Ayatollah Sayyid
Hassan al-Shirazi
السيد حسن الحسيني الشيرازي
Personal
Born1935 (1935)
Najaf, Kingdom of Iraq
DiedMay 2, 1980(1980-05-02) (aged 44–45)
Beirut, Lebanon
Cause of deathAssassination
Resting placeFatima Masumeh Shrine
ReligionIslam
ParentMirza Mahdi al-Shirazi (father)
JurisprudenceTwelver Shia Islam
RelativesMirza Shirazi (great-great grandfather)
Muhammad al-Shirazi (brother)
Sadiq al-Shirazi (brother)
Mujtaba al-Shirazi (brother)
Mohammed Kadhim al-Modarresi (brother-in-law)
Mohammed Kadhim al-Qazwini (brother-in-law)

Ayatollah Sayyid Hassan al-Husayni al-Shirazi. (Arabic: حسن الحسيني الشيرازي; Persian: حسن حسينى شيرازى; 1935–May 2, 1980) was an Iraqi-Iranian Shia scholar, thinker, and poet.[1][2][3] He was assassinated in Beirut at the hands of the Baathist intelligence.

Renowned Lebanese writer George Jordac, describes al-Shirazi as 'a clear mind, honest tongue, and lovable heart with a face that reflects the light of a generous soul'.[4]

Early life and education

al-Shirazi was born to Mirza Mahdi al-Shirazi and Halima al-Shirazi. Both of his parents are from the distinguished clerical al-Shirazi family that emigrated from Shiraz to Karbala in the 19th century. He is the fourth of ten children. All of his brothers are clerics, and his brothers' Muhammad al-Shirazi and Sadiq al-Shirazi are marja's. His mother is the great-granddaughter of Mirza Shirazi, the pioneer of the Tobacco Movement. His nephew, Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi is also a marja'.[5]

Education

He grew up in Karbala, and studied in its seminary under his father, his older brother, Muhammad and senior scholars like Sayyid Muhammad-Hadi al-Milani, Sheikh Muhammad-Ridha al-Isfahani, Sheikh Muhammad al-Hajiri and Sheikh Yusuf al-Khorasani.[2] He quickly rose through the ranks, and became a prominent scholar in Islam.

Activism

al-Shirazi was an avid critic of the British-sponsored monarchy in Iraq,[6] the communist tide that hit the country after the monarchy, as well as the Baathist regime that also followed. Along with his brother, Muhammad, he staged many protests and activities to counter the parties and their ideologies of communism and socialism. He used to display his sentiments in his poetry, that he would often recite in festivals and conferences set up in Karbala. In 1950, he set up the al-shabab al-husayni (transl. The youth of Husayn), a youth organisation, as part of his anti-communist campaign.[7][4]

In 1963, during an annual function held in Karbala, commemorating the birth of Ali, al-Shirazi recited his renowned poem, za'imuna al-karrar (transl. Our leader, the valiant [Ali]), criticising Britains meddling with Iraqi politics, the Baath party, and specifically its founder, Michel Aflaq:[8]

He also insults Aflaq by saying:[8]

Because of this poem, al-Shirazi began to face pressures from the Baathists, that led to his immigration to Lebanon in 1964. Whilst in Lebanon, he founded Dar al-Sadiq, a publishing house that produced many Islamic books. He then returned to Iraq, before Abd al-Salam Arif 's death.[7] He continued his activism, against Abd al-Salam, his brother Abd al-Rahman, and later the Baathists, who assumed full control with a bloodless coup against Abd al-Rahman.[9] When Iranian religious exile Ruhollah Khomeini settled in Najaf in October 1965, he developed a close relationship with him and his son Mostafa.[10] The Baathists imprisoned al-Shirazi in 1969, and tortured him along with a number of other scholars in the Nihahya Palace. Due to the intensity of the torture, he was transferred to the military hospital, and then to a prison in Baqubah. He was released that same year, and shortly after, in 1970, immigrated to Lebanon as a result of Mostafa Khomeini's suggestion.[10] At first he sought treatment for the injuries he suffered under the torture of the Baathists. Then he resumed his activism, visiting many countries, and publishing more books and poetry.[7] His goal in Lebanon was to find both individual and institutional supporters.[10]

Through al-Shirazi's numerous visits to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj, he met with officials and the Muslim World League, and through them, in 1972, he managed to meet with King Faisal, where he discussed beginning the conversation in regards to rebuilding the Baqi cemetery. al-Shirazi's effort is considered to be the most progressive when it comes to any action carried out in regards to the rebuilding of the cemetery. However these efforts came to a halt with his death.[11] Murtadha al-Qazwini states that upon meeting Mohammed Suroor Sabban, he told him "the current wall that surrounds the cemetery was built due to the efforts of Muhammad al-Shirazi and his brother Hassan."[12]

al-Shirazi issued numerous statements against the Egypt–Israel peace treaty in 1979. He aided a lot of activist groups in Afghanistan against the communist influence of the Soviet Union.[4]

