiography: "SayyidAliAghaTabatabaiTabrizi al-Qadi, sonofMirzaHussainsonofMirzaAhmadsonofMirzaRaheem,isascholar,amujtahid,amanofpietyandasceticism.Ibefriendedhimandkepthimcompanyforscoresofyears,andIfoundstability inhisstyle, youth in his nature and attributes, generosity in his own self and in his nature.Hewrote anexegesisoftheQur'anwhichstartsfromthebeginningoftheQur'anandendswiththeninety-secondverseofSuratal-An'am:'Say:Allah,thenleavethemintheirwadingsporting'".Asforhisfather,he,too,wroteanexegesisoftheHolyQur'an,andtheirhouseholdwas

sinceantiquityahouseofknowledge,virtueandpiety.`AllamaHassanZadehal-Amulisaysthefollowinginhisregard:"AyatollahSayyidal-Qadi

wasoneof thewondersof time."Thenhesays,"Oneof thepowerfulstatementsof the lateal-HajjSayyidAlial-Qadiisthis:'Ifonespendshalfhislifelookingforaperfectteacher,hedoesnotmakemuchofanachievement.'"`AllamaHassanZadehquotes`allamaTabatabaisayingthefollowingwhiledetailingthe

biographyofSayyidAlial-Qadi:"TheSayyidwasanamazingman.Henurturedmanystudentsandwastutoredbymanyprofessors.Hehadverystrongrevelations,letalonehistestimonialandGnostic

perfections,conductandmoralbehavior."GrandAyatollahal-Gharawial-Isfahai`Allama Sayyid Muhammad Hussain al-Isfahani, who is famous as al-Kampani, is one of the

prominentmutjahidsandgreatauthoritiesofhistime.Actually,hewasamanoffiqhthelikeofwhomisquiterareinalltimes.TheSayyidwasborninthecityofal-KazimiyyaonthesecondofMuharramof1296A.H.

intheenvironmentsofareveredfamilyknownforitsadherencetothecreedandpiety.Hisfather,thelateal-HajjMuhammadHassan,wasawellknownmerchantinal-Kazimiyya.Hewasgiventhetitle"al-Isfahani"becausehisancestorswereaffiliatedwith thecityof Isfahan .Hisfatherdiedwhenhewasstillachild,leavinghimahugefortunewhichhespentonthestudyofbranchesofknowledgeand Islamic teachings as well as on achieving good manners. Signs of intelligence and geniusemanated fromhis face since his childhood.He completed his preparatory study in the city of al-Kazimiyya,thenheleftittobehonoredbyresidinginthecityofknowledgeandijtihad,al-Najafal-Ashraf,whenhewasnomorethantwentyyearsold.Hestudiedfiqhandusoolatthehandsofabandof prominent professors such as al-Hajj Agha Rida al-Hamadani, Sayyid al-Fisharki, andAkhundMullaKazimal-Khurasani,andheattendedlessonsinphilosophyandGnosticisminthepresenceofthefamousmanofwisdom,al-HajjMirzaMuhammadal-Istihbanati.Hesatontheteachingchairinthe city of al-Najaf al-Ashraf shortly after having resided there due to his genius and generalacquisition.Heleftbehindpreciousworksdealingwithfiqh,usoolandphilosophy.Wewouldliketo

pointouttosomeofthem:nhiscommentonMaq'adKifayatal-Usoolfi`Ilmal-UsoolnhiscommentonAl-Makasibfi`Ilmal-Fiqhnapoemtitled"thewiseman'spreciousjewel"whichdealswithphilosophynHealsoleftadiwaninArabicandPersianpoetry.HereturnedtothemercyofhisLordonthefifthofDhul-Hijjahof1361A.H.atanageexceeding

65andwasburiedinthecityofal-Najafal-AshrafbesidetheshrineofImamAli,peacebewithhim.GrandAyatollahal-HajjSheikhMuhammadKazimal-ShiraziThementorwasbornin1290A.H.inthecityofShiraz.Hewashonoredbymakingthepilgrimage

to theholy sites in Iraq in thecompanyofhisparents in1300A.H.and resided in thecityofholyKerbala where he started learning Arabic. His parents returned to Shiraz two years later, but heremainedinKerbalaandkepthimselfbusywiththeelementarystudy.HereturnedtoShirazfourteenyearsafterhisresidenceinKerbala.Hestudiedal-Mutawwalandal-Ma`alim in thepresenceof theperfectscholar,al-HajjSayyidMuhammadal-Kazruniwhoiswellknownforhisskillinteachingal-Mutawwal. He returned to Kerbala two years since his residence in Shiraz , then he wenttoSamarrain1310A.H.inordertocontinuehisstudies.Hestudiedtherasaailandmakaasibinthepresenceoftheperfectscholar,SheikhHassanAlial-Tehrani,whoisfamousforhisknowledgeandpiety, and he attended the classes of the late AyatollahMirzaMuhammad Taqi al-Shirazi, and heregularlyattendedhisclassestillthedaythementordied.HeleftSamarraforal-Kazimiyyawherehetaught,thenhemigratedtothecityofal-Najaf

