Question & Answer. What is the ruling on abortion for a pregnant woman who is infected with AIDS? The reclusive cleric left Najaf for the first time in years for heart surgery He is one of only five living grand ayatollahs and the most senior Shia cleric in Iraq. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Living in Najaf, a holy city and burial place haunted by Shiite passion for martyrdom, he has emerged as a leader through quiet rationalism. Most of the people who have known His Eminence Sayyid al-Sistani and have spent time with him have noted that, since his youth, he was a quiet person who spent most of his time in meditation and reflection. Currently there are a number of Ayatollahs. Mr Sistani champions the separation of mosque and state. Omissions? Answer: It is better not to, and its preferable to choose another animal as a pet, as a dog is ritually impure (Najis) according to Islamic law, and thus it would cause one to live with considerable difficulty.It's also been mentioned that prayers in a place with a dog around is abominable (Makrooh). For a man who rarely left his own house, or said a single word to the mass media, this is quite phenomenal! The destruction of the Iraqi state by the 2003 US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq resulted in the rise of the Shiite clerics in Iraq, in particular, the most senior cleric in Iraq’s Najaf city Ayatollah Ali Sistani who has emerged as a key political power broker after the invasion. His asceticism is apparent from his food, clothing, and residence. Grand Ayatollah Sistani: Role and likely successors Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has been the most influen-tial leader in Iraq since the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani Early Life. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned later that month, and the parliament passed an electoral reform in December. Großajatollah Ali as-Sistani (persisch سیدعلی حسینی سیستانی, DMG Seyyed-ʿAlī Ḥosainī Sīstānī; arabisch علي الحسيني السيستاني, DMG ʿAlī al-Ḥusainī as-Sīsitānī; * ungefähr 4. Elected Iran’s supreme leader in June 1989 by the Assembly of Experts, Ayatollah Khamenei serves as the head of state and commander-in-chief of Iran’s armed forces. Clerics should advise, he … August 1930 in Maschhad, Iran) ist der bedeutendste schiitische Geistliche im heutigen Irak. Sistani played a key role in the political proceedings that followed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, and, although he preferred to give the impression that he did not mix religion and politics, he proved to be an important participant in the planning for Iraq’s first democratic government. Though born in Iran, he has lived and taught in Najaf, Iraq, the intellectual capital of global Shiism, since the age of 21. Who is the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani? He is very humble and has lived an extremely simple life. The reclusive, Iranian-born wields great influence over Iraq’s future. Mr Sistani champions the separation of mosque and state. Sayyid Ali Husayni al-Sistani (born 4 August 1930), also known as Ayatollah Sistani or al-Sistani, is one of the most powerful and influential Iranian Twelver Shia marja in Iraq and the head of many of the hawzahs (seminaries) in Najaf. Although born in Iran, he is no fan of Khamenei and other hardliners in Tehran, preferring the likes of President Hassan Rouhani . The 2010s saw a number of crises that returned Sistani to the position of a political arbiter. Born to a prominent religious family, Sistani studied the Qurʾān from a young age. By Track Persia. The most important Shiite cleric in Iraq, a nation that is 60 percent Shiite. Who is the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani? Qom’s only advantage is its political sway, which it acquired just forty years ago when Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini overthrew the monarchy and appointed himself as the all-powerful leader of the first Shiite clergy-run state in history. He is the most important Shiite cleric in Iraq, where the population is about 60 percent Shiite. Ali al-Sistani, Iranian-born Shi’i cleric and a leader of the Iraqi Shi’i community. His Eminence Sayyid al-Sistani was born on the ninth of Rabi al-Awwal in 1349 AH in the Holy City of Mashhad in Iran. Ayatollah Sistani: What is Makrooh whilst fasting? In November 2019, after the Iraqi government responded with violence to widespread demonstrations over corruption and poor services, Sistani called for the resignation of the government, electoral reform, and early elections. His father was Sayyid Muhammad Baqir, the son of Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani (may God have mercy on them). Later on, he wrote a commentary on the Resaalah of Ayatullah Khu’i. The