For more than half a century, the late Grand Ayatullah Khoei had been a spring that enriched Islamic knowledge and theology. From his school graduated dozens of eminent scholars and dignitaries who have taken it upon themselves to continue in his ideological path, full of achievement and sacrifice. Amongst these scholars is no doubt His Eminence Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al-Husaini al-Sistani known for his genius, jurisprudential knowledge and talent.

Born in the Holy City of Mashhad, Sayyid Sistani grew up in a family renowned for its religiosity and devotion to the religion of Islam. In 1948, Sayyid Sistani travelled to Qum and began studying in the seminary of the late Grand Ayatullah Buruujardi.  He benefited greatly and learnt a vast amount of knowledge adopting many of the views he laid down. His thirst for religious knowledge was no shock to anybody studying under a great deal of scholars – the likes of late Ayatullah Kukhamari, Ayatullah Hakim, Shaykh Husain Hilli and quite commonly known under the late Ayatullah Khoei attending his lectures on Fiqh and Usool for more than ten years.

Known for his intelligence and vast research activities, Ayatullah Sistani is one of the few students who obtained a degree of Ijtihad. Receiving such an honour at the tender age of thirty-one, Ayatullah Sistani began to channel his knowledge teaching Fiqh, Usool and biography. Ayatullah Sistani has written several books and treaties on a variety of different topics: researches on Usool, treaties on Taqiyyah, treaties on Usury and several more.

Recently, Sayyid Sistani met with the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon discussing a variety of worldwide humanitarian disasters. Sources state Ayatullah Sistani called upon Moon, therein the United Nations, to pay serious attention to the deprivations in Pakistan. However, the topic that dominated the conversation was the activities of the State of Iraq. Sayyid Sistani holds considerable sway over the Shias in Iraq and is widely credited as the reason why Iraq hasn’t into complete civil war. He is no doubt an advocate of unity within the Muslim Ummah He has not only shown this in his words but in his actions too. He usually meets Sunni aulama delegations. There is no doubt the current role of Sayyid Sistani towards unity in Iraq calls for complete brotherhood and wishes for the Muslims around the world to unite under one banner: Islam.