The death of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, who had been suffering from cancer, added to political uncertainty ahead of national polls in January and at a time when Iraq has seen a series of devastating bombings.State-owned al-Iraqiya television interrupted its broadcast to announce al-Hakim’s death, saying he was “huge symbol” of the new Iraq.
Hakim insisted on Iraq’s sovereignty and said the country must solve its problems independently. Al-Hakim maintained close ties to neighboring Iran, while working to enhance relations between his native Iraq and the U.S. He met with then-President George W. Bush in Washington in October.
In 2007, al-Hakim rebranded his Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, or Sciri, changing the name to the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council. He brought the party closer to Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
Hakim, born in 1950, headed the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (ISCI) since 2003.
The son of the Grand Ayatollah Muhsin al-Hakim, spiritual leader of Iraq’s Shia community from 1955 to 1970, al-Hakim received his theological education in Najaf.
He was born in Najaf and will be buried there. However the date of the funeral is still to be announced.
Al-Hakim had largely withdrawn from the public eye since being diagnosed with cancer, but on his few public appearances he had looked increasingly frail.
After being imprisoned by Saddam’s Baath Party in 1972, 1977 and 1979, and seeing six family members executed on the Iraqi president’s orders, al-Hakim went into exile in neighboring Iran in 1980. While in exile, he helped found Supre Council of Islamic Revolution in Iraq to oppose Saddam.
Al-Hakim returned to Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion and the toppling of Baath regime in 2003.
He succeeded his brother Ayatullah Muhammad Baqer al-Hakim after he was killed in a car bomb on the gates of the holy shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf along with 80 pilgrims.
Abdul Aziz al-Hakim's son Ammar al-Hakim is expected to next lead ISCI.
Al-Hakim was the top candidate listed for the United Iraqi Alliance during Iraq’s first legislative election in January 2005. He declined to run for office, saying theologians shouldn’t be included in the new government.
ISCI is part of Iraq's ruling alliance, which also includes Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Dawa party, but ISCI announced this week it would lead a new group to compete in January's polls without Maliki.
The overtly religious party became a major political player in majority Shia Muslim Iraq after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion ousted dictator Saddam Hussein, and its role in the Iraqi government was backed by the United States.
It was founded in neighboring Iran, where many of its senior leaders lived for years in exile during Saddam's rule.
Although ISCI lost ground to Maliki's Dawa in provincial elections last January, the well-organized and well-funded party wields major clout and will be a formidable competitor in January.
ISCI has several members in top ministerial posts, and has influence in Iraq's security forces, which include members of ISCI's armed affiliate, the Badr Organization.
ISCI derives much of its support from the Hakim family name, revered among Shia for its lineage of scholars and sacrifice in the face of persecution by Saddam's Sunni-led regime.
Khalid al-Attiyah, the deputy speaker of parliament, said that al-Hakim's death was a loss for Iraq.
"We offer our condolences to all the Iraqi people for the death of al-Hakim. He is one of the symbols of Iraq ... we hope political leaders will continue his work," he said. Agencies
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
