The senior Shia Marja made the statements in a meeting with Sayyed Issa al-Kharsan, the custodian of the Imam Ali (AS) shrine, in Najaf, on Friday.
In his remarks, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli also highlighted the role of the shrine in serving pilgrims, especially during the Arbaeen procession. He described Arbaeen not only as a spiritual ritual but also as a social and political movement.
“Arbaeen is more than an act of worship; it is a unifying force for the Muslim community,” he said. “It strengthens Islamic solidarity.”
Arbaeen marks the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and is one of the largest annual gatherings in the world. Millions of Shia Muslims from around the globe travel to Iraq, particularly to Karbala and Najaf, to commemorate the event.
Ayatollah Javadi Amoli further emphasized that “the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet’s family) have always been pillars of Muslim unity.”
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The scholar is set to donate the full 80-volume collection of Tafsir Tasnim—his comprehensive Quranic exegesis—to the holy shrine of Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf.
Tafsir Tasnim, authored by Ayatollah Javadi Amoli over several decades, is one of the most respected modern interpretations of the Quran. It combines philosophical reasoning with theological insight and jurisprudential references, making it a widely cited work.
Ayatollah Javadi Amoli praised the custodians of the shrine for their service and devotion. “Be grateful to God that you have been granted the honor to serve in this sacred sanctuary,” he told the shrine authorities.
Sayyed Issa al-Kharsan praised the Iranian scholar’s visit to Najaf, calling it an honor for the custodians of the shrine. “We are all seated at the banquet of the Ahl al-Bayt and proud to serve their pilgrims,” he said.
He noted that the Arbaeen pilgrimage has grown in scale and significance with each passing year, particularly in terms of its cultural and spiritual dimensions.
Al-Kharsan also highlighted the upcoming millennium anniversary of the Najaf seminary, known as Hawza Ilmiyya. “There are very few academic centers in the world with a thousand-year legacy of uninterrupted service to humanity,” he stated.
Ayatollah Javadi Amoli arrived in Iraq earlier this week on a pilgrimage to the holy Shia shrines. His itinerary includes visits to the sanctuaries of Imam Ali in Najaf, Imam Hussein (AS) and Hazrat Abbas (AS) in Karbala, as well as the shrines in Kadhimiya and Samarra.
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