Ahmad Azari Qomi
Encyclopedia
Grand Ayatollah Ahmad Azari-Qomi-Bigdeli was a Iran
ian cleric who suspiciously died after having criticized Supreme Leader Khamenei.
in 1925. At the age of two, the family relocated to Qom, Iran in order for his father to pursue his studies in Islamic sciences.
He started his studie at Qom in 1941 under Ayatollahs Borujerdi, Mohaqqeq Damad and Tabatabei. Upon finishing his clerical studies in Qom
, he emigrated to Tabriz, Iran to work as a religious teacher in a boarding school.
He was a founding member of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom
, which declared Khomeini's marjiyat during the Qom upheavals of 1964. Between 1965 to 1979 he was improsened several times. He was judge of the Revolutionary court after revolution of 1979. He was a member of the Assembly of Experts
, that originally elected Khamenei as Khomeini’s successor. He also founded the Resalat Foundation, a religious organisation close to the bazaar, which owns the Resalat
newspaper, and formerly served as a revolutionary prosecutor.
for torturing the sons of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Shirazi. "Even if he rejects the velayat-e faqih, why torture his children? Security organizations should learn from the shameful fate of the SAVAK," Azari-Qomi wrote. Azari-Qomi also appealed to president Khatami
to abolish the Special Clerical Court
which has arrested and tortured many followers of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi.
In his letter Azari-Qomi suggested a separation of the velayat-e faqhi into two different realms: theological authority and political authority. He proposed that Khamenei deputize Ayatollah Montazeri to handle religious affairs, leaving Khamenei to oversee politics.
Finally, grand ayatollah Azari-Qomi reminded the new president Khatami
that with more than 23 millions people who voted for him, he had the constitutional possibility to call for a referendum on the extend of the powers and the role of the Supreme Leader
. "With their vote in your favour, our brave people have brought the whole of the present leadership under question and I’m proud of it. But, dear Mr president, be careful of not becoming the last of the presidents of the Islamic Republic, for this is what may well be your fate if you do not act now to stop at once present injustices committed under the name of Islam".
In response, on November 10, Azeri-Qomi was forcibly expelled from clerical institutes in Qom.
On November 26, 1997, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic
, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced in a televised speech that Grand Ayatollahs Montazeri and Azari-Qomi had " committed treason against the people, the revolution and the country," and commanded the Judiciary Branch to ensure they were "punished according to the law."
Iran News reported on February 5, 1998 that JOMHURI ISLAMI printed an article on a recent meeting in Mashhad between some members of the Assembly of Experts
who asked for the expulsion of Azari-Qomi from the Assembly.
He was hospitalized on 1 February 1999. He died in 1999 at the age of 74.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian cleric who suspiciously died after having criticized Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Background and career
Azari was born to a family of Sh'ia clerics in QomQom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
in 1925. At the age of two, the family relocated to Qom, Iran in order for his father to pursue his studies in Islamic sciences.
He started his studie at Qom in 1941 under Ayatollahs Borujerdi, Mohaqqeq Damad and Tabatabei. Upon finishing his clerical studies in Qom
Qom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
, he emigrated to Tabriz, Iran to work as a religious teacher in a boarding school.
He was a founding member of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom
Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom
Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom , was founded 1961 by the leading Shi'a clerics of Qom to organize religious teachings in the seminaries, and expand the religious teachings in Iran...
, which declared Khomeini's marjiyat during the Qom upheavals of 1964. Between 1965 to 1979 he was improsened several times. He was judge of the Revolutionary court after revolution of 1979. He was a member of the Assembly of Experts
Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts of Iran , also translated as Council of Experts, is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities.Members of the assembly are elected from a government-screened list of candidates by...
, that originally elected Khamenei as Khomeini’s successor. He also founded the Resalat Foundation, a religious organisation close to the bazaar, which owns the Resalat
Resalat (newspaper)
Resalat is a conservative daily newspaper in Iran. Resalat is a pro-Khamenei and pro-Ahmadinejad newspaper.-Mission:In their mission statement, Resalat declares that "The goal of publishing Resalat is to spread the words of God, and Ahl al-Bayt school of thought in order to establish the God's...
newspaper, and formerly served as a revolutionary prosecutor.
