Ismail as-Sadr () (born 1842 - died 1919–1920) was a Lebanese-Iraqi

Grand Ayatollah Marja (; plural ''marājiʿ''; ) is a title given to the highest level of Twelver Shia religious cleric, with the authority given by a hawzah (a seminary where Shi'a Muslim scholars are educated) to make legal decisions within the confines of Sh ...

, a title which is used in Iran and Iraq referring to a

Twelver Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the Islamic schools and branches, largest branch of Shia Islam, Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twel ...

Shi'a Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor ( caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community ( imam). However, his right is understoo ...

scholar who is a fully qualified

mujtahid ''Ijtihad'' ( ; ' , ) is an Islamic legal term referring to independent reasoning by an expert in Islamic law, or the thorough exertion of a jurist's mental faculty in finding a solution to a legal question. It is contrasted with '' taqlid'' (i ...

who asserts authority over peers and followers by virtue of sufficient study and achievement of the level of necessary competency needed to obtain permission (''ijāza'') to practice

ijtihad ''Ijtihad'' ( ; ' , ) is an Islamic legal term referring to independent reasoning by an expert in Islamic law, or the thorough exertion of a jurist's mental faculty in finding a solution to a legal question. It is contrasted with '' taqlid'' ( ...

. He was born in

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

, Iran.

Life and family

Sayyid ''Sayyid'' is an honorific title of Hasanid and Husaynid lineage, recognized as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Ali's sons Hasan ibn Ali, Hasan and Husayn ibn Ali, Husayn. The title may also refer ...

Ismail as-Sadr is the grandfather of the Sadr family. He is the first to be known with the last name of as-Sadr after his father Sadr ad-Din ibn Salih, whose ancestors had been from the

Jabal Amel Jabal Amil (; also spelled Jabal Amel and historically known as Jabal Amila) is a cultural and geographic region in Southern Lebanon largely associated with its long-established, predominantly Twelver Shia Muslim inhabitants. Its precise boundari ...

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

.Sadr - Originally an Arabic honorific; has been used since the 10th century to denote a prominent member of the ulema. The title became hereditary in some Twelver Shii families and is often used as a surname. Ismail As-Sadr was born in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. He was the youngest of five brothers all of whom became scholars of Shia

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

. He had four sons: * Muhammad Mahdi as-Sadr (1879-1939), grandfather of

Mohammad al-Sadr Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammed al-Sadr (; born 23 March 1943 – 19 February 1999) was a prominent Iraqi Twelver Shiite cleric and marja'. He called for government reform and the release of detained Shia leaders during the rule of Saddam Huss ...

(killed 1999), great-grandfather of Muqtada as-Sadr * Sadr ad-Din as-Sadr (1881-1954), father of Musa as-Sadr (disappeared in 1978) and

Rabab al-Sadr Rabab al-Sadr Charafeddine (Arabic: رباب الصدر; born 4 April 1944) is a Lebanese activist and president of the Imam al-Sadr Foundation. She is the sister of disappeared Shia imam and political leader Musa al-Sadr. Early life Rabab al- ...

* Haydar as-Sadr (1891-1937), father of Muhammad Baqir as-Sadr and

Amina al-Sadr Amina Haydar al-Sadr (; 1937 – 1980), known as Bint al-Huda al-Sadr (), was an Iraqi educator and political activist who was executed by Saddam Hussein's regime along with her brother, Ayatullah Sayyid Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr, in 1980. Life ...

(both killed in 1980) *a fourth son. He resided in

Najaf Najaf is the capital city of the Najaf Governorate in central Iraq, about 160 km (99 mi) south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2024 is about 1.41 million people. It is widely considered amongst the holiest cities of Shia Islam an ...

, Iraq, and became the sole marja until his death in 1338 A.H. (c. 1919–1920).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ismail As-Sadr Sadr, Ismail as- Sadr, Ismail as- Iranian people of Lebanese descent Lebanese ayatollahs Iraqi Shia Muslims Musawis 1919 deaths Pupils of Muhammad Kadhim Khorasani

Life and family

See also

References