This article provides the list of deceased maraji (plural of marja, the supreme legal authority or the source of emulation), followed by Twelver (also known as Imamiyyah) Shia Muslims around the world. The concept of a marja-i taqlid (lit. source of emulation) is central to Usuli Shi'a Islam. Marja-i taqlids provide religious interpretations on matters of law and rituals. Among the functions of marja-i taqlids is the collection and distribution of religious taxes (zakat and khums).
Deceased
Note: The names are ordered by date of death (descending) as an arbitrary standard.
Till 350 AH/960 CE Following are ulema (who may or may not be considered maraji) who have spent their major life spans before 350 AH/960 CE: No Image Name Year of birthCEAH Year of deathCEAH Birth Education Death Website Notes 1 - Aban -Abu Sa'id Aban ibn Taghlib ibn Rubah al-Bakri al-Jurairi al-Kindi al-Rabie al-Kufi - - - 758141 Iraq Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Biography,Behar-ul-Anwaar:Vol-02:#80, Appointed by Imam Mohammad al-Baqir for Medina 2 - Abu Baseer - Yehya Bin al-Qasim al-Hadhdha’ - - - - 150 - - - Wasail-us-Shia:Vol-18:#103, Appointed by Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq 3 - Ibn Muslim - Mohammad bin Muslim - - - - - - - - Biography Wasail-us-Shia:Vol-18:#105, Appointed by Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq 4 - Zakariya Qummi - Zakariya bin Adam-e-Qummi - - - - - - - - - ,Wasail-us-Shia:Vol-18:#106, Appointed by Imam Ali ar-RizaChapter 4 – Leadership in the era of occultation - Al Muntazar “Sit in Masjid-e-Nabavi and give your verdicts pertaining to religious matters.” .... Imam Reza (a.s.) replied: “Go to Zakaria bin Adam Qummi, he is our turtle in ... 5 - Yunus - Yunus bin Abdul-Rahman - - - 825-826210 - - - - ,Wasail-us-Shia:Vol-18:#107, Appointed by Imam Ali ar-RizaIMAM AL-KADHIM: HIS SCHOOL AND KNOWLEDGE 6 - Safwan - Abu Muhammad Safwan ibn Yahya al Bajali Bayya' al-Sabiri - - - - - - - - - ,A Medieval Muslim Scholar at Work: Ibn Ṭāwūs and His Library By Etan Kohlberg, Yahya al-Bajafi Bayya' al-Sabiri (d. 210/825-826)...Shi'ite Jurists and Authors on Jurisprudence and Hadith , ii) Safwan bin Yahya Bayya' Sabari; 7 - Abu Umayr - Muhammad bin Abu-Umayr - - - - - - - - - 8 - Mughirah - Abdullah bin al-Mughirah - - - - - - - - - 9 - Ali al-Uraydi - علي العريضيAbu Hasan Ali al-Uraidhi ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq - 757-140- 835+220+ Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Biography - 10 - Rad - al-Hassan bin Mahboob al-Rad (or al‑Sarrad or al‑Zarrad) al‑Kufi - - - 839 224 - - - - ,HIS SCHOOL AND KNOWLEDGE , Sheikh al-Toosi writes, "The followers of our school of thought have agreed on the probity and trustworthiness of six fuqaha', who were taught and educated by al-Kadhim and al-Ridha (a.s.). They were: Yunus bin Abdul-Rahman, Safwan bin Yahya, Bayya' al-Sabiri, Muhammad bin Abi-Umayr, Abdullah bin al-Mughirah, al-Hassan bin Mahboob al-Rad and Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi-Nasr."