Sayyid Jafar al-Hakeem is a prominent professor and public intellectual from the Islamic Seminary of the Holy City of Najaf, Iraq. He currently teaches Advanced Seminars (bahth al-khārij) in fiqh and usul, as well as seminars in epistemology, philosophy, theosophy, and theology. In addition to his scholarly work, Sayyid al-Hakeem is a prominent Iraqi public intellectual. He was imprisoned and tortured by the Saddam regime alongside the rest of the al-Hakeem family in 1983. He appeared as a witness in the trial of Saddam Hussein, testifying to the cruel sectarian persecution of Shia scholars and scholarly families. He often speaks on issues of religious identity, pluralism, civic engagement, and contemporary issues.
Sayyid Ahmad al-Ashkiwari is a professor of Advanced Seminars (bahth al-kharij) in fiqh, usul, and kalam. Alongside his scholarly activities, Sayyid al-Ashkiwari serves in a supervisory role in numerous pioneering projects of the Islamic Seminary in the Holy City of Najaf, including the Tibah Center and the Najaf Online Seminary for Women. In addition, he oversees the seminary’s preaching project, which includes the seminary’s educational activities during the Arbaʿin pilgrimage season. Sayyid al-Ashkiwari studied in the seminaries of the holy cities of Najaf and Qom, under the tutelage of esteemed scholars such as the Late Shaykh Mirza Jawad al-Tibrizi, Grand Ayatollah Shaykh Husayn Vahid Khorasani, Ayatollah Shaykh Muhammad Baqir al-Irawani, and Ayatollah Shaykh Hadi al-Radi.
Dr. Sayyid Muhammad Ali Bahr al-Ulum is a professor of Advanced Intermediate Studies (sutuh ʿulya) in the Islamic Seminary of Najaf. Alongside his seminary teaching and studies, Dr. Sayyid Muhammad Ali Bahr al-ʿUlum dedicated his time to academic studies, receiving a Master’s Degree in Shariʿah and Law from the Islamic College of Lebanon. He studied Advanced Seminars (bahth al-kharij) under grand contemporary scholars such as Grand Ayatollahs Shaykh Wahid al-Khorasani and Sayyid Muhammad Saeed al-Hakeem.
Shaykh Fadhel Al-Sahlani is a prominent Shia Islamic scholar and community leader, serving as the representative of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in North America. Originally from Iraq, he studied at the renowned Najaf seminary under leading Shia scholars. Shaykh Al-Sahlani has been instrumental in guiding the Shia Muslim community in North America, particularly through his leadership at the Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Center in New York. Being one of the largest Shia institutions, it focuses on religious education, community services, and interfaith dialogue. He continues to address social and ethical issues while promoting understanding and cooperation among different religious communities.
