One of Iraq's most influential Shiite clerics dies at 85

BAGHDAD – Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammed Saeed al-Hakim, 1 of Iraq’s astir elder and influential Muslim Shiite clerics, has died of a bosom attack, members of his household said. He was 85.

A relative, Mohsen al-Hakim, told The Associated Press that al-Hakim died astatine the Al Hayat infirmary successful the confederate beatified metropolis of Najaf connected Friday wherever helium was taken aft suffering a abrupt bosom attack. His bureau announced that helium died of a abrupt aesculapian information it did not specify.

Al-Hakim holds the highest theological rubric successful Shiite Islam - Ayatollah al-Uzma, which means Grand oregon Supreme Ayatollah. He was seen arsenic the apical contender to win Iraq’s apical Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who is successful his aboriginal nineties.

The Najaf-born cleric is simply a subordinate of the well-known and highly respected Hakim household of Shiite scholars. His maternal gramps is Mohsen Al-Tabataba’i Al-Hakim, a student and 1 of the astir salient thinkers of Shiite Islam. His begetter is Muhammad Ali al-Hakim, 1 of the astir respected clerics successful Najaf.

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His 2nd cousin, Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim leads the al-Hikma, oregon National Wisdom Movement, 1 of the largest Shia governmental parties successful Iraq.

Along with the Afghan-born Mohammed Ishaq al-Fayadh, Al-Hakim's was seen arsenic the astir apt contenders to win al-Sistani, Iraq's apical Shiite spiritual leader.

Iraq's president and premier curate and different politicians issued statements eurlogizing Al-Hakim. The U.S. Embassy successful Baghdad tweeted its condolences, describing him arsenic “a awesome of peace, love, and harmony crossed the region.”

Mohammed Saeed al-Hakim was exposed from aboriginal connected to an acquisition that focused connected jurisprudence and spiritual studies and had immoderate of the astir salient clerics among his teachers. He soon turned to teaching and became 1 of the starring Shiite scholars successful Najaf.

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Like astir Shiite spiritual leaders successful the beatified city, helium was enactment nether location apprehension during the past days of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s rule, earlier the U.S. penetration of Iraq. He was among a radical of 3 apical Shiite leaders who were threatened with decease by a rival Shiite cleric soon aft Saddam was toppled successful 2003.

He was targeted successful an attempted assassination successful 2003, erstwhile his location successful Najaf was bombed. Three of al-Hakim's bodyguards were killed, and members of his household were injured. Al-Hakim himself came distant from the blast with minimal injuries. Relatives blamed terrorists for the bomb, which was hidden successful a state cylinder.

Al-Hakim is 1 of 4 Grand Ayatollahs who thatch astatine the Hawza, the spiritual seminary of Najaf. He has written galore books and publications, immoderate of which were translated into respective languages. Al-Hakim is survived by a woman and 8 children. A ceremonial is expected to beryllium held Saturday successful Najaf, wherever helium volition beryllium buried.

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