Events leading to death
Grand Ayatollah Ahmad Azari-Qomi was arrested in November 1997 after having published an open letter outside of Iran (inter alia in the London-based independent weekly newspaper Nimrooz) that heavily criticized Supreme Leader Khamenei In the 34-page open letter, Azari-Qomi strongly criticized Khamenei and the velayat-e faqih. He blamed Khamenei for having personally supervised the creation of the Ansar-e Hezbollah that had terrorized liberal academics and clerics since 1995, and accused Khamenei for having set the stage for widespread "moral corruption" among regime officials and clergymen which has "withered the roots of decency." Azari-Qomi also criticized the Islamic RepublicIslamic republic
Islamic republic is the name given to several states in the Muslim world including the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Mauritania. Pakistan adopted the title under the constitution of 1956. Mauritania adopted it on 28 November 1958. Iran adopted it after the 1979 Iranian...
for torturing the sons of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Shirazi. "Even if he rejects the velayat-e faqih, why torture his children? Security organizations should learn from the shameful fate of the SAVAK," Azari-Qomi wrote. Azari-Qomi also appealed to president Khatami
Khatami
-Politicians:* Mohammad Khatami , Iranian reformist President, former President of Iran * Mohammad Reza Khatami , Iranian reformist politician, Vice Speaker of Iranian Parliament and brother of Mohammad Khatami...
to abolish the Special Clerical Court
Special Clerical Court
Special Clerical Court, or Special Court for Clerics is an Iranian court system for examining transgressions within the clerical establishment. It tries Shia Muslim clerics, although it has also taken on cases involving lay people. The court functions independently of the regular Iranian judicial...
which has arrested and tortured many followers of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi.
In his letter Azari-Qomi suggested a separation of the velayat-e faqhi into two different realms: theological authority and political authority. He proposed that Khamenei deputize Ayatollah Montazeri to handle religious affairs, leaving Khamenei to oversee politics.
Finally, grand ayatollah Azari-Qomi reminded the new president Khatami
Khatami
-Politicians:* Mohammad Khatami , Iranian reformist President, former President of Iran * Mohammad Reza Khatami , Iranian reformist politician, Vice Speaker of Iranian Parliament and brother of Mohammad Khatami...
that with more than 23 millions people who voted for him, he had the constitutional possibility to call for a referendum on the extend of the powers and the role of the Supreme Leader
Supreme leader
A supreme leader typically refers to a figure in the highest leadership position of an entity, group, organization, or state, who exercises strong or all-powerful authority over it. In religion, the supreme leader or supreme leaders is God or Gods...
. "With their vote in your favour, our brave people have brought the whole of the present leadership under question and I’m proud of it. But, dear Mr president, be careful of not becoming the last of the presidents of the Islamic Republic, for this is what may well be your fate if you do not act now to stop at once present injustices committed under the name of Islam".
In response, on November 10, Azeri-Qomi was forcibly expelled from clerical institutes in Qom.
On November 26, 1997, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic
Islamic republic
Islamic republic is the name given to several states in the Muslim world including the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Mauritania. Pakistan adopted the title under the constitution of 1956. Mauritania adopted it on 28 November 1958. Iran adopted it after the 1979 Iranian...
, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced in a televised speech that Grand Ayatollahs Montazeri and Azari-Qomi had " committed treason against the people, the revolution and the country," and commanded the Judiciary Branch to ensure they were "punished according to the law."
Iran News reported on February 5, 1998 that JOMHURI ISLAMI printed an article on a recent meeting in Mashhad between some members of the Assembly of Experts
Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts of Iran , also translated as Council of Experts, is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities.Members of the assembly are elected from a government-screened list of candidates by...
who asked for the expulsion of Azari-Qomi from the Assembly.
He was hospitalized on 1 February 1999. He died in 1999 at the age of 74.