Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ardabili

Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ardabili (; 1585) was a Shia Grand Ayatollah of jurisprudence. After the death of Zayn al-Din al-Juba'i al'Amili, he became the Marja' of the Twelver Shia in Najaf, Iraq. He is known by the titles of Mohaghegh and Muoghaddas.

Life and education Ahmad was born in the Safavid era (16th century) in Niar, Ardabil, Azerbaijan in Iran.

Titles Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ardabili was called Mohaghegh (researcher) by other scholars because of his skills. He was also called Moghaddas (saint) by those close to him.

Moghaddas Ardabili and Safavid dynasty The Safavid dynasty sent a message by Bahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilī and requested Ardabili to move to Iran from Najaf. Although, he refused Shah Abbas Safavi's request to move to Iran, he remained connected with the Safavid court. He resolved problems of Shiites by writing letters to the Safavid kings. He also played an important role in spreading Shia religion during the Safavid era.

Scholarly works Mohaghegh Ardabili wrote scholarly works on Fiqh, the intellectual sciences, Principles of Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and Ahl al-Bayt's life. He also wrote one of the major Shia Quran commentaries. He wrote several books in Persian, such as Proof of the Imamah, Proof of the Farz, Manasek of Hajj.

Death

Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ardabili died in 1585 (993 AH) and was buried in Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf.

Legacy In 1978, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili (UMA) was established in Ardabil and named in honour of Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ardabili.