Ammar al-Hakim
Encyclopedia
Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim is an Iraqi politician who leads the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, which was the largest party in Iraq's Council of Representatives from the 2003 Invasion of Iraq
until the 2010 Iraqi elections.
Al-Hakim was born in 1971 in Al-Najaf, the son of Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim
, who preceded him as leader of ISCI, and the grandson on Grand Ayatollah Muhsin al-Hakim, who led the Iraqi Marja
from 1961.
He went into exile in Iran
in 1979 with his father after the government of Saddam Hussein
had executed seven of his uncles and sixty two of his relatives. He attended private schools in Tehran
and graduated from the Islamic Arabic University in Qom
. He taught Arabic language, Islamic jurisprudence
, logic
, philosophy
and the science of the Qur'an
at the same university for several years.
He supervises the establishment and management of many organizations, Scientific and Cultural
Institution in the exile. The most important one was “House of Wisdom for Islamic Science” from
which a large number of students graduate in the field of Islamic knowledge.
In 2003 he established “Al-Hakim Foundation”, under the supervision of his uncle Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Al-Hakim. The Al-Hakim Foundation later received consultative status with the Economic and Social Council
of the United Nations
. Headquartered in Najaf, it is now the largest institution of civil society in Iraq, with over 80 offices in all Governorates of Iraq
, and working in the field of humanitarian assistance, development, human rights, and dialogue between religions.
The Foundation also oversees several schools, colleges and cultural and scientific centers. The
foundation holds numerous symposiums, conferences and social and cultural events, in addition
to publishing a number of magazines and specialized publications.
Ammar Al-Hakim has had a significant impact on cultural, social and political fields on local, Arabic,
Islamic and international levels, where he was the special representative of his uncle Ayatollah
Sayyid Muhammed Baqir Al-Hakim who was represented in many political and religious gatherings
locally and globally. He's characterized by admissibility and wide popularity due to his faith in dialogue and acceptance
of others, and steadfast opposition to violence and injustice.
He has participated in many international conferences and he is an active member of many cultural organizations. These include the global pool of dialogue between Islamic sects, and global pool of Ahlu Al-bait (descendants of the Prophet Mohammad)
Ammar Al-Hakim has had a very interesting presence in the Iraqi, Arabic and international media; there
were a lot of media interviews with him on issues of political, social and cultural rights, and the
media cover most of his meetings with ambassadors and Iraqi and foreign officials.
He was the Vice President and a member of the central shura of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council.
On February 23, 2007, he was detained by U.S. forces at a border when he was returning from Iran
for 12 hours and he was released. The U.S. ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
apologized for the arrest and stressed that Washington did not mean any disrespect to al-Hakim or his family.
He is married and is the father of four children.
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
until the 2010 Iraqi elections.
Al-Hakim was born in 1971 in Al-Najaf, the son of Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim
Abdul Aziz al-Hakim
Sayyed Abdul Aziz al-Hakim was an Iraqi theologian and politician and the leader of Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, a party that enjoys approximately 5% support in the Iraqi Council of Representatives....
, who preceded him as leader of ISCI, and the grandson on Grand Ayatollah Muhsin al-Hakim, who led the Iraqi Marja
Marja
Marja , also known as a marja-i taqlid or marja dini , literally means "Source to Imitate/Follow" or "Religious Reference"...
from 1961.
He went into exile in 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...
in 1979 with his father after the government of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
had executed seven of his uncles and sixty two of his relatives. He attended private schools in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and graduated from the Islamic Arabic University in Qom
Qom
Qom 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....
. He taught Arabic language, Islamic jurisprudence
Fiqh
Fiqh 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....
, logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and the science of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
at the same university for several years.
He supervises the establishment and management of many organizations, Scientific and Cultural
Institution in the exile. The most important one was “House of Wisdom for Islamic Science” from
which a large number of students graduate in the field of Islamic knowledge.
In 2003 he established “Al-Hakim Foundation”, under the supervision of his uncle Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Al-Hakim. The Al-Hakim Foundation later received consultative status with the Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Headquartered in Najaf, it is now the largest institution of civil society in Iraq, with over 80 offices in all Governorates of Iraq
Governorates of Iraq
||Iraq is composed of 18 provinces :#Baghdād #Salāh ad-Dīn #Diyālā #Wāsit #Maysān #Al-Basrah #Dhī Qār #Al-Muthannā #Al-Qādisiyyah...
, and working in the field of humanitarian assistance, development, human rights, and dialogue between religions.
The Foundation also oversees several schools, colleges and cultural and scientific centers. The
foundation holds numerous symposiums, conferences and social and cultural events, in addition
to publishing a number of magazines and specialized publications.
Ammar Al-Hakim has had a significant impact on cultural, social and political fields on local, Arabic,
Islamic and international levels, where he was the special representative of his uncle Ayatollah
Sayyid Muhammed Baqir Al-Hakim who was represented in many political and religious gatherings
locally and globally. He's characterized by admissibility and wide popularity due to his faith in dialogue and acceptance
of others, and steadfast opposition to violence and injustice.
He has participated in many international conferences and he is an active member of many cultural organizations. These include the global pool of dialogue between Islamic sects, and global pool of Ahlu Al-bait (descendants of the Prophet Mohammad)
Ammar Al-Hakim has had a very interesting presence in the Iraqi, Arabic and international media; there
were a lot of media interviews with him on issues of political, social and cultural rights, and the
media cover most of his meetings with ambassadors and Iraqi and foreign officials.
He was the Vice President and a member of the central shura of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council.
On February 23, 2007, he was detained by U.S. forces at a border when he was returning from 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...
for 12 hours and he was released. The U.S. ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
Zalmay Khalilzad
Zalmay Mamozy Khalilzad is a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and president of Khalilzad Associates, an international business consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush...
apologized for the arrest and stressed that Washington did not mean any disrespect to al-Hakim or his family.
He is married and is the father of four children.