Ali al-Sistani | |
---|---|
علی السيستاني | |
Personal | |
Born | |
Religion | Islam |
Children |
|
Parent | Muhammad-Baqir al-Sistani (father) |
Denomination | Shia |
Jurisprudence | Jaʽfari (Usuli) |
Creed | Twelver |
Main interest(s) | Religious jurisprudence |
Relatives | Jawad al-Shahristani (son-in-law) |
Muslim leader | |
Based in | Najaf, Iraq |
Period in office | 1993–present |
Predecessor | Abd al-A'la al-Sabziwari, Mohammad Fazel Lankarani |
Website | Official website |
Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani (Arabic: علي الحسيني السيستاني, romanized: ʿAlī al-Ḥusaynī al-Sīstānī; born 4 August 1930) is an Iranian-born Iraqi Islamic scholar. A Grand Ayatollah and marja, al-Sistani is considered the leading religious leader of Twelver Shia Muslims.
Born in Mashhad to a sayyid family, al-Sistani studied in Qom under Hossein Borujerdi and later in Najaf under Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i. An Usuli, al-Sistani rose to the rank of mujtahid in 1960 and succeeded Abd al-A'la al-Sabziwari as Grand Ayatollah. Al-Sistani was included in top positions of The Muslim 500: The World's Most Influential Muslims from 2004 to 2024 and named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2004 and 2005.