Hawza Najaf

Ali al-Sistani (current chancellor of Hawza 'Ilmiyya Najaf) and Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei (ex-chancellor of Hawza 'Ilmiyya Najaf)

The Najaf Seminary (Arabic: حوزة النجف‎), also known as the al-Hawza al-Ilmiyya, is the most important Shia seminaries (hawza) in the city of Najaf, Iraq. The school also operates a campus in Karbala.

It is located near the Imam Ali Mosque. It was established in the 11th century by Grand Ayatollah Shaykh al-Tusi.

History[]

Shaykh Tusi went to Baghdad to continue education. After 12 years, he was forced to leave Baghdad and go to Najaf for sectarian differences.^[1] He established the seminary in Najaf in 430 AH (the 11th century AD),^[2] which continued as a center of study until the establishment of modern Iraq in 1921. He died in 460 AH (1067 CE).^[3]^[4] The seminar was one of the biggest and most important hawza of the world for educating and training Shia clerics.^[5]

Subjects[]

The subjects taught at the seminary include:^[6]

Mantiq (Logic)
Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence)
Fiqh (Jurisprudence)
Tafsir al-Qur'an (Qur'an Exegesis)
Ulum al-Qur'an (Qur'an Sciences)
Ilm al-Hadith (The Study of Traditions)
Ilm ar-Rijal (Science of Narrators)
Tarikh (History)
Aqaid / Kalam (Theology)
Lugha (Language Studies)
Falsafa (Islamic Philosophy)
Irfan (Islamic Mysticism)

Trained scholars[]

Some of the known Shia Grand Ayatollahs were trained in the Najaf seminary.^[7]

Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ardabili - he was one of the most famous Shia scholars. He was known as Mohaghegh (researcher) and Moghaddas (saint).^[8]
Moḥammad Mahdī Baḥr al-ʿUlūm - he was known as Baḥr al-Ulum for his considerable knowledge. Bahr al-Ulum was a popular Shia Muslim scholar. He is specifically known as one of the few individuals who attained the climax of spiritual perfection.^[9]
Mohammad Bagher Shafti - he was the leader of Isfahan seminary.^[7]
Akhund Khorasani - he was a student of Morteza Ansari. Khorasani was the greatest Marjaʿ after Mirza Shirazi and before Mohammad Fadhil Sharabiani, he was known as an indubitable master of usul al-fiqh.^[10] He authored a book focused on commercial law.^[11]
Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei - Ali al-Sistani was his student.^[12] He was made the most prominent Grand Ayatollah in 1971 after the death of Muhsin al-Hakim.^[13] He was well-known author in Hadith studies and Rijal and Kalam knowledge.^[12]^[14]
Ibn Idris Hilli - he founded the Hillah seminary.^[7]
Mirza Shirazi - he was the leader of Samarra seminary and Tobacco Protest.^[11]
Hajj Muhammad Ibrahim Kalbasi - he was the leader of Isfahan seminary.^[7]
Abdul-Karim Haeri Yazdi - he was the founder of the Qom Seminary in Iran.^[15] Ruhollah Khomeini was his student. He was Marjaʿ.^[16]
Kashif al-Ghita - he was the leader and great Marjaʿ of Shia.^[7]
Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi - he authored Javaher al-kalam Fi sharh-e Sharay-e al-Islam^[17] and was a leader of the Najaf seminary.^[18]
Morteza Ansari - he was the leader of Najaf seminary after the death of Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi.^[7] He has been called "first effective" Marjaʿ of the Shia^[19] or "the first scholar universally recognized as supreme authority in matters of Shii law".^[20]^[7]
Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi - his popular students included Imam Khomeini, Hossein Vahid Khorasani, Sayed Ali Khamenei, Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani, and Dr. Seyed Ali Mirlohi Falavarjani.^[21] Borujerdi was the sole marja "in the Shia world" from 1945-6 until his death in 1961.^[22] Borujerdi was the first Marja who attempted Islamic unity. He sent Sayyid Muhaqqiqi to Hamburg, Germany, Aqa-e-Shari'at to Karachi, Pakistan, Al-Faqihi to Medina and Musa al-Sadr to Lebanon.^[23]^[24]
Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i - he authored Tafsir al-Mizan^[25] and he was one of the most prominent Intellectuals of philosophy and contemporary Shia Islam.^[26]^[27] He was an expert in philosophy in Islam. His philosophy is focused upon the sociological treatment of human problems.^[26] His book, Shi'ite Islam, was translated into English by Hossein Nasr and William Chittick as a project of Colgate University. He was interviewed by Henry Corbin.^[28]
Abd al-Husayn Sharaf al-Din al-Musawi - he was one of the greatest Marja in Lebanon. He attempted to bring Shia and Sunni closer.^[29]

