The Big Four refers to the four contemporary leading Grand Ayatollahs of Twelver Shia Islam based in the holy city of Najaf in Iraq.[1][2][3]
Background edit
All orthodox Twelver Shia Muslims follow the Islamic rulings of a Grand Ayatollah. Under Saddam Hussein, the clerics were oppressed. At present, the most prominent among them is Ali al-Sistani; who also serves as the head of the Najaf Seminary.[4]
List edit
| Grand Ayatollah | Date of birth | Place of birth | |
|---|---|---|---|
(The names are arranged in alphabetical order)
| |||
 |
Ali al-Sistani | 4 August 1930 | Mashhad, Iran |
|
Bashir al-Najafi | 1942 (age 81–82) | Jalandhar, British India |
 |
Muhammad al-Fayadh | 1930 (age 93–94) | Ghazni, Afghanistan |
|
Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim | (1934-2021) | Najaf, Iraq |
References edit
- ^ Escobar, Pepe (3 February 2007). "A massacre and a new civil war". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Mouzahem, Haytham (7 March 2014). "Iraqi Shiite clerics maintain humility, influence". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ^ "Sources close to the reference: the next prime minister will be a surprise to all". iraqidinarchat.net. 30 April 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ^ Finn, Ed (4 February 2004). "Why we'd better listen to Iraq's influential cleric". Slate. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2014.