Moḥsin Arākī

Born

Ayatollah Mohsen Araki was born in Najaf in 1955 in a well-educated family. His father was one of the well-known jurisprudents in Najaf seminary and a forerunner in the realm of religion.

His late father, Ayatollah Habibollah Araki was the son of the Piet elite, the late Ayatollah Sheikh Safar Ali Araki. The late Safar Ali Araki was one of the jurisprudents and well known instructors of Najaf Seminary. He has complied many books in the realm of Fiqh, Principle and many other religious areas. He left a series of inductive Fiqh and a complete series of principles of Fiqh such as scientific works.
Education
Ayatollah Araki learnt Quran and Golestan, the texts book of first, second and thirds levels of elementary schools from his father and mother. Thereafter, for learning the Arabic Language and for completing elementary levels, the grand Ayatollah went to the school named “Montadi Al Nashr”.

Ayatollah Mohsen Araki started his Seminary education since 1347(1968), and learnt some of the introductory courses from his father, studied the rest of the courses with famous Seminary instructors such as Sayyed Abbas Khatam, Hasan Mortazavi, Abdol Majid Roshani, Sayyed Ezzeddin Bahrol Oloum, Abbas Quchani, Muhammad Hadi Marefat, Sayyed Muhammad Baqer Hakim, Muhammad Taqi Javaheri, Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi and Seyyed Kazem Haeri.

After finishing these courses in 1353(1974), He attended in the Fiqh class of Ayatollah Khoei and learnt from him up to his trip to Qom. He also attended in the classes of Fiqh and Principles taught by Ayatollah Muhammad Baqer Sadr. In 1354(1975), he left Najaf to Qom due to the pressure of Baath government in Iraq.

Ayatollah Araki attended in the course taught by Ayatollah Mirza Kazem Tabrizi (4 years) and roughly completed the course of Fiqh and Principles of Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani.

Ayatollah Araki also studied some parts of Asfar in the course taught by Ayatollah Javadi Amoli and Ayatollah Motahhari. He also studied “Nahayat Al Hekmat” with Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi and took part in the course of Hegel Philosophy taught by Ayatollah Beheshti during 1355-1357 (1976-1978).
Responsibilities

At this time, Ayatollah Araki is Head of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought and also teaches at high levels of Fiqh, Principles, Quran interpretation and Hadith sciences in Qom. He is also the member of Supreme Council of Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly. Prior to the post, Ayatollah Araki was also the Secretary of the Supreme Council and head of this organization.
Political activities

Ayatollah Araki started his political activities from Najaf. He went to Imam Khomeini’s house and was active in publishing Imam Khomeini’s works, declarations and books. He also took part in the course taught by Imam Muhammad Baqer Sadr.

Due to such activities, He was wanted by the security force of Iraq and lived secretly for about a year. In 1354(1975), Ayatollah Araki left Iraq to Qom and since day one summoned and interrogated by the security organization. He was also wanted by the security forces in 1357(1978) because of his revolutionary speech delivered in Iran.

Ayatollah Araki’s scientific- educational activities are as follows:

Establishing scientific and cultural organizations
Taking part in establishing public library in Tarihi Mosque
Establishing Islamic science centers in Khorramshahr, Iran
Cooperation with other Islamic elites and scholars for Establishing the Forum of Islamic thought
Founding the ‘Islamic Al Fekr’ center (Islamic Thought) in Qom, Iran
Holding the Seminar of Sheikh A’zam Ansari and being the General Secretary of the seminar in Qom and Dezfoul, Iran
Reconstructing the Scientific Seminary (Ayatollah Qazi) in Dezfoul, Iran
Establishing the charity organizations of Imam Khomeini (Orphanage and Clinic) in Dezfoul, Iran
Establishing the college of religion’s principles in Dezfoul, Iran
Establishing Islamic Center of England in London
Establishing Islamic centers in Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow and etc.
Establishing religious Seminary of Imam Hussein (PBUH) in London.
Establishing Islamic College for Advanced Studies.

Works written in EP Language
The critics of the Ideology of Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK)
The principle of Islamic World View
Mission and Imamate
Introduction to Islamic Mysticism
Doing some searches in the
Principles of Theoretical Theocracy
The philosophy of Freedom

Works written in English Language:

Contemporary Islamic Awakening
Free Will between Islamic Contemporary Philosophy and Western Contemporary Philosophy