reclusive, Iranian-born wields great influence over Iraq’s future. In Al-Najaf, Sistani was devoted to ensuring power for a Shiʿi majority in his adopted country, which had been led by a Sunni minority for centuries. Did you know that Sayyid Sistani used to listen to Imam Khomeini speeches in secret during Saddam’s time? Ali Husseini al-Sistani (en arabe : السيد علي الحسيني السيستاني, en persan : سید علی حسینی سیستانی) est un ayatollah iranien né le 4 août 1930 à Mashhad, en Iran. In his early 20s he left Iran to continue his studies in Iraq, becoming a disciple of Grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei in Al-Najaf. Among the most significant situations were those that came in 2014 with the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL; also called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria [ISIS]). As Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani ages, a struggle to succeed him has begun, putting the spiritual leadership of one of the world's foremost faiths in play. Biography of Ayatollah Sayed Ali Sistani English. They say he has a calm, content, and patient personality. In some cases his credibility outweighed that of not only U.S. and United Nations diplomatic envoys but even the interim government of Prime Minister Ayād ʿAllāwī: his strong and moderating influence among the Iraqi populace as a whole earned him the respect of U.S. diplomats and Iraqi leaders, who deferred to many of his wishes. to Sistani’s tolerance and respect for the freedom of thought and debate, Najaf, as a religious center, is wit-nessing the most tolerant era in its entire history. Can one perform Eid prayers, (Eid al-Fitr or Eid... Is it permissible to socialize or accept invitations... Can one recite a divorce, whilst the two witnesses... Is it permissible for a Muslim single man to consummate... A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West. By Track Persia. He is described as the spiritual leader of Iraqi Shia Muslims and one of the most senior clerics in Shia Islam. Sistani is a deeply religious man who is also a survivor. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, born 4 August 1930, the most important Shiite cleric in Iraq, where the population is about 60 percent Shiite. MOBILE VIEW Sunni volunteers, who have joined the Abbas Combat Division, shout slogans after a field training in Kerbala, Iraq, Dec. 20, 2017. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini became the supreme religious leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, following many years of resistance to Shah Pahlavi. Ayatollah Sistani then began to perform the prayers at the niche of Ayatollah Khou’i, and started studying in his school. A bold move by PMU groupings aligned with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is set to challenge the level of influence of pro-Iran militias in Iraq. In reply to a question about fasting in the Month of Ramadan in the shadow of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Grand Ayatollah Sistani emphasized that fasting as an individual duty is Wajib, and whoever has the conditions it is obligatory to fast regardless of it being Wajib for others or not. May 30, 2020. He held a traditional ‘quietist’ philosophy rather than the ideology of clerical leadership in policy making as promulgated by Ruhollah Khomeini. In August 2004 Sistani traveled to Britain to undergo medical treatment and surgery for a worsening heart condition. Sheikh Nasser al-Din Ansari Al-Qomi, an investigator and researcher in the History of Scholars and Professor of Higher Studies in the Qom Seminary, details his meeting with the great religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, may Allah protect him. A broader contest of influence between Sistani and Ṣadr continued, however, and some of Sistani’s followers began to shift toward Ṣadr’s more militant approach. Hassan Rouhani’s trip to Iraq was discussed from various angles by observers, but few noticed that he did not carry any greetings from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to the highest religious leader of Shiites, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani … Who is the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani? Clerics should advise, he says, not rule. The destruction of the Iraqi state by the 2003 US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq resulted in the rise of the Shiite clerics in Iraq, in particular, the most senior cleric in Iraq’s Najaf city Ayatollah Ali Sistani who has emerged as a … Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani Council on Foreign Relations ^ | 12-5-03 | Sharon Otterman Posted on 12/06/2003 11:38:46 AM PST by FlyLow. THE Americans are becoming exasperated by Iraq's most powerful ayatollah. Sistani increasingly found himself