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Ayatollah Sistani says that clerics must stay out of politics
Some seven months since the fall of the regime, the elusive Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani remains adamantly against the involvement of Muslim religious leaders in Iraqâs politics and political institutions, but still advocates the elections of a constitutional convention.
| I think he's "elusive" because he's trying to avoid getting bumped off... |
In a rare communication with the press, Sistani outlined his thoughts on the new Iraq to Iraq Today, conveying his concerns and hopes for Muslims in Iraq. Sistani has long argued that the men of religion must advise people in their daily lives and concerns and open their mind to dangers matters of consciences they may face if they were to veer from Islam or religion in general. But, he said, religious men must give Muslims the chance to decide for themselves what is best for them. Men of religion should not order people or using them for their own sake and interests, because if they do they will lose the basic sense of being religious men.
| They become politicians, like Iran has. |
Nonetheless, he remains adamant that the new Iraqi constitution be formed soon with an election of constitutional convention members. "Everything should start with a general election to put the first steps to form the constitution conference in place," Sistani said. "As for the law, because Islam is the religion of most people in Iraq the rules of our Islam must be represented in some of the rules of the constitution."
The steering committee responsible for choose the people who will likely write the constitution visited Sistani on several occasions several times, he said, and they agreed that elections should be organized to form the constitutional conference.
| For that area of the world, Sistani is the voice of sweet reason. I'm not surprised his rivals are trying to ice him... |
It has been a turbulent few months for Sistani, who has found himself in direct clashes with Moqtada Sader, Najafâs fiery and confrontational preacher. Last month, clashes between Saderâs men and supporters of Sistani left 14 dead in a week of skirmishes centered on gaining control of the holy city from Sistani. "We hope that this kind of clash doesnât happen again in the future," Sistani said. "When the clashes began I sent a special envoy to calm down the situation there and tried to solve the problems there. He succeeded in that."
| Gave the boy a good talking to? I have a hard time believing that was all there was to it... |
Sistani offered some reasoning for his abrupt pullout from Karbalaâs town council two weeks ago, a move that sapped away much of the councilâs legitimacy. The council, which was heavily populated by Sistaniâsbackers, was expanded to 40 members to allow other groups to have a voice, including Saderâs. But in a sudden move, Sistani pulled his men out insisting that he did not want to answer for the councilâs mistakes. "Our marja prefers not to interfere in the administrative affairs of the city," he wrote Iraq Today. "We will make sure to supply the needs of poor people and the people who need any kind of help with all the capabilities a marja can have." But Sistani refrained from any comments about the new government that [was] formed by Muqtada Al Sader and about his policy and what he has doing lately in Iraqi street. Despite a decades long feud, Sistani insists he is still in charge.
Wasnât Sistani imprisoned for 15 years by Saddam Hussein? Was he running the feud from jail or was a proxy carrying it on in his absence?
Saderâs men have long dismissed Sistani for being non-Arab, insisting that al-Hawza be an Arabic institution. But Sistani rarely answers their dismissals, delicately managing the aggressiveness in order to avoid even bigger battles. Sistani may be fighting the battle of his life as infighting amongst the Hawza and the Shia in general has tainted the post-Saddam life of many Muslims in Iraq. But, he says, he is still confident his creed will prevail.
Posted by: Dan Darling 2003-12-23 |
