Iran's Grand Ayatollah

A look at Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani:
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EARLY YEARS: Born in the eastern Iranian city of Mashhad to a family with a lineage of Shiite religious scholarship, al-Sistani began his religious studies in the Iranian seminary city of Qom and, in the early 1950s, moved to the Iraqi Shiite center, Najaf. He was promoted to the rank of grand ayatollah in 1992. There are differing dates given for al-Sistani's birth, making him now either in his late 70s or 80.

HEALTH: In August 2004, al-Sistani traveled to London for treatment of a chronic heart condition, which has never been specified. His aides say al-Sistani has sharply cut back on his schedule in recent months, suggesting his health could be in decline. He was last seen in public shortly after returning from London.

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This brief article provides a glimpse into the early life of Iran's Grand Ayatollah, and it discusses his assumed declining health.

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