The Big Four refers to the four contemporary leading Grand Ayatollahs of Twelver Shia Islam based in the holy city of Najaf in Iraq.[1][2][3]
Background
All orthodox Twelver Shia Muslims follow the Islamic rulings of a Grand Ayatollah. Under Saddam Hussein, the clerics were oppressed. At present, the most prominent among them is Ali al-Sistani; who also serves as the head of the Najaf Seminary.[4]
List
| Grand Ayatollah | Date of birth | Place of birth | |
|---|---|---|---|
(The names are arranged in alphabetical order) | |||
 | Ali al-Sistani | 4 August 1930 | Mashhad, Iran |
| Bashir al-Najafi | 1942 (age 81–82) | Jalandhar, British India | |
| Muhammad al-Fayadh | 1930 (age 93–94) | Ghazni, Afghanistan | |
 | Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim | (1934–2021) | Najaf, Iraq |
References
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