Abul-Qassim Khoei
Encyclopedia
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid
Abul-Qassim al-Khoei (November 19, 1899 – August 8, 1992) was one of the most influential Twelver Shia Islamic scholars (marja
), and the predecessor to Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Al-Husayni Al-Sistani. He was the spiritual leader of much of the Shia world until his death in 1992. He was succeeded by Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Al-Husayni Al-Sistani, his former student, whereby many of his followers became followers of Sistani and foundations previously headed by Khoei were handed to Sistani.
ian city of Khoy
, Azerbaijan in 1899, Khoei grew up in Iran
. Around the age of 13, he moved to Iraq
and took up residence in the holy city of Najaf
where he began studying Shia theology with the scholars of that city. He eventually attained the rank of Ayatollah and was subsequently made a marja
. Khoei would continue to live in Najaf, becoming a teacher for the remainder of his life, and overseeing the studies of scholars who would be qualified to issue fatwas based on Shia theology.
Due to his prominent position as a teacher and scholar in Najaf, he became an important leader of worldwide Shias. He was made the most prominent Grand Ayatollah in 1971 after the death of Ayatollah Sayed Muhsin al-Hakim. In this position, he became a patron of numerous institutions across the globe that sought to provide welfare, and also provided scholarships to theological students from across the Muslim world.
He is considered as the architect of a distinct school of thought in the principles of jurisprudence and Islamic law, and one of the leading exponents of 'kalam'-scholastic theology- and 'rijal'- study of the biographies of transmitters of ahadith, the prophetic traditions, 'fiqh'- jurisprudence- and 'tafseer'- exegesis of the Qur'an. His interests included astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy.
Khoei is said to have been the most vocal of all the Shia grand ayatollahs
in opposing Ayatollah Khomeini's idea that velayat-e faqih, or guardianship of the Islamic jurists, called for rule of the Islamic state by Islamic jurists, the foundation of the Islamic Republic of Iran
. Khoei believed that the theory was an innovation "with no support in Shia theology or law." "Probably more than any other person" Khoei was a "barrier" to Khomeini's influence in the Shia world.
After the Persian Gulf War
, Khoei was arrested by Saddam Hussein
during the mass Shia uprising that followed the defeat of Iraqi forces. While under arrest, he was taken to Baghdad
and forced to make public appearances with Saddam Hussein. Hussein eventually allowed Khoei to return to Najaf, but he was placed under house arrest, and died in 1992 (1413 AH).
Sayyid Mohammed Taqi al-Khoei
, later died in a sudden car accident, allegedly setup by Saddam Hussein
, on the night of 21 July 1994.
Soon after the fall of Baghdad to US forces in 2003 another one of his sons, Sayyid Abdul Majid al-Khoei
returned to Iraq with plans to revive Najaf
to the glory and splendor it enjoyed under the patronage of his father. Sayyid Abdul Majid al-Khoei
was then the head of Al-Khoei Foundation, the organization responsible for the trusts of his father. He was assassinated on April 10, 2003, near the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf
.
He was also the patron of about 1,000 grant-maintained students of theology from Iraq and other countries like Lebanon, Syria, Persian Gulf States, India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South East Asia. He provided financial support for maintaining the schools including boarding expenses, teachers' salaries and lodging costs.
and widely regarded as "wield[ing] enormous power over Iraq's Shia majority." The degree of success of his articulation of moderate Shia politics in Iraq have been said to be "in no small part traceable to the legacy of his mentor and teacher", Khoei.
Khoei's post-graduate institute normally accommodated some 150 students, at any given time. Among the other students who attended classes and were personally supervised by Khoei included
Institutions include:
to mathematics
and astronomy
and was a prolific writer in these disciplines. He wrote 37 books and treatises, most of which have been published. His works include:
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
Abul-Qassim al-Khoei (November 19, 1899 – August 8, 1992) was one of the most influential Twelver Shia Islamic scholars (marja
Marja
Marja , also known as a marja-i taqlid or marja dini , literally means "Source to Imitate/Follow" or "Religious Reference"...
), and the predecessor to Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Al-Husayni Al-Sistani. He was the spiritual leader of much of the Shia world until his death in 1992. He was succeeded by Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Al-Husayni Al-Sistani, his former student, whereby many of his followers became followers of Sistani and foundations previously headed by Khoei were handed to Sistani.
Biography
Born in the IranIran
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...
ian city of Khoy
Khoy
Khoy is a city in and the capital of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 178,708, in 45,090 families....
, Azerbaijan in 1899, Khoei grew up 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...
. Around the age of 13, he moved to 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....
and took up residence in the holy city of 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...
where he began studying Shia theology with the scholars of that city. He eventually attained the rank of Ayatollah and was subsequently made a marja
Marja
Marja , also known as a marja-i taqlid or marja dini , literally means "Source to Imitate/Follow" or "Religious Reference"...
