Bashir al-Najafi

Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Basheer Hussain Najafi (Arabic: آية الله بشير النجفي‎‎) (born 1942) is one of the five Grand Ayatollahs in Iraq. He was born in Jalandhar, a city in then British India. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, his family moved to Pakistan and settled in the city of Gujranwala, Punjab. In Gujranwala he had his initial education in religion. He was then able to move to Iraq for studies in the early 1960s. He is one of many individuals from South Asia and one of the few Pakistanis to have ever been elevated to the highest rank of Grand Ayatollah in Shia Islam. He was one year senior to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. Al Najafi could be a possible successor to Ali al-Sistani, who has undergone two heart bypass surgeries in London in less than five years, upon the latter's death.

Al Najafi was attacked on 6 January 1999 by a group of armed men, reportedly members of Fedayeen Saddam, while he and members of his seminary were performing religious duties. The attack, which included use of a hand grenade, resulted in the death of three persons and injury to a number of members of the seminary, including the Grand Ayatollah.

Najaf Hawza Marji: (from left to right) Mohammad Ishaq al-Fayyad, Ali al-Sistani, Mohammad Saeed Al-Hakim and Bashir al-Najafi

History

He is from a family of religious background, born in Jalinder a city in British India. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, his family migrated to the city of Lahore in Pakistan.

He undertook his basic religious studies at a religious school in Lahore known as Jamia tul Muntazar. After completing his basic studies there in 1965, in order to further his religious knowledge and to continue his studies in higher Islamic education, he arrived in Najaf-e-Ashraf (the city of Ameer ul Momineen) in Iraq.

In Najaf, he remained with his Dars and Tadrees (studying and teaching), to such a level that Allah Almighty blessed him with the capability to become a Marjah of the Shia world, and since then the routine of Dars-e-Kharij is continuing.

He is one of the Ulama signatories of the Amman Message, which gives a broad foundation for defining Muslim orthodoxy.^[1]

He has 3 brothers and one sister. Ayatollah's oldest brother Sheik Maulana Manzoor Hussain Abidi was also a scholar in Lahore who died on 29 June 2014. He was running his main office in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

In 2016 he was pictured alongside Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis receiving a briefing on on-going operations in the Third Battle of Fallujah. He is reported as having praised the ongoing successes of Iraqi forces against the Islamic State and proclaimed, “all of Iraq must be cleansed from Daesh terrorists.” He also stressed the necessity of protecting public and private property during the Fallujah operation and said, “Members of the security forces and popular mobilization are the pride of the clergy.”“Iraqi holy warriors and fighters must have serious will to liberate the remaining areas under the occupation of terrorism and not to give an opportunity for the invasion of this country’s soil.”

The head of his office and his son, Sheikh Ali Najafi, also called for the protection of civilians in Fallujah “so they are free the clutches of terrorism with the least harm.” He likewise praised “members of popular mobilization who with faith and courage have once again demonstrated to the world and proved that they stand against the enemies with strength and treat innocent humans with kindness and gentleness.”^[2]

Hawzah Najaf al Ilmiya Projects

The Grand leader of the Shia community, Ayatollah Al-Uzma Sheikh hafiz Basher Hussain al Najafi has initiated different projects to serve the community and religion. Some of these projects are completed while others are not.

Completed Projects

Reconstruction of Hawza Ilmiya Najaf e Ashraf

Hawza Ilmiya Najaf e Ashraf, which is the centre of all the madaris, was demolished by Sadaam. Enemies wanted to close down the doors of Ilm e Rasool, and to remove Najaf as the central point of the world of knowledge. For the same reason he demolished the madaris, the historical places, mosques and Imambarghs. To add up all, printing press, bookshops and libraries were burnt down. Only those valuable things were protected which were hidden and buried underground and were covered. He availed the chance, hence he reconstructed the above-mentioned madaris to save the epicenter of Ilm and that the doors of Ilm e Rasool to be opened so that the world and people be benefited from it.

• Jamia tun Najaf known as madrassa Jamia Qalantar.
• Madrassa Abdul Aziz Al Baghdadi.
• Madrassa Al Mahdi (a.j.).
• Madrassa Yazdi.
• Madrassa Lebnaniya (Khanal Mukhazar).
• Madrassa Shubariya Bazurg.
• Madrassa Imam Ali.
• Madrassa Afghaniya (Established by Mudaris Afghani).
• Madrassa Kazmiya known as Sadrul Azam.
• Madrassa Brujardy (Established by Ayatollah Al Uzma Brujardy).
• Madrassa Akhund Al Kubra.
• Madrassa Akhund Al Sughra.
• Madrassa Al Imam Al Sadiq known as Madrassa Shubariya.
• Madrassa Hindiya
• Madrassa Mahdiya Kashif ul Ghita.
• Madrassa Al Kashif ul Ghita.
• Madrassa Al Qizwini.
• Madrassa Dar Ul Abrar.
• Madrassa Dar Ul Mutaqeen.
• Madrassa Al Hussainiya Al Shiraziya.

