Aga Syed Mustafa Moosavi

Aga Syed Mustafa Moosavi
Religion	Islam
Order	Shia Islam (Usuli Twelver)
Alma mater	Hawza 'Ilmiyya Najaf, Iraq
Personal
Born	(1924-02-02)2 February 1924 Budgam
Died	21 August 2002(2002-08-21) (aged 78) Budgam
Resting place	Ziyarat E Sarkaar, Budgam
Senior posting
Title	Aga Sahab (آغا صاحب) Abu Shaheedain
Predecessor	Aga Syed Yousuf Al-Moosavi
Successor	Aga Syed Hassan Moosavi

Aga Sahab in a meeting along with his two martyred sons, Shaheed Aga Syed Muhammad Hussain and Shaheed Aga Syed Mehdi.

Ayatullah Aga Syed Mustafa Al-Moosavi Al-Safvi (2 February 1924 – 21 August 2002) widely known as Aga Sahab (آغا صاحب) was a Kashmiri Shia Muslim cleric, Islamic Jurist, Islamic scholar, philanthropist and former President of Anjuman-e-Sharie Shiyaan Jammu and Kashmir. Protagonist of Wilayat E Faqih in Jammu & Kashmir. Former chairman of Madras E Babul Ilm.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Ayatullah Aga Syed Mustafa Al-Moosavi Al-Safvi was born on 2 February 1924 to Ayatullah Aga Syed Ahmad.^[3] He is a descendant of Mir Shams-ud-din Muhammad Iraqi, who came to Kashmir in the 15th century as a political envoy.

Ayatullah Aga Syed Mustafa began studying the Quran and theology from a young age and was assisted in his religious studies by his grandfather Ayatullah Aga Syed Muhammad,^[4] his father Ayatullah Aga Syed Ahmad,^[3] his uncle Ayatullah Aga Syed Yousuf, and Haji Amin Sahab. At the age of 22 years he lost his father Ayatullah Aga Syed Ahmed Al-Moosavi,^[3] people chose Aga Syed Mustafa as Ayatullah Aga Syed Ahmad's successor^{(citation needed)} but Mustafa refused to accept the role, wanting his uncle Ayatullah Aga Syed Yousuf as the successor of his father. He entrusted the family affairs to his uncle who took over the traditional responsibilities performed by the Aga family. Ayatullah Aga Syed Mustafa went to Hawza 'Ilmiyah Najaf, Iraq for higher studies to fulfill his late father's wish. He was edified by Al-Haaj Ayatullah Aga Syed Abul Hassan Mashadi, Ayatullah Al-Uzma Al-Haaj Hazrat Aga Syed Mohsin Al-Hakeem Tabatabie, Aga Buzurg Tehrani, Mohammad Fazel Lankarani, Abdullah Sharudi, Mohammad Hadi Milani. He was very close to Ayatullah Al-Uzma Al-Haaj Hazrat Aga Syed Mohsin Al-Hakeem Tabatabaei^{(citation needed)}and learnt from marja's like Al-Azm Mohsin Al-Hakeem, Ayatullah Syed Borjadi, Ayatullah Mar'ashi Najafi, Ayatullah Hadi Milani, Ayatullah Agha Bozorg Tehrani, Ayatullah Abdullah Shirazi, and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Clerical career

