How to Bridge the Generation Gap?

Biography of Hujjat al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen Sayyid Mohammad Taqi Hakim

He was born in the year 1926 in the famous ancient city of Shoostar, in Khozestan Province, Southwestern Iran. Both his parents belonged to religious scholarly families and therefore he spent his childhood years in a pure spiritual atmosphere. His great grandfather was a famous learned scholar; Allamah Sayyid Nematoallah Jazari. After finishing his primary education, with encouragement of his father he started his religious studies in 1950 at Shoostar.

In his early theological studies at Shoostar he finished sarf-e-Mir صرف ميز with Ayatullah Sayyid Mohammed Jaffar Marooj; Tasreef تصريف with Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid Mohammad Baqir Hakim, and Hadaya هدايه under the able tutorship of Ayatullah Sayyid Mohammad Hasan Aley Tayyib. After finishing his primary theological studies within a period slightly more than two years, he was able to join the famous Religious learning Center of Qum in the year 1942.

He was resident at famous Faiziyey School in Qum for five years. In his stay in Qum he received higher theological education under the able guidance and tutorship of eminent jurisprudence such as Hujjatul-Islam Sayyid Mohammad Kazim Aley Tayyed, Mustafa Amili, Sheikh Abul Qasim Nahvi, Sheikh Abulfazal Qummi, Shikh Abul Qasim Ashtiyani, and Martyr Ayatullah Sheikh Murtaza Motahari (r.a.).

Having completed his higher education at the Religious Learning Center at Qum, he went to the city of Ahqaz Khuzestan Province in the year 1947. He stayed there for four years and during this period continued higher theological education under eminent scholars such as Ayatullah Marza Jaffer Ansari and late Ayatullah Sayyid Mohammad Taqi Aley Tayyeb.

In order to further pursue higher religious learning, he joined the famous Religious Learning Center at Najaf in Iraq in the year 1950. During his stay over there he completed higher religious curriculum under the tutorship of eminent learned scholars such as Ayatullah Mirza Hasan Yazdi, Ayatullah Sheikh Mohammad Taqi Iravani, Ayatullah sheikh Mujtaba Lankarani, and Ayatullah Sayyid Abdul ‘Ali Sabzavari. Also during this period he attended the lectures of Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Mohsin Hakim (r.a.) for Dars-e-Kharij [^1] as well as participated in the lectures of Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Abul Qasim Khoei (r.a.) for Dars-e-Kharij (Usool) [^2] after completing the advance theological learning during one year and a half, he again returned to Ahwaz in 1951.

He continued his stay in Ahwaz for the next 9 years and during this period taught Jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, and literature at the religious learning centers. He came to Tehran in 1961 and accepted the leadership “Imamate” of the Hisar-e- Bounali Mosque in Niavaran, and has remained in this position till today.

During his stay in Tehran, apart from his responsibilities for managing the Hisar-e- Bouali Mosque and relevant social affairs; he has written numerous books and articles covering educational, theological, and ethical matters. Also, he is a professor of Arabic at the University of Tehran and at various religious learning centers (Howze-Ilmias) in Shemiran.

He has a good command of the Persian, Arabic languages and is familiar with English. He has written numerous articles which have been published in the famous magazines of Iran namely; Payam-e-Inqilab, Khanavadeh, Ayand-e-Sazan, Iman and Saf, He is a prominent scholar and jurisprudent and have produced valuable literature covering religious, social, ethical, and medicine etc. Some of his famous books may be listed as follows:

Sayings of Imam ibn Jaffar (as), The guide for Hajj Rituals, Arabic-Grammar Guide, how to bridge? The Generation Gap, The Philosophy and Mysteries of Hajj, The Sayings of Imam ‘Ali (as), Foods and Drinks, The Message of the Prophet (S.). The Qur'an from the tongue of Qur'an, How to recite the Holy Qur'an, Hajj Guide in accordance with the decrees of Grand Ayatullah Hakim (r.a)

He has also translated numerous literary works from Arabic to Persian. His translations include: the rights of women in Islam, and the Limits of Freedom and Rights of Women in Islam. He has recently completed a book “The life of Qazi Nourirullah Shooshtari,” (956-1019 AH) who is famous as Third Martyr (shahid-e- Thalis) in the Islamic History, and was martyred by the Moghal Emperor Jahangir, his tomb is located in the city of Agra, Province of Uttar Pradesh in India.

[^1]: Dars-e-Kharij. The highest level of theological education relation to jurisprudence, in the form of lectures, beyond the limited boundaries of text books.

[^2]: Dars-e-Kharij (Usool) (Ibid).