Grand Ayatollah Allama Shaikh Muhammad Husayn Najafi was the first Ithna ’Ashariyyah Shi’a Aalim from Pakitan to be elevated to the status of marai’at. He is now, after the demise of Sayyid Ali An-Naqi Naqvi of Lucknow, the grand spiritual leader of South Asian Shi’a Muslims.

At present, there are two Marjas of Pakistani descent. Ayatollah Shaykh Basheer Husayn Najafi, who chose to reside in Najaf, Iraq, while Shaykh Muhammad Husayn Najafi elected to live in Pakistan. He is the only Marja on Pakistani soil, running his Hawza (Religious Institute) in the city of Sargodha. He was included in the list of "Five hundred most influential Muslims of 2010" and was selected from Pakistan along with other 24 individuals.

Muhammad Husayn was born in Jahanian Shah; district Sargodha (Punjab, Pakistan), in April 1932. He belongs to Dhakku branch of the Jat community. He had two paternal uncles and both of them were Shi’a thinkers. Maulana Imam Bakhsh was a religious teacher in Jahanian Shah, while Maulana Sohrab Ali Khan was a reputed scholar of Uch Sharif.

His father Rana Tajuddin had the wish of making his son a great religious scholar. However, he died in 1944 when Muhammad Husayn was only twelve years old, after which the family members persuaded his widow that Muhammad Husayn should look after the family business. But she complied with the wish of her late husband and allowed her son to continue with his education.

After secondary school education, he got admission into Madrasah Muhammadiah in Jalalpur Nankiana, Sargodha, where one of his prominent teachers was Ayatollah Allama Husayn Bakhsh Jarra. In 1947, he initiated the study of Dars-i-Nizami under the tutelage of Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir Naqvi in Jhang, and completed the study under the guidance of Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Yar Shah Naqvi Najfi, the most prominent disciple of Allama Baqir Naqvi. In 1953, he passed the examination of Maulavi Fazil from the University of Punjab, and moved to Najaf in 1954 for higher education.

Before going to Najaf for higher religious education, he married to his maternal cousin in 1952. His teacher Allama Yar Shah had links with Ulama of Najaf, and he wanted Muhammad Husayn to be married in a scholarly family of Najaf, but Muhammad Husayn declined this proposal due to cultural differences.

In 1954, his only son Muhammad Sibtain was born. At the age of five, he became seriously ill and died. Muhammad Husayn did not have enough money for his treatment. After Sibtain's death, Shaykh Najafi did not have children for the next eleven years. He married the daughter of Haji Muhammad Shafi (Faisalabad) in 1970, and was blessed with three daughters from this marriage. His first wife died in 1996.

In 1954, he moved to Hawza Ilmiyah of Najaf to finalize his religious education. He attended the lectures of the following Marjas:

• Grand Ayatollah Mohsin Al-Hakim for Dars al-Kharij of Fiqh

• Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Javad Tabrizi for Dars al-Kharij of Kifaya-tul-Usool

• Grand Ayatollah Meerza Baqir Zanjani for Dars al-Kharij of Usool al-Fiqh

• Grand Ayatollah Badhurrg Tehrani for Fehm al-Hadith wa Rajjal & Kutb Shanasi

• Grand Ayatollah Mahmood Shahroudi for Dars al-Kharij of Fiqh

• Grand Ayatollah Abdul Aala Sabzwari for Dars al-Kharij of Fiqh

• Grand Ayatollah Abul Qasim Rashti for Rasail wa Makatib

• Grand Ayatollah Abdul Husayn Amini (the writer of famous Al-Ghadeer) for Ilm al-Munazira

• Grand Ayatollah Mulla Sadra for Satheeyat and Asfar

• Grand Ayatollah Aqae Muhaqqiq for Darse Manzooma Sabzwari

• Grand Ayatollah Aqae Fazel for Ilm al-Kalam

• Grand Ayatollah Abdul Karim Zanjani for Tanawwo dar Islami Uloom wa Funoon and Ittehad al-Islami

He wrote following books:

• Faizan ur-Rahman fi Tafsir al-Qur’an. It is a 10-volume comprehensive Tafsir of the Qur’an.

• Masail ash-Sharia (translation of Wasa’il ash-Shi’a). It is an Urdu translation of a great Shi’a book of Hadith compiled by Shaikh Hur al-Aamili; thirteen out of twenty volumes have been published.

• Kawakib al-Muzayya (translation of Al-Jawahar as-Sunnia fil-Ahadith-al-Qudsia). It is an Urdu translation and explanation of Shaikh al-Hur al-Aamili's book on Hadith al-Qudsi.

• Ahsan al-Fawaid fi Sharh al-Aqaid. It is a two volume Urdu translation and explanation of Shaykh As-Saduq 's famous Risala “Al-Aqaid”. It contains all the Shi’a beliefs, and their truthfulness in the light of the Qur’an and Hadith.