References[]

^ Jaffer - XKP, Mulla Asghar Ali M. FIQH and FUQAHA (PDF). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 4, 2015). ISBN 978-1519106759. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-26.
^ "Part 2: The Fuqaha". World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities.
^ "Hawza - Advanced Islamic Studies". Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project. Archived from the original on 8 March 2011.
^ Sreeram Chaulia. "Shiites and Democracy". Mideast Monitor. Archived from the original on 26 June 2008.
^ "A rare look inside the 'heart of society' for Iraq's Shi'ites".
^ "Hawza - Advanced Islamic Studies". Archived from the original on 2011-03-08.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Khoshkhu, Rasoul Imani. "A Glimpse at the Major Shi'a Seminaries part 1". Ahlul Bayt World Assembly.
^ Ghobadzadeh, Naser (2015). Religious Secularity: A Theological Challenge to the Islamic State (Religion and Global Politics). Oxford University Press; 1 edition (December 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0199391172.
^ Litvak, Meir (2 May 2002). Shi'i Scholars of Nineteenth-Century Iraq: The 'Ulama' of Najaf and Karbala'. Cambridge University Press (May 2, 2002). ISBN 978-0521892964.
^ Hairi, A.; Murata, S. (1984). "AḴŪND ḴORĀSĀNĪ". Encyclopædia Irannica.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Mottahedeh, Roy (18 October 2014). The Mantle of the Prophet. Oneworld (August 15, 2000). ISBN 978-1851682348.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Who's who in Iraq: Ayatollah Sistani, 26 August, 2004
^ "The Wall Street Journal: Index, Volume 2". Dow Jones & Co., 1992. 1992.
^ Allawi, Ali A. (2007). The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace. Yale University Press; Reprint edition (March 18, 2008). p. 207. ISBN 978-0300136142. al-Khoei is lead rijal.
^ "Haeri Yazdi، Ayatollah Abdulkarim".
^ Mottahedeh, The Mantle of the Prophet, (1985, 2000), p.229
^ Sachedina, Abdulaziz Abdulhussein (8 October 1998). The Just Ruler in Shi'ite Islam: The Comprehensive Authority of the Jurist in Imamite Jurisprudence. Oxford University Press; Revised edition (October 8, 1998). ISBN 978-0195119152.
^ Arjomand, Saïd Amir (January 1988). Authority and Political Culture in Shi'ism (SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies). SUNY Press; Annotated edition (July 8, 1988). ISBN 978-0887066399.
^ Mottahedeh, Roy (18 October 2014). The Mantle of the Prophet. Oneworld (August 15, 2000). p. 210. ISBN 978-1851682348.
^ Esposito, John L. (21 October 2004). The Oxford Dictionary of Islam (Oxford Quick Reference). Oxford University Press; 1 edition (October 21, 2004). p. 21. ISBN 978-0195125597.
^ The course of Imam Khomeini's struggles narrated by SAVAK [Seir e mobarezat e imam khomeini be revayat e savak] (in Persian). 1. p. 45. and http://english.khamenei.ir/news/2130/bio
^ Mottahedeh, The Mantle of the Prophet, (1985, 2000), p.231
^ "Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi".
^ Chehabi, Abisaab, Houchang , Rula Jurdi (2006). Distant Relations: Iran and Lebanon in the Last 500 Years. I.B.Tauris (April 2, 2006). ISBN 978-1860645617.
^ Biography of Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaei by Amid Algar, University of California, Berkeley, Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Legenhausen, Dr. Muhammad. "'Allamah Tabataba'i And Contemporary Philosophical Theology". ALHODA PUBLISHERS.
^ Husayni Tihrani, Sayyid Muhammad Husayn (2011). Shining Sun. Islamic College for Advanced Studie; UK ed. edition (May 1, 2011). ISBN 978-1904063407.
^ Randall, Yafia Katherine (31 March 2016). Sufism and Jewish-Muslim Relations: The Derekh Avraham Order in Israel. Routledge; 1 edition (April 7, 2016). ISBN 978-1138914032.
^ Rizvi, Arsalan. "Sayyid Sharafuddin al-Musawi".

