A religious scholar and jurist. Grand Ayatollah al-Gharawi was a prominent marja (source of emulation) for Imami-Twelver Shia. He took a traditional route to religious education to become an alim. Amongst many of his prominent teachers he undoubtedly owed the most and the one he looked upon as his mentor was the late Ayatollah Sayyid Abdul-Qasim al-Khoi, one of the most prominent marjas of the whole 20th century. Still not thirty, al-Gharawi was acknowledged as a mujtahid (competent to make independent juridical decisions). Mirza Ali was a teacher and Imam at the Rawda. He authored numerous works on fiqh and published renowned treatise al-Urwa al-Wuthqa. Mirza Ali was born in Tabriz, Iran, whose father was a prosperous merchant (died when he was two years) and was brought up by his mother. He was assassinated while returning home to Najaf from Karbala.