Hawzas

Hawza, plural hawaz, is the term used for traditional Shia Islamic religious seminaries where clerics study and train in religious sciences. A hawza is not a university; it is a network of teacher–student lineages centered in cities such as Najaf in Iraq and Qom in Iran. The word hawza comes from Arabic and means a base or seat of learning. Education in a hawza emphasizes long-term mentorship by senior scholars and can last many years, culminating in competency to issue legal opinions and interpretive rulings.

The principal centers of learning have long and distinct histories. Najaf’s seminary has been a leading center of Shia jurisprudence since the 19th century, while Qom’s hawza rose to prominence in the 20th century and grew substantially after scholars relocated from Iraq. In the modern era, both Najaf and Qom host large networks of teachers and students and exert substantial influence over religious authority in the Shia world. Contemporary hawzas also operate in other cities and regions, including parts of Lebanon, Iran, and the wider Shia diaspora.

Curriculum and structure focus on core religious sciences. The primary disciplines are fiqh (jurisprudence) and usul al-fiqh (principles of jurisprudence), with extensive study of kalam (theology), tafsir (Quranic exegesis), hadith, logic, philosophy, and Arabic language. Instruction is organized through lectures and scholarly examinations, with students advancing through levels toward independent legal reasoning (ijtihad). The highest ranks include mujtahids, and some achieve the status of marja’ taqlid, serving as a reference for religious rulings.

Today, hawzas remain central to Shia clerical education, producing scholars who guide communities across Iran, Iraq, and the broader Shia world, while also adapting to modern educational and digital developments.