. Khoei would continue to live in Najaf, becoming a teacher for the remainder of his life, and overseeing the studies of scholars who would be qualified to issue fatwas based on Shia theology.
Due to his prominent position as a teacher and scholar in Najaf, he became an important leader of worldwide Shias. He was made the most prominent Grand Ayatollah in 1971 after the death of Ayatollah Sayed Muhsin al-Hakim. In this position, he became a patron of numerous institutions across the globe that sought to provide welfare, and also provided scholarships to theological students from across the Muslim world.
He is considered as the architect of a distinct school of thought in the principles of jurisprudence and Islamic law, and one of the leading exponents of 'kalam'-scholastic theology- and 'rijal'- study of the biographies of transmitters of ahadith, the prophetic traditions, 'fiqh'- jurisprudence- and 'tafseer'- exegesis of the Qur'an. His interests included astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy.
Khoei is said to have been the most vocal of all the Shia grand ayatollahs
Marja
Marja , also known as a marja-i taqlid or marja dini , literally means "Source to Imitate/Follow" or "Religious Reference"...
in opposing Ayatollah Khomeini's idea that velayat-e faqih, or guardianship of the Islamic jurists, called for rule of the Islamic state by Islamic jurists, the foundation of the Islamic Republic of Iran
History of the Islamic Republic of Iran
One of the most dramatic changes in government in Iran's history was seen with the 1979 Iranian Revolution where Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown and replaced by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini...
. Khoei believed that the theory was an innovation "with no support in Shia theology or law." "Probably more than any other person" Khoei was a "barrier" to Khomeini's influence in the Shia world.
After the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, Khoei was arrested by 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...
during the mass Shia uprising that followed the defeat of Iraqi forces. While under arrest, he was taken to Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and forced to make public appearances with Saddam Hussein. Hussein eventually allowed Khoei to return to Najaf, but he was placed under house arrest, and died in 1992 (1413 AH).
His Sons
Ayatollah Al Khoei had 6 sons. The eldest was Ayatollah Seyed Jamalodiin Al Khoei, then Sayed Ali Al Khoei, then Sayed Abdul Saheb Al Khoei, then Sayed Mohammed Taqi Al Khoei, then Sayed Abdul Majid Al Khoei and Sayed Ibrahim Al Khoei.Sayyid Mohammed Taqi al-Khoei
Sayyid Mohammed Taqi al-Khoei
Sayyid Mohammed Taqi al-Khoei, brother of Abdul Majid al-Khoei and son of Ayatollah Al-Udhma Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoei.-Death:According to the UN Special Rapporteur for Iraq,...
, later died in a sudden car accident, allegedly setup by 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...
, on the night of 21 July 1994.
Soon after the fall of Baghdad to US forces in 2003 another one of his sons, Sayyid Abdul Majid al-Khoei
Abdul Majid al-Khoei
Sayyid Abdul Majid al-Khoei , 16 August 1962 – 10 April 2003) was a Twelver Shia cleric and the son of Ayatollah Al-Udhma Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoei. He was born in the holy city of Najaf.-Life:...
returned to Iraq with plans to revive 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...
to the glory and splendor it enjoyed under the patronage of his father. Sayyid Abdul Majid al-Khoei
Abdul Majid al-Khoei
Sayyid Abdul Majid al-Khoei , 16 August 1962 – 10 April 2003) was a Twelver Shia cleric and the son of Ayatollah Al-Udhma Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoei. He was born in the holy city of Najaf.-Life:...
was then the head of Al-Khoei Foundation, the organization responsible for the trusts of his father. He was assassinated on April 10, 2003, near the Imam Ali Shrine in 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...
.
Welfare
He was fervently dedicated to establishing welfare, social, cultural, and educational institutions for Muslims worldwide. The following are some of the institutions he established:- Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Center in New York
- Al-Iman School, New York, U.S.A.
- Imam As-Sadiq Education Institute for Boys, London, UK
- Imam As-Sadiq Education Institute for Girls, London, UK
- Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Center, London, U.K
- Ahlul-Bayt University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
- Al-Akhund
- Darul Hikmah (House of Theosophy)
- Madinatul Ilm (City of Knowledge) in Qom, Iran, considered one of the biggest theology centres in the Shia world. The complex -comprises the school building and living quarters capable of accommodating 500 families.
- As-Sayyid Al-Khoei Center in Bangkok, Thailand.
- As-Sayyid Al-Khoei Center in Dhakkah, Bangladesh.
- Imam Al-Khoei Orphanage Beirut, Lebanon
- Imam-e-Zamana Mission Hyderabad, India (Madrasa, Orphanage, etc.)