[labbaik.ir/en/uploads/book/kafi_part_1.doc Kafi Part 1], Rijal al‑Tusi, By Shaykh al‑Ta'ifah Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn al Hasan al‑Tusi ..... Al‑Hasan ibn Mahbub al‑Sarrad (or al‑Zarrad) al‑Kufi (d.224/839), 6/VIII, Tr 347 ...Shi'ite Scholars in the Field of Applied Sciences - WWW.AL-SHIA.ORG , Hasan bin Mahbub Sarrad, according to Ibn-un-Nadim wrote an exegesis of the Quran. He died in 224 A.H.. 11 - Abi-Nasr - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi-Nasr - - - - - - - - - 12 - Uthman al-Amri - Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Asadi - - - - 267- - - - - Wasail-us-Shia:Vol-18:#100, Appointed by Imam Ali al-Naqi 13 - Abū Is’hāq - Abū Is’hāq Ibrāhīm ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’eed ibn Hilāl Thaqafī Isfahānī - - - 896+283 Iraq Iraq Iran Biography - 14 - Ahwāzī - Abū Muhammad Husein ibn Sa’īd ibn Hamād ibn Mehrān Ahwāzī - - 896+283+ Iraq Iraq Iran Biography Husein Ibn-e Sa'īd Ahwāzī, Husein Ibn-e Sa'īd Ahwāzī. Abū Muhammad, Husein son of Sa'īd son of Hamād son of Mehrān Ahwāzī, a great Shi'a scholar, was born in Kūfah the city of great ... 15 - Mohammad al-Amri - Mohammad bin Saeed al-Amri - - - - 305 - - - - Wasail-us-Shia:Vol-18:#107, Appointed by Imam Ali al-Naqi 16 - Ummani - al-Hasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi `Aqil al-`Ummani - - - 941329 - - - - ,The Leading Shia Ulama of Fourth Century Hijrah , Ibn Abi Aqeel Ummani This Umman is on the coast of Yemen, and therefore he was also known as Yemeni.The Science of Jurisprudence among the Shi'ah , Shi'ah jurisprudence on the basis of ijtihad was first founded by Ibn Abi 'Aqil 'Ummani (died in the first part of the fourth century AH), a contemporary of al-Kulayni ...The Place of al-Mufid in the Development of Shi'i Kalam and Fiqh, Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Khamene’i, al Tawhid, vol x, Nos. 2 and 3, Translated from the Persian by Ali Quli Qarai. Its two well-known representatives are al-Hasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi `Aqil al-`Ummani ...... As to al-`Ummani, this tendency is not ascribed to him. ....... al-Mufid find a valid framework for the practice of fiqh, which was a first step, to which al-'Ummani's work must be considered a prelude. 17 - Qummi - قمي'Ali ibn Babawayh al-Qummi علي بن القمي - - 941329 - - - - 18 - Kulayni - الكليني Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni محمد بن يعقوب الكليني 864250 941329 Iran Iraq Iraq Biography 1, Biography 2 19 - Iskāfī - Abū Alī Muhammad ibn Humām ibn Suhail Iskāfī - 872258 947336 Iraq Iraq Iraq Biography -
