A Profile Of The Allama
Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’ has attained immortality as the author of “Asl Ash-Shi’a Wa Usuluha”. With affection, spirit, and freshness, this biography tells the story of one of the most dazzling figures, the Muslim world has ever known. Here is the intimate side of Kashif Al-Ghita’ ‘s life, his schooling, his working, his journeys and his speeches which have been echoed throughout the Muslim world.
He was born in 1294 A.H. in the Holy City of Najaf al-Ashraf, Iraq and was named as Muhammad Husayn. On this auspicious occasion a renowned poet of that city composed a beautiful couplet which means: “When his date was settled, Islam was given the good news that soon he would be chosen for the commendation of Imam Husayn”.
The prophecy made by the poet was soon fulfilled. With the passage of time, he grew up to be a stalwart among Muslim scholars and one of the most eminent·personalities of the Muslim world. What a true prophecy it was!
He was eminently suited for such a position because firstly, he belonged to a family which had for years spread its strong and leafy branches over the heads of the Muslims like a fruit orchard. It was a noble family whose history proceeded along with the glorious history of Najaf al-Ashraf, and which discharged the responsibilities of the Chief and the Guide of the great religious movement for 180 years i.e. since the time his forefather Shaykh Khizr Ibn Yahya migrated to Najaf al-Ashraf from a small town Janaha, situated in the south of Hilla. He was succeeded by his son, Shaykh Ja’far Kabir, a great saint who wrote the well-known book under ‘the caption Kashif Al-Ghita’.
Saints, scholars and eminent literary men appeared from amongst his brothers, sons and grandchildren each of whom had his share in rendering meritorious services to the world of knowledge and faith till the turn of Shaykh Muhammad Husayn had arrived. He completed his primary education in Najaf al-Ashraf. Thereafter, he began attending lectures of great saints of his time.
He learnt Usul al-Fiqh1 from al-Hajj Ridha’ Hamdam and Muhammad Kadhim Yazdi, each of whom was a genius of his time. He also benefited from Mirza Husayn Nuri and received a certificate from him with honours. He learnt Kalam2 and Philosophy from Shaykh Ahmad Shirazi, Mirza Muhammad Baqir Istehbanati and Shaykh Muhammad Ridha’ Najaf Abidi.
On account of the fact that Allah had endowed him with extraordinary intelligence, sagacity and aptitude, he made progress in different branches of knowledge in a short span of time and while he was still young, acquired a position on account of his knowledge which was worthy of recognition so much so that he and his brother Shaykh Ahmad began to enjoy the special confidence of the scholars of the centre of teaching, Najaf al-Ashraf, and especially, the great authority of the time Sayyid Muhammad Kadhim Yazdi who entrusted to them the task of sending replies to many questions on religious matters.
After the demise of that great authority, a large number of people from Iraq approached Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’ with a vibe to accept him as the religious leader. The star of his fortune continued to shine and became more luminous day by day. The people of Iraq became more and more inclined towards him and consequently his position of being a “general authority” in Iraq was accepted and confirmed.
Seminars for instructions and discussions were held by him throughout his life and religious students and seekers of instructions in different fields of Islamic teaching hovered around him like moths hovering round light and drank their hearts full from the pure fountain of his knowledge and teaching so much so that scores of volumes of books were compiled from his different speeches and lectures obtained through the intermediary of his pupils.
Fascinating Manner Of Discourse
Besides his high scholastic position, Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’ possessed an effective and fascinating manner of discourse. He spoke with forceful logic and unparalleled eloquence. His lectures used to be so sweet and enchanting that at times hours elapsed but his audience did not feel them to have been more than a few moments.
It often happened that he mounted the pulpit on some special occasion and enlightened the thoughts of the hearers in such a way that they opened the doors of their hearts and surrendered themselves to his eloquence.
During his discourse he introduced the subject with great dexterity and utilised his inherent faculty to arrive at the valid conclusion. He also made his speeches interesting with special maxims. The universities and great educational centres of Najaf, Baghdad, Cairo, Quds, Tehran and Karachi have not yet forgotten his resounding addresses.
Historial Journeys
He did not refuse to do anything in order to attain his sublime and sacred objects so much so that his mind was poised to mount the stars in the skies and revolve round the spacious heavens above.
Unlike many people who do not step out of their environments and small towns till the end of their lives and consequently remain ignorant of the conditions of the world, he was very keen to tour the big Islamic countries and visit different cities so as to prove the truth of his lofty thoughts and the extensive and comprehensive plans which he had in his mind.
Possibly in order to achieve his objective there! By these means many more people heard the voice of this noble person, the voice which is still resounding in different educational centres.
In 1350 A.H he went to Palestine to participate in Mo’tamar al-Islami which had been set up in the city of Quds. In Masjid al-Aqsa he was requested to deliver a lecture and most of the delegates of the Islamic countries who had come to take part in the Mo’tamar offered their prayers led by him.
In 1371 A.H. he came to Karachi to participate in a great Islamic Congress to which he had been formally invited by the Government of Pakistan. There he delivered very moving speeches and co-operated sincerely with the participants of the Congress for the information of the political and social conditions of Islamic countries.