- Najafi House Mumbai, India
- al khoi foundation(Al hussain masjid and imambargha,UK
He was also the patron of about 1,000 grant-maintained students of theology from Iraq and other countries like Lebanon, Syria, Persian Gulf States, India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South East Asia. He provided financial support for maintaining the schools including boarding expenses, teachers' salaries and lodging costs.
Students
Former student Ayatullah Seyyid Ali al-Sistani is currently the most senior Shia cleric in IraqIraq
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....
and widely regarded as "wield[ing] enormous power over Iraq's Shia majority." The degree of success of his articulation of moderate Shia politics in Iraq have been said to be "in no small part traceable to the legacy of his mentor and teacher", Khoei.
Khoei's post-graduate institute normally accommodated some 150 students, at any given time. Among the other students who attended classes and were personally supervised by Khoei included
- Ayatullah Seyyid Ali al-Sistani, Iraq
- Grand Ayatollah Hossein Vahid Khorasani Hossein Vahid KhorasaniHossein Vahid KhorasaniGrand Ayatollah Hossein Vahid Khorasani is an Iranian Twelver Shia Marja. He was born in Nishapur, Iran and moved to Najaf, Iraq in 1960 and studied in seminaries of Grand Ayatollah Khoei until he moved back to Iran in 1972 and currently resides and teaches in the Seminary of Qom, Iran. He is...
,Iran - Ayatollah Mohammad Ishaq Al-FayyadMohammad Ishaq Al-FayyadGrand Ayatollah Mohammad Ishaq al-Fayyad is currently the second most senior Shi'a marja living in Iraq after Ali al-Sistani....
, Iraq - Ayatullah Seyyid Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, Lebanon
- Ayatullah Mirza Jawad Al Tabrizi
- Ayatullah Moslem Malakouti, Iran
- Ayatullah Al-Shaheed As-Sayyid Mohammad Baqir As-Sadr, Iraq
- As-Sayyid Mahdi Al-Hakim
- Mohammad Mahdi Shamsuddin (Lebanon)
- Imam Mousa As-Sadr (Lebanon)
- Ayatullah Seyyid Mohammad sadiq Al-Rohani (Iran)
- Abdolkarim Mousavi ArdebiliAbdolkarim Mousavi ArdebiliGrand Ayatollah Seyed Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili is an Iranian politician and Twelver shi'a marja.-Early Life:He was born on 28 January 1926 in City of Ardabil. His father, Mir-Abdul Rahim was a cleric and his mother died when he was a child.-Education:His father sent him to Mula-Ebrahim School...
, former Chief Justice of Iran - As-Sayyid Mohammad Ali Makki (Syria)
- As-Sayyid Mohammad Ali Bahrul 'Uloom (UK)
- Poet Mustafa Jamaluddin (Syria).
- Ayatullah shirazi (Iran)
- Muhammad al-TijaniMuhammad al-TijaniMuhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi , is a Tunisian Muslim scholar, academic and theologian.-Biography:Mohammad al-Tijani al-Samawi was a Tunisian student who, upon making Hajj, was influenced by orthodox Saudi teachings, against saint veneration and tomb visitation, which were central to the North...
— a student
Institutions include:
- Publishing House - Translation, printing and distribution of books worldwide, Karachi, Pakistan.
- Cultural Complex, Bombay, India. Considered among the biggest Shi' ite Muslims cultural centre-under construction.
- Representative Offices catering for the religious, social, educational, and cultural needs of Muslims all over the world, with the Headquarters in London, U. K. and branches in the United States, Canada, India, Pakistan, U.A. E., Oman, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, North Africa, Syria, Lebanon, Malaysia.
Works
Khoei wrote on various topics, ranging from Islamic jurisprudenceJurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
to mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and was a prolific writer in these disciplines. He wrote 37 books and treatises, most of which have been published. His works include:
- Lectures in the Principles of Jurisprudence - 10 volumes
- Biographies of Narrators of Tradition - 24 volumes.
- Islamic Law - 18 volumes.
- Al-Bayan fi tafsir al-Qur'an (The Elucidation of the Exegesis of The Qur'an and sometimes entitled The Prolegomena to the Quran)
- Minhaju-us-Saliheen (The Path of the Righteous) - 2 volumes, reprinted 78 times (guide book on religious practice and law) .
- Anthology of Religious Questions - Concise version of the Path of the Righteous - in Arabic, Urdu, Persian, English, Turkish, * * Thai, Malay, Indonesian, and Gujarati.
- Mabani al-Istinbat (Edifices of Deduction) Principles of Jurisprudence.
- Ajwad-at-Taqrirat (The Best of Regulations) Principles of Jurisprudence.
- Sharh-el-Urwatul-Wuthqa (Commentary on The Steadfast Handle) - Jurisprudence.
- Treatise on Suspected Attire - Risala fil Libas Al-Mashkok, Evidential Jurisprudence.
- Nafahat-ul Ijaz (the Fragrance of Miracles), in defence of the Qur'an.