Ijtihad Network Being Wise and Faithful Muslim in the Contemporary World
Place of birth: Qum – Iran
Place of Demise: Qom, Iran
Born and Upbringing
Ayatullah Bahauddini was born on the day of Eid-e-Ghadeer to a religious family, who named him Sayyed Radha. His lineage goes back to Imam Sajjad (A,S). Sayyed Radha’s father was called Sayyed Safiyudin, and had the distinction of being one of the humble volunteers in the holy shrine of Bibi Ma’soomah. Sayyed Safiyudin, together with having a very good memory, had a very intimate relationship with the Holy Qur’an which he used to love to read.
Ayatullah Bahudinni’s mother was called Fatemah Sultani, and was famously known as ‘the wife of Agha.’ She was a very pious and sincere lady as well as a very kind, affectionate and clever person. She was from the offspring of Mullah Sadra Shirazi, who was a scholar of very high caliber. Her contentment, simplicity in her life and her love and attachment for her husband was what distinguished her from others. She also had a very intimate relationship with the Qur’an and a real familiarity with the duas of the Ma’sumin.
Ayatullah Bahudinni’s mother was called Fatemah Sultani, and was famously known as ‘the wife of Agha.’ She was a very pious and sincere lady as well as a very kind, affectionate and clever person. She was from the offspring of Mullah Sadra Shirazi, who was a scholar of very high caliber. Her contentment, simplicity in her life and her love and attachment for her husband was what distinguished her from others. She also had a very intimate relationship with the Qur’an and a real familiarity with the duas of the Ma’sumin.
His personality
During his childhood, Ayatullah Bahauddini always showed signs of an extraordinary memory, a great aptitude and was able to perceive everything around him. He himself narrated that: ‘When I was one year old, I used to really like people of a pure nature, and I used to get attached to them at the level of the soul. I could distinguish between good and evil, and I was also able to distinguish between good and righteous people and those that were evil and rebellious.’ When Syed Radha reached the age of two, they had set up a school for him at home where he learnt Surah Hamd and Surah Tawheed, the Qur’an and the Adhan and Iqamah; it was also during this age that he started reading and writing. At the age of six he joined another school and began to study Arabic vocabulary and other texts.
Right from his youth, Ayatullah Bahauddini used to have great love for praying salaat-ul-layl and fasting. For years he engaged in these two forms of worship (so much) that it had a great inner effect on his soul.
On this point he narrates that: ‘The first time that I connected with the souls of the great scholars from the heavenly kingdom was when I was persevering with an extremely tough fast. I also used to feel intense love and inner desire to perform the night prayer, so much so that even a sweet sleep had no value against the pleasure of reciting salaat-ul-layl.
This love for salaat-ul-layl was so great that I used to automatically wake up when the time would arrive; even on nights when I was very tired, a ‘hand’ from the heavenly world used to wake me up. I remember that in the Iranian year 1356 (approx. 1977 AD), I was sick and the result of this illness was that I had become extremely weak. I therefore made a decision that on that evening, I will take a break from reciting the salaatul-layl, because of lack of strength.
However, when the time of pre-dawn arrived I saw Ayatullah Khomeini in my dream and he said to me, ‘Wake up and busy yourself in the prayer of the night.’ That evening, because of Imam Khomeini’s words, I woke up and busied myself in the night prayer.’
During his childhood, Ayatullah Bahauddini always showed signs of an extraordinary memory, a great aptitude and was able to perceive everything around him. He himself narrated that: ‘When I was one year old, I used to really like people of a pure nature, and I used to get attached to them at the level of the soul. I could distinguish between good and evil, and I was also able to distinguish between good and righteous people and those that were evil and rebellious.’ When Syed Radha reached the age of two, they had set up a school for him at home where he learnt Surah Hamd and Surah Tawheed, the Qur’an and the Adhan and Iqamah; it was also during this age that he started reading and writing. At the age of six he joined another school and began to study Arabic vocabulary and other texts.
Right from his youth, Ayatullah Bahauddini used to have great love for praying salaat-ul-layl and fasting. For years he engaged in these two forms of worship (so much) that it had a great inner effect on his soul.
On this point he narrates that: ‘The first time that I connected with the souls of the great scholars from the heavenly kingdom was when I was persevering with an extremely tough fast. I also used to feel intense love and inner desire to perform the night prayer, so much so that even a sweet sleep had no value against the pleasure of reciting salaat-ul-layl.
This love for salaat-ul-layl was so great that I used to automatically wake up when the time would arrive; even on nights when I was very tired, a ‘hand’ from the heavenly world used to wake me up. I remember that in the Iranian year 1356 (approx. 1977 AD), I was sick and the result of this illness was that I had become extremely weak. I therefore made a decision that on that evening, I will take a break from reciting the salaatul-layl, because of lack of strength.
However, when the time of pre-dawn arrived I saw Ayatullah Khomeini in my dream and he said to me, ‘Wake up and busy yourself in the prayer of the night.’ That evening, because of Imam Khomeini’s words, I woke up and busied myself in the night prayer.’
An anecdote from his life
One of the devotees of Ayatullah Bahauddini narrates: ‘In the summer of 1974, great economic pressure weighed me and my family down, such that I couldn’t buy (even) a few fruits for my family. Because of this, I was in a lot of pain and suffering. Even though my wife did not speak about this, my inner worry and ashamed conscience had made life hard on me.
One night at the time of Maghrib, I was on my way to the Husseiniya of the Ayatullah to pray salaat-e-jamaat behind him (Ayatullah Bahauddini).
When I passed a fruit shop,without realising it, it crossed my mind that how good it would be if I had some money and could buy some fruits of the season (just) once for home!
When I entered the Husseiniya, Ayatullah’s gaze fell on me. He came near me and said: ‘So-and-so! There is some money, should I bring it for you?’ After thinking a bit, I said:‘Ok.’ After salaat he went to his house and brought 1,500 Tomans for me. It was as if he was aware of my niyyat!’
One of the devotees of Ayatullah Bahauddini narrates: ‘In the summer of 1974, great economic pressure weighed me and my family down, such that I couldn’t buy (even) a few fruits for my family. Because of this, I was in a lot of pain and suffering. Even though my wife did not speak about this, my inner worry and ashamed conscience had made life hard on me.
One night at the time of Maghrib, I was on my way to the Husseiniya of the Ayatullah to pray salaat-e-jamaat behind him (Ayatullah Bahauddini).
When I passed a fruit shop,without realising it, it crossed my mind that how good it would be if I had some money and could buy some fruits of the season (just) once for home!
When I entered the Husseiniya, Ayatullah’s gaze fell on me. He came near me and said: ‘So-and-so! There is some money, should I bring it for you?’ After thinking a bit, I said:‘Ok.’ After salaat he went to his house and brought 1,500 Tomans for me. It was as if he was aware of my niyyat!’
Demise
In 1997, Grand Ayatullah Bahauddin passed away in Qum – Iran.
