Sayyid Ḍīāʼ al-Dīn ʻArāqī

Ayatollah Aqa ziya ad-Deen al-Iraqi was born in the city of Sultan-Abad ( Arak) in the year 1278 A.H.

He completed his preparatory study in his home town then migrated to the city of al-Najaf al-Ashraf in order to complete his study. He attended classes by great Ayatollahs such as Muhammad al-Fisharki, Akhund al-Khurasani, Sayyid Kadhim al-Yazdi and the mentor of the Shari’a, al-Isfahani.

Signs of his intelligence and genius were obvious during the first years of his study. He started teaching at an early age, and many students gathered round him because of his oratory and the ease of his explanation. He distinguished himself among great teachers following the demise of his professor, the late Akhund al-Khurasani. He studied fiqh and Usul for more than thirty years and many students were nurtured by him. Some of them became later on sources for taqlid. Among his works, one can point out to a book containing articles about Usul.

Finally, this working scholar moved to the mercy of his Lord in the city of al-Najaf al-Ashraf in the year 1361 A.H.