Budgam, April 18: In a deeply emotional farewell, thousands of mourners gathered in Budgam to pay their last respects to one of Kashmir’s most esteemed Islamic scholars, Allama Agha Syed Mohammad Baqir al-Mousavi Safavi, who passed away late Thursday night at Srinagar’s SMHS Hospital following a brief illness. He was 85.
His funeral prayers were led by his eldest son, Agha Syed Ahmad al-Mousavi, following the Friday congregational prayers. The ceremony was attended by a sea of mourners, including prominent political, social, and religious figures from across the region. The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir was also present, underlining the widespread respect Allama Baqir commanded.
A direct descendant of the revered Mousavi family, Allama Baqir was widely respected for his intellectual depth, humility, and powerful role in guiding the religious and social conscience of the Kashmiri Muslim community.
His educational journey began at the Bab-ul-Ilm seminary in Budgam and continued at the esteemed Hawza Ilmiyya in Najaf, Iraq — one of the most respected centers of Islamic learning. There, he honed his expertise in jurisprudence, philosophy, and theology, gaining recognition in scholarly circles across Iraq, Iran, and the broader Islamic world.
Returning to Kashmir in 1982 after the passing of his father-in-law and mentor, Allama Agha Syed Yusuf al-Mousavi Safavi, he chose a life of spiritual retreat, dedicating himself to preaching, authorship, and service to the faith for over four decades.
A prolific writer, he authored several works in Arabic, Persian, and Kashmiri, addressing jurisprudence, theology, and poetry. His writings reflected not only a deep connection to classical Islamic knowledge but also a profound awareness of contemporary challenges.
Allama Baqir served as the Wakil-e-Mutlaq (sole representative) of Ayatollah al-Uzma Syed Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani in Kashmir, providing religious and legal guidance to the community. His lifelong contributions to Islamic thought and education earned him the distinguished Shahid Murtaza Mutahhari Award from the Iranian government.
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Born on March 21, 1940, in Budgam, Allama Baqir was seen as the intellectual successor to Ayatollah Agha Syed Mehdi al-Mousavi al-Safavi al-Najafi, regarded as the leading Islamic jurist in Kashmir’s modern history.
More than a cleric, he was a thinker, translator, poet, and reformer — a man of vision who quietly worked for unity and moral awakening within the Muslim Ummah. He shunned fame and factionalism, choosing instead to guide with wisdom and sincerity.
Allama Baqir’s death signifies not only the loss of a revered scholar but also the closing of a profound chapter in Kashmir’s religious and intellectual heritage. Yet, his legacy endures — through his writings, his teachings, and the lives he touched.
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In the world of ideas and faith, some lives echo far beyond their physical end. Allama Baqir al-Mousavi Safavi was one such soul — a scholar whose silence spoke volumes and whose wisdom will continue to guide generations.