*****به خود بنگريم، به اطرافمان، به خود بيانديشيم، به اطرافمان، توجيه‌گريها و فلسفه بافيها، شك و ترديدها، يأس و نااميديها را كنار بگذاريم، تصميم بگيريم، برخيزيم و حركت كنيم. هر جا كه هستيم، در هر سن و سالي، با هر عقيده و ديني... بياييم قبل از آنكه عالِم باشيم، دانشمند باشيم، مخترع و كاشف باشيم، تاجر و كاسب باشيم، كارگر و كارمند باشيم، سياستمدار و سياستگذار باشيم،...، انسان باشيم، انسان باشيم، انسان باشيم*****

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

A brief biography of grand Ayatollah Rohani


His birth
The great Ayatollah Seyed Mohammad sadegh Rohani, a man from the family of guardians of the religion and feghh (Islamic jurisprudence) a religions authority, an anti despite and indefatigable warrior in the way of God, was born in Moharam 1345 after Hejra (a.h), coinciding with 1305 Hejri shamsi (h.s) (solar year) and 1926 A.D. in holy city of Qom.
His family was of Imam Hussein (a) extraction, with a great background of knowledge and virtues.
His parents
His father, ayatollah Haj Mirza Mohammad Rohani, one of the luminaries of Qom seminaries, was born in 1307 A.H in Qom.
He traveled to Najaf under the auspices of ayatollah seyed Abolhasan Esfahani and Mirza Naeeni. For a while, he was a student of the deceased ayatollah Haji Hussein Tabatabaei qomi. Then he came back to Qom. Through his continuous attempts, the great ayatollah Sheikh Abdolkarim Haeri traveled to Qom and started to teach seminary science. He was one of the Ayatollah Haeri's special and best students.
After his father death, used to answer people's religious questions and solve their living problems in "Aqa mosque", Qom to mention some of his great measures, one can recall his cooperation with Ayatollah Kashani in the issue of nationalizing Iran's oil industry, fighting Reza shah in the issue of removing the Hijab and religion from the country, making attempts to invite ayatollah Haeri to Qom paving the way for his teaching, and cooperating in the process of establishing Qom seminary.
The religious authority, Ayatollah Sadegh Rohani, passed away in Sha'ban, 18, 1381(A.H) due to a long-lasting disease. When the news of his death circulated around the city of Qom, city bazaar, offices and religious schools were adjourned in respect.
All religious authorities, luminaries, teachers and students of the seminaries took part in his funeral while traders, craftsmen and offices raised black flags as an emblem of mourning and attended mourning sessions. After the funeral prayer, his body was buried in Bala sar mosque, Qom.
His mother was also one of descendants of Imam Hussein (a). She was daughter of ayatollah Haji Seyed Ahmad Tabatabaei qomi, who used to hold congregation prayer in the courtyard of Hazrat Masuma's holy shrine.
His education
Ayatollah Rohani learned the basic lessons of Arabic literature in Qom. Then, in his adolescence he traveled to Najaf to learn from great ayatollah, accompanied by his older brother. Because of his incredible aptitude and intelligence, he learned "Sath" (seminary lesson based on the reading of the text) in a short period.
Through being examined and advised by Ayatollah Khoei, he turned to learning "Methodology" and Kharej (seminary lecture not based on reading textbooks). An adolescent's being accepted to learn "Methodology" and "Kharej" was totally confusing and incredible for the older students of Najaf seminary.
Ayatollah zadeh Milani quotes: "Ayatollah Khoei told my father, I have the honor to teach in a seminary in which an adolescent is learning "Makaseb" (earning and professions) beside his older brother and other more experienced schoolmates. Rather, he can understand and analyze the lesson better than the rest of students.
Those familiar with Islamic science know that the valuable book of "Earning and professions" – one of Sheikh Ansari's greatest works is being taught in seminaries and only intelligence and talent students can completely comprehend and analyze the subject of that book.
