Grand
Ayatollah Sayyid Muhsin
al-Tabataba'i al-Hakim (1889–1970)
Grand
Ayatollah Sayyid Muhsin
al-Tabataba'i al-Hakim (1889–1970)
He was born Sayyid Mohsin ibn Sayyid Mahdi Tabatabai al-Hakim to a scholarly family in the holy city of Najaf in 1306 AH. He received his religious education in Najaf, studying under such great giants of the seminary as Akhund al-Khurasani, Sayyid Abul Hasan al-Isfehani, Sayyid Kadhim Tabatabai Yazdi, and Shaikh Muhammad Hussain Naini. Upon the demise of his teachers, Sayyid Mohsin al-Hakim was recognized as the de facto leader of the Najaf seminary, and upon Ayatollah Burujardi's death in 1380 AH, he was accepted as the sole Marja Taqleed (Religious Authority) by Shias around the world.
Under Ayatollah Mohsin al-Hakim, the seminary grew extensively. He embarked on a program to collect various books and manuscripts that had hitherto been ignored or disorganized, culminating in his famous library containing over 30,000 books and nearly 5,000 various manuscripts. It is said that in times of financial shortage, Ayatollah Mohsin al-Hakim used to offer the prayers and fasts for diseased individuals and would use that money to buy these books and manuscripts from their owners. He also established several new religious schools, including the Madressa Sharif al-Ulema in Karbala, Madressas Sayyid Yazdi, Dar al-Hikma, and Ilmiya in Najaf, Madressa Ilmiya in Hilla, as well as a religious school especially for students of Afghan and Central Asian origin. His list of students includes such great names as Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoei, Sayyid Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini, Martyr Sayyid Qadhi Tabatabai, Martyr Sayyid Muhammad Baqir as-Sadr, Sayyid Ali Hussaini Sistani, Sayyid Sa'eed Tabatabai Hakim (his grandson), Shaikh Hussain Waheed Khurasani, and Shaikh Nasir Makarem Shirazi.
During his time, the seminary increased its international outreach efforts, and Ayatollah Mohsin al-Hakim used the seminary's financial resources to establish mosques, Hussainiyas, and Islamic cultural centers all over Iraq, as well as in places like Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. His code of practice and hundreds of Islamic books was published in local languages such as Urdu and Pashto and made easily accessible to the masses in these places for the first time.
As the socialist Ba'ath Party went about creating an autocratic state in Iraq, Ayatollah Mohsin al-Hakim's own sons Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi al-Hakim and Sayyid Baqir al-Hakim established the Islamic Da'wa Party along with Martyr Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr and Sayyid Murtadha al-Askari. The Party sought to counter the Ba'ath regime's autocratic and un-Islamic practices, and as a result, many of its members were brutally killed.
Like Ayatollah Burujardi, Ayatollah Mohsin al-Hakim (and later, Ayatollah Abul Qasim al-Khoei) is accused of maintaining a "quietist" attitude during this period. However, one must remember that his religious leadership occurred during some very turbulent times. Revolutions do not take place overnight, and Ayatollah Mohsin al-Hakim recognized that in order to effectively counter the Ba'ath Party in the long run, there must be a dedicated group of scholars and jurists to lead the masses. Therefore, he let Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr be in charge of the resistance movement, whereas he himself concentrating on producing the next great crop of Shia academia. Indeed, many of his students and at least six of his sons were brutally persecuted and subsequently killed by the Ba'ath regime. Today, the influential Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) is led by Sayyid Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, one of Ayatollah Mohsin al-Hakim's sons.
In 1390 AH, Ayatollah Mohsin al-Hakim passed away. He was laid to rest inside his library in Najaf, and the mantle of leadership in the Najaf seminary was passed on to Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoei.
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Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhsin al-Tabataba'i al-Hakim (1889–1970) (Arabic: ÃíÉ Çááå ÇáÚÙãí ÓíÏ ãÍÓä ÇáØÈÇØÈÇÆ ÇáÍßíãý) was born into a family, the Tabatabai, renowned for its scholarship. He was always in the forefront to defend Islam and Muslims. He became the sole Marja in 1961 after the death of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Husayn Borujerdi. His son Abdul Aziz al-Hakim was the leader of SIIC the largest political party in Iraq.
The hawza of Najaf grew immensely under his Marjaiyya. His historic opinion piece (although, not an official fatwa), branding communism as kufr and atheism proved the beginning of the end of communism in Iraq.
