Seyyed Jalaleddin Taheri Esfahani ( fa, سید جلالالدین طاهری اصفهانی, sometimes spelled Jalaluddin Taheri or Jalaleddin Taheri, 1 January 1926 – 2 June 2013) was an Iranian scholar, theologian and Islamic philosopher. He was a critic of
Islamic extremism
Islamic extremism, Islamist extremism, or radical Islam, is used in reference to extremist beliefs and behaviors which are associated with the Islamic religion. These are controversial terms with varying definitions, ranging from academic unde ...
and was the representative of the
Supreme Leader of Iran
The Supreme Leader of Iran ( fa, رهبر ایران, rahbar-e irān) is the List of heads of state of Iran, head of state of the Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran. The Supreme Leader directs the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, executiv ...
.
Career
Taheri was a member of
Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts ( fa, مجلس خبرگان رهبری, majles-e khobregân-e rahbari), also translated as the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership or as the Council of Experts, is the deliberative body empowered to appoint the Supreme ...
and representative of Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Khomeini, Imam Khomeini ( , ; ; 17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian political and religious leader who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was the founder of ...
in Isfahan province. In 2002, Taheri resigned after 30 years as prayer leader in Isfahan.
Taheri's resignation letter complained of "generalized corruption of religious power in Iran." On 30 June 2009, Taheri wrote an open letter in which he called
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( fa, محمود احمدینژاد, Mahmūd Ahmadīnežād ), born Mahmoud Sabbaghian ( fa, محمود صباغیان, Mahmoud Sabbāghyān, 28 October 1956), 's presidency illegitimate.
Death
Taheri died on 2 June 2013 at near 5 A.M after 35 days of hospitalization due to
Respiratory arrest
Respiratory arrest is a sickness caused by apnea (cessation of breathing) or respiratory dysfunction severe enough it will not sustain the body (such as agonal breathing). Prolonged apnea refers to a patient who has stopped breathing for a long p ...
in one of the Isfahan's hospital. He suffered respiratory disease for a long time.
"Tens of thousands" attended his funeral in what was reportedly "Iran's biggest anti-government protest for years". Mourners chanted anti-government slogans such as “the political prisoners must freed,” and, “Mousavi and Karroubi must be freed,” calling
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei ( fa, سید علی حسینی خامنهای, ; born 19 April 1939) is a Twelver Shia ''marja and the second and current Supreme Leader of Iran, in office since 1989. He was previously the third president o ...
a dictator.
He was buried in his hometown in Golestan Shohaha camstry beside his son.
See also
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Mohammad Khatami
Sayyid Mohammad Khatami ( fa, سید محمد خاتمی, ; born 14 October 1943) is an Iranian politician who served as the fifth president of Iran from 3 August 1997 to 3 August 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture from 1982 to ...
*
Mohsen Kadivar
Mohsen Kadivar ( fa, محسن کدیور; born June 8, 1959) is a mujtahid, Islamic theologian, philosopher, writer, leading intellectual reformist, and research professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University. A political Iranian dissident, Kadi ...
*
List of Ayatollahs
This is a partial list of Ayatollahs, a title given to high ranked Twelver Usuli Shi'a Muslim clerics. Its ranking is higher than Hujjat al-Islam, and the next higher clerical rank is Grand Ayatollah also known as Marja'. This list contains only t ...
*
References
1926 births
2013 deaths
Iranian Shia clerics
Iranian reformists
Members of the Assembly of Experts
Burials at Takht-e Foulad
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