His teacher
Due to his staidness and desire to learn, ayatollah Rohani used to attend the greatest religious authorities classes. Some of them are:
1- Great Ayatollah Haji Sheikh Kazem Shirazi (1290-1367)
2- Great ayatollah Haji Sheikh Mohammad Hussein Esfahani, also known as Company (1361- )
3- Great ayatollah Haji Sheikh Mohammad ali Kazemeini
4- Great Ayatollah Haji Seyed Abdolhasan Esfahani (1284-1365)
5- Great Ayatollah Haji Sheikh Mohmmad reza Al-e-yasin
6- Great Ayatollah Haji Seyed Abolghasem Khoei (1317-1413)
7- Great Ayatollah Haji Seyed Mohammad Hussein Tabatabaei Boroujerdi (1292-1380)
He learned many valuable things from his famous teacher and has always been thankful to them. However, the role ayatollah khoei played in treating Ayatollah Rohani was really appreciable. As he acknowledges, a great share of his knowledge is due to 15-year attendance in public and private classes of Ayatollah Khoei among the rest of great Ayatollahs. There was consensus among almost all of scholars of that time that Ayatollah Khoei was an incomplete jurisconsult who was expert in seminary sciences such as feghh (jurisprudence), methodology, kalam (speculative theology), interpretation, rejal (biography and criticism of traditional) and philosophy. His published works verifies this claim.
Ayatollah Khoei used to scout around for intelligent students and to play greater role in training them.
When attended Najaf seminary in his adolescence, Ayatollah Rohani was a young student with an unbelievable comprehension power and intelligence. He should learn complicated lessons of feghh write down the notes and make a fair copy of them at home, discuss the lesson with his friend, and pre-study for the next day lesson. This huge bulk of task, especially in lack of learning and living facilities, took 16 hour of his day. Moreover, he should do his personal affairs such as earning his living while tolerating the economic pressures. Being a young man he suffered from a harassing economic situation. Sometimes he had to borrow things and money from the neighboring traders who know him. Contentment was the most significant secret of his success in learning Islamic sciences.
Ayatollah Rohani's teaching
He started teaching different Islamic sciences in his adolescence.
He began to teach in the courtyard of Imam Ali's holy shrine.
It impressed everyone that a young man can assert seminary lesson.
Attending Ayatollah Khoei's classes for a short period, he was able to assert "Feghh and methodology" lessons for those interested in seminary sciences. It wasn't long before he was just like a shining sun in the sky of Najaf. For the same reason, Ayatollah Khoei's relationship with him was growing more and more. Although Ayatollah Khoei used to not let anyone raise question while he was teaching and wanted them to asked their question at the end of the lesson, he repeatedly asked the young Rohani to raise question whenever he deems proper. This indicates Ayatollah Rohani's merits.
The class relationship between the teacher and the student was in such a way that Ayatollah Khoei discussed the teaching matters with Ayatollah Rohani several times. Great Ayatollah Khoei praised the 15-year-old Rohani's great knowledge, comprehension power and briskness in learning (the full text of Ayatollah Khoei's manuscript can be found in this web site, which is also published in biography books in Arabic and Farsi). Verified by the great Ayatollah and religious authorities, Ayatollah Rohani reached the stage of "religious authority" being only 14 years old.
He came back to Qom in the late 1329(H.S) and started teaching Kharej (seminary lectures not based on reading text book) in the courtyard of "Hazrat Masuma's" holy shrine in early 1330(H.S).
Now, it is half of the century that he is teaching Islamic sciences and most of his students are among famous teachers and seminary pundit. Some other of his are supposed to reach the stage of religious authority.
Ayatollah Rohani is used to speaking eloquently while teaching. He avoids engaging in useless matters in his teaching. His lessons include ideas of outstanding Islamic pundits attached with his own discussions on acceptance or rejection of their beliefs. He fights stiffness, one-sidedness, excessive precaution, and blind imitation because he believes that illogical imitation and prejudice on Islamic pundits' beliefs while fighting any news idea will enfeeble the scientific power of the seminaries. He therefore, respecting all Islamic pundits' beliefs, analyses their beliefs as a critic.
Ayatollah Rohani's teaching is filled with new ideas and beliefs, innovations, and keen-sightedness. Nevertheless, he never ignores the decree of god for the sake of "public interest" or "new ideas".
