Career
Sayyid Ismail as-Sadr is the grandfather of the well-known and respected Sadr family. He is the first to be known with the last name of as-Sadr after his father Sadr ad-Din ibn Salih, whose ancestors had been from the Jabal Amel in Lebanon. Ismail As-Sadr was born in Isfahan, Iran.
He resided in Najaf, Iraq and became the sole marja until his death in 1338 Ampere-hour (ca 1919-1920).
He was survived by Muhammad Mahdi as-Sadr, Sadr ad-Din as-Sadr (died 1954), Haydar as-Sadr (died 1937), and a fourth son. Muhammad Mahdi is the great grandfather of Muqtada as-Sadr, Sadr ad-Din is the father of Sayyid Musa as-Sadr (died 1978?) and Haydar is the father of Muhammad Baqir as-Sadr (died 1980).