Syed Aqeel-ul-Gharavi also known as Ayatullah Aqeel-ul-Gharavi (born 2 February 1964) is a leading Indian Twelver Shia scholar, philosopher, thinker, writer, poet, educationist, community activist, critic and a mujtahid. Presently, Aqeel-ul-Gharavi is acknowledged as one of the famous and senior Shia scholars from the Indian Subcontinent. He was the principal of Hawza-e-Ilmia Jamia-tus-Saqalain, Delhi and is the current chairman of Safinatul Hidaya Trust, India. He is the vice-President of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat and member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. In addition to all of these, he also serves as patron of Imamia Islamic University, Delhi and secretary of Forum of Philosophers, India. Allama Aqeel ul Gharavi is currently appointed representative of Majma Taghrib by Ayatullah Sheikh Mohsen Araki for the Indian sub-continent. Aqeel-ul-Gharavi is the supervisor of monthly published magazine Adabi Kainat. Adabi Kainat was founded in 1971, and has been providing Urdu content to the public ever since. It is originally located in Banaras now.

Biography

Early life and education

Syed Aqeel Gharavi was born in Banaras, India, in 1964 but his whole family migrated to Najaf when he was very young. In Najaf, he got his primary education and after some years he went to India where he completed his secondary education from a college in Banaras. Later, he graduated from Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi. After completing his graduation, he decided to study religion in Qom despite his interest in medical sciences. In Qom he studied under many teachers. Moreover, he also went to the seminary of Mashhad, where he studied for several years.

Ijtihad

In 1994, he got ijazah (permission) for ijtihad from Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi and from then, he became a mujtahid.

Teachers

Some of his teachers are:

Return to India

After that he came back to India. During his stay in India, he became principal of Hawza e Ilmiya Jamia tus Saqlain, Delhi. From more than three decades, he has been addressing lectures and majalis in different countries. Through his speeches, he has revived the old Lucknowi style of reciting majalis of different scholars such as Syed Ali Naqi Naqvi. Famous Urdu poet Baqir Zaidi, in one of his Marsiya pays tribute to Ayatollah Aqeel ul Gharavi by mentioning his unique style of reciting majalis and his superiority over other orators like this: (باقرؔ زیدی)

Residence

Aqeel ul Gharavi currently resides in London and addresses Majalis-e-Aza at Babul Murad Centre and Masjid-e-Ali (AS).

Majalis and seminars

Lectures and Seminars

Syed Aqeel-ul-Gharavi has addressed hundreds of seminars in Pakistan, India and other countries on different topics. Some of the seminars are listed below:

Majalis in Pakistan and foreign countries

Syed Aqeel-ul-Gharavi has addressed thousands of majalis in different parts of the world. Following is a list containing some of his majalis addressed in Pakistan and other countries:

Return to Pakistan 2023

After a gap of 7 years since 2017, Ayatullah Gharavi returned to address first Ashra in Karachi.

Works

More than 22 of his works in Urdu language have been published which are in different fields like philosophy, theology, literature, supplications etc. Some of these works are based on his speeches delivered at Imambargah Shah e Shaheedan, Karachi. He has also written several books in English, Arabic and Persian languages. His first literary magazine Adabi Kainaat was published in 1980, when his age was about 16 years. Some of his published works are:

Urdu and English

Arabic