 al-Shirazi was born in Karbala to Mirza Mahdi al-Shirazi, a grand ayatollah, and Halima al-Shirazi.Both of his parents are from the distinguished clerical al-Shirazi family that emigrated from Shiraz to Karbala in the 19th century.All of his brothers are clerics, and Muhamamad al-Shirazi is a marja'.