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Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Husaini Sistani was born on 9th Rabi Al-Awwal
1349 A.H. in the holy city of Mashhad. He was named Ali after his
grandfather. He was brought up into a family known for its religious
background. He learned theological and rational sciences from many eminent
and well-known religious scholars.
His father was named Sayyid Mohammad Baqir and his
grandfather was the great 'Sayyid Ali' whose detailed biography has been
brought in the book 'Tabaqaat Al-a'laam Al-Shia (Categories of Shia
Scholars) (part 4 page 1432) by Aqa Bozorg Tehrani. He has mentioned that
he was apprenticed to Late Ali Nahavandi in Najaf and to Mojadded Shirazi
in Samarra and finally to Sayyid Ismaael Sadr. In 1308 A.H. he returned to
Mashhad and therein he settled and gained reputation as the teacher of
renowned scholars such as the great Jurisprudent, Mohammad Reza Aal Yasin
(may Allah bless him).
In 1368 A.H. during the period of the Great Jurisprudent,
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Hussain Brojardi he shifted to the holy city of Qom
where he attended Kharij lectures of Fiqh and Osoul (Jurisprudence &
Fundamentals of Jurisprudence) given by prominent scholars of the
Religious Seminary including Ayatollah Brojardi (may Allah bless him). He
also attended Fiqh lectures of Grand Sayyid Kohkamari during whose time he
achieved much erudity and experience in Fiqh as well in Rijal and Hadith
sciences.
His wife and children lived in Isfahna during the Safavide
period and his great grandfather Sayyid Mohammad, appointed as Shaikhul
Islam by King Hussain of the Safavide dynasty in Sistan province. Later he
traveled to Sistan where he and his children remained settled. Sayyid Ali was the first of his grandsons to migrate to Mashhad. He lived in the Madresa of late Mohammad Baqir Sabsavari where he continued
studying until he migrated to the holy city of Najaf for higher studies.
At the age of 5 His Eminence started learning the Holy
Quran. A woman who was known as 'Mother of Aqaye Mudir' helped him learnt
the Quran. He was then admitted in a religious center for reading,
writing, and for learning basic mathematics and geography. He graduated
from the center after he had learnt calligraphy from Mirza Ali Aqa Zalim.
In the beginning of 1360 he started studying basic Hawzah
lessons. He finished reading a number of books namely, Sharh Alfia by
Soyuti, Moghni by Ibn-e Hisham, Motawwal by Taftazani, Moqamaat Al-Tabriri
and Sharh Al-Nizam. Of those who taught him at this level one was
Nishabouri who was known as a man of letters. He studied Sharh Lome'ah and
the book of Qawanin (Laws) with late Sayyid Ahmad Yazdi known as Nahang.
He finished the Sath (level before Kharij Level) books such as Makasib,
Rasaael and Kifaya with Shaikh Hashim who was one of the great scholars of
his time. He also read a number of books on philosophy like Sharh Manzuma-e
Sabsavari and Sharh Ishraq and Asfar of Sadrul Mutaallehin with Late Ayesi.
He read Shawaqul Elhaam with late Shaikh Mujtaba Qazvini and attended late
Allamah Mirza Mahdi Isfahani's lessons on divine teachings. Meanwhile, he
attended Kharij lectures by late Mirza Mahdi Ashtiani and late Mirza
Hashim Qazvini (may Allah bless them).
In late 1368 A.H. he migrated to Qom to accomplish his
studies in Fiqh and Osoul. He was benefited by the two well-known
scholars, Sayyid Hussain Tabatabaye and Grand Kohkamari. The first gave
lectures in Fiqh (Jurisprudence and Osoul (Fundamentals of Jurisprudence)
and the second gave lectures in Fiqh only.
During his stay in Qom he was corresponding with late
Allamah Sayyid Bahbahani (the prominent scholar of Ahvaz province known as
a follower of Hadi Tehrani's school of thought). Their correspondence
dealt with issues related to Qibla. He did not accept views maintained by
Hadi Tehrani. Therefore he corresponded with Sayyid Ali Bahbahani who
appreciated his views and promised that he would see him from close on his
visit to the holy shrine of Imam Reza (a.s.) in Mashhad.
