Mohammad Bahr al-Uloom

Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammad Bahr al-Uloom (Arabic: محمد بحر العلوم‎; 17 December 1927 – 7 April 2015) was an Iraqi political figure and Twelver Shi'a Islamic leader who served as the President of the Governing Council of Iraq (43rd Prime Minister of Iraq).[1][2]

Ayatollah Sayyid
Mohammad Bahraluloom
محمد بحر العلوم
President of the Governing Council of Iraq
In office
1 March 2004 – 31 March 2004
Preceded byMohsen Abdel Hamid
Succeeded byMassoud Barzani
In office
13 July 2003 – 31 July 2003
Acting
Preceded bySaddam Hussein (Prime Minister)
Succeeded byIbrahim al-Jaafari
Personal details
Born(1927-12-17)17 December 1927
Najaf, Iraq
Died7 April 2015(2015-04-07) (aged 87)
Najaf, Iraq
Political partyNational Iraqi Alliance
TitleGrand Ayatollah
Personal
ReligionIslam
DenominationTwelver Shīʿā
JurisprudenceUsuli
Alma materNajaf Seminary
Cairo University
RelativesRazi Shirazi (brother-in-law)

Biography

Bahraluloom was born in Najaf in 1927 to Ali Bahraluloom, the son of Hadi Bahraluloom (d. 1904). He grew up and studied in Najaf, under his father, as well as other notable scholars of the religious seminary of Najaf.[3]

He was a long time opponent of the rule of Saddam Hussein. By 1992 he had moved to London where he opposed Saddam's rule for many years. He was an active member of London's Shi'a community and was the head of AhlulBayt Centre in South London. In November 1992, at the Salahuddin gathering, within the safety of the southern air exclusion zone, along with Masoud Barzani and Colonel Hassan al-Naqib, he was one of the three men to be appointed to the presidential council by the Iraqi National Congress.[4] Mohammad Bahraluloom continued to live in London prior to the 2003 Iraq invasion.

After the United States deposed Saddam Hussein in 2003, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Bahraluloom was appointed to the Iraq interim governing council. He agreed to participate in the interim government and was appointed to the nine-member rotating presidency. He was the first president of the council, in an interim capacity, serving in that position from 13 July 2003 until 1 August 2003.

In August 2003, Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, a friend of Bahraluloom, was killed in a car bombing. Shortly after, Bahraluloom announced his voluntary suspension from the council, citing the failure of the council's ability to maintain law and order in post-war Iraq.[5] He later returned to the council, and became president again on 1 March 2004, serving until 1 April 2004.

Personal life

Bahraluloom was married to the daughter of Muhammad-Husayn al-Shirazi (d. 1955), the grandson of Mirza Shirazi. He had four daughters and three sons.[6]

His son, Ibrahim, was the Oil Minister of Iraq from September 2003 to June 2004, and again during 2005. His son, Muhammad-Husayn is the Ambassador of Iraq to the United Nations.[3]

Death

Bahraluloom died due to complications with his kidneys in 2015.[7]

References
  1. "Who's Who in Post-Saddam Iraq". BBC News.
  2. "Chinese President meets with Bahr Al-Aloom". Bahrain News Agency. 26 March 2004. Archived from the original on 24 June 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  3. "Smahat al-Allamah Diktor Sayyid MUhammad Bahr al-Ulloom". Heritage of Sayyid Bahraluloom Centre. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  4. Andrew Finkel and Hazhir Teimourian. Turkey claims victory after forces pursue Kurds deep into Iraq, The Times, 2 November 1992
  5. Revolutionary and dissident movements of the world (4th ed.). London: Harper. 2004. p. 208. ISBN 978-0-9543811-2-7. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  6. Al-Shahroudi, Nur al-Din (1992). Usrat al-Mujjadid al-Shirazi [Family of the Mujjadid al-Shirazi] (in Arabic). Al-Fikr Al-Islami.
  7. "Bio". rudaw.net.
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