Muhammad Ridha al-Sistani

Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad-Ridha al-Husayni al-Sistani (Arabic: محمد رضا الحسيني السيستاني, born 18 August 1962), is an Iraqi Islamic scholar, and the eldest son of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.^[1] Muhammad-Ridha primarily runs his father's office and oversees the financial and administrative work.^[2][3]

Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad-Ridha al-Sistani
محمد رضا السیستاني
Personal life
Born	(1962-08-18) 18 August 1962 (age 62) Najaf, Iraq
Children	Hasan Husayn Muhsin
Parent	Ali al-Sistani (father)
Relatives	Mirza Shirazi (great-great grandfather)
Religious life
Religion	Islam
Jurisprudence	Twelver Shia Islam

Early life and education

Early life

Muhammad-Ridha al-Sistani was born in Najaf, Iraq, to Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, and the daughter of Sayyid Muhammad-Hassan Shirazi (grandson of Mirza Shirazi). He comes from a respectable lineage of scholars, traced back to the 17th century.^[4] His family claim descent from the fourth Shia Imam, Ali ibn Husayn.

Education

He joined the Najaf seminary in September, 1974. He conducted his jurisprudence studies under the leading jurist of his time, Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei in September, 1979. He attended the principles of jurisprudence classes of his father, Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, in March, 1991. He began teaching manasik in September 2003.

Political stances

His father, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has openly criticised foreign meddling in Iraqi affairs, stating: "No person or group, no side with a particular view, no regional or international actor may seize the will of the Iraqi people and impose its will on them." Due to the events preceding the issuance of the statement, it has been interpreted by some as a direct warning to Iran.^[5][6]

He played a major role in ending the 2022 Baghdad clashes by calling Muqtada al-Sadr by phone and conveying a message to him from his father Ali al-Sistani, which stated that Sadr was responsible for any bloodshed and urged him to call on his group to end the violence. Sadr responded by ordering his forces to end their attacks, as well as apologizing for the violence that broke out.^[7]

He has said that Iraqis have the right to govern themselves and choose their own rulers without the domination or interference of foreigners.^[8]

Works

Al-Sistani has written a number of books in jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence. Some of them include:

• Wasa'il al-Injab al-Sina'iya (Fertilization Through Assisted Technological Methods)
• Wasa'il al-Man' Min al-Injab (Contraceptive Methods)
• Janabat al-Mar'a Bighayr al-Muqaraba (Women's State of Impurity Without Intercourse)
• Zaawaj al-Bikr al-Rashida Bighayr Ithn al-Wali (Marriage of a Mature Virgin Without Guardians Consent)
• Buhuth Fiqhiya (Jurisprudential research regarding meat slaughter without the use of metal, veiling, beauty and other issues.)
• Buhuth Fi Sharh Manasik al-Hajj (Research in dissecting manasik of Hajj). 10 volumes.