Ayatullah Al-Mar'ashi An-Najafi

Born: 20 Safar, 1315

Died: 7 Safar, 1411

Ayatullah Sayyid Shahabuddeen

Al-Mar'ashi An-Najafi was a model of

piety. Whatever came into his hands, he

spent it all on his library, Madrasah,

students and teachers. His own

expenses were kept within the limits of

his small personal income. Hajj never

became wajib on him.

Containing more than 300,000 books

and more than 28,000 rare manuscripts,

his library is world famous and an

everlasting monument. Ayatullah

Al-Mar'ashi An-Najafi's collection was all

done single-handedly, sometimes selling his robe to buy a rare book.

Another academic memorial is his "Addenda" to Ihqaqul Haqq of the

martyr Nurullah Shustari (Agra). The orignal work would not take more

than 3 volumes. Ayatullah Al-Mar'ashi has extended it to 34 volumes.

He had the unique distinction of having Ijazah of riwayah from nearly 400

mashayekh- Shia, Sunni, Zaidiyah-ranging from Egypt and Jabal 'Amil to

India and Indonesia.

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