Hawzah News Agency- He was named "Mohammad" after the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) so that by the blessing of such a name, he would become a source of constructive movement and life-giving influence in the society of the future.
Parents & Loss of Father at Tender Age
His father, Ayatollah Mohammad Mahdi Kuhestani, was a devout scholar and a distinguished jurist, renowned for his knowledge and virtue. Sheikh Mahdi married the daughter of the pious scholar, the late Mullah Mohammad Baqir. The blessed union brought forth their only child, Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Mohammad Kuhestani.
At the tender age of just eight, Mohammad endured the profound sorrow of losing his father.
Fatemeh Kuhestani, the wife of Haj Sheikh Mahdi, was a woman of deep faith, virtue, and wisdom. Known for her simplicity, prudence, and strong character, she lived a modest life. Despite not being well-off, she was incredibly generous, always helping the poor and needy, and striving to fulfill their needs. She had a profound love for the household of purity, particularly Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), thus holding regular mourning ceremonies at her home.
Being a capable and responsible woman, she did not let the passing of her learned husband weaken her resolve. Instead, she took on the critical responsibility of raising their only child with great care, focusing on his intellectual and spiritual growth. After Mohammad completed his primary religious education, his mother sent him to the seminary to pursue further religious studies, encouraging him to follow in his father's footsteps.
She personally took care of all the arrangements for his education, enduring hardships to ensure that her young son would not feel the absence of his father and would focus on his studies without worry. She lived a simple life, wearing coarse and simple garments, and when people criticized her for not dressing better, she would respond, "My son is studying; I must live in a way that I can afford to cover his education expenditures."
Mohammad, a bright and eager young student, after mastering the Quran and Persian, went on to study at the Behshehr seminary, which was thriving and active at that time, with many distinguished scholars teaching there. In this setting, he learned the foundational sciences, such as Morphology, Syntax, and Logic.
Pursuit of Education in Mashhad, Najaf & Attainment of Ijtihad
Having completed his foundational studies and learning Arabic literature along with some jurisprudence and principles of Islamic jurisprudence, Ayatollah Kuhestani set out to further his education at a seminary in Mashhad. He took residence in the Mirza Jafar seminary, located near the holy shrine, to benefit from the spiritual blessings of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (peace be upon him), the eighth Imam of Shia Muslims.
Following a long stay near the shrine of Imam Reza (peace be upon him), Ayatollah Kuhestani, seeking to strengthen the foundations of his ijtihad and achieve the highest levels of scholarly excellence, set out around 1921 for the renowned seminary in Najaf. His arrival coincided with a period when the Najaf seminary was at the apex of its intellectual and spiritual flourishing. The presence of great scholars in Najaf provided him with an exceptional opportunity to further solidify and enhance his jurisprudential foundations.
After nearly nine years of residing near the revered Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and benefiting from the teachings of esteemed scholars, Ayatollah Kuhestani achieved high levels of scholarly and spiritual insight, reaching the esteemed rank of ijtihad. He then decided to return to his birthplace following nearly twenty years of dedicated scholarly and practical efforts in 1929.
Foundation of Seminary
One of Ayatollah Kuhestani's most significant contributions and sincere efforts in the fields of knowledge and religion was the establishment of a seminary in his birthplace, the village of "Kuhestan." Under the blessed influence of this academic center, he played a crucial role in nurturing and advancing the rich Islamic culture in the Mazandaran province.
Demise
In the early hours of Friday, around 1:00 a.m., the 14th of Rabi' al-Awwal (in 1972 CE), Ayatollah Kuhestani's blessed heart ceased to beat. His noble soul ascended to the highest heavens, and thus, his wish to depart this world on a Friday night was fulfilled. On that night of divine mercy and forgiveness, he met his beloved Creator.
His pure body was laid to rest beside the holy shrine of Imam Reza (peace be upon him).
'Do Not Seek Revenge'
His eminence recounted, " Once, someone insulted me, hurling every abusive and offensive word he could think of. I remained silent and patient, letting him say whatever he wanted to. Then, I calmly asked her, 'Did I really deserve all those insults?' He replied in a regretful and embarrassed manner, "No."
Impact of Illicit (Haram) Food
Regarding the effects of consuming illicit food, his eminence would say, "Poison is deadly and can kill a person, but illicit food destroys the descendants."
Reference: The book ‘On the Pinnacle of Piety’