Reza Zanjani
Encyclopedia
Ayatollah Seyed Reza Zanjani (born 1902 in Zanjan, died 4 January 1984) was a Shia Iranian cleric who opposed first the autocracy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
and then theocracy
that was established by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
and his supporters following the Islamic Revolution
.
Reza Zanjani was an Azeri from Zanjan Province
in Northwest Iran. He was active in politics, supporting Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq, and following Mossaddeq's overthrow in the 1953 coup invited nationalist and religious opposition groups to join the National Resistance Movement.
In the years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution
he is said to have "retained close contacts with the secular National Front
as well as the religious-minded Freedom Movement of Iran
." Along with Ayatollahs Golpayegani, Helani, and Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari, he supported Constitutional monarchy
for Iran, including the 1906 Constitution's original provisions for committee of Shi'a clerics to approve all legislation.
When the Islamic revolution established a constitution with a Shia jurist as supreme leader
, Zanjani opposed it. In early 1981 he said of the Islamic Republic and its leader:
and
Zanjani advocated velayat-e faqih or guardianship of jurists where the jurists guarded not by ruling but by vetting bills of the parliament to be sure they were in accordance with Islam. This was established in article 2 of the Supplement to the 1906/7 Constitution "which, at least in principle, had been in force up to the revolution." It called for committee of five Shi'a clerics to be elected by parliament from a group of 20 mojtaheds. "Consequently", Zanjani considered the supreme ruling jurist and other jurist control in the Islamic Republic "to be superfluous and harmful..."
He was a very close student of Abdul-Karim Ha'eri Yazdi founder of Seminary of Qom and chairman of his Office.
He was strong believer in establishing raprochment with people of book namely Christianity, and Judaism.
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
and then theocracy
Theocracy
Theocracy is a form of organization in which the official policy is to be governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or simply pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religious sect or religion....
that was established by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
and his supporters following the Islamic Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
.
Reza Zanjani was an Azeri from Zanjan Province
Zanjan Province
Zanjan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Located in the North West of Iran, its capital is Zanjan city. Zanjan province with an area of 36,400 km² has a mostly rural, population of 964,601 . The province lies 330 km northwest of Tehran, connected to it via a freeway.Zanjan...
in Northwest Iran. He was active in politics, supporting Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq, and following Mossaddeq's overthrow in the 1953 coup invited nationalist and religious opposition groups to join the National Resistance Movement.
In the years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
he is said to have "retained close contacts with the secular National Front
National Front (Iran)
The National Front of Iran or Jebhe Melli is a Democratic, political opposition group founded by Mohammad Mossadegh and other secular Iranian leaders of Nationalist, Liberal, and Social-Democratic political orientation who had been educated in France in the late 1940s...
as well as the religious-minded Freedom Movement of Iran
Freedom Movement of Iran
The Freedom Movement of Iran is an Iranian political organization which was founded in 1961 by Mehdi Bazargan, Mahmoud Taleghani, Yadollah Sahabi, Mostafa Chamran, Ali Shariati, Sadegh Ghotbzadeh and some other political or religious figures...
." Along with Ayatollahs Golpayegani, Helani, and Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari, he supported Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
for Iran, including the 1906 Constitution's original provisions for committee of Shi'a clerics to approve all legislation.
When the Islamic revolution established a constitution with a Shia jurist as supreme leader
Supreme Leader of Iran
The Supreme Leader of Iran is the highest ranking political and religious authority in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The post was established by the constitution in accordance with the concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists...
, Zanjani opposed it. In early 1981 he said of the Islamic Republic and its leader:
"The monopoly of judicial and theological decision-making established in Iran is contrary to Islam. The title of Guide and Supreme GuideSupreme Leader of IranThe Supreme Leader of Iran is the highest ranking political and religious authority in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The post was established by the constitution in accordance with the concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists...
are not IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic. No comparison can there be between the Catholic Church with its hierarchy and structure, and the leadership of the Shi'ites. Any pretension of this sort is not Islamic."
and
'According to the unanimous opinion of the Imami Koranic interpreters and theologians, velayat-e faqih in an unrestricted form based upon the Koranic verse about the ulu al-amr [o believers! Obey those in authority among you. Q4:59] is exclusively reserved for the rightly guided Imams (peace be upon them!) For it does not stand to reason that God, all-Wise, would bestow the powers of the infallible Imam upon fallible human beings.'
Zanjani advocated velayat-e faqih or guardianship of jurists where the jurists guarded not by ruling but by vetting bills of the parliament to be sure they were in accordance with Islam. This was established in article 2 of the Supplement to the 1906/7 Constitution "which, at least in principle, had been in force up to the revolution." It called for committee of five Shi'a clerics to be elected by parliament from a group of 20 mojtaheds. "Consequently", Zanjani considered the supreme ruling jurist and other jurist control in the Islamic Republic "to be superfluous and harmful..."
He was a very close student of Abdul-Karim Ha'eri Yazdi founder of Seminary of Qom and chairman of his Office.
He was strong believer in establishing raprochment with people of book namely Christianity, and Judaism.