Ayatollah Sayed Muhsin al-Hakim Tabatabai was born in late 19th century in a family renowned for its scholarship. He was always in the forefront to defend Islam and Muslims. He became a sole Marja after the death of Ayatollah Sayed Husain Burujardi .

Hawza of Najaf grew immensely under his Marjaiyya . His historic fatwa, branding communism as kufr and atheism proved the beginning of the end of communism in Iraq.

He was buried in the great and modern library he had established.