Hawza Najaf Explained

The Najaf Seminary (Arabic: حوزة النجف), also known as the al-Hawza Al-Ilmiyya (الحوزة العلمية), is the oldest and one of the most important Shia seminaries (hawza) in the world.^[1] It is located near the Imam Ali Shrine in the city of Najaf in Iraq, and also operates a campus in Karbala, Iraq. It was established by Shaykh al-Tusi (385 AH/995 CE – 460 AH/1067 CE),^[2] and continued as a center of study after the establishment of modern Iraq in 1921.^[3]

As of 2023, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani heads Hawza 'Ilmiyya Najaf, which includes two other Ayatollahs - Mohammad Ishaq Al-Fayyad and Bashir al-Najafi.^[4] The number of students studying there has waxed and waned in modern times, from 15,000-20,000 in the mid-20th century, down to 3000 during the repressive reign of Saddam Hussein, to around 13,000 as of 2014.

As of 2014 the curriculum has been updated to include many modern subjects as well as inter faith and inter sectarian initiatives.^[5]

History

Shaykh al-Tusi (385 AH/995 CE – 460 AH/1067 CE),^[2] went to Baghdad to continue education. After 12 years, he was forced to leave Baghdad and go to Najaf for sectarian differences.^[6] He established the seminary in Najaf in 430 AH (the 11th century AD),^[7] which continued as a center of study until the establishment of modern Iraq in 1921. He died in 460 AH (1067 CE).^{[8] [3]}

In the mid-20th century, the Hawza "witnessed huge developments in its educational program"^[5] and the student population grew to 15,000-20,000. During the repression of the Baath party era it declined to around 3000 as the Shiite political awakening (Sahwa) was attacked by the regime and attendance by foreign students fell off because of the Iran-Iraq war.^[5] By the time Saddam fell in 2003, there were only approximately 3000 students^[5] and 2000 clerics in Najaf.^[9] Their number then commenced to grow again, and as of 2014 there are 13,000 students, according to a census by Al-Monitor news service,^[5] including approximately 50 from foreign countries — Iran, India, Thailand, France, the United States, Canada, etc.^[5]

Subjects

The subjects taught at the seminary include:^[10]

• 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)
• Fiqh al-Muqaran (Comparative jurisprudence)
• Ilm al-Ma’rifah (Epistemology)

Trained scholars

Some of the known Shia Grand Ayatollahs were trained in the Najaf seminary.^[11]

• Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ardabili - he was one of the most famous Shia scholars. He was known as Mohaghegh (researcher) and Moghaddas (saint).^[12]
• 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.^[13]
• Mohammad Bagher Shafti - he was the leader of Isfahan seminary.^[11]
• 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.^[14] He authored a book focused on commercial law.
• Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei - Ali al-Sistani was his student.^[15] He was made the most prominent Grand Ayatollah in 1971 after the death of Muhsin al-Hakim.^[16] He was well-known author in Hadith studies and Rijal and Kalam knowledge.^{[15] [17]}
• Ibn Idris Hilli - he founded the Hillah seminary.^[11]
• Mirza Shirazi - he was the leader of Samarra seminary and Tobacco Protest.^[18]
• Hajj Muhammad Ibrahim Kalbasi - he was the leader of Isfahan seminary.^[11]
• Abdul-Karim Haeri Yazdi - he was the founder of the Qom Seminary in Iran.^[19] Ruhollah Khomeini was his student. He was Marjaʿ.^[20]
• Kashif al-Ghita - he was the leader and great Marjaʿ of Shia.^[11]
• Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi - he authored Javaher al-kalam Fi sharh-e Sharay-e al-Islam^[21] and was a leader of the Najaf seminary.^[22]
• Morteza Ansari - he was the leader of Najaf seminary after the death of Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi.^[11] He has been called "first effective" Marjaʿ of the Shia^[23] or "the first scholar universally recognized as supreme authority in matters of Shii law".^{[24] [11]}
• 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.^[25] Borujerdi was the sole marja "in the Shia world" from 1945-6 until his death in 1961.^[26] 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.^{[27] [28]}
• Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i - he authored Tafsir al-Mizan^[29] and he was one of the most prominent Intellectuals of philosophy and contemporary Shia Islam.^{[30] [31]} He was an expert in philosophy in Islam. His philosophy is focused upon the sociological treatment of human problems.^[30] 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.^[32]
• 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.^[33]

See also

• Marjaʿ
• Lists of maraji
• Qom Seminary
• Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom
• Isfahan Seminary

External links

• Towards an Understanding of the Shiite Authoritative Sources
• Hawza Ilmiyya, Qom, Iran
• Research centre of Hawza Ilmiyya, Qom, Iran
  • Imam Hossain University (Howza)
• Alqaem Institute
• Hawza - Advanced Islamic Studies

