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Iraqi Twelver Shi'a Grand Ayatollah (1936-2021) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad-Saeed al-Tabataba'i al-Hakim (Arabic: محمد سعيد الطباطبائي الحكيم; February 1, 1936[1][2] – September 3, 2021) was an Iraqi senior Shi'a marja, and one of the most senior Shia clerics in Iraq.[3]
Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Saeed Al-Hakim | |
|---|---|
السيد محمد سعيد الطباطبائي الحكيم | |
| |
| Title | Grand Ayatollah |
| Personal | |
| Born | February 1, 1936 |
| Died | September 3, 2021 (aged 85) Najaf, Iraq |
| Religion | Usuli Twelver Shia Islam |
| Children | 5, including Riyadh |
| Relatives | Muhsin al-Hakim (grandfather) |
| Senior posting | |
| Based in | Najaf, Iraq |
| Website | www |
He was considered a strong nominee for the grand religious authority in Najaf, after Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.[4]
Al-Hakim was born in the holy city of Najaf on 1 February 1936 to Sayyid Muhammad-Ali al-Hakeem.[5] His mother was the daughter of grand Ayatollah, Muhsin al-Hakim. His father was a nephew of the grand Ayatollah.[6]
As someone who hailed from a clerical family, al-Hakim began his religious education at the tender age of 5. Under his father, he studied in the introductory subjects that include Arabic language, and grammar; logic; eloquence; jurisprudence and its fundamentals, until concluding his intermediate studies. He studied under his maternal grandfather, the grand Ayatollah, the advanced studies, where he attended a great deal of his Jurisprudence teachings. Among his other teachers were Shaykh Hussein Al-Hilli and Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei were also among his teachers.[7]
In 1983, the Ba'thist regime imprisoned a large number of members of the Hakim family, including al-Hakim, and they remained there for 8 years.[3]
In 2003, he was targeted in an attempted assassination, when his house in Najaf was bombed. Three people were killed but al-Hakim suffered only minor injuries. He had previously been threatened that he would be killed if he didn't leave Najaf. Originally the Sunni fundamentalist Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (who later became al-Qaeda in Iraq) was blamed.[8] However, the bombing has also been attributed to followers of rival Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.[9]
After reaching the advanced levels of religious studies, al-Hakim began teaching in Najaf's seminaries, and was considered an exceptional teacher. He taught many members of his family including his maternal uncles, Muhammad-Baqir and Muhammad-Husayn al-Hakim, his brothers, Abd al-Razzaq, Hasan, and Muhammad-Saleh, his sons, Riyadh, Muhammad-Husayn, Ala al-Din, and Izz al-Din, and others. As for some of his notable students, they include: Shaykh Hadi al-Radhi, Shaykh Baqir al-Irawani, Sayyid Muhammad-Ridha Bahr al-Uloom, Sayyid Amin Khalkhali.[3]
He wrote many books, some of which have been translated into Persian, Urdu, and English.[10]
Al-Hakim was one of the ulama signatories of the Amman Message, which gives a broad foundation for defining Muslim orthodoxy.[11]
Al-Hakim was married, and had 5 sons, and daughters. His sons all pursued clerical careers. His eldest son, Riyadh is a notable teacher at the religious seminary of Qom.
His second cousin, is Iraqi politician Ammar al-Hakim.
Al-Hakim died on 3 September 2021 aged 85 from a heart attack.[12] His brother, Muhammad-Taqi led the funeral prayers in the Imam Ali shrine.[13]
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