Religions for Peace notes the passing of Syed Hassan Bahr Al Oloom; a person of great faith, who was deeply respected and warmly appreciated by all who had the privilege to know him.
Esteemed Colleague in Religions for Peace:
Greetings in Peace.
It is my sad duty to share with you that Syed Hassan Bahr Al Oloom passed away in his hometown of Najaf, Iraq, yesterday evening.
Syed Hassan Bahr Al Oloom served as a Co-President of Religions for Peace (RfP) and a member of the RfP Middle East North Africa Council of Religious Leaders, in addition to other important duties.
Born in 1963 into one of Iraq’s most prominent traditional Shi’a clerical families, Syed Hassan Bahr Al Oloom’s courage as a young man served as an inspiration for Shiite believers and many others around the world. In 1991, his father, a leading Najaf scholar, was executed by the Saddam Hussein government along with 21 other close relatives. Despite this devastating personal blow, Syed Hassan Bahr Al Oloom was known by all as a deeply religious man utterly committed to Peace.
In the course of his pursuit of freedom and justice, Syed Hassan Bahr Al Oloom studied with some of the most illustrious Shi’a scholars at Hawza seminaries in Najaf, Iraq, and Qom, Iran. He would later return to the Hawza in Najaf in 2003 as an expert in Islamic studies to teach and train young clerics.
Syed Hassan Bahr Al Oloom was buried today in Najaf. RfP International Trustee, Mr. Abdul Ilah Marafie, a close personal friend and colleague of Syed Hassan Bahr Al Oloom, was present for the burial and shared this letter.
Syed Hassan Bahr Al Oloom was a person of great faith, who was deeply respected and warmly appreciated by all who had the privilege to know him.
In solidarity for Peace, I remain,
Respectfully
 |
|
Dr. William F. Vendley |
RELIGIONS FOR PEACE—the world’s largest and most representative multi-religious coalition—advances common action among the world’s religious communities for peace. Religions for Peace works to transform violent conflict, advance human development, promote just and harmonious societies, and protect the earth. The global Religions for Peace network comprises a World Council of senior religious leaders from all regions of the world; six regional inter-religious bodies and more than eighty national ones; and the Global Women of Faith Network and Global Interfaith Youth Network.
777 United Nations Plaza | New York, NY 10017 USA | Tel: +1 212-687-2163 | Fax: +1 212-983-0098 | www.religionsforpeace.org
