Grand Ayatollah[1] Asadollah Bayat-Zanjani (Persian: اسدالله بیات زنجانی) is an Iranian theologian, Islamic philosopher, writer and Grand marja of Islam. He has published objections to Iran's system of Islamic Jurist Guardianship known as velayat-e faqih, asserting that this system is not founded on Islam.[2]
Asadollah Bayat-Zanjani | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the Parliament | |
| In office 28 May 1984 – 28 May 1992 | |
| Constituency | Zanjan and Tarom |
| In office 28 May 1980 – 28 May 1984 | |
| Constituency | Mahneshan and Ijrud |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 December 1941 Zanjan, Iran |
| Political party | Association of Combatant Clerics |
| Alma mater | Qom Hawza |
Biography
editGrand Ayatollah Zanjani studied religion in Zanjan and Qom and was promoted to degree of Marja', thus being a mujtahid. Among his teachers were Allameh Tabatabaei, Morteza Motahhari, Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Araki and Golpaygani.[3]
He is author of more than 10 books and is currently teaching Philosophy and religion in Qom Seminary.
Political career
editBefore the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Zanjani was a pro-democracy activist. In 1972, he was arrested and spent a year in prison. After the revolution, he was involved in the launching of the Islamic Republican Party. Zanjani was also a member of the committee to reassess the Iranian constitution. He was elected three times to Iranian parliament where he represented the city of Zanjan.
Grand Ayatollah Zanjani was among the influential clerics who supported ex-prime minister Mousavi and questioned the legitimacy of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency.[4]
In September 2022, following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the Guidance Patrol, Zanjani said that the Guidance Patrol is “not only an illegal and anti-Islamic body, but also illogical. No part of our country’s laws assigns any mission or responsibility to this vigilante force,” and accused it of committing “repression and immoral acts.”[5]
References
edit- ^ Fassihi, Farnaz (2022-09-20). "Protests Erupt in Iranian Cities After Woman's Death in Custody". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
- ^ Ayatollah Bayat Zanjani on Wilayat e Faqih
- ^ "His biography". Archived from the original on 2009-05-14. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ Clerics May Be Key to Outcome of Unrest nytimes.com
- ^ Senior ayatollahs say Iran's morality police are 'illegal and un-Islamic' - Telegraph
External links
edit- Grand Ayatollah Bayat-Zanjani's official website (in Persian)