Hawza Najaf

Shia seminary in Iraq From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hawza Najaf

The Najaf Seminary (Arabic: حوزة النجف), also known as the al-Hawza Al-Ilmiyya (الحوزة العلمية), is the oldest and one of the most important Shia seminaries (hawza) in the world.[1] It is located near the Imam Ali Shrine in the city of Najaf in Iraq, and also operates a campus in Karbala, Iraq. It was established by Shaykh Tusi (385 AH/995 CE – 460 AH/1067 CE),[2] and continued as a center of study after the establishment of modern Iraq in 1921.[3][4]

Quick Facts Other name, Type ...
Najaf Seminary
حوزة النجف (Arabic)
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Other name
Hawza Najaf
TypeHawza
Established1039 (1039)
FounderShaykh Tusi
Religious affiliation
Twelver Shia Islam
DeanAli al-Sistani
Location,
CampusUrban
Language Arabic
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Location in Iraq
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Ali Sistani (current chancellor of Hawza 'Ilmiyya Najaf) and Abu al-Qasim Khoei (ex-chancellor of Hawza 'Ilmiyya Najaf)

Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali Sistani currently serves as head of the Hawza Al-Ilmiyya in Najaf, which includes two other Ayatollahs - Mohammad Ishaq Al-Fayyad and Bashir al-Najafi.[5] The number of students studying there has waxed and waned in modern times, from 15,000-20,000 in the mid-20th century, down to 3000 during the repressive reign of Saddam Hussein, to around 13,000 as of 2014.[6]

As of 2014 the curriculum has been updated to include many modern subjects as well as interfaith and inter-sect initiatives.[6]

History

Shaykh Tusi (385 AH/995 CE – 460 AH/1067 CE),[2] went to Baghdad to continue education. After 12 years, he was forced to leave Baghdad and go to Najaf for sectarian differences.[7] He established the seminary in Najaf in 430 AH (the 11th century AD),[8] which continued as a center of study until the establishment of modern Iraq in 1921. He died in 460 AH (1067 CE).[3][4]

In the mid-20th century, the Hawza "witnessed huge developments in its educational program"[6] and the student population grew to 15,000-20,000. During the repression of the Baath party era it declined to around 3000 as the Shiite political awakening (Sahwa) was attacked by the regime and attendance by foreign students fell off because of the Iran-Iraq war.[6] By the time Saddam fell in 2003, there were only approximately 3000 students[6] and 2000 clerics in Najaf.[9] Their number then commenced to grow again, and as of 2014 there are 13,000 students, according to a census by Al-Monitor news service,[6] including approximately 50 from foreign countries — Iran, India, Thailand, France, the United States, Canada, etc.[6]

Structure

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Perspective

One of the main pillars of the Najaf Seminary is its leadership, known as the za‘ama (supreme authority). The leader of the seminary is the figure through whom the core positions and policies of the seminary are articulated. This individual typically holds the highest religious rank within the seminary. Although the leader's decisions are not issued as formal orders, they are generally followed and respected. In recent decades, the leadership of the Najaf Seminary has been held by Grand Ayatollahs Muhsin al-Hakim, then Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei, and currently Ali al-Sistani.[10]

The Najaf Seminary is regarded as a foundational institution in the Shia Islamic scholarly tradition. It places strict emphasis on jurisprudence (fiqh) and legal theory (usul al-fiqh), the development of jurists (faqih) and mujtahids (those qualified for independent legal reasoning) above all else. Unlike other seminaries, such as its counterpart in Qom, Najaf places limited focus on philosophy and mysticism (irfan), instead concentrating on advanced jurisprudential studies (dars al-kharij). The seminary favors oversight of politics rather than direct political engagement in the conventional sense. Students are generally discouraged from participating in executive or administrative political roles, and political activism in the typical sense is uncommon within the seminary. Economically, the Najaf Seminary operates independently of government funding, relying instead on public donations and the collection of khums (the one-fifth tax).[10]

In terms of social conduct, Najaf's seminary students adhere to traditional norms and remain largely faithful to its customs.[11] They do make use of modern communication tools. The Seminary does not have a specialized clerical court, as disciplinary matters are handled within Iraq’s regular judicial system. Its senior clerics rarely give interviews or issue political statements. Moderation is valued among Najaf scholars, and they have expressed openness to interfaith dialogue.[10] An example is the 2021 meeting between Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and Pope Francis, which marked a historic dialogue between Najaf and the Vatican.[12] While clerics in Najaf generally do not view existing global governments as ideal, they choose to maintain a positive approach toward engaging with various states.[10]

The Najaf Seminary entered a period of intense scholarly activity beginning in the 11th century AH (17th century CE). This intellectual revival began with Muhammad Baqir Behbahani and continued through recognized scholars such as Mohammad Mahdi Bahr al-‘Ulum, Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi (author of Jawahir al-Kalam), Murtadha Ansari, Hossein Wahid Khorasani, Mirza Shirazi, and Muhammad Hussain Naini, among others. In contemporary times, major religious authorities in Najaf include Ali al-Sistani, Muhammad Is'haq Fayadh, Bashir al-Najafi, and Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim, who died on 3 September 2021.[13]

Teaching in the Najaf Seminary takes place in various venues, including religious schools (such as the courtyards of the Imam Ali Shrine and the Kashif al-Ghita’ School,) as well as in mosques and libraries.[14] Between 14,000 to 15,000 students are currently enrolled in the Najaf Seminary.[10]

Subjects

The subjects taught at the seminary include:[15]

  • Mantiq (Logic)
  • Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence)
  • Fiqh (Jurisprudence)
  • Tafsir al-Qur'an (Qur'an Exegesis)
  • Ulum al-Qur'an (Qur'an Sciences)
  • Ilm al-Hadith (The Study of Traditions)
  • Ilm ar-Rijal (Science of Narrators)
  • Tarikh (History)
  • Aqaid / Kalam (Theology)
  • Lugha (Language Studies)
  • Falsafa (Islamic Philosophy)
  • Irfan (Islamic Mysticism)
  • Fiqh al-Muqaran (Comparative jurisprudence)
  • Ilm al-Ma’rifah (Epistemology)

Trained scholars

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Perspective

Some of the known Shia Grand Ayatollahs were trained in the Najaf seminary.[16]

See also

References

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