Seyyed Abdul Hussein Sharaf al-Din The Hajj and Holy Shrines

Briefly introducing Seyyed Abdul Hussein bin Yousef of the Sharaf al-Din family and his scientific and cultural dimensions, this article explains the important roles played by this Shiite social pacemaker in the holy shrines in details. Sharif Hussein’s roles with regard to Haramayn were in two categories: “the Hajj journey with his reception in 1340 A.H” and “his extended international objection due to the destruction of Baqi’ and trying to prevent it”.  During his pilgrimage, he was the Imam of the congregation prayers in Masjid al-Haram and the famous mosques of the sanctuaries; and the sighting of the crescent of Dhu'l-Hijjah was being announced with his approval. During his pilgrimage, he had debates and held fruitful meetings, there are the reports of these events. Sharif Hussein’s formal invitation and royal reception of Sharaf al-Din was due to the latter’s political stance in supporting the formation of an Arab state headed by King Faisal, the son of Sharif Hussein in Damascus that will be discussed in details. The article also explains Sharaf al-Din’s international efforts in the condemnation and formation of a united front of Iran and Yemen against Al-i Sa’ud, after the destruction of Baqi’ and the fatwa to call for the forbidding the Hajj to defeat the Saudis and force them to reconstruct it.