marginalized as his calls for calm went unheeded and efforts to restrain his followers became more and more difficult. He is the most influential person in Iraq, and he also has a large following around the … Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani’s prime influence comes from his status as Shi’ism’s leading marjah al-taqlid, the title (literally object of emulation) given to a cleric whom Iraq’s 15 million Shia Muslims regard as a guide in every aspect of their lives. The heart operation a success, Sistani returned triumphantly to Al-Najaf in late August and concluded the confrontation by dramatically reining in Ṣadr and brokering a peace agreement where others had failed. AIM Editor May 30, 2017 Questions & Answers 8,846 Views. Rather than continue to endure being ignored, Sistani announced his withdrawal from the political scene. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, born 4 August 1930, the most important Shiite cleric in Iraq, where the population is about 60 percent Shiite. Ali al-Sistani, in full ʿAlī al-Ḥusaynī al-Sīstānī, (born August 4, 1930, Mashhad, Iran), Iranian-born Shiʿi cleric and a leader of the Iraqi Shiʿi community. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. Unlike Khamenei, Ayatollah Ali Sistani believes in the separation of religion from state and his position has been a key element that fostered a relative peace among various Iraqi groups some of which are loyal to the Islamic Republic and follow Khamenei's ideological lead. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ali-al-Sistani, Council on Foreign Relations - Biography of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Official Site of Al-Sayyid Ali Al-Husseini Al-Sistani. And it is the seat of the most popular Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani (pictured). The Chief Ayatollah of Iraq is Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani. Sistani’s sermon was a riposte, designed to set Khamenei right. Biography of Ayatollah Sayed Ali Sistani English. He succeeded Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Abu Al Qassim Al Khoei as the most powerful figure in Najaf's Hawza, as the senior Shiite clerical leadership is known, in 1992. Top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani backs early elections and calls on the Iraqi government to take action against the outlawed militias and mafia active in the country. But with neighboring Iran moving to install its preferred candidate in the position, the secular political foundations of Iraq's fledgling democracy are at risk. Al-Sistani is profiled in Anthony Shadid's February 1, 2004, Washington Post article "Call of History Draws Iraqi Cleric to the Political Fore." Certain things are Makrooh for a person observing fast, some of them are mentioned below: Using eye-drops and applying Surma if its taste or smell reaches the throat. He does not like self-promotion and forbids his representatives from spending a penny on advertising his religious autho… Inquiries regarding fasting the holy month of Ramadan with the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), Questions about Preparing the Bodies of Those Deceased From CoronaVirus (COVID-19), Rulings Regarding the Efforts of Medical Professionals Caring for Coronavirus Patients (COVID 19), Questions from BBC about some inappropriate practices, and the responses to them, His Eminence Sayyid Sistani receives a visit from Iranian President Dr. Hassan Rouhani. Who's who in Iraq: Ayatollah Sistani Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani is the prime marja, or spiritual reference, for Shia Muslims everywhere. Shiite factions close to Sistani move to separate from Iran-backed militias. He is the most important Shiite cleric in Iraq, where the population is about 60 percent Shiite. Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani "was born in Mashhad, a city in northwest Iran that is home to the country's most sacred Shiite shrine.". Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The Supreme Leader of Iran is currently Ayatollah Ali Khamanei. MOBILE VIEW. Known for his intelligence and charisma, Sistani rose quickly through the clerical ranks, and, unlike Ruhollah Khomeini, a fellow cleric in Al-Najaf who would come to rule Iran (1979–89), Sistani eschewed militancy for a “quietist” philosophy. The differences of these two religious centers are not new. Ayatollah Sistani Since the American invasion, he has had more influence over Iraqi politics than any other figure in Iraq. His control of the Revolutionary Guard guarantees that the religious clerics have authority over the civil government. Returned Sistani to the position of a political arbiter not rule and state 2003. who is the most important cleric... 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