When some national circles expressed pessimism and anxiety about the future activities of the Congress, he showed his determination to put up a fierce fight against all the intrigues which colonialism might initiate against its aims and objectives.
Kashif Al-Ghita’ And Political Activities
This great religious-cum-social leader believed that one of the foremost and the most important duties of every competent person is to take part in politics and to properly understand the matters connected therewith.
He believed the correct object and meaning of politics to be preaching and guiding, prohibiting mischief, exhorting the statement of Muslim countries not to fall into the trap of colonialism and asking them to break the shackles of captivity to guarantee complete independence for all countries and nations.
He used to say about himself: “I am drowned in politics from head to toe, and it is one of my essential duties to take part in it. If I don’t take part in politics, I would not consider myself upright before Allah and my conscience”. He usually repeated these historic words of Imam ‘Ali:
“Allah has obtained a promise from the learned people that they will not observe silence in the face of the gluttony of the tyrants and the hunger of the oppressed”.
Hence, he took part in most of the national movements of Iraq in particular and national movements of all Muslim countries in general and played an effective role in furthering the noble cause of these movements: When the First World War broke out, he immediately reached the city of Koth to take part in the freedom campaign of the Iraqi national against the British Occupation Forces.
Similarly, he took part in the gallant fight of the people of Najaf al-Ashraf against the British forces and the colonialism of Ghazi. He always pursued this policy in opposition to the aggressors and the tyrants and fought fiercely against the colonialists and their supporters. He expressed his views with extraordinary bravery and made use of all means to disgrace the British oppressors and to frustrate their nefarious activities.
Incomparable Frankness
Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’ had an incomparable frankness. When the British Ambassador came to see him at Najaf al-Ashraf and met him on 20th of Jumadi -1, 1371 A.H., he criticised the crude and inhuman activities of the British Government in different parts of the world.
He especially objected in very strong terms and in a very effective and penetrating manner to the loss of Palestine and the plans of the British Government in this behalf, the usurpation of the Holy land of Palestine by Colonial Powers and rendering hundreds of innocent people homeless.
Similarly, in an interview which he had with the American Ambassador, he objected with the same frankness to the Connivance of the United States of America with Zionists and its support in the occupation of Palestine. He particularly told the Ambassador: “Our hearts are wounded by the blow of you, Americans. You have struck us in such a dastardly manner that we are unable to bear this injury silently”.
He added, “The public opinion of our nation has been mobilised completely against you. Our hearts are bleeding owing to the blow given by you at the back of the Arab nation which has broken its back-bone”.
Especially in the later part of his life, he bedecked a new jewel in the crown of his life-history through his outstanding national activities. He rejected in clear terms the invitation for participation in the Bihamdun3 Congress which had been convened by the supporters of American colonialism. He not only rejected the invitation but also published the reply thereto in a book entitled, al-Muthul al-Ulya fi ‘l-Islam la fi ihamdun.
This book is a living example of his national heroism and defence of public interest and the part played by him in awakening the minds of his countrymen and’ warning them against the threat of colonialism. The boom of this book was heard in different circles like the explosion of a bomb and thus it fetched a fabulous price.
Literary Works
Notwithstanding the fact that he was awfully preoccupied and had to give replies to various references made to him on religious matters owing to his important position as the one entitled to issue Fatwa4, Allama was a very successful and prolific writer. He has written about thirty books on different subjects.
The valuable writings left by him show that everybody is not qualified for this task which can be accomplished only by those people who possess spiritual strength, intellectual merit and moral attributes. While in Lebanon, he supervised the publication of many literary books and added very useful notes to them.
Autumn Of His Age
Allama’s delicate and sensitive nature, coupled with the prevailing conditions of social life and environment around him as well as his activities pertaining to teaching and knowledge had an adverse effect on his health and consequently, he developed various ailments which had a profound effect on his body, though not on his mind. In the last year of his life, he suffered much on account of prostate glands.
He had also suffered from this ailment previously but had been cured after treatment. This time, however, the treatment did not prove efficacious. He was first admitted into a hospital at Karkh and later arrived in Karand, for the change of climate.
During the last nights of his life, his penetrating and dignified eyes were fixed on the stray sky of Karand, as if he were having a discourse with the stars and his great and angelic soul was roaming about even beyond them.
His stay in that town had not exceeded three days when thousands of eyes in Iraq began waiting for his return and for the continuance of his valuable academic and social activities. However, notwithstanding all this waiting, he breathed his last on Monday, the 18th of Dhu ‘l-Qa’dah 1373 A.H. and his soul departed to attain eternal bliss.
His dead body was brought from Karand to Baghdad. There was a great tumult in Baghdad. A large number of people accompanied his funeral to Najaf al-Ashraf. He was buried in a tomb situated at the end of Wadi As-Salam which he had himself got constructed two years ago and thus came under the benevolent canopy of the Commander of the Faithful Imam ‘Ali.
Meetings were arranged everywhere to pay homage to his soul. Hundreds of articles and elegies depicting his distinguished personality and meritorious services were read at these enthusiastic meetings. Undoubtedly, Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’ will be long remembered in history as one of the most distinguished figures of Muslim Ummah.