al-Ashrafinordertoestablishatheologicalseminary.ItisworthmentioningthatheusedtooverseetheanswerstomostreligiousedictsofAyatollahal-Isfahani.In1366,oneyearbeforehisdemise,heleftthecityofal-Najafal-Ashrafwiththeintention

tomakethepilgrimagetotheshrineofImamal-Rida,peacebewithhim.ThetheologicalseminaryinholyQumanditsdignitaries,suchasAyatollahBurujardi,Hujjat,al-Faydh,al-Khunsariandal-Sadr,welcomedhim. In1367hediedandwasburied inoneof thechambersof the shrineof ImamAli,peacebewithhim.GrandAyatollahMirzaMuhammadHussainal-NaeeniAyatollah al-Naeeni was one of the most famous religious authorities of his time, one of the

greatest critics and verifiers in the sciences of fiqh andusool, so much so that he was known asthemujaddidinthescienceofusoolandtheonewhoexcelledinit.The`allamawasborninafamilyknownforitsknowledgeanddistinctiononthe17thof

Dhul-Qi'da of 1376 A.H. in the city of Naeen in the governorate of Isfahan. He completed hiselementarystudyinhishometownthenmigratedtothecityofal-Najafal-Ashrafinordertocontinuehis higher study in fiqh and usool. He was taught by Grand Ayatollah al-Hajj Mirza MuhammadHassanal-ShirazitheSenioranddistinguishedhimselfamonghisstudents.HealsousedtoattendtheclassesofAyatollahAkhundMuhammadKazimal-Khurasani inorder toshowhishumblenessandrespectforhisstatus.The`allamastoodoutamongthescholarsofal-Najafal-Ashrafduetotheabundanceofhis

knowledgeandtohisacquisitionofthesciencesofmathematics,wisdom,philosophy,Gnosticismaswellasskillinfiqhandusool.Hecultivatedthescienceofusool,coininganewinanewformdistantlyfromdifficultyandcomplexity,winningtheadmirationofthosewhowerefamiliarwiththisart.Healsowrotebooksmanyofwhichwerepublishedincludingthefollowing:nadissertationinwhatisdoubtfultowearnWasilatal-NajatnReportsinthescienceofusool(whichwasprintedseveraltimes)nAdissertationin"thereisnoharm…"AyatollahNaeenipaidspecialattentionparticularlytocultivatinghimself,soheneverabandoned

the performance of the night prayer, nor was he ever heard articulating a bad word. He used toorganize his precious time and notwaste it at all. He used to spend his time in either a scientificresearch,orlookingaftertheaffairsofpeople,orinhelpingthemwiththeirneeds.Hewasmoderatewithregardtowhatheateorputon,andhewasextremelycautiousinfaringwiththepublicfunds.Henevertookadvantageoftheblessed"Imam'sshare"andotherrightsstatedintheShari'aforhisownpersonalbenefit.Rather,heusedtomeethislife'sexpensesfromhisownincome.Asregardinghispoliticalandsocialservices,hewroteabooktitledTanbeehal-Ummawa

Tanzeehal-Milla[notifyingthenationandclearingthenameofthecreed]duringtheblackdictatorialepochinIran.Init,heexplainedthroughlogicandwisdomthenormsofdespotismanddictatorship,remindingthescholarsandjuristsoftheirreligiousdutytowardsthesituationthen.Healsoexplainedin the book the limits of the powers of the ruler and the Islamic government, pointing out to thechaptersoftheadmonishmentbyImamAli(AS)toMalikal-Ashtar.Thisbookwontheattentionofthestrugglingauthoritiesatthetime;therefore,Ayatollah

Akhund al-Khurasani and Ayatollah Sheikh Abdullah al-Mazandarani issued their authorization,supporting the revolutionof the constitution and announcing its origins asbeingderived from theIslamicfaithoftheProphetMuhammad,peaceandblessingsofAllahbewithhimandhisprogeny. AyatollahNaeeniandagroupofhisdistinguishedstudentswerebanishedtogetherwith

Ayatollah al-Isfahani and Ayatollah al-Khalisi to Iran because of their struggle to change thegovernmentinIraq.

