The Torchbearer of Najaf - Allameh Naeini and the Birth of a Visionary Islamic Republic
A tribute to the jurist who combined divine knowledge with political foresight — remembered by Imam Khamenei as a towering scholar and a pioneer of Islamic constitutionalism.
There are some figures in history whose light does not fade with time — it only grows more luminous, illuminating generations that come after. One such figure is Allameh Mirza Muhammad Hussain Naeini (r), the renowned jurist and political theorist of the Najaf seminary, whose intellect and foresight shaped the very foundations of what we now know as an Islamic Republic.
Allameh Naeini was born in 1860 in the city of Naein, Iran, and passed away in 1936. He was the son of Mirza Muhammad Taqi and the grandson of Mulla Ali, both scholars of their time. He studied under the great jurist Akhund Muhammad Kazim Khorasani, becoming one of the most influential scholars of the Najaf seminary.
In a heartfelt meeting with the organisers of his international commemoration, Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei described Naeini not merely as a scholar — but as “a magnificent jurist and a towering pillar of the seminary of Najaf.”
A Scholar of Structure and Innovation
At the heart of Naeini’s greatness was his mastery of usūl al-fiqh — the principles of Islamic jurisprudence. But it was not just knowledge he carried — it was the way he delivered it: with intellectual order, scientific clarity, and a torrent of creative ideas. He systematised the lessons of Najaf’s scholarly circles, offering a methodical approach that deeply influenced the generations after him.
His legacy was not dry theory. It was living knowledge, vibrant with potential, crafted for minds that dared to think critically — and righteously.
A Vision for Islamic Governance
But it is perhaps in the realm of political thought that Allameh Naeini’s brilliance shines brightest.
Imam Khamenei reminded us of a lesser-known treasure — a work that deserves to be studied by every student of Islamic political theory: Tanbīh al-Ummah wa Tanzīh al-Millah.
The title itself is telling:
Tanbīh al-Ummah — The Awakening of the Nation
Tanzīh al-Millah — The Purification of the Faithful Community
In this powerful manifesto, Naeini called on Muslims to awaken from political stagnation, and to cleanse the Millah (the religious community) from the impurities of tyranny, corruption, and foreign domination.
Written during the heat of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution, the book is a clarion call for both political justice and spiritual renewal.
In it, Allameh Naeini laid out a vision of governance that remains stunningly relevant today:
A government must be held accountable by its people.
There must be a majlis — a legislative council elected by the people, to oversee and limit the power of rulers.
All laws must be ratified by top religious authorities to ensure they are rooted in divine values.
What Allameh Naeini envisioned was not a western secular republic. Nor was it a monarchy draped in religious slogans. He envisioned an Islamic Republic — before the phrase even existed.
Imam Khamenei emphasised this point: Naeini’s idea was one in which “officials and the ruler must be subject to supervision by the people,” while remaining within a framework of Islamic legitimacy.
It was a system where the divine and the democratic converged — where the people had a voice, and God remained the ultimate authority.
Not All Constitutionalism Was the Same
Yet Allameh Naeini’s support for constitutionalism was not naïve. Imam Khamenei cautioned that while some like Allameh Naeini sincerely supported a constitutional framework to curb tyranny, others — influenced by foreign powers — brought a different agenda.
This led to tragedy.
The execution of Shaykh Fazlollah Nouri (r) — a scholar who had his own reservations about the foreign-influenced version of constitutionalism — was one of those dark moments that Imam Khamenei described as “a truly bitter episode” in Iranian history.
But Allameh Naeini’s vision was distinct. It was pure. It was from within Islam, not imported from without.
A Towering Pillar Remembered
To honour Allameh Naeini is to remember that Islam has its own political theory, its own architecture of governance, its own scholars who dreamt of justice not as an abstraction, but as something achievable through divine guidance and public participation.
In closing his tribute, Imam Khamenei urged scholars and organisers not to let the name of Allameh Naeini fade into obscurity. His works must be revived, studied, and introduced to new generations — not just as history, but as inspiration.
Let us remember Allameh Naeini not merely as a figure of the past — but as a voice calling from the heart of Najaf, still echoing today:
“Let justice be anchored in revelation.
Let power bow to principle.
Let the people rise with purpose.”
A legacy of scholarship.
A vision of governance.
A jurist for all ages.