351 AH/961 CE to 1200 AH/1785 CE Following are ulema who have spent their major life span between 350 AH/961 CE & 1200 AH/1785 CE: S No Image Name Year of birthThe abbreviation CE refers to the Common Era solar calendar, while AH refers to the Islamic Hijri lunar calendar.CEAH Year of deathCEAH Birth Education Death Website Notes 1 - Ibn-e Qūliwayh - Sheikh Abul-Qāsim Ja’far ibn Muhammad son of Ja’far ibn Mūsā ibn Masrūr ibn Qūliwayh-e Qummī - - - 0977367 Iran Iran Iran Biography - 2 - Ayyashi - عياشي Ayyashi al-Samarqandi عياشي السمرقندي - - 0978368 - - - - 3 - Abū Ghālib ZurārīAhmad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Suleimān ibn Hasan ibn Jahm ibn Bukair ibn A’yun Shaybānī Kūfī Baghdadi - 898285 0978368 Iraq Iraq Iraq Biography - 4 - Iskafi - Ibn Junayd al-Iskafi - - - 0991381 - - - - 5 - Shaykh Saduq - Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Babawayh al-Qummi 918305 0991380 Iran Iraq Iran - - 6 - Saheb, Al Kafat - صاحبIsmail ibne Ibad صاحب بن عباد - - 0995384 Iran Iran Iran Biography 7 - Al-Sharif al-Radi or Razi - الرضيSayyid al-Razi الشريف الرضي 970359 1015406 Iraq Iraq Iraq - 8 - Shaykh Mufid - شيخ مفيدAbu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Nu'man al-'Ukbari al-Baghdadi أبو عبد الله محمد بن محمد بن النعمان البغدادي 948336 1022413 Iraq Iraq Iraq - 9 Ibn Sīnā - ابن سیناAbū ‘Alī al-Ḥusayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh ibn Sīnā - 980Safar 370 10374 Ramadan 428 Iran Iran IranBiography - 10 - Sayyid Murtadhā - سيد مرتضىAbu al-Qāsim ‘Alī ibn Husayn al-Syyid al-Murtadhā Alam al-Huda أبو القاسم علي بن الحسين السيد المرتضى علم الهدى 965355 1044436 - - - -,Ulema Timeline 11 - Halabi - حلبيAbu al-Salah al-Halabi أبو الصلاح الحلبي - - 1055447 - - - - 12 - Najjashi - النجاشيAhmad ibn Ali al-Najjashi احمد بن علي النجاشي 982 372 1058450 - - - 13 - Shaykh Tusi - شیخ طوسیAbu Jafar Muhammad ibn Hasan Tusi ابوجعفر محمد بن حسن طوسی 995385 1067460 - - - 14 - Ibn Barraj - بن براجQazi Abdul-Aziz al-Halabi قاضي عبد العزيز الحلبي - - 1088481 - - - 15 - Hākim Haskāni, Ibn-e-Haddād - Qāzi Hākim AbulQāsīm Ubeidullāh Ibn Abdullāh Ibn Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Haskāni Qurashī Āmirī Neishābūrī - - 1097490 - - - Biography - 16 - Allamah Tabarsi - العلامة الطبرسيAmin al-Islam Abu Ali Fadal ibn Hassan ibn al-Fadl al-Tabarsi أمين الإسلام الطبرسي 1073468 1153548 - - -Biography 17 - RawandiQutubuddin Rawandi - - - 1177573 - - - - 18 - Ibne AshobIbne Shahr Ashob - - - 1192603 - - - - 19 - HilliMuhammad Ibn Idrees Hilli - 1148543 1202598 Iraq Iraq Iraq Biography 20 - KASHMIRISayyed Hussain Qummi Iran Iran India 21 - MuntajabuddīnMuntajabuddīn Alī Ibn Ubaidullāh Ibn Hasan Ibn Bābiwayh Qummī - - 504 1204600 Iran Iran Iran Biography - 21 - Ibn TaoosSyed Razi Al Deen Abul Qasim Ali Ibn Moosa Ibn Jafar Ibn Taoos - 1193 5 Moharrum 579 1266664 Iraq Iraq Iraq Biography 22 - Nasiruddin ToosiKhwajah Nasiruddin Toosi - 1201 597 1274673 - - - -, 23 - Ghayas ud DeenSyed Abd al Karim Ibn Jamal ud Deen Ahmed Ibn Moosa Ibn Jafar ibn Taoos - 1250648 1294693 - - -Biography - 24 - Muhaqqiq