About Ayatollah al-Yaqoobi

Quotations from the Biography of The Religious Referential Authority,

the Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Hajj Muhammad al-Yaqoobi

Birth and Upbringing

Sheikh Mu¦ammad al-Yaqoobi was born in the holy city of al-Najaf and, more precisely, in the house of his grandfather in the dawn on the seventeenth of Rabi` al-Awwal, AH 1380 falling on September 1960, which coincides with the anniversary of the birth of the Holy Prophet (saw). He grew up in the house of his grandfather until 1968 when his father moved to Baghdad where he had religious and social responsibilities and relations with the late Martyr Sayyid Mahdi, the son of the supreme religious authority, Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim.

In Baghdad, Sheikh Mu¦ammad completed his primary and secondary studies so successfully that he joined College of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, in Baghdad University in 1978. He was then graduated in 1982, but he refused to join the military service, because he believed that joining the military service at that time would be considered support against the army of Islam, which was represented by the Iranian forces during the war that was imposed on the Islamic government of Iran. Because of this situation, he could not get married up to the end of the Iraq-Iran war. Immediately after that, he was married to the daughter of Martyr Sayyid Mu¦sin al-Musawi al-Ghurayfi, a family that had many marriage relationships with the al-Yaqoobi family.

Since childhood, Sheikh Mu¦ammad accompanied his father to his preaching sessions and to the mosques where he used to lead congregational prayers. He was less than ten year old when he used to recite supplications that he had retained on the participants in these congregational prayers after the accomplishment of prayers. That was the beginning of his religious education. At home, he used to convey to his mother the solemn discourses he had heard from his father in full details.

In his turn, his father used to introduce him to his companions and friends in such sessions and forums as genius in arithmetic. They therefore used to give him questions in multiplication and additions and he, yet less than seven years old, used to answer simultaneously. A number of his father’s friends still remember his genius. Among these was the late supreme referential authority, Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim (d. AD 1970) who used to give him a prize after each test.

When his family moved to Baghdad, they lived in al-Karr¡dah al-Sharqiyyah Quarter, near al-Tamimi Mosque, the center of the late Sayyid Mahdi al-Hakim. In that period, this quarter was full of realist scholars and vigilant young thinkers, such as Sayyid Murtaza al-`Askari and Sheikh `arif al-Basri. Besides, al-Karr¡dah had valuable libraries that comprised books on all fields of knowledge. Sheikh Mu¦ammad’s elder brother, the late Sheikh `Ali, used to take his brother with him whenever he visited these libraries, as a sign of his love and cherishment for him and also in order to care for and develop his talents. 

Actually, these visits conferred upon Sheikh Mu¦ammad with much interest and advantage. During these visits too, his brother used to give him the religious illustrated books of children that were published in some Muslim countries, especially the series of religious stories for children that was published in Egypt. From that moment, Sheikh Mu¦ammad established a strong relationship with religious books. After that, he read books on history and biography because such topics had a narrative style in addition to the lessons and examples mentioned therein.

In the summer of 1970, the late Sayyid `Ali al-`Alawi projected classes on religious studies for the students during the summer holiday at two levels; one for the youth where they would study religious laws, logic, and Arabic syntax under Sayyid `Ali himself, while the other level was for children who would study simplified books, such as `Ali al-Jarim’s al-Nahw al-Wa¤ih, a book on Arabic grammar. Unfortunately, these classes did not last for more than one or two years, because Sayyid `Ali al-`Alawi was banished to Iran. 

These classes had a great effect on the polishing of Sheikh Mu¦ammad’s personality and way of thinking. At the same time, Sheikh Muhammad himself used to deliver lectures on various fields of knowledge based on his personal readings and study as well as his father’s discourses before the ritual Sunset (maghrib) and Evening (`isha') Prayers led by his father in al-Fu¤ayliyyah.

In the second stage of the intermediate school, Sheikh Muhammad joined Imam al-Jawad Private School of Shi`ite Studies. In addition to the familiar academic classes, Sheikh Mu¦ammad received lectures in Islamic edification under the late Martyr Sheikh `Abd al-Jabbar al-Basri who used to lead the Noon (¨zuhr) and Afternoon (`asr) congregational Prayers before students would leave the school to their homes. 

During the two years Sheikh Mu¦ammad spent in this school, he learnt very much and opened his eyes on a higher level of religious books, such as al-Madrasah al-Islamiyyah (The Islamic School) by Martyr Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, since one of Sheikh Muhammad’s mates, namely Sayyid ¯ Mahdi al-Hakim, was so active in this field that he used to prepare summaries on Martyr al-¯adr’s books and then deliver them on his five-member coterie that included the late martyr °¡aa Jamyal Ri¤a `Alwan, Sayyid Ahmad ±¡hir al-Haydari, and Sayyid `Ali Muhammad Sahir al-Haydari in addition to Sheikh Muhammad and Sayyid ¯¡lih. As a consequence of the difficult security circumstances at that period which witnessed the execution of Sheikh `ªrif al-Basri and his companions in 1974, the members of this coterie had to wander in the quiet streets of al-Karr¡dah al-Sharqiyyah in order to exchange views about the ideas cited in these summarized books.

