On Thursday, August 14, a ceremony was held in Loya Jirga’s hall for the introduction of Ayatullah Fayyaz’s work and personality. He is a top Afghan ayatollah surpassed all his contemporary ayatollahs in terms of having high command on Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqah) as well as other part of Shariah Knowledge. Though he is an Afghan Ayatollah who has no match in terms of Shariah knowledge, he has remained very unpopular in his home country. Even he is unknown in his village where he was born and completed primary Shariah education in the front of local religious scholar (Mullah).
Based on his informal biography, he started his primary religious studies in front of local Mullah in remote village in Urozgan province. Then as rule of the day, after receiving basic and primary education in a local Mosque in the front of village Mullah, he traveled to Hutqol, the center of Jaghori district of Ghazni province and registered in local religious Madressah where he could follow his studies to a higher level.
Similar to the rest of his fellows, he ventured to a long journey towards Iran and Iraq by feet because there was no vehicle for transportation. It is said that he started his journey as young as he was only 15 years old. Same as today, both Najaf city of Iraq and Qom of Iran were the centers for Shiites of the entire world though Madressahs of holy Najaf city were far popular and larger as well as knowledgeable ayatollahs were living there, including Ayatollah Khoei and Rohullah Khomayni, the founder of Islamic Republic of Iran. (Based on saying of some religious scholars and also books written by different writers, Ayatollah Khoei who was far knowledgeable than another ayatollah including Rohullah Khomayni, was against bringing revolution that Khomayni wanted. He told Rohullah Khomayni to avoid doing actions as he thought it would shed blood of people but RohullahKhomayni rejected his call on account of revolutionary move of Imam Hussein (A.S), the third Shiite Imam who stood in comparable battle against the soldiers of Yazid, he announced himself as Muslim Khalifa after the death of his father Moaviya. But Ayatollah Khoei angrily argued that you are not in a position to compare yourself with Shiite Imams because they were directly getting their Message from Allah Almighty. In addition, he argued,“If so, why you do not follow the steps of second Shiite Imam, Imam Hassan (A.S) who made a peace deal after the death of his father, fourth Islamic Khalif, Imam Ali (A.S)”).
Anyhow, due to popularity of holy city of Najaf Ashraf where there is the grave of Imam Ali (A.S), the first Shiite Imam, Ayatollah Fayyaz decided to follow his religious studies up to advanced level. Meanwhile on the way to Najaf city, he stayed for two years in holy Qom city and continued his studies. Thereafter, he went to Najaf and when his age was just twenty years old, he started studies in the front of highly popular religious scholars. He continued his studies and also was the assistant to Ayatollah Khoei for complete 35 years. Though there were criticisms of him merely due to his ethnicity because he was the first individual who reached to such educational level from Hazara community in Afghanistan. But Ayatollah Khoei never left his back because he always viewed him as only qualified and talented successor.
As previously mentioned he still has remained not very popular in Afghanistan despite having tens of thousands of followers around globe particularly among Arab nations. But his role has remained entirely restricted in Iran due to political reasons. Accept it or not, even part of the reason of his limited influence also refers to our respected neighboring country because visible number of Shia religious scholars failed to have an independent way. They remained the followers of religious leaders of Iran who directly or indirectly benefit from the Islamic Republic.
Beside his ethnicity and his high command on Islamic education that none of his contemporary Ayatollahs can challenge him, he has very thoughtful and logical interpretation of Islamic Shariah. Like Hazara community who to some extent consider the high level of freedom for women in Afghanistan, he has a unique idea about women rights. Perhaps, he can be truly titled as greatest ayatollah of the supporters of human rights.
Unlike the rest of ayatollahs and constitution of Islamic Republic which is claimed to be developed on the very principles of Islamic Sharia does not allow a woman to be a president. And a woman cannot replace Ayatollah Ali Khameni the present leader of Islamic Republic. But he allows them to become the president and also involved in senior leadership positions. Similarly, he has variety of modern interpretation of Islamic Shariah which feeds from rationality. He has written around 50 books some of them are currently taught at Najaf Ashraff Madressah.
Most importantly, he is not biased toward other sects of Islam. His view toward other sects of Islam is also very tolerant and appreciable.
Therefore, his introduction to Afghan Shiites and Sunnis would be of great advantage. He can play key role in sectarian problems and will pave the way for constructive negotiation among different sects of Islam which is highly needed in the current, boiling sectarian problems across Islamic world.
Moreover, as the greatest Ayatollah whose word is law for hundreds of thousands of people, he can play very effective role in reforming the religious misinterpretations which often sparked serious problems inside the country. If anyone seriously follows to spread the values of human rights in the country, then he is of great and important helper for highly religious people.