In early 1371 A.H. His Eminence left Qom for Najaf Ashraf
and reached Karbala on the occasion of Arbaeen (40th day) of Imam Husain
(a.s.). On having arrived in Najaf, he began attending Ayatollah Khoei and
Shaikh Husain Hilli's lectures in jurisprudence and fundamentals of
jurisprudence for a considerably long time. Meanwhile, he attended
lectures of other prominent scholars like Ayatollah Hakim and Ayatollah
Shahroudi (may Allah bless them).
In 1380 A.H. Ayatollah Sistani traveled back to his hometown, the holy
city of Mashhad, expecting to stay and settle in it. In the same year, he
was awarded a permit by Imam Al-Khoee and another by Shaik Hilli,
certifying that he had attained the level of (ijtihad)- deduction of legal
judgment in matters of religion. He was also awarded a diploma by the
distinguished traditionalist and scholar Shaikh Agha Bozorg Tahrani
testifying to his skill in the science of "Rijal" biographies of 'hadith',
prophetic traditions, narrators and that of 'hadith'.
Upon returning to Najaf Ashraf in 1381 he embarked on
research and teaching jurisprudence as expounded by the great jurist
Shaikh al-Ansari in his book "al-Makasib", He followed it with an
exposition of al-Urwatul Wuthqa book by the jurist Sayyid Tabatabaye. He
started giving lectures (externals) in fundamentals of jurisprudence in
Sha'ban, 1384 A.H. He completed its 3rd course in 1411 A.H. (1990 A.D.).
In 1418 A.H. he began teaching Kitab Al-E'tikaaf" after completing
exposition on 'Kitab Al-Sawm' not so long ago. He is currently (Sha'baan
1423) teaching Kitab-ul-Zakat of Urwathul Wuthqa.
Some professors of Najaf center for theological studies (Hawza
of Najaf) were quoted as saying that they advised the late Ayatollah Khoei
to groom someone for the office of the supreme religious authority and the
directorship of Najaf Seminary. Thus the choice fell on His Eminence,
Grand Ayatollah Sistani for his merits, eligibility, knowledge, and
impeccable character. Accordingly, he started leading the prayer in Imam
al-Khoee's mosque, al-Khadra at his life time in 1408 and continued
leading prayers until the mosque was closed in 1414.
For the first time in 1384, His Eminence traveled to Makkah for
pilgrimage. Then in 1405 and in 1406 he traveled to Makkah for pilgrimage
for a second and third time consecutively. He started giving lectures
(externals) in fundamentals of jurisprudence in Sha'ban, 1384 A.H. He
completed its 3rd course in 1411 A.H. (1990 A.D.) His lectures in both the
subjects have been recorded by some of his students.
Ayatullah Sistani began teaching the Kharij stage on Fiqh,
Usoul, and biography 34 years ago. He held many lectures about the book
titled as "makaasib", and many subjects such as purity, prayers, judgment,
khums, and some other rules on Fiqh like usury, Taqiyyah (precaution), and
the rule known as "ilzam" (obligation). Sistani also taught the Usoul for
three complete courses, some of which are ready for publication, like his
research on the scientific roots (principles), "ta`adul and taraajeeh",
some researches on Fiqh, some chapters about prayers, the rule of Taqiyyah
and ilzam. Many eminent scholars, such as `Allamah shaykh Mahdi Murwaarid,
`Allamah Sayyid Murtadha Al-Mohri, `Allamah Sayyid Habib Husaynan,
`Allamah Sayyid Murtadha Isfahani, `Allamah Sayyid Ahmad Madadi, `Allamah
Shaykh Baqir Irwaani, and many other teachers in the hawzah, have recorded
his researches. During that, Ayatullah Sistani was busy in compiling
important books and some treatises, in addition to what he had written on
Fiqh and Usoul.
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