Tawhidi self-identifies as a Shia Muslim of Iraqi origin who was born in Qom, in 1982 or 1983.In 2009, he enrolled for a bachelor’s degree in Islamic studies at Al-Mustafa University in Qom, but dropped out in 2012. He later worked for one of the Shirazi-run television stations in Karbala. In 2015, he returned to Australia, and is currently based in Adelaide.He is fluent in Arabic, English, and Persian.
Tawhidi had earlier held Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi as his marja taqlid. Since 2015, Tawhidi has stated that he does not subscribe to any particular religious leader. There have been marked differences between his and Shirazi’s views on a host of issues.Tawhidi is president of the Islamic Association of South Australia, which he founded in 2016. He refers to himself as the “Imam of Peace”.
