Abdullah Musawi Shirazi
Encyclopedia
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Abdullah Al-Musawi Al-Shirazi (February 25, 1892 – September 29, 1984) was a Grand Ayatollah of Twelver Shi'a Islam
.
, Iran
. At the age of 15 he was sent into exile with his father, Ayatollah Sayyed Muhammad Tahir al-Shirazi, for resisting the Qajar and British
colonial rule in southern Iran. His father was a nationally renowned cleric who was known for his resistance against the British government.
In 1914 he was sent to Najaf
, Iraq
to study advanced Islamic jurisprudence under the late Shaikh Na'ini.
al-Shirazi was sentenced to 4 years in prison in 1935, during the famous Goharshad Mosque
uprising in the city of Mashad against the anti-religious policies of Reza Shah Pahlavi
. After his release, he returned to Najaf, and soon became one of the Marja
of Taqleed of Shi'a there. The Marja of Taqleed are clerics that have the authority to declare fatwa
s and decrees into all matters of Islamic jurisprudence. Only a few exist at any given time.
In 1975 al-Shirazi returned to Iran and joined the movement against the last Shah of Iran
, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
, until his government was overthrown in 1979. By then he had ascended to the rank of Grand Ayatollah, thus becoming one of the highest ranking clerics of the Shi'a faith.
He died on 29 September 1984 in Mashhad
. A few hundred thousand people participated in the funeral ceremony commemorating him, at the Shrine of Imam Reza.
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Life
Grand Ayatollah Haj Sayyed Abdullah al-Shirazi was born in ShirazShiraz, Iran
Shiraz is the sixth most populous city in Iran and is the capital of Fars Province, the city's 2009 population was 1,455,073. Shiraz is located in the southwest of Iran on the Roodkhaneye Khoshk seasonal river...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. At the age of 15 he was sent into exile with his father, Ayatollah Sayyed Muhammad Tahir al-Shirazi, for resisting the Qajar and British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial rule in southern Iran. His father was a nationally renowned cleric who was known for his resistance against the British government.
In 1914 he was sent to Najaf
Najaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
to study advanced Islamic jurisprudence under the late Shaikh Na'ini.
al-Shirazi was sentenced to 4 years in prison in 1935, during the famous Goharshad Mosque
Goharshad Mosque
Goharshad Mosque is a former free standing mosque in Mashhad of the Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, which now serves as one of the prayer halls within the Imam Reza shrine complex....
uprising in the city of Mashad against the anti-religious policies of Reza Shah Pahlavi
Reza Shah
Rezā Shāh, also known as Rezā Shāh Pahlavi and Rezā Shāh Kabir , , was the Shah of the Imperial State of Iran from December 15, 1925, until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on September 16, 1941.In 1925, Reza Shah overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last Shah of the Qajar...
. After his release, he returned to Najaf, and soon became one of the Marja
Marja
Marja , also known as a marja-i taqlid or marja dini , literally means "Source to Imitate/Follow" or "Religious Reference"...
of Taqleed of Shi'a there. The Marja of Taqleed are clerics that have the authority to declare fatwa
Fatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
s and decrees into all matters of Islamic jurisprudence. Only a few exist at any given time.
In 1975 al-Shirazi returned to Iran and joined the movement against the last Shah of Iran
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
, until his government was overthrown in 1979. By then he had ascended to the rank of Grand Ayatollah, thus becoming one of the highest ranking clerics of the Shi'a faith.
He died on 29 September 1984 in Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
. A few hundred thousand people participated in the funeral ceremony commemorating him, at the Shrine of Imam Reza.
Services and accomplishments
- Established two of the largest schools of FiqhFiqhFiqh is Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the code of conduct expounded in the Quran, often supplemented by tradition and implemented by the rulings and interpretations of Islamic jurists....
in Najaf, Iraq. - Established the largest school of Fiqh in Mashad, Iran.
- Founded 180 institutes on Fiqh in Iran, Iraq, SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and a few African countries. - Founded the Ayatollah al-Udhma Al-Shirazi Hospital in Mashad, Iran. In 1984, it served 43,000 patients. Clerics and their families were provided free insurance coverage.
- Founded an elementary school in Najaf.
- Founded the Tahiriyah mosque in Najaf.
- Founded the Al-Shirazi Library in Najaf.
- Founded dormitories for international clerical students in Najaf.
- Founded the Tahiriyah Husayniyah mosque in KufaKufaKufa is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000....
, Iraq. - Founded the Al-Shirazi Library in Mashad, Iran.
- Founded two mosques in Mashad.
- Built and donated 130 houses for the earthquakeEarthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
victimes of TabasTabasTabas is a city in and capital of Tabas County, Yazd Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 30,681, in 7,962 families.Tabas is located in central Iran, 950 kilometers southeast of Tehran, in Yazd Province. Formerly it was part of the Khorasan province. It is a desert city with...
in 1978. - Built and donated 24 houses for the earthquake victimes of Feiz abad, Gha'enat in Khorasan province in 1979.
