Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Abul Hassan Isfahani

    Ayatollah Sayyid Abul Hassan Isfahani was born in Madisah village, one of the villages of Lanjan, district of the city of Isfahan in the year 1868. He completed his primary studies in the Nimarud School in Isfahan where he was taught by Mirza Abul Ma'ali Kalbasi, benefiting greatly from him. He migrated to the city of Najaf in 1890 in order to complete his studies and attended classes by great scholars of Najaf.

    He earned the degree of ijtihad in the classes offered by Ayatollah Akhund Khorasani. He along with Ayatollah Naeeni became the most famous scholars after the demise of the late Ayatollah Akhund Khorasani and Ayatollah Mirza Muhammad Taqi Shirazi. After the death of Ayatollah Naeeni, he became the only religious authority for most of Shiite lands.
 

     Imam Khomeini and another group of contemporary jurists commented on his scholarly dissertation (risala) due to its inclusion. This great scholar passed away on Monday, November 4, 1946 in the city of Kadhimiya. Addressing his holy body, Ayatollah Muhammad Hussain Kashiful-Ghita made these statements: "Congratulations to you, the ascension to your Lord! You had a felicitous life and death! Your life was joined with management and greatness, making people through it forget the past great ones, following the coming ones. You were also born twice: Once you earned experience and knowledge, and once you acted upon what you had earned!"

    He, may Allah have mercy on his soul, was characterized by good attributes and characteristics, and his pure soul inspired one to be firm and steadfast for the sake of the Adored One. He surpassed his peers in managing the affairs, in administration and knowledge, and he was generous, articulate, orator, making his classes the most busy and popular among those offered at the Islamic seminary of Najaf. He participated in the struggle of the Muslim Iraqi people against colonialism and was banished to Iran together with some struggling scholars. He had honorable stands towards the incidents at the Goharshad Mosque in the holy city of Mashhad.

    He, may Allah have mercy on his soul, was characterized by good attributes and characteristics, and his pure soul inspired one to be firm and steadfast for the sake of the Adored One.