Budgam, April 18 — Agha Syed Mohammad Baqir Al-Moosavi, an eminent cleric and religious scholar from Kashmir’s Aga family in Budgam, passed away early Friday at the age of 85.
According to family members, Agha Baqir had been unwell for several days before his condition worsened. He was taken to Srinagar’s SMHS Hospital, where he died in the early hours.
His funeral prayers will be offered after Friday congregational prayers, and he will be laid to rest in the ancestral graveyard in Budgam.
Known for his powerful oratory, deep scholarship, and decades of community service, Agha Baqir was widely respected across Kashmir and beyond. “He served with unwavering dedication and became a source of guidance for many,” said a senior cleric in Budgam.
Following the death of his father, Agha Syed Yusuf, in 1982, Agha Baqir assumed religious leadership within the family and emerged as one of the most influential figures in Islamic scholarship in the region.
He began his early education at Babul Ilm seminary in Budgam and later pursued higher studies at the Hawza Ilmiyya in Najaf, Iraq — a leading center of Shia learning.
His scholarly contributions spanned Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and history, with writings in Arabic, Persian, and Kashmiri. He authored several books and essays that remain widely read in religious circles.
Recognised as the representative of Grand Ayatollah Syed Ali Sistani in Kashmir, Agha Baqir played an important role in interpreting and conveying religious directives.
“He carried the legacy of the Aga family with grace and dignity, while also engaging deeply with the evolving religious and social questions of our time,” said a follower who studied under him.
With his passing, Kashmir’s religious landscape loses a voice rooted in tradition and intellect.