Ali al-Sistani

Sayyid Ali Hosseini Sistani (born 4 August 1930), also known as Ayatollah Sistani or al-Sistani, is one of the most powerful and influential Iranian Twelver Shia marja in Iraq and the head of many of the hawzahs (seminaries) in Najaf.

He is described as the spiritual leader of Iraqi Shia Muslims and one of the most senior clerics in Shia Islam. He has been included in the all of editions of "The Muslim 500: The World's Most Influential Muslims" mostly in the top 10 positions since 2009. He is one of the 8 maraji mentioned in the most recent edition. In 2005, Sistani was listed among the Top 100 intellectuals of the world. In 2005 and 2014, he was also nominated for Nobel Prize Award towards his efforts for establishing peace.[