Ayatollah Saanei succeeds Montazeri as Spiritual Guide
By: Sheikh M Khurasani
HOLY CITY OF QOM, Iran: Ayatollah Yousuf Saanei has stepped into
the vacuum left by the December 19 death of the leading reformist
ayatollah in Iran Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri.
Ayatollah Saanei is another prominent reformist ayatollah who has
emerged to provide the Green Movement with spiritual guidance and
ideological support: Grand Ayatollah Yousuf Saanei declared on
December 20 his desire to continue Ayatollah Montazeri's work and
honor his legacy, assuming his mantle as the most prominent clerical
Ayatollah Saanei is known for his dynamic involvement in contemporary
issues that serve as sources of contention both politically and
theologically. A 2007 interview with him by the newspaper Asharq al
Awsat discussed his opinions on current social and political issues.
Saanei's translated book, The Essence of Thoughts, is posted on his
website and delineates his views on Islam and modern society.
His revolutionary background is also notable, having been a trusted
supporter of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.
Saanei served in the Guardian Council, the Assembly of Experts, and
the Judiciary branch in the early 1980s.
His assumption of Montazeri's mantle and his scholarly and religious
preeminence and popularity already have elicited a response from the
Iranian establishment. His house and office in Qom were attacked by
paramilitaries the day of Montazeri's funeral, which the government
banned Saanei from attending. His office in Shiraz was attacked last
week as well.
On January 2, cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi and the affiliated Qom
Lecturer's Association attempted to discredit Ayatollah Saanei by
declaring him to be ineligible to be a Marja-e Taqlid, or source of
emulation and guidance to Shiite Muslims. The story was featured on
all state-affiliated news agencies.
Ayatollah Yazdi's attempt to discredit Saanei has no precedent in
Shiite history-ayatollahs may confirm the religious ranking of a
scholarly peer, but never have had the religious authority de facto to
excommunicate or demote him from the ranking.
better than wealth because it protects you while you have to
guard wealth. it decreases if you keep on spending it but the
more you make use of knowledge ,the more it increases . what you
get through wealth disappears as soon as wealth disappears but
what you achieve through knowledge will remain even after you."MORE