NAJAF, IRAQ – Marking the anniversary of the Prophetic Mission (al-Mab'ath al-Nabawi al-Sharif), His Eminence the senior religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Bashir al-Najafi, presided over a traditional "Turban-Crowning" (Ta'mim) ceremony for a group of advanced religious students.

The ceremony, held at the Najaf Islamic Seminary (al-Hawza al-‘Ilmiyya), saw the students awarded the blessed turban (al-‘Imamah), a significant milestone recognizing their dedication and progress in their rigorous studies of Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and related sciences.

In a speech commemorating the occasion, Ayatollah al-Najafi described the Prophetic Mission as a transformative event in human history. "It constituted a major turning point," he stated, "moving humanity from the darkness of ignorance, corruption, and injustice to the horizons of guidance, light, and knowledge."

Addressing the newly crowned students directly, the senior cleric offered paternal advice, urging them to remain steadfast in their scholarly pursuits. He emphasized the necessity of diligence in study, perseverance in research, and the continuous purification of the self from negative traits such as grudges and hatred.

"Knowledge is a great obligation and holds a lofty station before God, as confirmed in the traditions of the Imams of guidance," Ayatollah al-Najafi reminded the gathering, linking their academic journey to the highest spiritual ideals.

The Turban-Crowning ceremony is a longstanding tradition in Shiite seminaries, symbolizing a student's transition to a more advanced stage of religious learning and moral responsibility. It is often timed to coincide with significant Islamic holy days.