List of current Maraji
This article provides the list of Maraji (plural of Marja, the supreme legal authority or the source of emulation), followed by Twelver (also known as Imamiyyah) Shia Muslims around the world. The concept of a Marja-i Taqlid (lit. source of emulation) is central to Usuli Shi'a Islam.[1] Marja-i Taqlids provide religious interpretations on matters of law and rituals.[2][3] Ideally, the most just and knowledgeable specialist in the field of the Islamic law should become recognized throughout the Muslim world as the Marja-i Taqlid. In practice however this rarely happens and there are several marja taqlids among whom an individual is free to choose and emulate.[2][3]
Those clerics who reach the apex in the hirerachy of theological rank in the centers of Shi'a learning become Marja-i Taqlids.[2][4] Since around 1940, Marja-i Taqlids are often referred to by their followers with the honorific title of Ayatollah al-`Uzma (Grand Ayatollah - "ayatollah" meaning "sign of God").[2] Among the functions of Marja-i Taqlids is the collection and distribution of religious taxes (zakat and khums).[2][3]
Current[]
Note: The list contains those Ayatollahs who have published a resalah, regardless of the number of followers they have. This list is just for sake of reference and should not be accepted as proof of Marjaiyat for enlisted candidates. To choose & decide Marja for religious purposes please refer to the Shia-Islamic Codifix, Sources and People of Knowledge (i.e. Ahle-e-Khoboor). The general consensus on the standard by which a believer chooses the marja he/she wishes to follow requires (among other things) that the marja be the most knowledgeable Shi'i mujtahid in all fields. However, the assessment of the most knowledgeable scholar (alam) is subjective among experts in the field.
The names are ordered by age (from Oldest to youngest).
| No | Image | Name | Birth Year CE[5] |
Birth Year AH[5] |
Birth Place | Education | Residence | Website | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Hossein Vahid Khorasani حسين وحيد خراساني |
1 January 1921 | 1339 |  Iran |
 Iraq |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 2 | 
|
شمس الدين مجتهدى نجفى |
17 April 1923 | 1341 | Iran |
Iraq Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 3 | 
|
Hossein Noori Hamedani حسين نوري همداني |
1925 (age 96–97) | 1343 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 4 | 
|
Sayyid Mohammad Sadeq Hosayni Rouhani السيد محمد صادق حسيني روحاني |
16 July 1926 | 1344 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 5 | 
|
Naser Makarem Shirazi ناصر مكارم شيرازي |
25 February 1927 | 1345 | Iran |
Iran Iraq |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 6 | 
|
Sayyid Mousa Shubayri Zanjani السيد موسى شبيري زنجانی |
2 March 1928 | 1346 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 7 | 
|
Abbas Mahfouzi عباس محفوظی |
1928 (age 93–94) | 1346 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 8 | 
|
Mohammad Rahmati Sirjani محمد رحمتی سیرجانی |
1928 (age 93–94) | 1346 | Iran |
Iraq |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 9 | 
|
Ja‘far Sobhani جعفر سبحاني |
8 April 1929 | 1347 | Iran |
Iraq |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 10 | 
|
Sayyid Ali Husayni al-Sistani السيد علي الحسيني السيستاني |
4 August 1930 | 1348 | Iran |
Iran Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website[6] | - |
| 11 | 
|
Mohammad Ishaq al-Fayadh محمد إسحاق فياض |
1930 (age 91–92) | 1348 |  Afghanistan |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 12 | 
|
محمد تقى مجلسى اصفهانى |
1930 (age 91–92) | 1348 | Iran |
Iran Iraq |
Iran
|
Official Website | [7] |
| 13 | 
|
Muhammad Hussain Najafi محمد حسين النجفي |
10 April 1932 | 1350 |  British India |
 Pakistan Iraq |
Pakistan
|
Official website | - |
