Imam Kashif al-Ghita, the reformist marji' in the Shi'ah school of Najaf Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Abbas, Hasan Ali Turki, 1949- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 28/09/2021 13:00:20 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/282292 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter &ce, while others may be from aity type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Contact UMI directly to order. UMI A Bell & Howell Infonnadon Company 300 North Zed) Road, Ann Arbor MI 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 IMAM KASHIF AL-GHITA, THE REFORMIST MARJI' IN THE SHI'AH SCHOOL OF NAJAF by Hasan AH Turki Abbas A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF NEAR EASTERN STUDIES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 199 7 DMI Niunber: 9729428 UMI Microform 9729428 Copyrigiit 1997, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ® GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Pinal Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Hasan Ali Turki Abbas entitled Kashif al-Ghita, the Reformist Marji' in the Shi*ah School of Najaf and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy J£M/17 Dat/e, 7 1 Ludwig W. Adamec X- Amir I. Ajami ^ Date ^ 7- Adel S. Gamal Date ' Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. Dissertation'Din^ctor Date ' William J./WlT r. 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the m.ajor department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my deep appreciation to Professor William J. Wilson, committee chairman. I would like also to thank Professor Adel S. Gaitial, Professor Amir I. Ajami, and Professor Ludwig W. Adamec for their suggestions. My gratitude to Professor Charles Smith, department head, for his indispensable support. My thanks to Sayyid Abd al-Zahra' al-Husayni al-Khatib (may Allah bless him) for his valuable letter of information about Shaykh Kashif al-Ghita. My gratitude goes to Dr. Abbas Kashif al-Ghita and his son. Dr. Ahmad, as well as Mr. Abd Allah al-Qarrus for the information they provided. My special thanks for Mr. Habib al-Shiyoukh, my uncle, for helping my family. Without his help this dissertation could not have been completed. 5 Dedicated to my parents, wife, and children 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ABSTRACT 8 INTRODUCTION 10 THE LIFE AND WORKS OF IMAM KASHIF AL-GKITA 15 The Ancestors of Kashif al-Ghita 15 The Works of Kashif al-Ghita 22 His Education 22 His Works 27 On Fiqh ( Jurisprudence ) 28 On the Holy Quran 33 On History 34 Translation 34 On Literature 35 On al-'Irfan ( Speculative Mysticism ) 41 On Islamic Thought and Politics 42 Biography 58 The Scholars' Views of Kashif al-Ghita 58 THE DEVELOPMENT OF TWELVER SHI~ISM AND THE HAffZAH 62 The Imamate Period (11-260/632-874) 67 Al-Madinah (1-35/622-656) 69 Kufah (35-40/656-61) 71 Al-Madinah (41-260/661-874) 71 Kufah (ca. 134-260/752-874) 77 The Period of the Deputyship (^Asr al-Safarah) (260-329/874-941) 85 Baghdad 85 Baghdad During the Buwayhid Dynasty (334-447/945-1055) 90 Najaf (448- End of 6th /1056- End of 12th Century... 100 Al-Hillah End of 6th-9th/End of 12th-15th Century... 103 Jabal 'Amil 8th-10th/14th-to the End of the 15th Century 110 Isfahan During the Safawids 1005-1135/1596-1722 114 The Akhbariyyah Movement 117 Karbala 1135-1208/1722-1794 121 Najaf 1208-1343/1794-1924 124 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS—Continued Page THE ROLE OF IMAM MUHAMMAD AL-HUSAYN AL KASHIF AL-GHITA IN THE HAWZAH 1344-1373/1925-1954 137 Tow Types of Marj iyyah 137 The Role of the Mutaqaddisun in the Hawzah 142 The Concept of al-A^ lamiyyah 152 The Decline of the School of Najaf 165 Kashif al-Ghita and the Reform of the Hawzah 176 IMAM KASHIF AL-GHITA: THE ISLAMIC THINKER AND THE SOCIAL REFORMIST 184 Means of Social Reform 187 Social Ideas of Imam Kashif al-Ghita 191 The Human 191 Religion 193 Ethics 197 The Islamic Ethical Covenant 200 The Deterioration of Ethics 213 Encountering Popular Beliefs 215 Economy 222 The Woman 226 Politics 232 The Political Reforms of Kashif al-Ghita 236 Kashif al-Ghita and Islamic Unity 247 Kashif al-Ghita, the Symbol of Unity 250 CONCLUSION 257 REFERENCES 263 g ABSTRACT Imam Muhammad al-Husayn Al Kashif al-Ghita(1294-Dhu al- Qi'dah 18, 1373/1877-July 19,1954), an Iraqi Shi'ah distinguished marji'(highest authority in the Shi'ah religious hierarchy), was the first marji' who introduced religious reforms in the hawzah, the traditional Shi'ah religious school at Najaf. He also introduced political reforms in Iraq, demanding political rights for the Shi'is. Moreover, he was the first Muslim who succeeded in achieving reconciliation between the Sunnis and the Shi'is. He became the symbol of Islamic unity. This dissertation proposes to discuss and analyze the contribution of Imam Kashif al-Ghita co Shi'ah thought and the impact of his thought on Shi'ism and the Shi'is. This study is divided into four chapters. The first is about the life and works of Kashif al-Ghita. The second chapter deals with the development of Twelver Shi'ism and the hawzah, because Twelver Shi'ism has been in constant development within the context of the school. The third chapter discusses the role of Imam Kashif al- Ghita in the hawzah of Najaf (1344-1373/1925-1954) and his distinctive marji'iyyah, which was sharply different from 9 that of his contemporaries. I will also discuss the roots of conflict between him and the conservative ^ulama, who had considerable power in the school. The fourth chapter discusses the social ideas of Shaykh Kashif al-Ghita as an Islamic thinker and social reformist. I will examine his views on the means of social reform and his point of view on different social issues, such as man, religion, ethics, the Islamic ethical -v-ovenant, and his special advice to the Arabs. This chapter also discusses the views of Kashif al-Ghita on the economy and his ideas about the role of woman in society. His views on politics in general and his role as an active religious leader will be analyzed in addition to his political reforms. I will examine his ideas on Islamic unity, and his position regarding Middle Eastern political issues. 10 INTRODUCTION Imam Muhammad al-Husayn al-Kashif al-Ghita(1294-Dhu al- Qi'dah 18, 1373/1877-July 19,1954), an Iraqi Shi'ah distinguished marji^highest authority in the Shi'ah religious hierarchy), was the first marji' to introduce religious reforms in the traditional Shi~ah religious school at Najaf. They were the first reforms since its establishment over a thousand years ago. He was also the only Iraqi, so far, who introduced political reforms in Iraq, demanding political rights for the Shi'is, who had been discriminated against since the early history of Muslims.