His lineage
Sayyid Murtada Al-Askari popularly known as Allamah Askari was a Shia scholar and a neo-religious thinker. He was born on the 12th of Rabi-al-awwal 1327 AH (1909 April 3) in the city of Samarra, Iraq. His ancestors were amongst the jurisprudence traditionalists of their era. His paternal grandmother was Sayyid Isma’il Husayni (d. 1306/1889) the son of Sayyid Muhammad Kuchaki Sawuji and his maternal grandmother was Mirza Muhammad Sharifi Askari Tihrani (d. 1371/1952).
His education backgrounds
Askari entered the seminary in Samarra at age 10. Then in Muharram 1345 AH, he migrated to the holy city of Qom. In this city, he studied the highest level of Usul al-Fiqh (Islamic principles of jurisprudence) with Ayatollah Marashi Najafi (may God have mercy on him) and Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Muhammad Hossein Shariatmadari Savoji. Other masters that he had the honour to learn from them in that period are The late Grand Ayatollah Imam Khomeini in Islamic theology, Haj Mirza Khalil Komreei in the science of interpretation, Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Mahdi Shahid Pa’in Shahri in the science of ethics and self-purification.
Steps towards reform of Qom Seminary
During his seminary life in Qom, Allamah Askari realized the fact that the existing seminary courses need serious changes to fully answer the growing problems, questions and demands of society, so he accompanied a few of his like-minded students including the late Ayatollah Sayyid Mahmoud Taleghani, with his friends, and they reviewed and revised the curricula of the seminary so that they could rely on it to fulfil more serious responsibilities in the future.
Among the courses offered in this new program were the courses of interpretation and hadith studies and comparative study of Islamic beliefs, which, in addition to the usual courses of Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic principles (Usul), were used by competent masters. In addition to the program, there was a practice of oratory and lecturing, compilation and writing and practical presence in social work, and full attention to the study and understanding of the current situation and issues of Muslims and their needs in creating strong Islamic personalities to achieve the desired Islamic society.
Of course, this plan, with all the positive aspects that existed in it and could equip young and talented seekers of seminary sciences in practice with their religious and Islamic duties against the needs of the time and the new demands of the age, failed at the beginning for some reasons and did not succeed.
After this process, which took place in the era of the authority of the Grand Ayatollah Hajj Sheikh Abd al-Karim Haeri (may God have mercy on him), the founder of the seminary of Qom, Master Askari returned to his original homeland, the city of Samarra, where he continued his education. He used the presence of Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Habibullah Eshtehardi and then studied Islamic jurisprudence and principles for six years.
Return to Samarra
After a short stay in Qom, Allamah Askari returned to Samara. He offered courses on philosophy, hadith, exegesis of the Qur’an and theology as well as jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence in the Seminary of Samarra and emphasized the importance of social interaction within the opponent and the proponent in addition to education and self-purity. It is clear that this educational environment exerted a significant effect on the great soul of Allama Askari, therefore he was known as a unique personality with a distinct personal style and astute views in the scientific arena.
On the other hand, his understanding of the dictatorship and pressures of Reza Khan and his coming back to Samarra brought about changes in the direction of his scientific life and he devoted considerable effort to improve the life of the Shiite and in general all the Muslims.
Founding a university
He was among the first scholars who discovered the nature of the educational system of the eastern countries. He found that the educational system designed by the orientalists for the eastern countries is terribly inefficient and cannot answer the increasing problems and development of Islamic society. He believed that this educational system did not let the eastern countries be developed, therefore, he with the scholars sharing the same views decided to develop the educational system of Hawza and offered some courses in the direction of expanding the Ja’fari school of thought. His innovations and changes were both in practical and theoretical fields.
Allama Askari other than his practical activities founded a modern and efficient university in Baghdad called Usul al-Din. They invited great professors to teach exegesis of the Qur’an, ‘Ilm diraya’ (the science of knowing hadith), theology and comparative theology, however, these innovative activities stopped and the university closed down by the Ba’th’s coup d’etat, so Allama Askari became wanted by the regime.
Scholarly Works
Allama Askari mainly concentrated on the study of history. The practical fruit of this appeared in his writings. He said, “since the early years of my education, I was interested in the books about the life of the Prophet (PBUHH), the history of the Holy Prophet (PBUHH) and his companions, the seditions of early years of Islam, and travelogue and I was after the colonial stories of the colonialists in the Islamic countries.”
He wrote more than 50 books. Two of them, Abdullah Ibn Saba’ and One hundred and fifty feigned Companions, surprised the researchers and the public alike, necessitating further research on the subjects over centuries. The latter book discussed 150 people who never existed, yet was believed by many to be the companions of the Holy Prophet. As a result, multiple schools of thought which were built by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari and many prominent historians were refuted. ‘Askari argued that these subject matters, which many had assumed were indisputable truths and facts, had no basis in fact. He continued his activities in several fields, especially in social affairs, and founded many schools and clinics.
He had belief in the unity of Islamic Umma and the proximity among different branches of Islam, therefore, he based on this belief wrote many valuable books. He held the view that if the Shiites become free from historical accusations, then his words would be accepted. All of these efforts are seen in his written and social works, so the central feature of his works is to prepare a safe ground for Islamic unity.
Death
On 16 September 2007, Allamah ‘Askari died at Milad hospital in Tehran after a lengthy illness at the age of 93 years old. He was buried in the Holy Shrine of Lady Fatima al-Ma’sumah (a) in Qom.
