Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani

In the early hours of Tuesday, 1 February 2022, Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani died in a hospital in Qom due to a cardiac arrest at the age of 102. His death was mourned by many Shias around the World, figures such as Ali Khamenei, Ali al-Sistani and Hossein Wahid Khorasani sent a message of condolence on his death. His funeral took place on 2 February in Qom, many attended his funeral. His son-in-law Ali Karimi Jahromi led his funeral prayers.

On 21 October 2021, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met with Safi Golpaygani. Lotfollah emphasised the need for Iran to establish good relations with all nations around the world. He was very concerned about the economic situation, and the problems the people are facing.

After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, there was a fear among the Shia of Afghanistan as to what would happen to them due to their Persecution in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Safi Golpaygani issued a message for the World to help the people of Afghanistan.

When Shahin Najafi released a song called "Naghi", he angered many Shia Muslims in Iran, and around the world. In the song, Shahin was accused of insulting the 10th Imam of The Twelve Imams, Ali al-Hadi. He also depicted the Imam Reza Shrine (shrine of 8th Imam, Ali al-Ridha) in a sexual manner representing a woman's breast, alongside a rainbow flag. Two weeks prior to the release of his song, a Fatwa was issued by Safi Golpaygani claiming those who insult the Imams should be issued a death penalty. It was after the release of his song that this Fatwa was then issued for Shahin Najafi.

Before the 1979 Iranian revolution, Lotfollah was a critic of the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. SAVAK had banned some of his works in Iran as a response to this. After the revolution, he was elected by the of Markazi province to represent them in the Assembly for the Final Review of the Constitution. Ruhollah Khomeini also appointed him to be the secretary in the Guardian Council.

While a child in Golpayegan, he was first introduced to basic books in Arabic literature Jalil al-Qadr, and Mullah Abu al-Qasim known as "Qutb". He continued his Islamic Studies with his father in Golpeygan, while there his father taught him Islamic Theology (Aqidah), Interpretation of the Quran (Tafsir), Hadith, Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh), Principles of Islamic jurisprudence (Usool Fiqh), as well as several other subjects. At the age of 22 in 1941, he left Golpeyegan and settled in Qom to further his Islamic Studies in the Qom Seminary. After spending a few years there, he visited Najaf to attend the Hawza Najaf for approximately 1 year, then returned back to Qom to partake in advanced Islamic Studies (Darse Kharej). He would spend the next 15 years there learning and attending lessons under many high ranking Shia scholars, as well as debating Islamic Mysticism.

Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani (Persian: لطف‌الله صافی گلپایگانی; 20 February 1919 – 1 February 2022) was an Iranian Grand Ayatollah. He was at one point the most senior Twelver Shia scholar (Marja') in Iran until his death. He resided in Qom and taught Islam in the Qom Seminary.

Lotfollah was born in Golpayegan on 20 February 1919 into a religious family. His father, Mohammad Javad Safi Golpaygani, was a high ranking Shia scholar (Marja'). His mother, known as Fatemeh Khanom, was the daughter of a Mujtahid called Akhund Mohammad Ali. His brother, Ali Safi Golpaygani was also a high ranking Shia scholar. He is also the son-in-law of Mohammad-Reza Golpaygani, and father-in-law of Ayatollah Ali Karimi Jahromi.