Ayatollah Ayatollah ( ; fa, آیت‌الله, āyatollāh) is an Title of honor, honorific title for high-ranking Twelver Shia clergy in Iran and Iraq that came into widespread usage in the 20th century. Etymology The title is originally derived from ...

Sheikh Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...

Muhammad-Jawad al-Balaghi al-Najafi ( ar, محمد جواد البلاغي النجفي; 1865 – December 10, 1933) was an Iraqi

Shia Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...

religious authority, author, poet, and

polemic Polemic () is contentious rhetoric intended to support a specific position by forthright claims and to undermine the opposing position. The practice of such argumentation is called ''polemics'', which are seen in arguments on controversial topics ...

ist. It is reported that besides his native

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

language, al-Balaghi was also well-versed in English,

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

and

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

. He was a prominent student of Mirza Muhammad-Taqi al-Shirazi, supporting him throughout the

Iraqi revolt of 1920 The Iraqi revolt against the British, also known as the 1920 Iraqi Revolt or the Great Iraqi Revolution, started in Baghdad in the summer of 1920 with mass demonstrations by Iraqis, including protests by embittered officers from the old Ottoman ...

; and Muhammad-Kadhim al-Khurasani.

Family

al-Balaghi was from the prominent religious al-Balaghi family. Their origins go back to the Rubeya clan of the tribal

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

Adnanite The Adnanites ( ar, عدنانيون) were a tribal confederation of the Ishmaelite Arabs, traces their lineage back to Ismail son of the Islamic prophet and patriarch Ibrahim and his wife Hajar through Adnan, who originate from the Hejaz. The ...

confederation. al-Balaghi's great ancestor, Sheikh Muhammad al-Balaghi immigrated to

Karbala Karbala or Kerbala ( ar, كَرْبَلَاء, Karbalāʾ , , also ;) is a city in central Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh, also known as Razzaza Lake. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorat ...

in 1457 to seek a religious education. The patriarch of the intellectual family was Sheikh Muhammad-Ali al-Balaghi who died in Karbala in 1592, who was a grand religious authority, and one of the disseminators of Usul al-Kafi. Later, Sheikh Muhammad-Ali's grandson, Sheikh Hassan al-Balaghi travelled to

Najaf Najaf ( ar, ٱلنَّجَف) or An-Najaf al-Ashraf ( ar, ٱلنَّجَف ٱلْأَشْرَف), also known as Baniqia ( ar, بَانِيقِيَا), is a city in central Iraq about 160 km (100 mi) south of Baghdad. Its estimated popula ...

, and settled in 1693. al-Balaghi's lineage is as follows:

Muḥammad-Jawād bin Ḥassan bin Ṭalib bin ʿAbbās bin Ibrahīm bin Ḥusayn bin ʿAbbās II bin Ḥassan bin ʿAbbās I bin Muḥammad-ʿAli bin Ḥassan bin Muḥammad bin Balāgh bin Walī-Allāh bin Darwīsh 'leading to''Asad bin
Rabīʿa Rabīʿa ibn Nizar ( ar, ربيعة بن نزار) is the patriarch of one of two main branches of the "North Arabian" (Adnanite) tribes, the other branch being founded by Mudhar. Branches According to the classical Arab genealogists, the follo ...
bin Nizar bin Maʿad bin ʿAdnan.

Early life and education

al-Balaghi was born to Sheikh Hassan al-Balaghi (d. 1882) in November 1865. He grew up in Najaf, and moved to

Kadhimiya Kadhimiya ( ar, ٱلْكَاظِمِيَّة, al-Kāẓimiyyah, ) or Kadhimayn (, ) is a northern neighbourhood of the city of Baghdad, Iraq. It is about from the city's center, on the west bank of the Tigris. 'Kadhimiya' is also the name of on ...

in 1888 to pursue a religious education.

Education

Upon completing his ''muqadamat'' (introductory studies), he returned to Najaf in 1894. Whilst in Najaf he studied under scholars like Sheikh Muhammad-Kadhim al-Khurasani, Sheikh Muhammad-Taha Najaf, Sayyid Muhammad al-Hindi, and Muhammad-Hassan al-Mamaqani. He then travelled to

Samarra Samarra ( ar, سَامَرَّاء, ') is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Saladin Governorate, north of Baghdad. The city of Samarra was founded by Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutasim for his Turkish professional army ...

in 1908, to study under Mirza Muhammad-Taqi al-Shirazi. He remained in Samarra for ten years studying in its seminary. During the

siege of Kut The siege of Kut Al Amara (7 December 1915 – 29 April 1916), also known as the first battle of Kut, was the besieging of an 8,000 strong British Army garrison in the town of Kut, south of Baghdad, by the Ottoman Army. In 1915, its population ...

, Mirza Taqi travelled to Kadhimiya, who feared that Samarra could end up like Kut, and that way many from the religious sphere would die. al-Balaghi followed Mirza Taqi, and remained in Kadhimiya for two years. He then returned to Najaf in 1920 after his mentor was poisoned.

Students

Some of al-Balaghi's most notable students included: * Sayyid Muhammad-Hadi al-Milani * Sayyid

Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Musawi al-Khoei ( ; ar, أبو القاسم الموسوي الخوئي; fa, ; November 19, 1899 – August 8, 1992) was an Iranian- Iraqi Shia marja'. Al-Khoei is considered one of the most influential t ...

* Sheikh Muhammad-Amin Zayn al-Din * Sheikh Muhammad-Ridha Tabsi

Works

al-Balaghi enjoyed a library of publications, and wrote about many things include jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, Quranic exegesis, inter-faith matters. Some of his books included: * ''al-Huda Ala Din al-Mustafa'' (Guidance on the religion of al-Mustafa). 2 volumes. A response to the Christian

Ethiopian Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...

hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...

Abd al-Thaluth al-Habashi. * ''al-Rihla al-Madrasiyah'' (The School Journey). 3 volumes. A critique of other faiths. * ''Anwar al-Huda'' (The Light of Guidance). A deconstruction of atheism. * ''Nasa'ih al-Huda'' (Advice of Guidance). A deconstruction of

Bábism Bábism (a.k.a. the Bábí Faith; fa, بابیه, translit=Babiyye) is a religion founded in 1844 by the Báb (b. ʻAli Muhammad), an Iranian merchant turned prophet who taught that there is one incomprehensible God who manifests his will in ...

. * ''Risalat al-Tawhid wal-Tathleeth'' (Letter of Oneness and Threeness) * ''A'jeeb al-Akatheeb'' (Wonders of Lies) * ''Ajiwabat al-Masa'il al-Baghdadiya'' (Answers to Baghdadi Questions). A book of principles of jurisprudence. * ''al-Balagh al-Mubeen'' (The True Eloquence). A book of mysticism. * ''Alaa' al Rahman Fi Tafsir al-Quran'' (The Mercifuls Wonders in the Exegesis of the Quran). A book of Quranic exegesis.

Personal life

al-Balaghi married the daughter of Sayyid Musa al-Jazayeri al-Kadhimi in 1889, whilst he was in Kadhimiya. He only had daughters, and no sons.

Death

He died in the early hours of Friday December 3, 1933. He is buried in the third southern room of the west wing of the courtyard of the

Imam Ali Shrine The Sanctuary of Imām 'Alī ( ar, حَرَم ٱلْإِمَام عَلِيّ , Ḥaram al-ʾImām ʿAlī), also known as the Mosque of 'Alī ( ar, مَسْجِد عَلِيّ, Masjid ʿAlī), located in Najaf, Iraq, is a mosque which many Musl ...

References

External links

al-Balaghi's Library
by ''al-Feker E-book Network'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Balaghi, Mohammad Jawad 1865 births 1933 deaths Critics of Christianity Iraqi Shia Muslims Iraqi male writers Religious writers Burials at Imam Ali Mosque Pupils of Muhammad Kadhim Khorasani