Tahirih’s two uncles and her father were all mujtahids, high-ranking clerics who had the authority to render original decisions of Islamic law. They were recognized as being able to exercise Ijtihad, the use of independent reasoning to arrive at a legal decision based on the Qur’an, the body of law and tradition.
Mujtahids regularly engaged in theological disputes. Because being a mujtahid brought a man wealth from land and fees, these disputes could turn into political ones. One such dispute drew in Tahirih’s uncles—Taqi, Ali, and her father, Salih.
The uncles rose from humble beginnings by studying for years in the holy cities of Qum, Isfahan, and Karbila where clerics received most of their education in the Qur’an, Arabic literature and grammar, the philosophy of law, and the interpretation of texts.
The uncles settled in the city of Qazvin and became deeply involved in the ongoing theological disputes there.
To hear an audiobook about Tahirih and the Bab click HERE