One of the most prominent and influential individuals in the world today is not any president, prime minister, or celebrity but rather a humble 90-year-old man who has dedicated his life to the study of Islam. This man is one of the most powerful people in the world today living in his humble abode in the holy city of Najaf (Iraq). Most of us know him as Ayatollah Syed Ali Sistani and he is perhaps the most major Marjeh in Iraq whose influence knows no boundaries.

Born in Mashhad (Iran) in 1930 he studied at his father’s Houza in the holy city of Mashhad and continued his higher studies in the holy city of Qom (Iran) where he got the opportunity to study at Grand Ayatollah Hussain Burujardi (RA). In 1951 Ayatollah Sistani travelled to Iraq to the holy city of Najaf where he studied under Grand Ayatullah Khuvi (RA). Evidently, it is the supreme and eternal souls of Imam Riza (PBUH) in Mashad and Lady Masooma (PBHH) in Qom, and Imam Ali (PBUH) in Najaf, as well as the great teachers of these cities, have a divine impact on him. In 1960 at the age of 30, he had become a mujtahid in the field of Fiqh. It is pertinent to note that only a few best clerics ever reached that level of knowledge at such a young age. In 1992 Ayatollah Sistani performed the funeral prayer of late teacher Ayatollah Khuvi (RA) and it was by the next year that Syed Ali Sistani became known as Grand Ayatollah Sistani.

Throughout these years Ayatollah Sistani has written over 30 books around 6 of which are translated into English so far. He has also sent out some valuable advice and guidance to his followers across the globe. To the youth, he says “try to learn a trade and acquire a specialty and exhaust you in that pursuit”. He urges us “to improve our conduct with parents, family, children, friends and the people”. He says “a person who is blind to the existence of God and the Hereafter would not know the meaning of this life, its horizons, and its aftermath, and would be walking in darkness”. He also teaches us to acquaint ourselves as thoroughly as possible with Holy Quran, Nehj-ul-Balagah, and Sahifa-e-Sajjadia.

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Ayatollah Sistani shines with the core principles of love, tolerance, respect, and brotherhood. Who can forget his famous statement where he urged us “don’t think of Sunnis as your brothers, rather they are yourselves”. Anyone who tries to paint the idea of Sunnis being separate Shia being something else is actually going against the honorable stance of Ayatollah Sistani. When asked about congregational prayer with Sunni brothers he answered “there is no objection in standing in a Sunni congregational prayer. However, the person should recite Hamd and Surah on his own in the first two Rakats even if it has to be a low voice though. It is also permissible for a Shia to lead them in prayer”. Islam is not about us and them. In fact, Islam is that religion that brings the hearts of people together as much as possible for the sake and cause of serving the one God. It’s this spiritual reality Ayatollah Sistani has constantly called towards. Anyone who goes against this core idea is essentially going against Ayatollah Sistani even if they claim to follow him.

There are many brothers and sisters who do follow or do Taqleed Ayatollah Sistani for their daily fiqh and ahkam when it comes to socio-political affairs, they follow the path of Villyah, the Valiye Faqih Imam Khamenei. Is there a contradiction here? Is Islam one thing and politics an entirely separate thing, or more particularly, Is Ayatollah Sistani the religious Marjah and Imam Khamenei is the political one? Well, we should recognize that Ayatullah Sistani’s outstanding personality is not limited to spiritual affairs. Islam is a beautiful religion that addresses the mind, body, soul, and society. Ayatollah Sistani has been rigorously involved in the political affairs of Iraq and indeed the world. Who can forget his fatwa which rallied the brave Islamic warriors to fight back against the American-backed ISIS terrorists? In 2014 he passed a fatwa calling for citizens to defend the country, its people, the honor of its citizens, its sacred places against ISIS. During the 2019 protest in Iraq when many innocent people killed Ayatollah Sistani demanded that the govt investigate to find out which elements gave the order to shoot protestors whatever their affiliation.

Another major role was played by Ayatollah Sistani when the USA’s forces were at the doors of Najaf in a standoff with followers of Syed Muqtada-as-Sadr. After seeing the gravity of the situation Ayatollah Sistani urged the Muslims to participate in mass demonstrations against the ongoing violence in Najaf. This move broke the deadlock and pushed back the US forces. Western media always tries to paint it as a Sunni and Shia issue. In fact, it tries to show that they are against each other. Some people listen to it and they start to believe it. Eventually, if you a Shia listening or watching you will think that Sunnis are the real enemy and if you are a Sunni listening you start thinking Shias are the enemy. This is precisely what the western media wants. Ayatollah Sistani and his true followers quelled and quashed sectarianism. It has been stated that even after the demolition of Shia Al Askari Mosque in Samarah in February 2006 his network of clerics and preachers continued to urge calm and told their followers that it was not their Sunni brothers who are killing them but foreign Wahabis. If we ever see individuals who claim to respect and follow Ayatollah Sistani but they go against this honorable stance of him. What does it show?

Furthermore, when Donald Trump heralded the “Deal of the Century” where America and Israel basically made a plan amongst themselves to snatch up the rights and prosperities of the Palestinian. Ayatollah Sistani said about Deal of the Century “the religious authority severely censures the recently unveiled unjust plan which is meant to give legitimacy to further occupation of usurped Palestinian lands”. His Eminence Ayatollah Sistani also added “the religious authority reiterates its support for the oppressed Palestinian people in line with their rights to regain occupied lands and establish an independent state. It calls on Arabs, Muslims and all freedom-loving people worldwide to back the Palestinian cause”. In fact, when the USA attempted to recognize Jerusalem Al-Quds as the capital of Zionist entity Ayatollah Sistani stated “This decision is denounced and condemned. It has hurt the sentiments of hundreds of millions of Arabs and Muslims, but it will not change the fact that Jerusalem is an occupied land that should return to the sovereignty of its Palestinian owners no matter how long it takes. The efforts of the Ummah ought to be combined and their voice should be united in the struggle. Allah is the guardian of the victory”. We as his muqalideen need to echo those very sentiments out in the public.

While the United States invades countries in the name of democracy, we all know that their true motives are anything else but democratic. After the toppling of their poppet dictator Saddam Hussein, the US wanted to write and pass the constitution for Iraq using their own handpicked people. It was Ayatollah Sistani who issued a statement and forced the US to allow the people of Iraq to choose their representatives. He helped the people of Iraq to write a constitution for the Iraqi people rather than the occupying US regime.

Ayatollah Sistani’s political endeavors are not recent in phenomena. In fact, he played a major role in Jan 2005 elections in Iraq emphasizing the elections should be free and fair with the participation of all Iraqi people. This is precisely what Imam Khamenei does in Iran. Imam Khamenei says “by voting, the nation can exercise their right to participate in the management of their country’s affairs. Moreover, voting is a religious duty”. Anyone, who suggests or believes that Ayatollah Sistani is spiritual marjeh whereas Imam Khamenei is the political one, has completely misguided or misunderstood the point. Ayatollah Sistani and Imam Khamenei are on the same page, believe in the same book, follow the same religion Islam that too the pure Mohammadan Islam of the Holy Quran and Ahlulbeit (AS). If we keep on dividing and differentiating between Islam and politics we are always going to fall far behind and we are not going to be updated on the understanding of the current state of Islam. In the words of Imam Khomeini (RA) “our religion is our politics and our politics is our religion”.

Indeed, Islam is about Taharah, spiritual cleanliness, halal and haram, food, spiritual ablution, haj, khumus and zakaat. But all of these are there for the purpose of establishing justice on earth. The end goal of Islam has always been to end all oppression and injustice on the face of the planet and to help the oppressed, downtrodden masses. This is why in the Holy Quran, Allah (JWS) tells us “as for the earth, it shall be inherited by My righteous servants” (21:105). Ayatollah Sistani is a major alley in this battle against oppressor and injustice. It is really hard not to love him.

The article is Compiled by this author. from a video produced by Islamic Pulse.