Having been still a student at the school, Sheikh Mu¦ammad’s faculty of research and writing began to mature when one of his teachers asked him to write a report and gave him the freedom to choose the topic; therefore, Sheikh Mu¦ammad chose to write about intoxicants. Because he had a good number of books in his house all of which he had read, he could gather much information about the topic and eventually write a report of about two hundred pages that he entitled ‘al-khamr ummu’l-khaba'ith (Wine; Mother of Vices)’. In this book-like and well-arranged report, he refer to all books of tafsir (exegesis of the Holy Qur'an), education, medicine, and sociology appertained to the topic of intoxicants.

Having finished his intermediate school successfully in 1975, Sheikh Muhammad joined the al-Sharqiyyah Preparatory School in al-Karr¡dah that granted him a bigger opportunity to meet with a select of religious youth who then participated in the movement of Martyr Mu¦ammad B¡qir al-¯adr in the late seventies of the past century. Some of these youth joined their Lord as martyrs while others are still alive, bearing in minds the memories of that company and the special flavor of that period that they still find. One of these youth was the well-versed scholar Sheikh °asan `Al¢ M£s¡ al-Rubay`¢, who is now living in Iran.

When Sheikh Mu¦ammad finished his preparatory study in 1978, he joined the Baghdad University. Meanwhile, the introductory events of the Islamic Revolution in Iran were stepping up, all interest was drawn towards its developments, and everybody encircled radio sets to listen carefully to the latest from radio stations around the world, especially the Monte Carlo Radio Station, in the 20:00 o’clock newscast, used to broadcast details of the new revolution in Iran up to the arrival of Imam Sayyid al-Khumayni in Iran on the first of February 1979 and the victory of his revolution on the eleventh of the same month.

We, Sheikh Muhammad al-Yaqoobi says, will never forget how happy we were at that day. Actually, I had never felt happier for any event in my entire life more than I had been for that event when the dream of all religious people came true by the establishment of the government of Islam on the earth. In the summer of that year and after the conclusion of the final examinations, the suppressive ruling authorities waged a vehement campaign of detention that included many of the religious and mindful youth. 

Meanwhile, Saddam came to power as the president of the Republic of Iraq, annihilating all of his Baathist opponents to give full rein to his wicked hand to do whatever he wanted to do until he had the dare to commit the grand crime of executing Sayyid Mu¦ammad B¡qir al-¯adr, the great figure, in April 1980. At that time, we were in the second stage of my academic study when the security affairs worsened and we have to practice pious dissimulation (taqiyyah; hiding one’s real beliefs for fear of harm), especially after the issuance of the doomed resolution of the so-called Revolution Council Command in March 1980 that decided sentencing to execution every one who would have any relation to the movement of Martyr al-Sadr.

In September 1980, a war against Iran was waged while we were in the first days of the third stage of academic study. At these days, we had to encounter very hard times full of horror and fear, because all eyes were lurking and trying to throw us in traps so as to get hold of any charge against us. Nevertheless, it was Almighty God Who used to save us from all these traps. The ruling authorities and their tails tried insistently to make us join the Baath Party while we kept on refusing, using various expedients. 

They would leave us for a while, but they would return to us over again. We had to live under these circumstances while the war against Islam was incessant. After that, the Iranian forces began to recover counterpoise and achieve victories on various fronts, especially in Shush and Dezful in March and in Khorramshahr in May 1980. At that time, we were in the fourth stage of our study giving the final examinations. However, examinations could not prevent us from gathering around radio sets to listen to the news of the victories achieved by the army of Islam. 

As an attempt to postpone joining the military service after graduation, I had to leave one of my classes so that I would be a few months away from the military service, hoping that Almighty God would find me a solution, because I had to accept one of many probabilities the best of which was bitter. I thus thought that if I would leave any class, this would affect my graduation degree; I therefore decided to leave the Socialist and National Education class in which we, the students, had to study the ideology of the Baath Party—a risk that made me stand against the ruling regime, which was in its highest vigor and arrogance.

In this regard, I cannot forget the day when the chairman of the so-called National Union of Iraqi Students handed me over the result of my examinations while he was gazing at me with suspicious eyes and asking me, “Are you Muhammad Musa?”Of course, this question involved many things, but it was Almighty God again in Whom I put my trust and Who always save me.

Having passed the exams of the second turn, I had to join the military service. I was appointed as a civil engineer in the Ministry of Defense—a job that would give me a very good place and financial income, but I had never thought of that because my one and only concern was how to save myself from Hell that I believed to encounter as soon as I would put on the military uniform even if I would serve at the door of my house. I therefore had no more than two choices: either to cross the boarders towards Iran as immediately as possible so long as my academic documents were still valid, or to hide myself in my house and leave the military service. 

As for the first choice, it was so risky to try to flee to Iran, because the boarders between Iraq and Iran were fighting fronts that witnesses vehement battles frequently. As for the second choice, the outcome would be sentencing me to execution penalty, taking into consideration the fact that talebearers and informers were too many and too active that even fathers informed against their sons and wives against their husbands, lest the whole family would be charged with covering up and hiding the “betrayals” as claimed by the ruling authorities.