| 14 | 
|
Abdollah Javadi-Amoli عبدالله جوادى آملى |
5 May 1933 | 1351 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 15 | 
|
Hossein Mazaheri حسين مظاهري |
16 November 1933 | 1352 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 16 | 
|
Mohammad Ebrahim Jannaati محمد ابراهيم جناتی |
1933 (age 88–89) | 1351 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 17 | 
|
Sayyid Ali Mohammad Dastgheib Shirazi السيد علی محمد دستغیب شيرازي |
14 March 1935 | 1353 | Iran |
Iran Iraq |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 18 | 
|
ميرزا يدالله دوزدوزاني |
1935 (age 86–87) | 1354 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 19 | 
|
Shamsodin Vaezi شمس الدين الواعظي |
1936 (age 85–86) | 1355 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 20 | 
|
Isa Ahmed Qassim عيسى احمد قاسم |
1 January 1937 | 1355 |  Bahrain |
Iran Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 21 | 
|
Mohammad Ali Gerami Qomi محمدعلى گرامى قمي |
1938 (age 83–84) | 1357 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 22 | 
|
Sayyid Kazim Hussaini al-Haeri السيد كاظم حسيني حائري |
1938 (age 83–84) | 1356 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 23 | 
|
محمد مهدي الخالصي |
1938 (age 83–84) | 1357 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
[Official Website] | - |
| 24 | 
|
Sayyid Ali Hoseyni Khamenei السيد علي حسيني خامنه اي |
19 April 1939 | 1358 | Iran |
Iran Iraq  Lebanon |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 25 | 
|
Ali Asghar Rahimi Azad علی اصغر رحیمی آزاد |
1939 (age 82–83) | 1358 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 26 | 
|
Sheikh Yasubedin Rastegar Jooybari الشيخ يعسوب الدين رستگار جويبارى |
1940 (age 81–82) | 1359 | Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - | |
| 27 | 
|
Mohammad Mohammad Taher Aleshobair Khaqani محمد محمد طاهــــر آل شبيـر الخاقانـــــي |
1940 (age 81–82) | 1359 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 28 | 
|
الشيخ الخليل قدسى مهر تبريزى |
1940 (age 81–82) | 1359 | Iran
|
Iran
|
Iran
|
Official website | [8] |
| 29 | 
|
Sayyid Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi السيد صادق حسيني شيرازي |
20 August 1941 | 1361 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 30 | 
|
Asadollah Bayyat Zanjani اسدالله بیات زنجانی |
23 December 1941 | 1360 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 31 | 
|
دوستى زنجانى |
1941 (age 80–81) | 1360 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 32 | 
|
Bashir Hussain Najafi بشير حسين النجفي |
1942 (age 79–80) | 1361 | British India |
Pakistan Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 33 | 
|
السيد راغب آل كمونة الحسيني |
1942 (age 79–80) | 1360 | Iraq |
Iran Iraq |
Iraq
|
Biography | - |
| 34 | الشيخ نوري حاتم الساعدي |
1944 (age 77–78) | 1362 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
- | - | |
| 35 | 
|
Sayyid Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi السيد محمد تقي المدرسي |
1 July 1945 | 1364 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 36 | 
|
Sayyid Ali Asghar Dastgheib سید علی‌اصغر دستغیب |
25 November 1945 | 1364 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 37 | 
|
Sayyid Ahmad Hassani Baghdadi السيد احمد الحسني البغدادي |
1945 (age 76–77) | 1364 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 38 | 
|
Sayyid Allaedin Ghoraifi السيد علاء الدين الغريفي |
1945 (age 76–77) | 1364 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 39 | 
|
Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini Zanjani السید محمد حسینی زنجانی |
1947 (age 74–75) | 1366 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 40 | 
|
Saleh Taei صالح الطائي |
1948 (age 73–74) | 1367 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 41 | علي الصالح |
1948 (age 73–74) | 1367 |  Kuwait |
Iran |
Kuwait
|
- | ||
| 42 | 
|