AyatollahNaeenienteredthecityofQumafterashortstayinthecitiesofKermanshahand Hamadan , and he was busy teaching and performing the congregational prayer service. Hereturnedtoal-Najafal-AshrafoneyearafterhisstayintheholycityofQum.HejoinedhisLordonthe26thofJumadaIof1358A.H.afteralifetimeofservice,struggle

andperseverancefornurturingaunitedgenerationthatcarriesaQur'anicmessage.GrandAyatollahAghaDiyaad-Deenal-IraqiGrand Ayatollah Agha Diya ad-Deen al-Iraqi was born in the city of Sultan-Abad (Persian

Iraq,Arak)intheyear1278A.H.Hecompletedhispreparatorystudyinhishometownthenmigratedtothecityofal-Najafal-Ashrafinordertocompletehisstudy.HeattendedclassesbygreatAyatollahssuchasMuhammadal-Fisharki,Akhundal-Khurasani,SayyidKazimal-YazdiandthementoroftheShari'a,al-Isfahani.Signsofhisintelligenceandgeniuswereobviousduringthefirstyearsofhisstudy.He

startedteachingatanearlyage,andmanystudentsgatheredroundhimbecauseofhisoratoryandtheeaseofhisexplanation.Hedistinguishedhimselfamonggreatteachersfollowingthedemiseofhisprofessor, the lateAkhund al-Khurasani.He studied fiqh andusool formore than thirty years andmanystudentswerenurturedbyhim.Someofthembecamelateronsourcesfor taqlid.Amonghisworks, one can point out to a book containing articles about usool. Finally, this working scholarmovedtothemercyofhisLordinthecityofal-Najafal-Ashrafintheyear1361A.H.GrandAyatollahSayyidAbual-Hassanal-IsfahaniAyatollahSayyidAbual-Hassanal-IsfahaniwasbornintheMadisavillage,oneofthevillagesof

Lanjan district of the city of Isfahan . He completed his elementary study intheNimarudSchool in Isfahanwhere hewas taught byMirzaAbu al-Ma'ali al-Kalbasi, benefitinggreatly fromhim.Hemigrated toNajafal-Ashraf in1307A.H. inorder tocompletehis studyandattended classes by its great professors. He earned the degree of ijtihad in the classes offered byAyatollahAkhundal-Khurasani.HerosetodistinctionwithAyatollahNaeeniafterthedemiseofthelate Ayatollah Akhund al-Khurasani and Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi al-Shirazi. After the death ofAyatollahNaeeni,hebecametheonlyreligiousauthorityformostofShiitelands.Imamal-Khomeiniandanothergroupofcontemporaryjuristscommentedonhisscholarly

dissertation(risala)duetoitsinclusion.ThisgreatscholarjoinedhisLordonaMonday,the9thofthemonthofDhul-Hijjaof1365A.H. in thecityofal-Kazimiyya.Addressinghisholybody,AyatollahMuhammadHussainKashifal-Ghitamadethesestatements:"CongratulationstoyoutheascensiontoyourLord!Howhappy you have been alive and dead!Your lifewas joinedwithmanagement andgreatness,makingpeoplethroughitforgetthepastgreatones,followingthecomingones.Youwerealsoborntwice:Onceyouearnedexperienceandknowledge,andonceyouacteduponwhatyouhadearned!" He, may Allah have mercy on his soul, was characterized by good attributes and

characteristics,andhispuresoulinspiredonetobefirmandsteadfastforthesakeoftheAdoredOne.He surpassed his peers in managing the affairs, in administration and knowledge, and he wasgenerous, articulate, orator,makinghis classes themost busy andpopular among thoseoffered atNajafal-Ashraf'stheologicalseminary. Heparticipated in thestruggleof theMuslimIraqipeopleagainstcolonialismandwas

banished to Iran together with some struggling scholars. He had honorable stands towards theincidentsattheGuharshadMosqueintheholycityofMashhad.GrandAyatollahSheikhMurtadaal-Taleqani