al-HilliJafar ibne Yahya ibn Hasan ibne Saeed - 1205603 1277676 - - -Biography - 25 - Irbeli Abul Hasan Ali ibne Isā ibne Abulfath Irbeli - - - 1294693 - - - Biography - 26 - Allamah HilliAbu Mafsoor Hasan ibn Yusuf ibne Ali ibn Mazaher - 125019 Ramadan 648 132511 Muharram 726 - - -Biography 27 - Mahaqqeqeen HilliFakhrul Mahaqqeqeen Hilli - - - 1368771 - - - https://en.wikishia.net/view/Muhammad_b._al-Hasan_al-Hilli 28 - Muhammad ibn MakkiAbu Abd Allah Shams ud Deen Mohammed ibn Jamal ud Deen Makki - 1334734 1385786 Lebanon Saudi Arabia Syria - 29 - MiqdadFazil Miqdad - - - 1423826 - - - - - 30 - AsadiAhmed bin Fahd Hilli Asadi - 1355 757 1438841 - - - 31 - BayādhiAli bin Yūnus Nabāti Bayādhi - 1402804 1472877 - - - Biography - 32 - Kaf’amiTaqiyuddin Ibrahim Kaf’ami - - - 1500905 - - - - 33 - Muhaqqiq al-Karaki Nuraddin Ali ibn Abdul-Aal al-Karki - - 870 1533940 - - - - 34 - Shaheed SaaniJamal ud Deen ibn Noor ud Deen Ali ibn Fazil Ahmed ibn jamal ud Deen ibn Taqi ibn Mohammed Saleh - 1505911 1559966 Lebanon Iraq Saudi Arabia - 35 - Muqaddas Ardebili Mohammed ibn Ahmed Ardebili - 1500 - 1585Safar 993 Iran Iraq Iraq Biography 36 - Shaheed SalisQazi Nurullah Shustari - 1549956 16101019 Iran Iraq India - 37 - Shaykh BahaiMohammed bin Hasan al Harthi Jeehi Amili Bahai - 154717 Moharram 953 162112 Shawwal 1031 Lebanon Iran Iran Biography 38 - Mulla Sadra Ṣadr ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shīrāzī - 1571/2 16411050 - - - - 39 - Allameh Majlisi AwwalMohammad Taqi Majlisi - - - 16601070 - - - - 40 - Mulla MazandaraniSaleh Mazandarani - - - 16751086 - - - - 41 - Muhaqqiq SabzwariMuhammad Baqir Sabzwari - 1608 - 16791090 - - - - 42 - Mulla Faiz KashaniMohammed Mohsin Faiz Kashani - 15981007 16801091 Iran Iran Iran Biography 43 Muhaqqiq KhwansariHusain Khwansari - 1607 - 16871098 - - - - 44 - Shaykh AmeliShaykh Hurr Ameli - 1624 8 Rajab 1033 169321 Ramadan 1104 - - - Biography 45 - Allamah BahraniSayyed Hashim Bahrani - - - 16961107 - - - - 46 Allamah Majlesi SaniMohammad Baqir Majlisi - 16281037 16991111 Iran Iran Iran Biography 47 - JazaeriSayyed Ne’matullah Jazaeri - 1640 - 17001112 - - - - 48 - Aqa KhunsariJamaluddin Mohammad Khunsari - - - 17131125 - - - - 49 - Mirza AfandiMirza Abdullah Isfahani Afandi - - - 17181130 - - - - 50 - 'Fazil-e-HindiMuhammad Bahauddin Fazil bin Hasan bin Muhammad Isfahani - - 1062 17251137 - - - Biography, 51 - Sahib HadaeqYusuf bin Ahmed - - - 17721186 - - - - 52 - Wahid Al-BihbahaniMuhammad Baqir bin Muhammad Akmal - 1706 1118 17911206 - - - -, 53 - Mulla NaraqiMohammad Mahdee Naraqi - 17151128 17951209 Iran Iran Iran Biography 54 - Allamah Bahrul UloomSayyed Mohammad Mahdi Bahrul Uloom - 1742Shawwal 1155 17971212 Iraq Iraq Iraq Biography
Between 1201 AH/1786 CE and 1300 AH/1883 CE Following are ulema (who may or may not be considered maraji) who have spent their major life span after 1201 AH/1785 CE & 1300 AH/1883 CE: