TEHRAN – Iran and the broader Islamic world are in deep mourning following the passing of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Musa Shobeiri Zanjani, a towering figure of Shia jurisprudence and a highly respected source of emulation, who departed this life on Monday at the age of 98.

The office of the late Grand Ayatollah announced his passing in the early hours of Monday, citing the Quranic verse, "Those whom the angels take in death while they are good, they say, ‘Peace be upon you; enter Paradise for what you used to do.’”

The late marja (source of emulation) had been admitted to a hospital in the holy city of Qom last Friday following pulmonary complications and remained under intensive care until his passing.

Born in 1928, Ayatollah Shobeiri Zanjani was a luminary in the science of ilm al-rijal (the study of hadith narrators) and had taught advanced jurisprudence in Qom for over four decades. Following the passing of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Araki in 1994, the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom recognized him as one of the seven jurists qualified for marja’iyya. Throughout his life, he remained devoted to teaching, research, and training scholars, shunning public display for a life of scholarly dedication.

Funeral and burial arrangements

In a joint statement, the Management Center of the Islamic Seminaries, the Supreme Council of the Islamic Seminaries, the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom, and the Assembly of Experts announced the funeral proceedings.

The funeral procession for the late Grand Ayatollah is scheduled for Wednesday, coinciding with the third day of public mourning. The ceremony will commence at the Imam Hassan Askari Mosque in Qom and proceed toward the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Fatima Masoumeh (SA). His body will be laid to rest within the sacred precincts of the shrine.

Official condolences

The passing of such a senior jurist has drawn widespread expressions of grief from the highest levels of the Iranian establishment, who hailed him as a guardian of the faith and a pillar of the scholarly community.

President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a heartfelt message, describing the late Ayatollah as a “profound jurisprudent” and a “repository of the traditions and valuable experiences of past scholars.”

President Pezeshkian praised the late cleric for his ethical conduct, modesty, and his efforts in protecting religious teachings from distortion and superstition. “The loss of this prominent jurist is an irreparable rift that can only be filled by divine grace and the assistance of the Imam of the Time,” the President wrote.

Major General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), also expressed his profound sorrow. In his message, he noted that the late Grand Ayatollah spent his blessed life promoting the luminous teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt and struggling sincerely for the elevation of Jafari jurisprudence. “His scholarly presence in the Qom Seminary, particularly his leading of congregational prayers at the Feyziyeh School and the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Masoumeh, was a source of spiritual warmth for students and scholars,” the IRGC Commander stated.

Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council, offered his condolences, stating that the passing of the “great jurist” has deeply affected the hearts of those in the fields of knowledge and wisdom.

“He combined high jurisprudential and scientific standing with asceticism, piety, and divine ethics,” Ayatollah Amoli Larijani noted. “His invaluable scientific works and the accomplished students raised in his school constitute an eternal legacy left behind by this indomitable jurist.”

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani also described the passing of the senior cleric as a “painful loss and a profound bereavement.”

“That noble figure, who spent his entire blessed life in the pursuit of scholarship and teaching, was among the most distinguished scholars and pillars of the blessed Qom Seminary, and a shining example of a truly divine scholar,” Ayatollah Sistani wrote. “His precious scholarly works and other religious services constitute a valuable legacy, and his conduct and practical demeanor will forever remain an enduring model for scholars.”