SheikhMurtadaal-Taleqaniwasbornin1280A.H. in thecityofTaleqan.HelearnedtheQur'anandPersianliteratureinthekatateebofthecitythenmigratedtoTehranandfromtheretoIsfahansohecouldattendclassesbyitsgreatscholarssuchasAyatollahAbual-Ma'alial-Kerbalai,themanofwisdomal-Qashqa'IMullaMuhammadal-Kashiandothers. Hemigrated to thecityof al-Najaf al-Ashraf andwas tutoredat thehandsof itsgreat

scholarssuchasAkhundal-Khurasani,SayyidKazimal-Yazdi,thementoroftheShari'aal-Isfahani,MirzaMuhammadTaqial-Shiraziandothers.Hepaidattentiontonurturinghimselfandpurifyinghissoulsohecouldfoldthestagesof

perfectionandreach theultimateobjective.Thementor,mayAllahhavemercyonhim,abandonedtheworldandspentmostofhistimeteachingthestudentsandcultivatingthem.Manyofthemlateronrosetodistinction,becomingauthoritiesandgreatscholarsinourtime.Thementor,mayAllahhavemercyonhim,livedsingleallhislife,andhewasresidingin

theschoolofSayyidal-Yazdiofthereliablenicheinthecityofal-Najafal-Ashraftillhediedtherein1364A.H.Thewise`allamaSayyidHussainBadkubah-AyThe`allamawasbornin1293A.HinthevillageofDalaninthecityofBadkubah.Hewastutored

atthehandsofhisfatherandcompletedthepreparatorystudyandthatofliteratureinhispresence.HemigratedtoTehranafterthedeathofhisfatherandresidedattheSadrSchoolinthatcity.HestudiedmathematicsandphilosophyatthehandsofthelateSayyidAbual-HassanJalwahandthelateMirzaHashimal-Ashkuri.Healsostudiedlogicforsevenyearsofcontinuouseffortinthepresenceofhisprofessorsteachingthisscience.Hemigratedtoal-Najafal-AshrafandattendedtheclassesofGrandAyatollahAkhundal-

Khurasani.Thiscoincidedwith the firstdaysofwriting theKifayabook.Healsostudied fiqh at thehandsofAyatollahSheikhMuhammadHassan al-Mamqani. Soonmanyvirtuous scholars gatheredroundhimtobenefitfromhisviewsandtheories.Finally,hemovedtothemercyofhisLordintheeveofthe28thoftheholymonthofShawwalof1358A.H.inthebathhouseofthesacredshrineandwasburiedintheneighborhoodofhisholygrandfather,ImamAliibnAbuTalib,peacebewithhim.GrandAyatollahtheauthorityKuwah-Kamrah-AyTheauthorityAyatollahwasascholarwhoacteduponhisknowledge,aperfect jurist,avirtuous

traditionist,askilledwiseman,aprecisemanofusool,averifierofnarratorsofhadith,amanwhoacquiredknowledgeofwhatisrationalandwhatistransmitted.HewasborninthemonthofSha'banof1310A.H.inthecityofTabrizinareligiousfamilyknownforitspiety.HisreveredlineagegoesbacktothemostrespectedSayyidMuhammadal-Masriwhois

nicknamedal-Hijazi,oneoftheoffspringofAlial-AsgharsonofImamAliibnal-HussainZainal-Abidin, peace bewith him.The authority ayatollah enjoyed an exceptional intelligence and a swiftrovingintellectwherebyhewasabletocompletehispreparatorystudyatanastoundingpacesohecould study after it fiqh, usool,mathematics, rationale, ancient andmodernmedicine aswell as agenerousamountofmodernsciencessuchasphysicsandchemistry.HecompletedtheSutoohstageinfiqhandusoolatthehandsofhisfather,thelateSayyidAli

Kuwah-Kamrah-Ay. Hemigrated to al-Najaf al-Ashraf in 1330 when he was twenty years old. Heattendedclassesofgreatprofessorssuchasthe`allamaal-YazdiofAl-Urwahal-Wuthqa(thereliableniche),thementoroftheShari'aal-Isfahani,MirzaNaeeniandAghaDiyaad-Deenal-Iraqi.In1349A.H.,hereturnedtotheholycityofQumandwasoneofthegreatestofitsscholars

andseniorprofessorsofitsseminary.

HewontheattentionofGrandAyatollahal-Haeri, founderof the theologicalseminaryinQum,whoaskedhimtoleadthecongregationalprayerserviceinhisplaceduringthelateyearsofhisholylife.Healsotaughtinhisplaceafterhisdemiseandcontinuedtoteachandanswerrequestsforedicts.He lookedafterpeople'saffairs till the lastmomentofhis lifedespitehisweaknessanddeterioratinghealth.TheSayyid,mayAllahhavemercyonhim,wasadistinctivetestimonialforthetradition

transmittedfromtheInfallibleImams,peacebewiththem,whichsays[indescribingatruebeliever],"Hedisobeyshisdesires,obedienttothecommandofhisLord,protectinghimself,safeguardinghiscreed."Hekept thesecrets tohimself,somuchsothateventheclosestpeopletohimdidnotknowhimasheshouldhave.He,mayAllahhavemercyonhim,wasamongthosewhowonthehonorofmeetingtheImamoftheTime,mayAllahhastenhisreappearance.Andhewaspreciseinutilizinghistime,anavid readerof scholarlyand juristicbooks,notabandoning researchor studyevenonhisweddingnight.Heleftseveralbooksinvariousfields.Wewouldlikeheretopointtosomeofthem:

1. Kitabal-Biya'[abookaboutrealestate]2. acollectionoftraditionsandusool3. hiscommentaryaboutthebooktitledAl-Kifaya4. Lawami'al-Anwaral-GharawiyyafiMursalatal-Atharal-Nabawiyya5. Mustadrakal-Mustadrak

The Sayyid predicted the hour of his death; so, he gathered some scholars of the seminary and

requestedsomepuresoilfromtheshrineofImamal-Hussainwhichheputonhis tongueandsaid,"Thelastofmyrationfromtheworldisthesoilofal-Hussain."HeconsultedtheQur'anregardinghisdestiny,sothe14thverseofChapteral-Ra'd[thunder]cameup:"ToHimbelongsthecallof thetruth".He,therefore,saidinanaudiblevoice:"WebelongtoAllah,andtoHimdowereturn,"thenhissacredsoullefthisbody.Havingcometoknowabouthisdemise,AyatollahBurujardisaid,"Nowmyspinehasbeen

broken.Thechambermaybecomeaschoolofamosque(aftertheexampleofthemosqueandschoolof the Hujjatis)," and he instructed the chamber located beside the mosque to be a cemetery forhimselfandthemembersofhisfamily.Thiswillwasinspiredtohiminavision.GrandAyatollahBurujardiGrandAyatollahBurujardibelongstoarespectablefamilyknownforitsknowledgeandpiety.He

isoneof theSayyidswhobelong to the Infallible Imams,peacebewith them.His lineage reachesImamal-Hassan,thechosenone.TheSayyidwasbornin1292A.H.inthecityofBurujard.Hewastaughtbyscholarsofthis

city and finished a good deal of his preparatory study at the hand of his father. He migratedtoIsfahanin1310A.H.inordertocontinuehisstudiesandacquirereligiousstudies,andhewastheneighteen years old.Hewas tutored by senior scholars of Isfahan such as the grand ayatollahs andthosebearingthetitle"Hujjatul-Islam"suchasAbual-Ma'alial-Kalbasi,SayyidMirMuhammadTaqial-Mudarrisi and Akhund Mulla Muhammad al-Kashi, Mirza Jehangir al-Qashqai. He also taughtjurisprudenceandusoolinhisstudyinthiscity. He migrated to al-Najaf al-Ashraf in 1318 A.H. eight years after having resided

in Isfahan and his earning the degree of ijtihad in it, and he was then twenty-six years old. He

benefitedfromattendingclassesbygreatayatollahssuchastheAkhundal-Khurasani,authorofAl-Kifaya, and `allama al-Yazdi, author of Al-Urwat al-Wuthqa. He distinguished himself among thestudentsofthelateAkhundforhewrotecommentariesabouthisbooktitledKifayatal-Usool.HereturnedtothecityofBurujardin1328A.H.afteraresidencethatlastedfortenyearsin

thecityofal-Najafal-Ashrafduringwhichheearnedtheijtihaddegreewhichwasawardedtohimbythemostdistinguishedofitsscholars.DuringhisstayinBurujard,whichlastedmorethan36yers,hefounded a theological seminary to teach the researches ofKharij al-Fiqh andUsool in this city.Duringthisperiod,hewasemulatedasanauthorityfortaqleedbymostresidentsofthewesternandsouthernpartsofIranandsomedistrictsintheKhurasangovernoratesandotherareas.HeresidedinthecityofQumforfewmonthsafterreturningfrommakingapilgrimageto

theshrineofImamal-Rida,peacebewithhim,asinsistedbyGrandAyatollahal-Haeriandagroupofother men of virtue in the theological seminary. During that period, he studied the Kharij al-Fiqh andUsool researches then returned to his birthplace, the city of Burujard . He returned toholyQumin theholymonthofMuharramof1364A.H.afterhavingbecomethegreatestauthorityfortheShiitesintheworld.Morethan1,200menofvirtueandprominentmujtahidsusedtoattendhisclassesinthe

seminary.DrMurtuzaAlidiniaonhislifeSomeMoralAdvice

www.islamicmobility.com"WisdomisthelostpropertyoftheBeliever,lethimclaimitwhereverhefindsit"-ImamAli(as)