- Reconstructed and donated large parts of ShirvanShirvanShirvan , also spelled as Shirwan, Shervan, Sherwan and Šervān, is a historical region in the eastern Caucasus, known by this name in both Islamic and modern times...
, Khorasan, after the earthquakeEarthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
of 1980. - Reconstructed and donated large parts of Khuzestan province, after devastating floods in 1979.
- Reconstructed and donated large parts of KermanKerman- Geological characteristics :For the Iranian paleontologists, Kerman has always been considered a fossil paradise. Finding new dinosaur footprints in 2005 has now revealed new hopes for paleontologists to better understand the history of this area.- Economy :...
province, after the earthquakeEarthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
of 1981. - Established a foundation that helped clerics and the destitute purchase housing.
- Constructed more than 60 schools in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, and a few African countries. - Helped pay for tuition and boarding costs of students in SamarraSamarraSāmarrā is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad-Din Governorate, north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700....
and KazimainKazimainal-Kāżimiyyah , is a town located in what is now a northern neighbourhood of Baghdad, Iraq about five kilometres from the city center. Al-Kāżimiyyah is one of nine administrative districts in Baghdad....
, IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. - Helped pay for publication costs of Islamic studies in various countries.
- Founded a large surgery unit at the Zahra hospital in BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. - Paid for foster care institutes in southern Lebanon.
- Founded 4 clinics for healthcare in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - Helped cover living costs for Iranian families afflicted by the Iran-Iraq warIran-Iraq WarThe Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
. - Helped cover living costs for tens of thousands of Iraqi families afflicted by Saddam HusseinSaddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
.
Works
- Umdat-il wasa'il fil Hashiyat ila al-rasa'il, on the writings of Shaikh Ansari, in 4 volumes.
- Kitab il-Ghaza, on Islamic Jurisprudence, in 2 volumes.
- Al-Durr baydh fi munjazat al-maridh, on the debate of Fiqh concerning hereditary issues.
- Azahat ul-shobahat fil shakk fil raka'aat, on the debate of Fiqh concerning the details of prayers.
- Raf'al hajib fil Ujrat ila al-wajib, on the debate of Fiqh concerning the ahkaam for revenues.
- Azahat ul-shubahat fi hukm il-afagh al-muttahidah wal mottafiqah, on the debate of Fiqh concerning the observation of the MoonMoonThe Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
for calculations of the solar calendar. - Al-tuhfat ol-Kadhimiyah fi qatl al-hayawanat bil-alat al-kahruba'iyah, on the debate of Fiqh concerning the ahkaam for slaughtering farm animals with electric devices.
- Al-risalat al-Rajabiyah, a commentary about Hijab from Quranic and traditional perspectives.
- Al-risalat al-rabi'iyah fi tashih al-niyabah al-ibadiyah, on the debate of Fiqh concerning prayers.
- Al-mas'alat al-roju'iyah fi hukm al-mutlaqah al-raj'iyah, on the debate of Fiqh concerning divorce laws.
- Al-hashiyah al-al'urwatih al-wuthqa, a review on the debate of Fiqh concerning all issues written by the late Allama Sayyed Muhammad Yazdi, in his book al'urwatih al-wuthqa.
- Al-ihtijajat al-ashra, a discussion on the Sunni-Shi'a debate. Translated into Persian, English, UrduUrduUrdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, and Gujurati, and published several times. - Al-imamat wal Shi'at, on the topic of Imamate in Shi'a Islam.
- Pushesh e zan az didgaah e Islam, in Persian, about Hijab in Islam.
- Imam wa Imamat, on the topic of Imamate in Islam.
- Munazerat-i dah ganeh, a discussion on the Sunni-Shi'a debate with Sunni scholars, in Persian.
- Dhakhirat al-saliheen, a collection of all the Fatwas declared by Ayatollah Shirazi, in 2 volumes.
- Towdhih al-Masa'il, another collection of all Fatwas declared by Ayatollah al-Shirazi, translated into English.
- Manasik hajj, available in English, on the details of the Hajj pilgrimage.
- Anis al-Muqalladeen, translated in 1984 into Persian.
See also
- Muslim scholarsMuslim scholarsThis article is a ist of modern-day scholars of Islam who are themselves Muslim.Geographical categories have been created based on commonalities in culture and language across the Muslim World. Non-Scholars This article is a ist of modern-day (20th to 21st century) scholars of Islam who are...
- Mashad
- QomQomQom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
- Shi'as
- Central Library of Astan Quds RazaviCentral Library of Astan Quds RazaviThe Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi is a large library in Mashad, Iran. Established before 1457, it holds over 1.1 million volumes. It is an international center for Islamic research, containing numerous manuscripts and rare works of antiquity of Islamic history.The library has 35 branches:*...