Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Din: Difference between revisions

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'''Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Din''' (Najaf 1936 – Beirut 2001) was a religious scholar, political theoretician and the chairman of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council in Lebanon. He began his scientific and political activities in Najaf under Sayyid Muhsin Hakim and Ayatullah Khu’i. The cooperation with Sattid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr and Muhammad Husayn Fadl Allah in founding Hizb al-Da’wa and the al-Adwa’ magazine was among his most important political activities. In 1975, Shams al-Din accepted the deputyship of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council whose director was Imam Musa Sadr. After Imam Musa Sadr disappeared in 1978, Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Din accepted the chairman position of this Council and in 1993, he was officially elected as the director of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council in Lebanon.

After the Islamic revolution was successful in Iran, although he supported it, but he insisted on the identity independence of the Shia in Lebanon.

Establishment of Hizbullah of Lebanon and especially bloody fights between Amal movement and Hizbullah had a deep influence on his political thought and manner. Following those fights, he issued the theory of Wilaya of Umma upon themselves against the theory of Wilaya of Faqih. He had many works including Nizam al-hukm wa al-idara fi al-Islam and Ansar al-Husayn.