Mulla Ali Kani ( fa, ملا علی کنی, (1888–1805) was an Iranian Shia Muslim
scholar
A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researche ...
and
philosopher
A philosopher is a person who practices or investigates philosophy. The term ''philosopher'' comes from the grc, φιλόσοφος, , translit=philosophos, meaning 'lover of wisdom'. The coining of the term has been attributed to the Greek th ...
involved with the
Iranian Constitutional Revolution
The Persian Constitutional Revolution ( fa, مشروطیت, Mashrūtiyyat, or ''Enghelāb-e Mashrūteh''), also known as the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, took place between 1905 and 1911. The revolution led to the establishment of a par ...
. He was a pupil of
Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi
Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Muhammad-Hasan al-Najafi ( ar, محمد حسن النجفي, Muḥammad Ḥasan al-Najafī; 1788–1850), also known as Sahib al-Jawahir ( ar, صاحب الجواهر), was a prominent Shiite religious authority and author. H ...
. Kani was in charge of religious affairs of Iran, and had a great influence on people and even on
Naser al-Din Shah Qajar
Naser al-Din Shah Qajar ( fa, ناصرالدینشاه قاجار; 16 July 1831 – 1 May 1896) was the fourth Shah of Qajar Iran from 5 September 1848 to 1 May 1896 when he was assassinated. He was the son of Mohammad Shah Qajar and Malek ...
and his court.
After the singing of the
Reuter concession
The Reuter concession was a contract signed in 1872 between Paul Reuter, Baron Julius de Reuter (born Israel Beer Josaphat), a British banker and businessman, and Naser al-Din Shah, Qajar king of Persia. The concession gave him control over Persian ...
in 1873 which in practice made Iran a colony of Britain, Mulla Ali Kani wrote a letter to the King, Nasir al-Din Shah, and opposed this contract. He wrote that what Reuter gains through this contract is even more than what Britain gained in India. He also wrote that when there is a flaw in governmental affairs, it is religious scholars' duty to refer to it, regardless of whether the king favors this approach, or tries to correct it or not. He asked the king in strong terms to cancel the contract and dismiss the prime minister, who was behind the signing of the contract. As a result of these objections, as well as foreign objections to the contract, Nasir al-Din Shah eventually canceled the contract and removed the minister from the office.
Kani died in
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
in 1888 and was buried in the shrine of
Shah-Abdol-Azim shrine
The Shāh Abdol-Azīm Shrine ( fa, شاه عبدالعظیم), also known as Shabdolazim, located in Rey, Iran, contains the tomb of ‘Abdul ‘Adhīm ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Hasanī (aka Shah Abdol Azim). Shah Abdol Azim was a fifth generation des ...
in Rey.
[Samuel G. W. Benjamin, Persia and the Persians, London, 1887.]
See also
*
Iranian Constitutional Revolution
The Persian Constitutional Revolution ( fa, مشروطیت, Mashrūtiyyat, or ''Enghelāb-e Mashrūteh''), also known as the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, took place between 1905 and 1911. The revolution led to the establishment of a par ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kani, Ali
1888 deaths
19th-century Iranian politicians
People from Amol
19th-century Iranian philosophers
Iranian grand ayatollahs
People of the Persian Constitutional Revolution
1805 births