Muhsin Al-Hakim led the hawza, also known as the marja'iyya, the group of Shi'i scholars based in Najaf responsible for determining Shi'i religious doctrine, during a time of considerable tumult in Iraq. Communism had enveloped the south of Iraq, Iraqi nationalist parties (and most prominently the pan-Arabist Ba'ath party) were largely in control of Iraq's political institutions, particularly during the last decade of Hakim's life. It is important to note, however, that the hawza is not a papacy and that therefore "leading" it does not mean that Hakim alone could pronounce Shi'i doctrine, all members of the hawza of sufficient standing (namely, those given the title absolute interpreter, or mujtahid mutlaq) developed their own rules based on accepted techniques and practices. Hakim was simply the most respected of the relatively small group of scholars.
Hakim's general stance with respect to all of these movements, in contradistinction to those of his children, who later became extraordinarily active politically, was one of quietism. In fact, Shi'i quietism, later exemplified by hawza leaders such as Grand Ayatollah Abul Qasim al-Khoei and current Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, probably reached its apotheosis in Iraq during Hakim's tenure. Thus, while Hakim did attempt to limit Communist influence among the Shi'a by banning their participation in the party, for the most part he preferred to remain out of politics, at least tacitly agreeing with Baghdad's rulers to keep the hawza's scholars politically neutral in exchange for relative immunity for those scholars. Implicit in this stance was a certain alienation and disaffection with the notion of the modern nation state and the exercise of political authority. The state, and politics, were assumed to be inherently sullying, and something which good Shi'is should avoid. Quietism is thus not secularism, where the state and religion are presumed to have important, but separate, spheres of influence, but rather a type of devotion to the religious authorities and suspicion of political ones. Politics and religion would then be united once again after the return of the hidden Mahdi, now disappeared for over a millennium. The Mahdi is a lineal descendant of the Prophet Muhammad who is the Imam in Shi'i theology, an infallible individual in whom political and religious authority for the Muslim community is vested and who will ultimately bring justice to the world with his reappearance under Shi'i eschatological theory.
There were some within the hawza who were less enamored of Hakim's stance respecting political authority. Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, for example, a more junior member of the hawza during Hakim's time, sought a series of reforms to the hawza to make it more politically palatable and appealing to the Shi'i masses who were proving susceptible to Communism. Sadr therefore tried to unify and centralize the hawza, placing more power in the hands of the senior scholar, and sought to make its materials more accessible and understandable to the lay community, filled as it was with arcane and obscure language, often on minutiae of no interest to the broader Shi'i masses. He helped found the Da'wa party as well, an Islamist party that Sadr imagined would give the hawza political influence in Baghdad.
While Hakim had a great deal of respect for the intelligence and enthusiasm of Sadr, he viewed his political activism as contrary to its principles and interests. Hakim therefore asked Sadr to dissociate his relationship with Da'wa and generally discouraged his efforts to reform large parts of the hawza curriculum, though some important reforms were undertaken. Hakim therefore maintained the quietist balance through very difficult times, and ultimately projected a stance on politics and religion in the Shi'i community that remains influential today.
With Hakim's death, Sadr's activism increased and ultimately his ideas proved too threatening to the Saddam and his government. In 1980, he and his sister were killed by Saddam Hussein's interrogators, as were any members of the hawza who were inclined to take Sadr's politically active position. With the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime, however, Shi'ism has reached a considerable period of ferment, with the religious community attempting to achieve some form of balance between the political activism announced by Sadr and the quietist stance embodied most clearly in the form of Muhsim al-Hakim.
He was buried in the great and modern library he had established.
https://www.world-federation.org/news/tribute-sayyid-muhsin-al-hakim
After the demise of Agha Burujardi in 1961, Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim became the leading Marja’ for most of the Shia world.
An Infallible Imam (as) is the Divinely appointed guide for the people, resolving their religious, cultural, social, and political problems.
During the Minor Occultation (Ghaybat Sughra) of the Awaited Saviour (aj), the Shia would refer to the Four Deputies (Nuwwab Arba’ah), i.e. the intermediaries directly appointed by the Twelfth Imam (aj).
In the current period – i.e. the period of the Major Occultation (Ghaybat Kubra) – the duty of providing such essential guidance rests on the shoulders of the Marja’ of Taqlid, who are the best jurists in the top Shia learning centers.
Sayyid al-Hakim was one of these great Maraji’ of Taqlid. This remarkable scholar defended and spread the Shia faith despite the difficulties in Iraq at the time.
