Mohammad al-Yaqoobi (; born September 9, 1960) is a prominent Iraqi Twelver Shi'a Marja'. He is the second most widely followed Marja' in Iraq, the most widely followed being Ali al-Sistani.Fotini Christia, Elizabeth Dekeyser and Dean Knox, To Karbala: Surveying Religious Shia from Iran and Iraq, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2016) As well as heading the Al-Sadr Religious University in Najaf, he established one of the largest women's Hawzas in Iraq, and oversees many charitable organisations within Iraq. He is an active figure within Iraqi politics, and is considered by the Hawza to be the spiritual successor of Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr and the school of Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, with the former famously naming Yaqoobi his successor in an audio recording.Mervin Sabrina, Les mondes chiites et l'Iran, Karthala (2007)
Education Yaqoobi graduated with a BA in civil engineering from the University of Baghdad in 1982 and joined the Hawza Najaf in 1988. In Najaf, he studied under various scholars, most notably Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei, under whom he was ordained with his religious turban, and Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr. He maintained a close relationship with Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr, who, amongst others, granted him his Ijtihad in 1998.Ayatollah Al Sayyid Mohammad Al Yaqoobi niqash.org Amongst these testimonies is the Ijtihad testimony of Mohammad Sadeqi Tehrani, the well known expert exegete of the Quran and student of Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai who in particular highlights Yaqoobi's expertise in deriving religious law from the Quran.Yaghoobi bayanbox.ir (in Persian)
Social and cultural activities
Among his activities, can mention the establishment of various institutions: Al-Sadr Religious University, with more than 20 branches and about 2,000 students. Al-Zahra University, which is for women and has more than 14 branches. Islamic television networks, including Al-Naeem, Al-Bilad, Al-Amal, and Subul al-Salam. The Alawi Sayyids Association, which supports and cares for Alawi Sayyids. Dozens of religious, cultural, social, and humanitarian organizations.
Political views On June 13, 2025, Mohammad Yaqoobi condemned the Israeli attack on Iran, calling the attacks on residential areas, nuclear facilities, and service centers in Iran “barbaric attacks.” He said that Israel was founded on oppression and aggression, and that these attacks were intended to force Muslim nations to surrender. Yaqubi also referred to the killing of Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists, saying that the fate of all humans is death, but there is a difference between someone who dies as a martyr and someone who faces humiliation and torment.
On March 1, 2026, Mohammad Yaqubi issued a message condoling the death of Ali Khamenei, referring to him as the “leader of the Islamic Revolution.” Yaqubi said that Khamenei had achieved his long-sought wish of martyrdom in the way of God.
works Sheikh Mohammad Ya'qoubi has authored numerous works across various scholarly and religious fields, including: Fiqh al-Khilaf, Subul al-Salam, Manasik al-Hajj, al-Riyadiyyat lil-Faqih, Malamih min Tarikh, Khitaab al-Qiyadah al-Diniyyah fi al-Iraq, Thalathah Yashkun, Dawr al-A'immah fi al-Hayah al-Islamiyyah, Qanadil al-'Arifin, al-Uswah al-Hasanah, al-Ma'alim al-Mustaqbaliyyah lil-Hawzah al-'Ilmiyyah, al-Fiqh al-Ijtima'i, Nahnu wa al-Gharb, Min Wahy al-Ghadir, and Fiqh Talabat al-Jami'at.
See also List of maraji Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah
References
External links