Mohammed Mahdi al-Sadr

Mohammed Mahdi al-Sadr (6 July 1879 – March 1940) was a prominent Iraqi Twelver Shia jurist and historian. He participated in the 1920 Iraqi Revolt against British occupation, contributed to the restoration of the Grand Husayniyya in Baghdad from Baha’i control, and collected rare Islamic manuscripts. He studied in the religious seminaries of Najaf and Kadhimiya, attained the degree of ijtihad, and taught numerous students. He authored several works on jurisprudence, theology, and ethics.^[1][2]

Sayyid Mohammed Mahdi al-Sadr
محمد مهدي الصدر
Personal life
Born	Mohammed Mahdi bin Isma'il al-Sadr (1879-07-06)6 July 1879 Kadhimiya, Ottoman Empire
Died	(1940-03-01)1 March 1940 Kadhimiya, Baghdad, Iraq
Resting place	Kadhimiya, Baghdad, Iraq
Nationality	Iraqi
Home town	Kadhimiya
Children	Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, Abu al-Hasan al-Sadr, Mohammed Ja'far
Parent	Isma'il al-Sadr (father)
Notable work(s)	Mukhtasar Najat al-'Ibad * Commentary on al-Tabsira * Ta'liqat on Kifayat al-Usul * Akhlaq Ahl al-Bayt
Education	Traditional Islamic education
Known for	Role in the 1920 Iraqi Revolt, preservation of Islamic manuscripts, revival of the Grand Husayniyya
Religious life
Religion	Islam
Denomination	Twelver Shia
School	Ja'fari
Lineage	Al-Sadr family, descendant of Musa al-Kadhim
Sect	Shia Twelver
Profession	Faqih, Historian
Senior posting
Students Several notable scholars of the time

Early life and education

Mohammed Mahdi al-Sadr was born on 17 Muharram 1296 AH (6 July 1879) in the holy city of Kadhimiya, north of Baghdad, into the prominent Al-Sadr family, known for its scholarly legacy in Iraq and Najaf. He began his education in traditional religious schools, learning basic literacy and Islamic sciences. In 1319 AH, he moved to the seminary of Najaf to pursue advanced religious studies, where he studied under leading scholars in jurisprudence, principles of religion, and philosophy. In 1324 AH, he continued his studies briefly in Karbala before returning to Kadhimiya, where he established a scholarly circle and mentored many students.^[3]

Scholarly and public activity

Al-Sadr gained prominence for his religious and public roles during the early 20th century. In 1920, he participated in the Iraqi revolt against British colonial rule, issuing religious decrees that legitimized resistance. He was also involved in reclaiming the Grand Husayniyya in Baghdad’s Karkh district from Baha'i influence. In addition, he founded a library in Kadhimiya to preserve rare Islamic manuscripts, laying the foundation for future cultural efforts.^[4][5]

Lineage

He belonged to a distinguished Sayyid lineage tracing back to Musa al-Kadhim, the seventh Shia Imam. His full lineage includes:

Mohammed Mahdi bin Isma'il bin Sadr al-Din Mohammed bin Saleh Sharf al-Din bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Sharf al-Din bin Zayn al-Abidin Ibrahim bin Nur al-Din Ali bin Ali Nur al-Din bin Al-Husayn ‘Izz al-Din bin Mohammed bin Al-Husayn bin Ali bin Mohammed bin Abu al-Hasan Abbas Taj al-Din bin Mohammed Shams al-Din bin Abd Allah bin Jalal al-Din bin Ahmad bin Abu al-Fawaris Hamza al-Asghar bin Abu Mohammed Sa‘d Allah bin Abu Ahmad Hamza al-Akbar bin Abu al-Sa‘adat Mohammed bin Abu Mohammed Abd Allah bin Abu al-Harith Mohammed al-Harith bin Abu al-Hasan Ali (Ibn al-Daylamiyya) bin Abd Allah bin Abu Tahir bin Abu al-Hasan Mohammed al-Muhaddith bin Abu al-Tayyib Tahir bin Al-Husayn al-Qat‘i bin Musa bin Ibrahim al-Murtada al-Asghar bin Musa al-Kadhim bin Ja'far al-Sadiq bin Muhammad al-Baqir bin Ali Zayn al-Abidin bin al-Husayn ibn Ali bin Ali ibn Abi Talib.

^[6]

Works

Some of his known works include:

• *Mukhtasar Najat al-'Ibad*
• *Commentary on al-Tabsira* (unfinished)
• *Commentary on al-Shara'i* (incomplete)
• *Ta'liqat on Kifayat al-Usul*
• Arabic and Persian jurisprudential treatises
• Poetry in Arabic and Persian
• *Akhlaq Ahl al-Bayt (Ethics of the Ahl al-Bayt)*^[7]

Scholars’ 0pinions

• Agha Bozorg Tehrani described him as “among the eminent and virtuous scholars.”^[8]
• Hasan al-Sadr praised him as “a righteous, virtuous, and refined scholar.”
• Abdul Husayn Sharaf al-Din called him “an encyclopedic scholar.”

Death

He died in Kadhimiya on 3 Rajab 1358 AH (March 1940). His funeral prayer was led by his son Abu al-Hasan al-Sadr, and he was buried near his father’s grave in the holy shrine of Kadhimiya. The poet Ja'far al-Nuqadi composed a well-known elegy mourning him.^[9]