Mohammad Reza Nekoonam محمد رضا نکونام |
9 January 1949 | 1368 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 43 | 
|
سید جواد علوی بروجردی |
16 April 1951 | 1370 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 44 | 
|
محمد أمين المامقاني |
10 June 1951 | 1371 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Biography Official Website | - |
| 45 | 
|
جواد الخالصي |
13 September 1951 | 1370 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
[Official Website] | - |
| 46 | 
|
Khalil Mobasher Kashani خلیل مبشر کاشانی |
1951 (age 70–71) | 1370 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 47 | 
|
Sayyid Hussein Esmaeel al-Sadr السيد حسين إسماعيل الصدر |
1952 (age 69–70) | 1371 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 48 | 
|
Fazel Maleki فاضل المالكي |
8 April 1954 | 1372 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 49 | 
|
Sayyid Ali Hassani Baghdadi السيد علي الحسني البغدادي |
1955 (age 66–67) | 1374 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 50 | 
|
سید محمد یثربی |
1955 (age 66–67) | 1374 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | [9] |
| 51 | 
|
Sayyid Kamal Haydari سيد كمال الحيدري |
1 January 1956 | 1375 | Iraq |
Iran Iraq |
Iran
|
Official Website | [10] |
| 52 | 
|
Sayyid Mohammad Hadi Ghazanfari Khansari السيد محمد هادي غضنفري خوانساري |
1957 (age 64–65) | 1376 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Biography | - |
| 53 | السيد محسن حجت كابلى |
1957 (age 64–65) | 1376 | Afghanistan |
Iran |
Afghanistan
|
Official Website | [11] | |
| 54 | 
|
سید محمد امین خراسانی |
9 February 1958 | 1376 | Iran |
Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 55 | 
|
Mohammad Yaqoobi محمد اليعقوبي |
9 September 1960 | 1379 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 56 | 
|
Sayyid Reza Hosseini Nassab السيد رضا حسيني نسب |
1960 (age 61–62) | 1380 | Iran |
Iran |
 Canada
|
Official Website | [12][13] |
| 57 | 
|
Qasem Taei قاسم الطائي |
1960 (age 61–62) | 1379 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 58 | 
|
محمد باقر موحدى نجفى |
1961 (age 60–61) | 1381 | Iraq |
Iraq Iran |
Iran
|
Official Website | - |
| 59 | 
|
محمد السند |
1962 (age 59–60) | 1382 | Bahrain |
Iran |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
| 60 | 
|
Sayyid Mahmoud Hassani Sorkhi السيد محمود الحسني الصرخي |
1 December 1964 | 1383 | Iraq |
Iraq |
Iraq
|
Official Website | - |
Deceased[]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Pike, John. "Twelvers / Ithna Ashari Islamic Schools of Thought". www.globalsecurity.org.
- ^ a b c d e Lara Deeb, An Enchanted Modern: Gender and Public Piety in Shi'i Lebanon, Princeton University Press, pp.69-70
- ^ a b c Michael W. Suleiman,Arabs in America: Building a New Future, p.55, Temple University Press
- ^ Linda S. Walbridge, The Most Learned of the Shiʻa: The Institution of the Marjaʻ Taqlid, Oxford University Press, p.217
- ^ a b The abbreviation CE refers to the Common Era solar calendar, while AH refers to the Islamic Hijri lunar calendar.
- ^ "Biography". Archived from the original on 2010-12-28.
- ^ "برچسب مرجع تقلید مراجع عظام - مرجعیت شیعه". baktashienews.blogsky.com.
- ^ "List of Maraji (2017)". Archived from the original on 2018-08-19. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
- ^ "Another list of Maraji (2017)". Archived from the original on 2018-08-19. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
- ^ "پایگاه اطلاع رسانی دفتر حضرت آیت الله العظمی سید کمال حیدری". alhaydari.com.
- ^ "مجموع مراجع الشيعة الأحياء لبداية 2017م مع محل سكناهم ومواقعهم الالكترونية". منتديات يا حسين.
- ^ "Seyed Reza Hosseini Nassab". Archived from the original on 2011-06-13.
- ^ Islamopedia[permanent dead link] Ayatollah Hosseini Nassab.
External links[]
- Lists of Muslims
- Shia Islam by country
- Twelvers
- Ayatollahs