Nevertheless, I had to opt for the earlier choice, because it was less harmful than the other for my family members and myself. This decision was so difficult, because the way to Iran from the northern boarders at the hands of some Kurdish smugglers was very dangerous. Secondly, this decision would break the heart of my mother who lost my father in July 1982, had to bid farewell three of my brothers who had to join the fronts, and had to look after my fourth brother who was bedridden because he was affected by nephrolithiasis.

Although I was the only delight of her eye, my mother did not object to my decision. On one of the days of October 1982, I bid my family members farewell and left for Iran, the country of Islam, but the intermediary failed to come, excusing that a battle flared up in the region from where we were supposed to cross to Iran. Thus, my journey was cancelled. I thanked Almighty God and returned home. My mother was so glad to see me again and she expressed, “The day you left us was as sad as the day we lost your father.”

I had to opt for the second choice and confine myself to my house. From time to time, I had to counterfeit a document-like paper soldiers used to use as temporary permission to visit their families. By this way, I made people think that I was soldier. However, this way continued for months and even years. Whenever we expected relief, matters worsened more and more that no one could expect the end of this war. Nonetheless, I might have been the happiest man during these days, because I lived in a supreme state of spirituality during which I keep company with the Holy Qur'an and the books in my father’s library as well as a prayer-rug and a radio set through which I traced the news of the Islamic Republic of Iran and their war with Iraq. I rarely met my family members, because I aspired to making use of my time with the most ideal manner.

Thanks to Almighty God’s grace, my father’s library comprised the most important reference books that contributed to the composition of a faithful missionary personality. In addition, the library had many books on the various fields of knowledge, such as the famous book of al-Mizan on the exegesis of the Holy Qur'an, Sayyid Qutb’s famous book of fiq ²ilal al-Qur'an, al-hurr al-`Amili’s famous book of Wasa’il al-Shi`ah on the traditions of the Holy Prophet and his Household, the exegesis of Nahj al-Bal¡ghah, al-Tabai’s famous book on the history of Islam, Sayyid Sharaf al-Din’s famous book of al-Mur¡ja`¡t, as well as many other books on history, literature, exegesis of the Holy Qur'¡n, Muslim jurisprudence, principles of Muslim jurisprudence, biographies of narrators of the Prophetic traditions, and Islamic knowledge. 

I used to write down my views about these books that I read as well as the numbers of pages and volumes so that I can get to them again whenever I needed. I still keep these papers with me. I was also fond of the Holy Qur'an about which I wrote many valuable researches. However, I needed someone to review my efforts, direct, and watch over me, because reading alone was not enough for one like me who had the desire to reach the highest levels. Unfortunately, I could not find anyone to undertake this mission, because the majority of religiously educated people were absent; some were in jails, others banished, others executed, and others driven compulsorily to the fighting fronts. 

Even if there were any, they had to practice pious simulation (taqiyyah). I therefore confined myself to my house until Almighty God prepared for me a means to contact Martyr Sayyid Muhammad Muhammad ¯Sadiq al-Sadr in a way that I will explain in an independent book. That was a big shift, which changed my life and opened before me expansive horizons.

When the Iraq-Iran war ceased and the Iraqi ruling authorities reduced their persecution against people, I sought to achieve my desire for joining the Seminary (Hawzah: university of religious studies) in al-Najaf so as to complete and bring to maturity the produce of my previous readings and religious education. In this course, I prepared myself for returning to the holy city of al-Najaf in 1988. Before this date, I had lived in Baghdad.

At that time, I performed Istikhara (praying Almighty God to guide to the best of two or more choices) about joining the Seminary, but the result was that I should wait and take my time. So, I had no other choice but to engage in earning, because I became responsible for a family. In my workplace, Martyr Sayyid al-Sadr II visited me many times. However, my engagement in work could not divert me from reading and researching. While I was engaged in seeking earnings, I could write a book that I entitled al-Riy¡a¤iyyat wa’l-Fiqh (Mathematics and Jurisprudence), which was published by my mentor, Martyr Sayyid al-Sadr II at the end of the eighth volume of his famous book Ma Wara' al-Fiqh (Meta-jurisprudence). After I joined the Seminary, I could develop this book in both quantity and quality to produce a book I entitled al-Riy¡aiyyat Lil-Faqih (Mathematics for Jurisprudents).

After the suppression of the blessed uprising of Sha`b¡n (March 1991), conditions became in a better order; therefore, I performed another Istikhara and the result was very good. Thus, the hope that I had expected for long years became true and I could finally put on the uniform of the religious people in Sha`b¡n 1412 AH/ February 1992 at the hands of the late Ayatollah Sayyid al-Khui in the presence of a number of scholars and jurisprudents who congratulated me for that and invoked Almighty God’s mercy on my father and grandfather. Martyr al-Sadr II was so happy when my late brother, Sheikh `Ali, inform him about that. As soon as he was informed, he turned his face right and left in the hope of seeing me putting on the blessed uniform of the religious people. Expressing his joy, Martyr al-Sadr II said, “This is a true glad tiding!”

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