External links[]

[1] Jaffer - XKP, Mulla Asghar Ali M. FIQH and FUQAHA (PDF). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 4, 2015). ISBN 978-1519106759. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-26.

[2] "Part 2: The Fuqaha". World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities.

[ai-Hawza-3] "Hawza - Advanced Islamic Studies". Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project. Archived from the original on 8 March 2011.

[S&D-4] Sreeram Chaulia. "Shiites and Democracy". Mideast Monitor. Archived from the original on 26 June 2008.

[reuters-5] "A rare look inside the 'heart of society' for Iraq's Shi'ites".

[6] "Hawza - Advanced Islamic Studies". Archived from the original on 2011-03-08.

[Rasoul_Imani-7] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Khoshkhu, Rasoul Imani. "A Glimpse at the Major Shi'a Seminaries part 1". Ahlul Bayt World Assembly.

[8] Ghobadzadeh, Naser (2015). Religious Secularity: A Theological Challenge to the Islamic State (Religion and Global Politics). Oxford University Press; 1 edition (December 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0199391172.

[9] Litvak, Meir (2 May 2002). Shi'i Scholars of Nineteenth-Century Iraq: The 'Ulama' of Najaf and Karbala'. Cambridge University Press (May 2, 2002). ISBN 978-0521892964.

[Iranica-10] Hairi, A.; Murata, S. (1984). "AḴŪND ḴORĀSĀNĪ". Encyclopædia Irannica.

[Mottahedeh1985-11] Jump up to: ^a ^b Mottahedeh, Roy (18 October 2014). The Mantle of the Prophet. Oneworld (August 15, 2000). ISBN 978-1851682348.

[bbc-12] Jump up to: ^a ^b Who's who in Iraq: Ayatollah Sistani, 26 August, 2004

[13] "The Wall Street Journal: Index, Volume 2". Dow Jones & Co., 1992. 1992.

[14] Allawi, Ali A. (2007). The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace. Yale University Press; Reprint edition (March 18, 2008). p. 207. ISBN 978-0300136142. al-Khoei is lead rijal.

[15] "Haeri Yazdi، Ayatollah Abdulkarim".

[16] Mottahedeh, The Mantle of the Prophet, (1985, 2000), p.229

[17] Sachedina, Abdulaziz Abdulhussein (8 October 1998). The Just Ruler in Shi'ite Islam: The Comprehensive Authority of the Jurist in Imamite Jurisprudence. Oxford University Press; Revised edition (October 8, 1998). ISBN 978-0195119152.

[18] Arjomand, Saïd Amir (January 1988). Authority and Political Culture in Shi'ism (SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies). SUNY Press; Annotated edition (July 8, 1988). ISBN 978-0887066399.

[19] Mottahedeh, Roy (18 October 2014). The Mantle of the Prophet. Oneworld (August 15, 2000). p. 210. ISBN 978-1851682348.

[20] Esposito, John L. (21 October 2004). The Oxford Dictionary of Islam (Oxford Quick Reference). Oxford University Press; 1 edition (October 21, 2004). p. 21. ISBN 978-0195125597.

[21] The course of Imam Khomeini's struggles narrated by SAVAK [Seir e mobarezat e imam khomeini be revayat e savak] (in Persian). 1. p. 45. and http://english.khamenei.ir/news/2130/bio

[22] Mottahedeh, The Mantle of the Prophet, (1985, 2000), p.231

[23] "Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi".

[24] Chehabi, Abisaab, Houchang , Rula Jurdi (2006). Distant Relations: Iran and Lebanon in the Last 500 Years. I.B.Tauris (April 2, 2006). ISBN 978-1860645617.

[25] Biography of Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaei by Amid Algar, University of California, Berkeley, Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

[tabatabai-26] Jump up to: ^a ^b Legenhausen, Dr. Muhammad. "'Allamah Tabataba'i And Contemporary Philosophical Theology". ALHODA PUBLISHERS.

[27] Husayni Tihrani, Sayyid Muhammad Husayn (2011). Shining Sun. Islamic College for Advanced Studie; UK ed. edition (May 1, 2011). ISBN 978-1904063407.

[28] Randall, Yafia Katherine (31 March 2016). Sufism and Jewish-Muslim Relations: The Derekh Avraham Order in Israel. Routledge; 1 edition (April 7, 2016). ISBN 978-1138914032.

[29] Rizvi, Arsalan. "Sayyid Sharafuddin al-Musawi".

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