LONDON — Scholars, representatives of Islamic organisations and members of Britain’s Iraqi, Arab and wider Shia Muslim communities gathered at the Imam al-Khoei Islamic Centre in London to commemorate the second anniversary of the passing of Ayatollah Sayyid Fadhel al-Hussaini al-Milani.

The memorial formed part of two evenings of mourning held at the centre on 27 and 28 Safar 1448 AH, marking the martyrdom anniversary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) and Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (a).

Wednesday’s programme included a special tribute to Ayatollah al-Milani, one of the most prominent Shia scholars to have served the Muslim community in Britain over recent decades.

Born in Karbala in 1944 into a distinguished scholarly family, Sayyid Fadhel studied in the Hawza of Najaf under leading maraji including Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei and Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim, later continuing advanced studies in Mashhad under his grandfather, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Hadi al-Milani, and attaining the rank of ijtihad at a relatively young age. After settling in Britain in the 1980s, he became a key figure in the development of organised Shia religious life, serving as a representative of Grand Ayatollah al-Khoei and working closely with the Imam al-Khoei Foundation in London, while also completing a doctorate in Islamic philosophy at Oxford University in 1994 and teaching Islamic law and philosophy to generations of students in Britain.

The memorial programme opened with a recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an by Sayyid Abu Mustafa al-Mudhaffar.

Dr Abbas Imami then delivered an address recalling significant moments from his relationship with Ayatollah al-Milani, whom he regarded as his teacher, sharing personal memories of the late scholar and his influence on his students.

Iraqi poet Uday Karmasha followed with an elegiac and emotional poem dedicated to Ayatollah al-Milani, while barrister Mukhtar Amir Ali Karim spoke about the scholar’s character, achievements and service to the community.

The programme concluded with a Hussaini mourning majlis delivered by Shaykh Rashad al-Ansari to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s), with the reward dedicated to the soul of Ayatollah al-Milani.

Ayatollah al-Milani passed away in London on 2 September 2024, corresponding to 28 Safar 1446 AH, at the age of 80. His death was mourned by Shia institutions and communities in Britain and internationally.

His long presence in London placed him among a generation of senior ulama who helped build the religious and educational infrastructure of Britain’s Shia Muslim community, while training students who would themselves go on to serve communities in the UK and beyond.