Sistani, Ali al-, << sihs TAH nee, AH lee >> (1930-…), is the most influential religious leader of the Shī`ah branch of Islam in Iraq. Shī`ites in Iraq and throughout the world look to al-Sistani for guidance.
Al-Sistani was born into a prominent family of Shī`ite scholars on Aug. 4, 1930, in Meshed, Iran. He began studying religion at an early age. In 1949, he continued his education in the city of Qom, Iran, a center of Shī`ite learning. A few years later, he moved to the Shī`ite holy city of Najaf, Iraq. In 1960, Al-Sistani became a mujtahid—that is, a scholar qualified to interpret religious law. In 1992, he was named a Grand Ayatollah. This is the highest religious position that can be held by a Shī`ite Muslim.
Al-Sistani believes that Shī`ite religious leaders should remain independent from politics. This belief, called quietism, has a long history in Shī`ism, but it is not shared by all Shī`ite religious leaders. Al-Sistani’s rejection of politics allowed him to work during the regime of Saddam Hussein, from 1979 to 2003, when many Shī`ite leaders were persecuted.
Since 2003, when the United States led an invasion of Iraq and brought down the Hussein government, al-Sistani has advocated free elections and self-determination for the Iraqi people. At the same time, he has stressed the need for Shī`ite scholars to provide guidance on religious matters. Throughout the Iraq War, al-Sistani has encouraged peaceful public demonstrations, called on Iraqi people to vote, and helped resolve conflicts between rival factions.