Legacy

Institutions

al-Shirazi established two seminaries in the Levant. He set up the Imam al-Mehdi school for religious studies in Lebanon and in Syria, he founded the Zaynabiya Islamic Sciences Seminary in Sayyeda Zainab in 1975.[13][14]

Books

  • Kalimat Allah (The word of Allah)
  • Kalimat al-Rasool al-Adham (The word of the messenger)
  • al-Adab al-Muwajah (Directed literature)
  • Kalimat al-Imam al-Hassan (The word of Imam Hassan)
  • Ilah al-Kawn (The lord of the universe)
  • al-Sha'aer al-Husayniya (The Husyani Symbols). ISBN 9781514298619.
  • Injazat al-Rasool (The accomplishments of the messenger)
  • Ahdaf al-Islam (The goals of Islam)
  • Rasool al-Hayat (The messenger of life)

Death

On Friday, 2 May 1980, al-Shirazi was on his way to Borj El Brajneh to attend the funeral of Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, who was assassinated in Iraq at the hands of the Baathists along with his sister, Bint al-Huda.[5] al-Shirazi was in a taxi, and then two cars showed up on either side of the taxi, allegedly carrying Baathist intelligence officers, who sprayed the taxi with bullets.[15] Thirteen bullets hit al-Shirazi, mostly in his head, killing him.[9]

His corpse was transferred to Qom, Iran, where Ayatollah Marashi Najafi led the funeral prayers, and al-Shirazi's body rested in the Fatima Masumeh Shrine.[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "al-Shahid al-Sayyid Hassan al-Shirazi". www.alrsool.info (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  2. 1 2 al-Jibouri, Kaamil Salman. Mu'jam al-'Udaba' Min 'Asr al-Jahili Hata Sanat 2002 [Glossary of Scholars: From the Jahiliyyah to 2002 AD] (in Arabic). Vol. 2. Beirut, Lebanon: Daar al-Kitab al-'Ilmiya. pp. 186–87.
  3. ↑ "Al Shirazi Wa Tarikh al-Marji'iya al-Udhma" [The Shirazi family and its great intellectual history]. Annaba News Outlet (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  4. 1 2 3 "al-Sayid Hassan al-Husayni al-Shirazi". www.daraloloum.com. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  5. 1 2 Ṭuʻmah, Salmān Hādī (1998). Asha'er Karbala Wa 'Usariha [Tribes and Families of Karbala] (in Arabic). Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Mahaja al-Baydha'. pp. 79–80.
  6. ↑ "Why Britain created monarchies in the Middle East". www.newstatesman.com. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  7. 1 2 3 Reisinezhad, Arash (2018-07-06). The Shah of Iran, the Iraqi Kurds, and the Lebanese Shia. Springer. p. 263. ISBN 978-3-319-89947-3.
  8. 1 2 "Jihad al-Shahid Ayat Allah al-Sayid Hasan al-Shirazi Dhid al-Hukm al-Taghut Fi al-Iraq" [The strive of the martyr Ayatollah Sayyid Hassan al-Shirazi against the tyrannical dictatorship in Iraq]. annabaa.org (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  9. 1 2 "al-Shahid al-Mufaker Ayat Allah al-Sayid Hasan al-Shirazi" [The martyr and thinker Ayatollah Sayyid Hassan al-Shirazi]. almodarresi.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  10. 1 2 3 Arash Reisinezhad (2019). The Shah of Iran, the Iraqi Kurds, and the Lebanese Shia. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 263–264. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-89947-3. ISBN 978-3-319-89947-3. S2CID 187523435.
  11. ↑ "Wathiqa Tarikhiya Hawl Juhud al-Shahid al-Sayyid Hasan al-Shirazi Qudisa Siruh Fi I'adat I'mar al-Baqi" [Historic document showing the progress of the martyr Sayyid Hassan al-Shirazis efforts to rebuild Baqi]. shiawaves.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  12. ↑ "Thikra Hadm Adhrihat al-Baqi.. al-Asbab wal-Mutalabat" [Anniversary of the demolition of the shrines of Baqi.. The reasons and demands]. www.alshirazi.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  13. ↑ "al-Hawza al-Zainabia". www.alhawzaonline.com. Archived from the original on 2017-07-14. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  14. ↑ "al-Sadis Ashar Min Jamadi al-Akhir Shahdat al-Mufakir al-Islami al-Kabir Ayatullah al-Sayyid Hasan al-Shirazi Qudis Sirah" [The sixteenth of Jamadi al-Akhir is the anniversary of the martyrdom of the grand Islamic thinker Ayatollah Sayyid Hassan al-Shirazi]. www.alshirazi.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  15. ↑ Sivan, Emmanuel; Friedman, Menachem (1990-01-01). Religious Radicalism and Politics in the Middle East. SUNY Press. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-7914-0158-3.
  16. ↑ "Martyrdom anniversary of Ayatollah Sayyid Hassan al-Shirazi observed - ShiaWaves English". shiawaves.com. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
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