Draft:Abd al-Amir Qabalan

Abd al-Amir Qabalan

Personal Information
Religious Affiliation	Shia
Birth	1936
Place of Birth	Mays al-Jabal (Lebanon)
Studied in	Najaf Seminary
Death	September 4, 2021
Burial Place	Rawdat al-Shahidayn Cemetery, Beirut
Scholarly Information
Professors	Sayyid Abu l-Qasim al-Khoei • Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr • Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim
Works	'Aqidat al-mu'min • Ashi'a min hayat al-Rasul (s) • Kitab al-kaba'ir • Kitab al-ghayba
Socio-Political Activities
Socio-Political Activities	Head of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council of Lebanon • Founder of Amal Movement

ʿAbd al-Amīr Qabalān (1936–2021) was a prominent Shia Mujtahid, the head of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council of Lebanon, and a co-founder of the Amal Movement. Beyond his political and scholarly contributions, Qabalan was instrumental in the development of Lebanese infrastructure, establishing numerous educational, cultural, and medical centers throughout the country. He was a staunch opponent of the normalization of relations with Israel, which he deemed religiously forbidden (ḥarām).

Qabalan pursued advanced Islamic studies at the Najaf Seminary, where he studied under such luminaries as Sayyid Abu l-Qasim al-Khoei, Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, and Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim, eventually attaining the rank of Ijtihad. He died on September 4, 2021, at the age of 85 following a prolonged illness.

Biography

'Abd al-Amir Qabalan was born in 1936 in Mays al-Jabal, a town in southern Lebanon. He hailed from a distinguished lineage; his father, Muhammad 'Ali Qabalan, and his grandfather, Musa Qabalan, were respected Lebanese scholars renowned for their influence on the intellectual and political landscape of the Jabal Amil region.

Seeking advanced religious instruction, Qabalan traveled to the Najaf Seminary. There, he studied under preeminent authorities including Sayyid Abu l-Qasim al-Khoei, Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim, and Sayyid Husayn Hammami. During his time in Najaf, he successfully achieved the degree of Ijtihad.

He passed away on September 4, 2021 (26 Muharram 1443), at the age of 85 due to illness. He was interred at the Rawdat al-Shahidayn Cemetery in Lebanon.

Activities

Sheikh 'Abd al-Amir Qabalan alongside Imam Musa al-Sadr

Following the death of Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Din, Qabalan was elected as the head of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council of Lebanon in 2000. Established in 1969 through the efforts of Imam Musa al-Sadr, the Council serves as the first official representative body for Shias in Lebanon.

A close collaborator of Imam Musa al-Sadr, Qabalan was a vocal advocate for resistance against Israel. He maintained that any agreement or normalization of relations with Israel was religiously prohibited (ḥarām). Together with Imam Musa al-Sadr, Qabalan is recognized as a co-founder of the Amal Movement, a significant Shia political organization in Lebanon.

Qabalan was also a prolific philanthropist and institution builder. He established numerous foundations across Lebanon, including the al-Imam al-Husayn Mosque and School, the al-Takamul al-Islami School, the Ahl al-Bayt (a) Medical Center, a dedicated Seminary, the Ahl al-Bayt (a) Mosque, and the Imam al-Sadr Husayniyya.

Works

Qabalan authored numerous scholarly works, including:

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• Aqidat al-mu'min (The Belief of the Believer)
• Ashi'a min hayat al-Rasul (s) (Rays from the Life of the Messenger)
• Al-Munafiqun fi l-Qur'an (The Hypocrites in the Qur'an)
• Khulq al-mu'min (The Character of the Believer)
• Amal al-mu'min (The Deed of the Believer)
• Kitab al-kaba'ir (The Book of Major Sins)
• Kitab al-ghayba (The Book of Occultation)
• Min wahy Ramadan (From the Inspiration of Ramadan)
• Min wahy 'Ashura' (From the Inspiration of Ashura)
• Kayfa tusalli al-salat al-sahiha (How to Perform the Correct Prayer)
• Fi rihab Imam al-Sajjad (a) (In the Presence of Imam al-Sajjad)
• Ala difaf al-Ghadir (On the Banks of Ghadir)
• Al-Sawm, irada wa 'azima wa jihad (Fasting: Will, Determination, and Struggle)