• Usool ash-Sharia fi Aqaid ash-Shi’a. This book discusses the beliefs of Ghali, Tafwizi and Shaykhi denominations, who were propagating their thoughts under the guise of Shi’a Islam. He negated them in the light of Qur’an and Hadith.

• Aitaqadat al-Imamia. It is an Urdu translation and explanation of Allama Al-Majlisi's "Risala tul-Lailia".

• Aqsam al-Tawhid Mukhtasir Aqaid ash-Shi’a

• Qawaneen ash-Sharia fi Fiqh al-Ja’fariya (Tawzih al- Masail) It is a book of Fiqh in two volumes, covering all the aspects of human life according to the Ja’faria School of Jurisprudence, including the modern human issues. The superiority of Ja’fari Jurisprudence over other Islamic Schools of has been proven in the light of Qur’an and Hadith.

• Khulasa tul-Ahkam. It is an abridged version of Qawaneen ash-Sharia.

• Hurmat al-Ghina Aur Islam. This book discusses the prohibition of ghina in Islamic Sharia.

• Hurmat al-Reeshtarashi. This book discusses the prohibition of shaving beard in Islamic Sharia.

• Namaz al-Juma Aur Islam It is a book proving that Juma Prayers are wajib even during the occultation of the 12th Imam. Sayyid Muhammad Dehlavi published it in Karachi.

• Iqd al-Juma (Translation of Mafatih al-Janan). Ayatollah Najafi had translated Mafatih al-Janan during his stay at Najaf, but did not publish it, as another translation of the same book was available from Lahore. Grand Ayatollah Badhurrg Tehrani has mentioned it in his famous book "Az-Zariya ila Tasaneef ash-Shi’a" (A list of Shi’a Books), and Grand Ayatollah Husayni in his book "Ziyarat".

• Zaad-ul-Ibad li-Youmil-Ma’ad. It is a collection of supplications from reliable Shi’a books.

• Saadat-ud-Darain fi Maqtal al-Husayn. It is a comprehensive account of the Battle of Karbala that took place in 61 Hijra, and the tragic martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali.

• Faiz ur-Rahman (Translation of Lulu wa al-Marjan). Ayatollah Najafi translated Allama Noori's famous book Lulu wa al-Marjan during his stay at Najaf, but did not publish it as another translation "Jawahir al-Bayan" was published from Sargodha. Grand Ayatollah Badhurrg Tehrani has mentioned it in his famous book "Az- Zariya ila Tasaneef ash-Shi’a", and mentioned in its foreword that its treatment of the prohibition of ghina is indeed useful.

• Shuhada al-Khamsa kay Haalat al-Zindagi. It contains biographies of the five Shi’a martyred scholars:

  • Shaheed al-Awal Muhammad Jamaluddin Makki Amili

  • Shaheed al-Sani Zainuddin Amili

  • Shaheed al-Salis Qazi Nurullah Shustari

  • Shaheed al-Rabey Mirza Muhammad Kamil Dehlavi

  • Shaheed al-Khamis Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr

• Isbat al-Imamat. It is a book on the issue of Khilafat and Imamat. It establishes that Imam Ali was the true successor of the Prophet. (Read online) Grand Ayatollah Badhurrg Tehrani has mentioned it in his famous book "Az-Zariya ila Tasaneef ash-Shi’a".

• Tahqeeqat al-Fariqain fi Hadith ath-Thaqalayn. It is a book presenting extensive research from both Shi’a & Sunni sources of Hadith on the authenticity of Hadith ath-Thaqalayn. Grand Ayatollah Badhurrg Tehrani has mentioned it in his famous book "Az-Zariya ila Tasaneef ash-Shi’a".

• Tajalliat al-Sadaqat fi Jawab Aftab al-Hidayat. It is a book written in two volumes in response to an anti-Shi’a book "Aftab al-Hidayat" by Maulavi Karam Deen.

• Tanzeeh al-Imamia amma fi Risala Mazhab ash-Shi’a. It is the book in response to an anti-Shi’a risala "Mazhab ash- Shi’a" by Pir Siyyalvi.

• Khatm al-Nubuwwaht ber Khatmi Martabat. This book proves Khatme Nubuwwaht (Prophethood has come to an end after Muhammad.)

• Adab al-Al-Mufid wa al-Mustafeed (Translation of Munia tul-Murid)

• Ayatollah Najafi translated Shaheed al-Sani's famous book Muniatul-Murid during his stay at Najaf, but did not publish it as another translation by Mufti Inayat Ali Shah was published. Grand Ayatollah Badhurrg Tehrani has mentioned it in his famous book "Az-Zariya ila Tasaneef ash-Shi’a".

• Islah al-Majalis wal-Mahafil. This book discusses the wrong customs associated with majlis of Imam Al-Husayn, and how to correct them.

• Islah ur-Rusoom az-Zahira ba Kalam al-Itrat at-Tahira. It is a comprehensive book that discusses entire bidah's (improper innovations) and false customs in Islamic society, and how to correct them.