Services of Hawza Ilmiya Najaf e Ashraf

1. Provided Electricity: During the Sadam era, due to the edge of cruelty and current tragedies, the duration of electricity would not exceed 8 hours, consequently effecting the madaris and the students who were facing problems, hence you fixed full power generators which supplied electricity to all the madaris and mosques around the Shrine of Ameer ul Momineeen, and besides it proved to be free of cost electricity provision for the residence of students, ulema, momineen and martyrs families so that the rights of neighborhood of Ameer ul Momineen could be proved.
2. Educational Services: During the time when the grand teacher of the fuqaha Ayatollah Al Uzma Syed Al Khoi (May Allah rest his soul in peace) was suffering from sickness in his last days, he handed over the responsibility of Hawza Ilmiya Najaf e Ashraf to Ayatollah Al-Uzma Sheikh hafiz Basher and He had to look after it fully. However, after the downfall of sadaam the tyrant, other respectable personalities also helped Him perform the responsibility. The very same day, He, took all the duties from course books, teachers, food, hostel etc. for students to guide and educate the students. Although this is a great honour for the people of South Asia (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh) that since the Ghaibat e Imam e Asr (aj) till present, it’s the first time in history that a Mujtahid from South Asia has been given such a heavy responsibility of Hawza Ilmiya Najaf e Ashraf. However, greater the position, larger is the responsibility.

Orphanage

Due to Sadam tyrant era, the war imposed and daily bombardment, Iraq would probably be the first country where it has the highest number of orphans, widows and helpless women around the world. In this worse conditions along with the availability of basic necessities, the provision of education was also utmost important so that people do not lack behind and further the ettiqutes and respect of the Holy city is maintained, hence for this purpose he arranged for some programs mentioned below:

• Anwar uz Zahra School: The school provides orphan children with religious and conventional studies. This school provides food and uniforms to children and is approved by government.
• Financial support: Affected people of war and bomb attacks are provided with house, food, clothing and other necessitties and are supported financially.
• Handwork: The affected disable girls and young women along with financial support, are also been taught the handwork such as stitching and vowing.
• Moassasa e AlAnwar AlNajafiya: During the Sadam era, education was kept limited so much that it was considered a sin to have computers at home. Hence, after the local people got rid of Sadam, He established a head office for learning computer and internet education where momineen benefit from it without any cost.
• Package for Zawwar: On the sacred occasions of Chehlum Imam Mazloom (a.s.) and 15th Shaban, more than 100 thousand people visit the shirin at Najaf e Ashrf and Karbala e Mualla, since they had to walk large distance, hence He arranged for food, some resting areas and dispensaries which is there till the last day of ziarat.

Projects in process

He is continuously trying that in South Asia there should be continuity of Marjiat. Therefore, we are trying to enroll deserving students from admission of students in South Asia to solving their residential problems and to provide facilities for training and education. Hence, for this purpose, the following projects are under completion:

1. Madrassa for male students.
2. Madrassa for female students.
3. Hussainian Hall (imambargah): a place for classes and to perform majalis so that students and zawaar from South Asia can pay their respects to Ahle Bayt according to their culture and language.
4. Imam Ali hospital: where free medical treatment shall be provided to students and zawaar (pilgrims) and for this, place has been purchased near baab ul qibla of Imam Ali shrine and it is awaiting construction.
5. Najaf colony Madina tul Ilm: along with the difficulties faced by students, regarding courses, teachers, residence permit from government (iqama), they are also facing accommodation problems. They live in small rented quarters where sometimes rent is raised and sometimes they have to move to another place, and due to this problem many leave the Hawsa without completing the studies. He has obtained permission for the construction of 1000 quarters from the government and the area has been purchased at baab ul qibla of Imam Ali shrine, but is waiting for respectable momineen to sponsor the construction. This project has been included in the map of the colony madrassa for male and female and hussainia is also included.

Beside these in all the parts of South Asia:

• Madrassa to be established as in Najaf e Ashraf.
• Syllabus of Hawza Ilmiya Najaf e Ashraf to be taught all around.
• Construction of mosques and imambargahs in areas of momineen.
• To support ulema when momineen can’t afford there expenses and accommodation.

External links

• Official Website (Arabic)
• Official Website (English)
• Imamia Mission (followers of Ayatollah Bashir)
• Official Twitter Account

References