Ayatullah Zanjani was born in Zanjan (the city of learned people) in 1921 in a family known for its knowledge and fiqh. His father the late Ayatullah Uzma Mirza Mahmood Husayni Zanjani was one of the eminent and well known faqihs of that time, while his late mother was the daughter of shakhul Islam Zanjani (a famous scholar of Zanjan, who compiled many books in theology).
Ayatullah Zanjani’s great grandfather was the late Ayatullah Haj Sayyid Muhammad Mujtahid, a well known faqih and revolutionary of his era, who struggled against the misguided sect of Babiyyah. Bab Mulla Muhammad Ali was assassinated according to Sayyid Muhammad Mujtahid’s fatwa which resulted the end of this corrupt sect’s activity.
Ayatullah Zanjani learned the introductory lessons and the Sat-h stage, a great part of the book "al-Makaasib" and a part of Kifayeh and Taharah of Shaykh Ansari in the Hawzah of Zanjan from his eminent father, the late Ayatullah shaykh Husayn Deen Muhammadi, and shaykh Abdul Kareem (a student of the late Akhoond Khuraasaani, the author of Kifayeh). In the same, Ayatullah Zanjani was passing the primary and intermediate schools where he spent 8 years in Sa`adat, and Ittihadiyah schools. When he became 21 years old, he migrated to Qom and joined the Seminiray there. He began attending the lectures of Ayatullah Uzma Sayyid Muhammad Hujjat Kooh Kamara’I on Fiqh and Usool, in the same time, he was attending the lessons of Ayatullah Uzma Sadr on Usool. When Ayatullah Uzma Boroujerdi resided in Qom, Ayatullah Zanjani could benefit from his lessons on Fiqh and Usool, and also from the lessons of the late Ayatullah Uzma Sayyid Ahmad Khansari on Usool, and the late Ayatullah Uzma Imam Khumayni (the founder of the Islamic republic) until he reached high levels of knowledge and became a mujtahid. Ayatullah Zanjani studied the book called "al-Hikmah al-Muta`aliyah" with the eminent expositor and philosopher, the late allamah professor Tabataba’I, the late Ayatullah Uzma Imam Khumayni (the founder of the Islamic republic), and the well known philosopher and mujtahid shaykh Mahdi Mazandarani, and he could get the utmost benefit from those unique masters. Ayatullah Zanjani was for many times eulogized by his masters, especially allamah Tabataba’I who declared in his last interview on the TV that Ayatullah Zanjani is one of five trusted persons in Islamic philosophy. After spending fair period of time in Qom, especially in its Hawzah Ilmiyyah, Ayatullah Zanjani decided to go for a trip to the holy shrine of Imam Ali (s.a.) in Najaf, and Abu Abdillah al-Husayn (s.a.) in Kerbala. He dwelt there for a certain period of time in which he could benefit from the lessons of great masters such as Ayatullah Uzma Sayyid Abil Hadi Shirazi, Ayatullah Hakeem, Ayatullah Uzma Kho’e, but unfortunately, he was obliged to return to Iran when he heard about his father’s sickness. His father then ordered him to manage the school and Masjid of Sayyid Zanjan and begin teaching.
Ayatullah Zanjani could get many licenses from his masters in Ijtihad, and when he returned from Najaf Ashraf and resided in his place of birth, he began to teach intellectual and traditional sciences, Irfan (gnosis), tafseer, guiding, struggling against corruption and misguidance especially among the youth.
Ayatullah Zanjani could strengthen the situation of Hawzah Ilmiyyah of Zanjan (which has been established and known many years before the Hawzah of Qom) with the assistance of many eminent scholars and marji`s of Najaf Ashraf and Zanjan during his last trip to this city in 1968. At that time, fair and enough monthly salary was being paid to the Hawzah’s students.
When he was compulsorily exiled to Mashhad in 1974, he started to teach fiqh, Usool, tafseer, philosophy, ethics, and Islamic Irfan. Many university professors, students and young people could benefit from his knowledge.
Works:
1- Speaking about Hazrat Zahra’s (s.a.) personality.
2- Commentaries on Hazrat Zahra’s (s.a.) oration.
3- The criterion of polytheism in the viewpoint of the Holy Qur’an.