After returning to Kashmir Ayatullah Aga Syed Mustafa worked as the deputy of his uncle and helped him in the religious affairs. In Kashmir he headed the Sharia Court founded by Ayatullah Aga Syed Mehdi Sarkaar over 100 years previously. Aga Syed Yousuf and Aga Syed Mustafa introduced and promoted the concept of Wilayat Al-Faqih in Kashmir. In 1980 Ayatullah Khamenei was invited to Kashmir by Ayatullah Aga Syed Yousuf, Ayatullah Khamenei addressed the people of Kashmir from the pulpit of historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar and his speech was translated by Shaheed Aga Syed Muhammad Hussain.^[5] After the death of Aga Syed Yousuf in August 1982, a division took place regarding the matter of succession. The Iranian Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeni, Grand Ayatollah Nasir Makarem Sherazi, and several other religious leaders declared Ayatullah Aga Syed Mustafa to be the rightful successor.^{(citation needed)} Aga Syed Mustafa took^{(citation needed)} an initiative to abolish sectarianism which are known as Firqa Qadeem and Firqa Jadeed,^[1] this discord among the Muslims was installed by the Governments and anti Islamic elements^{(citation needed)}. Maulana Iftekhar Hussain Ansari and Shaheed Aga Syed Muhammad Hussain were the patrons of this movement^{(citation needed)}. In February 1984, the eldest son of Ayatullah Aga Syed Mustafa, Hujjat-ul-Islam Aga Syed Muhammad Hussain was poisoned by the enemies of Islam^{(citation needed)}. Aga Syed Mohammad Hussain was the patron of unity among Muslim as well as non-Muslims in Kashmir.^[6]

After the death of Imam Khomeni in 1989, Aga Syed Mustafa introduced Ayatullah Ali Khamenei to the people of Kashmir as Wali-Amr-al-Muslimin^{(citation needed)}. He said " I recognize both Imam Khomeni and Imam Khamenei as one."^{(citation needed)} He bestowed Ayatullah Uzma Sayyid Ali Khamenei with the title of "Rahbar E Kabeer Saani"^{(citation needed)}. In November 2000, another son of Ayatullah Aga Syed Mustafa, Shaheed Aga Syed Mehdi^{[7] [8][9]} was assassinated by an improvised explosive device on his way to attend a Majlis e Hussaini at Magam. After this incident, Ali Khamenei invited Aga Sahab to the Islamic Republic of Iran to show empathy and offer condolences. Aga Sahab was bestowed by the title of "Abu Shaheedain (Father of Martyrs)"^{(citation needed)}. "Oh Muslims! Unity Unity. " were the lines Aga Syed Mustafa frequently used to quote.^{(citation needed)}

Death

Ayatullah Abu Shaheedain Aga Syed Mustafa^[10] died on 21 August 2002 due to prolonged illness,^[11] according to official reports hundreds of thousands of people attended the funeral prayer at Budgam. Late Aga Syed Mustafa is buried at ancestral Shrine in Budgam Kashmir.^[12][11]

Family and descendants

• Ayatullah Hazrat Aga Syed Mehdi Sarkaar,^[13][12] great grandfather.
• Ayatullah Hazrat Aga Syed Mohammad Moosavi,^[4] grandfather.
• Ayatullah Aga Syed Ahmad Moosavi,^[3] father.
• Ayatullah Aga Syed Yousuf Moosavi, uncle and father-in-law.
• Ayatullah Aga Syed Ali Moosavi,^[14] uncle.
• Hujjat-al-Islam Shaheed Aga Syed Muhammad Hussain,^[6] Son (Philanthropist, reformist, Leader)
• Hujjat-al-Islam Aga Syed Hassan Moosavi,^[15] Son. (Senior Hurriyat Leader & President Anjuman E Sharie Shiyaan, Jammu & Kashmir.)
• Shaheed Aga Syed Mehdi,^[9][16] Son.(philanthropist, Leader)
• Late Aga Syed Ali Moosavi, Son
• Aga Syed Mohsin Mustafa Moosavi Al Safvi. Son (Philanthropist, Leader)
• Hujjat-ul-Islam Aga Syed Abdul Hussain Kashmiri. Son (Philanthropist, Leader)
• Aga Syed Ahmad Moosavi, Son
• Hujjat-al-Islam Aga Syed Muhammad Taqi Moosavi, son-in-law
• Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi,^[17] grandson (Former Minister J & K and Present MLA Budgam)
• Hujjat-al-Islam Aga Syed Abid Hussain Hussaini,^[18] grandson.
• Hujjat-al-Islam Aga Syed Najmul Hassan Moosavi, grandson (Ph.d Persian, Darj-e-Sadar-ul-Afazil)
• Hujjat-al-Islam Aga Syed Muhammad Aqeel Moosavi, grandson

References