Notes and References

1. News: A rare look inside the 'heart of society' for Iraq's Shi'ites . Reuters . 12 October 2017 .
2. http://www.al-islam.org/fiqh/chap2.html https://web.archive.org/web/20101226122247/http://www.mulla-asghar.org/PDF/FIQH%20and%20FUQAHA.pdf FIQH and FUQAHA - An Introduction to Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) Containing Forty Four Life Sketches of the Great Past Masters, Published by the WORLD FEDERATION OF KHOJA SHIA ITHNAASHERI MUSLIM COMMUNITIES
3. Web site: Shiites and Democracy . Sreeram Chaulia . https://web.archive.org/web/20080626070555/http://www.mideastmonitor.org/issues/0705/0705_3.htm . 26 June 2008. Mideast Monitor.
4. Book: Thinking ahead : Shi'ite Islam in Iraq and its seminaries (hawzah 'ilmiyyah) . 25 April 2007 . S. Rajaratnam School of international Studies . Singapore . Marcinkowski . Christoph . 19 July 2023 .
5. News: Najaf's Shiite seminaries enter 21st century . Al-Monitor. Mamouri . Ali . 8 April 2014 . 18 July 2023.
6. Book: Jaffer - XKP . Mulla Asghar Ali M. . FIQH and FUQAHA . 4 November 2015 . CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 4, 2015) . 978-1519106759 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101226122247/http://www.mulla-asghar.org/PDF/FIQH%20and%20FUQAHA.pdf . dead . 2010-12-26 .
7. Web site: Part 2: The Fuqaha . World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities.
8. Web site: Hawza - Advanced Islamic Studies . Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project . https://web.archive.org/web/20110308210212/http://www.al-islam.org/index.php?t=258&cat=258 . 8 March 2011.
9. News: Mamouri . Ali . The dueling ayatollahs . 19 July 2023 . Al-Monitor . 11 April 2018.
10. Web site: Hawza - Advanced Islamic Studies . https://web.archive.org/web/20110308210212/http://www.al-islam.org/index.php?t=258&cat=258 . dead . 2011-03-08 .
11. Web site: Khoshkhu . Rasoul Imani . A Glimpse at the Major Shi'a Seminaries part 1 . 10 November 2016 . Ahlul Bayt World Assembly.
12. Book: Ghobadzadeh . Naser . Religious Secularity: A Theological Challenge to the Islamic State (Religion and Global Politics) . 2015 . Oxford University Press; 1 edition (December 1, 2014) . 978-0199391172 .
13. Book: Litvak . Meir . Shi'i Scholars of Nineteenth-Century Iraq: The 'Ulama' of Najaf and Karbala' . 2 May 2002 . Cambridge University Press (May 2, 2002) . 978-0521892964 .
14. Encyclopedia: Hairi. A.. Murata. S.. AḴŪND ḴORĀSĀNĪ. 1984. Encyclopædia Irannica.
15. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3033306.stm Who's who in Iraq: Ayatollah Sistani, 26 August, 2004
16. Web site: The Wall Street Journal: Index, Volume 2 . 1992. Dow Jones & Co., 1992.
17. Book: Allawi . Ali A. . The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace . 2007 . Yale University Press; Reprint edition (March 18, 2008) . 978-0300136142 . registration . 207 . al-Khoei is lead rijal. .
18. Book: Mottahedeh . Roy . The Mantle of the Prophet . 18 October 2014 . Oneworld (August 15, 2000) . 978-1851682348 .
19. Web site: Haeri Yazdi، Ayatollah Abdulkarim . 2018-12-19 . 2018-12-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181219182524/http://www.ijtihad.ir/ScholarDetailsen.aspx?itemid=396 . dead .
20. Mottahedeh, The Mantle of the Prophet, (1985, 2000), p.229
21. Book: Sachedina . Abdulaziz Abdulhussein . The Just Ruler in Shi'ite Islam: The Comprehensive Authority of the Jurist in Imamite Jurisprudence . 8 October 1998 . Oxford University Press; Revised edition (October 8, 1998) . 978-0195119152 .
22. Book: Arjomand . Saïd Amir . Authority and Political Culture in Shi'ism (SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies) . January 1988 . SUNY Press; Annotated edition (July 8, 1988) . 978-0887066399 .
23. Book: Mottahedeh . Roy . The Mantle of the Prophet . 18 October 2014 . Oneworld (August 15, 2000) . 978-1851682348. 210 .
24. Book: Esposito . John L. . The Oxford Dictionary of Islam (Oxford Quick Reference) . 21 October 2004 . Oxford University Press; 1 edition (October 21, 2004) . 978-0195125597 . 21 .
25. Book: fa:The course of Imam Khomeini's struggles narrated by SAVAK . http://archlibserver.imam-khomeini.ir/site/catalogue/fulltext/582100/4425282 . Seir e mobarezat e imam khomeini be revayat e savak . persian . 1 . 45 . and http://english.khamenei.ir/news/2130/bio
26. Mottahedeh, The Mantle of the Prophet, (1985, 2000), p.231
27. Web site: Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi .
28. Book: Chehabi, Abisaab . Houchang, Rula Jurdi . Distant Relations: Iran and Lebanon in the Last 500 Years . 2006 . I.B.Tauris (April 2, 2006) . 978-1860645617 .
29. http://www.islamic-laws.com/marja/Allameh%20Tabatabai.pdf Biography of Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaei by Amid Algar
30. Web site: Legenhausen . Dr. Muhammad . 'Allamah Tabataba'i And Contemporary Philosophical Theology . 19 February 2015 . ALHODA PUBLISHERS.
31. Book: Husayni Tihrani . Sayyid Muhammad Husayn . Shining Sun . 2011 . Islamic College for Advanced Studie; UK ed. edition (May 1, 2011) . 978-1904063407 .
32. Book: Randall . Yafia Katherine . Sufism and Jewish-Muslim Relations: The Derekh Avraham Order in Israel . 31 March 2016 . Routledge; 1 edition (April 7, 2016) . 978-1138914032 .
33. Web site: Rizvi . Arsalan . Sayyid Sharafuddin al-Musawi . 11 August 2008 .