Abdul Latif Berry

Grand Ayatollah Abdul Latif Berry (Arabic: عبد اللطيف بري‎‎) (also Sheikh Abdul Latif Berry). Sheikh Berry was born to a Lebanese family in Najaf, Iraq where his father the late Sheikh Moussa Berry was teaching Islamic Theology. He wrote over a dozen books on Islam and established the Islamic Times newspaper (جريدة العصر الإسلامي ). He announced his Religious Authority (Marja'iya) in the West with his permanent office in Dearborn, Michigan.

Early life

Berry was born in the Shia shrine city of Najaf, Iraq in 1948. His Father, the late Sheikh Mussa Berry had migrated there from the village of Tebnine in South Lebanon to teach Islamic theology. By the time of his birth, his father was already a Muslim scholar. At a very young age Sheikh Berry moved to his family's original village of Tebnine, and in 1961 at age 13 he moved back to Najaf to conduct his Islamic studies.

Return to Lebanon

After 14 years of studying under the prominent teachers of the Najaf religious school he concluded his studies in 1975 and returned to Lebanon. Between the years of 1975 and 1980, Sheikh Berry contributed to the promotion of reform and peace in the Lebanese civil war and strengthen the relationship between Muslims and Christians. He traveled to Nigeria in 1980 and soon after he migrated to the USA in 1981.

Migration to America

Sheikh Berry migrated to the United States in 1981. He established the Islamic Cultural Society in Dearborn, Michigan while contributing to Islamic conferences in various U.S. states, Canada, Europe and Asia. He was the first to establish an Islamic Arabic-English full K-12 school that taught the academic requirements of the state in addition to Islam with emphasis on the teachings of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

He was the first to establish several schools that meant to educate the newer generations and teach them the Arabic language, the language of the Holy Quran: The daily Afternoon Arabic Schools in East Dearborn’s public schools, the Saturday Arabic School and the Sunday Religion School.

Marja'iya

As recent as August 2010, he became the first to announce his Religious Authority (Marja'iya) in the West with his permanent office in Dearborn, Michigan, in the United States of America.