He was an expert in philosophy, exegesis, theology, Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, and mysticism.

Allama Tabataba'i is the author of Tafsir al-mizan (a Quranic exegesis), and the famous books of philosophy, Bidayat al-hikma, Nihayat al-hikma, and Usul-i falsafa wa rawish ri'alism.

Among his students are Mutahhari, Jawadi Amuli, Bihishti, and Misbah Yazdi - some of the most well-known Shi'a clerics of Iran in the 14th/20th century.

Birth and Lineage

Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i was born in Shadabad, a village in Tabriz, on Dhu al-Hijja 29, 1321/March 17, 1904. His previous 14 ancestors were well-known scholars of Tabriz.

His paternal ancestors were descendants of Imam al-Hasan (a), while his maternal ancestors were descendants of Imam al-Husayn (a).

Muhammad Husayn's mother passed away when he was five, and his father passed away when he was nine. He had one younger brother, is known as Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Ilahi.

Marriage and Children
His wife, Qamar Sadat Mahdavi, was one of the Sadat Tabataba'i.Their first three children died in Najaf in their childhood. Sayyid 'Ali Qadi Tabataba'i, his teacher and a relative of his wife, once came to their home and expressed his sympathy to them. When he was about to leave he said to his wife, "This time your child will be a son, and he will survive; name him 'Abd al-Baghi (lit. the servant of the Remaining One) so that he will remain for you." Tabataba'i, who did not even know about his wife's pregnancy at the time, was astonished. The prediction came to light, and after the birth of Sayyid 'Abd al-Baghi, they were also granted a daughter, Najma Sadat.
In 1385/1965 Tabataba'i's first wife passed away and after a while he married Mansura Ruzbih.

For six years of his childhood, Tabataba'i learned how to read Qur'an and how to read Ghulistan, Bustan, etc.. In addition to studying literature, he learned the art of calligraphy from Mirza 'Alinaqi Khattat. He then entered the Talibiyya School of Tabriz , where he studied in fields such as Arabic literature, intellectual sciences, jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence. He then immigrated with his brother to Najaf, where he continued his seminary education and developed his moral and spiritual perfection for ten years . After settling again in Tabriz , he moved to Qom , where he was teaching and writing till the end of his life.