TEHRAN – In a highly significant moment for the global Shia community, Grand Ayatollah Abdullah Javadi Amoli held a landmark meeting with Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Sistani in the holy city of Najaf on Monday.

The meeting between two of the highest-ranking and most respected Maraji (religious authorities) of the Shia world was marked by discussions on critical religious, intellectual, and social issues affecting the broader Islamic Ummah.

Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, a revered scholar and leading figure in Shia jurisprudence and Quranic exegesis, is currently in Iraq on a pilgrimage to the holy sites. As part of his visit to Najaf, he paid tribute to the shrine of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), the first Imam of Shia Islam, where he offered prayers and engaged in spiritual reflection.

The meeting with Ayatollah Sistani, is being described by observers as one of the most spiritually and intellectually significant exchanges in recent years among top Shia clerics. The two religious authorities conferred on a range of contemporary theological challenges, as well as the current conditions of the Muslim world. 

In addition to the meeting with Ayatollah Sistani, several prominent scholars based in Najaf also visited Ayatollah Javadi Amoli at his residence. Among them were Ayatollah Iravani, Ayatollah Al-Radhi, Ayatollah Javaheri, and Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammad Reza Sistani. 

The scholars conveyed their warm welcome and appreciation for his presence in Najaf, a city long considered the intellectual heart of Shia Islam. They commended his deep commitment to religious thought and his continued influence on generations of students and clerics.

As part of his broader engagements in Iraq, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli also met with Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the Sadrist Movement and a major political and religious figure in the country.

According to an official statement from Sadr’s office, the meeting was marked by mutual respect and cordiality. Muqtada al-Sadr welcomed the esteemed Iranian cleric as an honored guest in the city of the Commander of the Faithful, expressing his hopes for the Ayatollah’s well-being, spiritual fulfillment, and a peaceful stay in Iraq.

Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, in response, conveyed his heartfelt gratitude for the reception and underscored the importance of continued engagement between religious authorities and reformist leaders in addressing the challenges facing the region.

Observers view these meetings as part of a broader effort to reinforce ties among Shia leaders and foster intellectual and spiritual cooperation in a period marked by regional uncertainty and global shifts.