Some of his many accomplishments include increasing the number of seminary students from all over the world; educating the general public by building many public libraries and religious centers all over Iraq and abroad; establishing good relations with the Sunni brethren (esp. the Kurds in Iraq); defending political rights of the oppressed; and introducing the Shia identity to the world as a dynamic, rational, and progressive faith.
from L-R: Sayyed M Shahroodi, Sayyed Hakeem and Sayyed Khui (ar)
Sayyid al-Hakim was trained in the sciences of jurisprudence by highly eminent scholars, three of whom deserve special mention. Firstly, Akhund Muhammad Kazim Khurasani, whose text in the field of Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence) is essential study for any aspiring Mujtahid. And secondly, Grand Ayatollahs Mirza Muhammad Husayn Na’ini and Agha Dhiya Iraqi, who trained a whole generation of great Mujtahids such as Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khu’i.
Sayyid al-Hakim studied under several esteemed teachers of akhlaq. Their method of training was based on following all the rules of sharia; attaining the pleasure of God; developing love for God through regular dhikr, Qur’an recitation, and tawassul to the Ahl al-Bayt (as); and daily reflection on the nafs.
Such practices gradually lead to the illumination of the mind and heart to see God’s manifestations at all levels in creation. Furthermore, they enable a person to become a fully subservient agent of God, serving Him and His creation at all times.
Sayyid al-Hakim was known for being a humble servant to Allah. He would reflect on how to best serve the Creator and humanity in any given circumstance. He led a simple life and would first offer the people around him, even children, before he consumed anything.
During his pilgrimage to hajj, Sayyid al-Hakim established the Hajj Mission of the Shia Marja’ to guide the lay Shia about their duties towards God. When he would go to Karbala, he would connect with the zuwwar of Imam Husayn (as), making himself available to them at all times. In this way, he was able to sit with people from all walks of life and guide them.
Sayyid al-Hakim played a major role in the upliftment of Shias in Africa and the Indian sub-continent. Many leaders kept close ties with Sayyid al-Hakim and sought his advice when working on various community projects. For example, the Bilal Muslim Mission was initiated by Sayyid al-Hakim when he reminded the visiting Africa Federation Chairman, Marhum Ebrahim Sheriff, in 1962, of the Khoja community’s tabligh duties toward the unreached indigenous people. In the same year, Africa Federation received an ijazah from Sayyid al-Hakim, which marked the beginning of the centralisation of Huqooq funds in East Africa.
On the recommendation of the Ayatullah, tabligh work started in 1963 through the efforts of people such as Maulana Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi. In 1967, Maulana Rizvi went to Mombasa and met with the Office Bearers of the Supreme Council; in that meeting, it was decided that two institutions – namely Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya and Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania – would be established. Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania was registered in 1968 and Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya in 1971.
Sayyid al-Hakim’s magnum opus in fiqh, Mustamsak al-‘Urwat al-Wuthqa (14 volumes), is still widely used today in the Hawza as it is a concise yet profound discussion on the demonstrative proofs for fiqhi rulings. His enduring legacy is inspired by the guidance of Imam al-Sadiq (as): “Whoever spreads knowledge will be rewarded for as long as learners benefit from it” (al-Kafi, vol 1, p35).
He pioneered the two volume fatwa book Minhaj al-Saliheen in simpler Arabic language accessible to the average muqallid. It includes all the major chapters of fiqh (including Amr bil Ma’roof in volume 1 and Sadaqa in volume 2) so subsequent maraji’ from Agha Khui to several current maraji’ including Agha Sistani have adapted it with their views.
Among the generation of students he trained are several current Maraji’: Their Eminences Sayyid Ali Husayni al-Sistani, Shaikh Wahid Khurasani, Sayyid Muhammad Sa’eed al-Hakim, and Shaikh Nasir Makarim Shirazi (may Allah protect all our Maraji’).
Through his directives, many libraries, mosques, and Hawzas were set up in Najaf, Baghdad, Basra, and other parts of Iraq and in other countries.
Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim passed away in Baghdad, Iraq on 27th of Rabi al-Awwal in 1390 AH (2nd June 1970) at the age of 84.
Huge crowds of people attended his funeral. He truly lived in the way that Imam Ali (as) advised in the tradition quoted above (Nahj al-Balagha, saying 10). As Imam al-Sadiq (as) has said, “Indeed, the death of a Faqih is an irreplaceable loss in Islam.” (al-Kafi, vol 1, p38). Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Muhsin Al-Hakim’s final resting place is in his library next to the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (as).
We are indebted to towering figures such as Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim. Let us remember him and all the past Maraji’ with a Sura Fateha.