His work
Ayatollah Rohani has always tried to distribute the Islamic and Al-al-bait (the Prophet Mohammad's family (a)) culture in his entire life. He has either taught and trained many other knowledgeable sages or has written some valuable books on Islamic sciences.
As soon as he attend Qom Islamic seminary, started writing "Shia feghh encyclopedia" besides teaching "Kharej". The mentioned encyclopedia is verified and endorsed by the greatest religious authorities and seminary teachers.
One of his most valuable works is the book "Feghh-al-sadegh" great Ayatollah Boroujerdi regard this book as a valid source and quoted many parts of it in his teaching, great Ayatollah Khoei also, wrote in a letter that "I delivered the book "Feghh-al-sadegh" to Ayatollah Kashef-al-ghata and told him, look! What a precious service I have done to Islam by bringing such a researchers and scientists up.
The dean of "Al-Zahra" (Al-Zahra university), Egypt, which is the greatest scientific center of sonnies, praises the book Feghh-al-sadegh in a letter, too. This book is one of the expressive, valid and important sources of Feghh and methodology in Shia community. Of many adequate reasons for Ayatollah Rohani's religious authority; one is writing the comprehensive book "Feghh-al-sadegh".
Some of his valuable works includes:
1- "Feghh-al-sadegh": full encyclopedia of Shia feghh (in Arabic)
This comprehensive source has been published in 40 volumes annexed by a full list of sources and bibliography.
About two hundred years ago, the valuable book "Jawaher-al-kalam". Ayatollah Rohani wrote this book in his youth. Sunni purdites also verified this book. "Feghh-al-sadegh" is being taught in the department of Islamic studies in famous western universities and is regarded as a valid source.
2- "Zobdat-al-usul" (Methodology, in Arabic) in 6 volumes asserts a full review of methodology in rational discussion format.
3- "Menhaj-al-foghaha" (the way of the jurisprudence, in Arabic). In 6 volumes is a description of Sheikh Ansari's "Makaseb"(Earnings and professions) in an innovative way.
4- "Al-masael-al-mostahdetha" (the recent question, in Arabic): include answering today's new problem with respect to the holy Quran traditions, and feghh.
5- An explanation of the book "Menhaj-al-salehin" (the way of the righteous) in 2 volumes (in Arabic)
6- An explanation of the book "Urvat-al-wosgha" (the strongest handle) in 2 volumes (in Arabic)
7- An explanation of the book "Wasilat-ul-nejat" (means of salvation, in Arabic)
8- A treatise of the book "Uncertain clothing" (in Arabic)
9- A treatise of the book "Principle of no harming" (in Arabic)
10- "Determinism and freewill" (in Arabic translated into Persian)
11- A treatise on (in Arabic)
12-"Scared rites of hajj" (in Arabic)
13- "Masael-al-montakhaba" (the selected question, in Arabic)
14- A treatise on "Principle of collecting knowledge" (in Arabic)
15- Al Ejtehad-wa-al Taghlid" (religious authority and imitation) (in Arabic)
16-"Qawaed-al-thalatha" (the three principles) (in Arabic)
17-"Al-leqa-Al-khas" (the special meeting, in Arabic)
18- Tozih-al-masael" (the Islamic epistle, in Arabic)
19-A research on "Determinism and freewill" (in Farsi)
20-"The government system in Islam" (in Farsi, Turkish, and Urdu)
21-"Sacred rites of hajj" (in Farsi)
22- "A selection of Islamic ordinances" (in Farsi)
23-"Religious consolation of the judicial power and the law institute of international lawyers" (in Farsi)
24-Islamic ordinance of today's problem (in Farsi)
25-"The ordinances" in question and answer format: in 2 volumes (in Farsi)
26- "One thousand question and answers" in 6 volumes: 1000 questions and answers each (in Arabic)
His religious authority
Returning from Najaf and starting to teach Qom seminary, Ayatollah Rohani began to write the book "feghh-al-sadegh" after the death of great Ayatollah Boroujerdi, seminary pundits suggested that Ayatollah Rohani publish his epistle. According to Iranians national library records, his first epistle was published in 1340(H.S).
Great Ayatollah Seyed Sadegh Rohani was the first religious authority in the whole family of Rohanis whose followers are scattered in all over the Muslim world.