Sheikh Al-Kaaby was a prominent Iraqi scholar who used to teach at the hawza (seminary) in Karbala. He was born on the anniversary of the birth of Fatima AlZahra in 1909 (hence his name). He became prevalent in 1970s Iraq, at the peak of the Baa’th movement, to which he openly opposed. Speaking out against the tyrannical and oppressive government led to his – and many other scholars and activists who spoke out – torture and oppression in the worst possible ways, and even imprisonment, at the hands of the Baa’th party.
One of his major contributions to the current Hussaini gatherings was the way he recited the maqtal (the story of what happened in Karabala). All around the world today, hundreds of reciters recited the maqtal in the exact way that Sheikh Al-Kaaby did, and this is one of his legacies which must be acknowledged.
He was a regular speaker on the pulpit, which he would courageously use as a platform to enlighten the youth and the community to raise a generation of faithful and strong leaders who would fight oppression wherever it may be – often bringing the example of Imam Hussain (as) of course.
He used to emphasise the importance of children attending majalis in the mosque, saying that “our focus needs to be centered around them as they are the fruits of the future”.
For him, the pulpit was his battlefield – where he would fight with his words for Islam and for the truth to remain intact.
Of course, the Yazid of the time (Baa’thi’s) felt threatened by this Hussain (Sheikh Al-Kaaby) and decided that they needed to get rid of him in the most cowardly way. On the night of the death anniversary of Fatima Al-Zahra 1974, they placed poison in his coffee. Later that night he fell from his pulpit and passed away.
May Allah (SWT) have mercy on his blessed soul. Al-Fatiha.
