Draft:Ali Amari
| Ali Amari | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Dr. Ali Amari |
| Other Names | {{{other_names}}} |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place | Khuzestan, Iran |
| Brith Date | {{{birth_date}}} |
| Death Place | Germany |
| Death Date | {{{death_date}}} |
| Religion | Islam |
Ali Amari, who was one of the founding members of the Islamic Center Hamburg, traveled to Germany in his youth to pursue medical studies in that country. Upon enrolling in medical university and beginning his education, he developed an interest in Islamic studies. A few years after arriving in Germany, he worked as a surgeon and pediatrician and also established a translation bureau. The Islamic Center Hamburg is today considered one of the important centers for Muslims in Germany.
Biography
His father was from Khuzestan and was a merchant; among his eight children, Dr. Ali Amari was the fourth. His second year of life coincided with the Unveiling decree of Reza Shah. When Dr. Amari's father realized that government agents had removed the chador from his wife's head, he went to Iraq and resided there. After the fall of Reza Shah, Abdulhamid Amari returned to his homeland, and Ali Amari studied three years of high school in Khuzestan.
He was a smart and intelligent teenager who managed to finish his lessons early; at the age of eighteen, he entered Germany and the city of Hamburg. At that time, Germany was considered a war-torn country and did not have its present glory. Upon enrolling in medical university and beginning his education, he developed an interest in Islamic studies.
Large countries such as England and France had three centuries of connection with Islam due to the expansion of their empires, but at the time of Dr. Amari's presence in Germany, this country had no affinity with Islam. The number of mosques across Germany was less than the number of fingers on a hand.
He describes his actions as follows: "After entering Germany, to learn better and more, I rented a large room above a laundry center; in that same room, I held classes for 12 people and taught them Arabic and Persian, and my room itself was a kind of school."
Renown in the Muslim Community
His name became one of the important religious pioneers in the city of Hamburg after one month; in that same year, due to his religious face and piety, Islamic associations asked him to shroud and bury Muslims and recite Funeral prayers for them. Over the following years until the arrival of Turkish workers in 1962, he became a figure for Muslim burial affairs, and based on this, a company was established.
Two months had not passed since his arrival in Hamburg when he observed major problems regarding the Halal status of food. People at that time were not familiar with Islamic slaughter, and merchants would slaughter sheep at home domestically, even though this was illegal. Based on this, by spending a lot of time and through consultations with the German Parliament and municipality, he managed to obtain a Halal slaughter permit from the German Ministry of Health. Every week for two days, he would go to the slaughterhouse with the butcher and slaughter the livestock alone and send it across Germany with the Halal stamp. This responsibility was on Ali Amari's shoulders for ten years. He was not only a doctor and surgeon, but also had a hand in the mortuary and ritual slaughter of animals. The axis of all Dr. Amari's activities was his religious beliefs, and based on this, he also enrolled in the Islamic Studies department at the University of Hamburg.
Establishment of the Islamic Society
Since there were few Muslims in Hamburg who did not know Ali Amari, he thought of forming a religious organization. Before that, there were two societies that were in conflict and challenge with each other, and when he saw that they could not be brought together, he established the Islamic Society of Hamburg. The core of this group was merchants, but financial support was provided by Iranian merchants. Among the group, Ali Amari was the only student and the most important member of the society.
All coordination and correspondence of the Islamic Society was his responsibility, and this society became one of the most important centers for Muslims in Hamburg. Dr. Amari was responsible for translating the letters received by the society, and this matter became an incentive to think about establishing a translation bureau.
Gradually, the scope of friendship among Germans increased, and among them were many who were influenced by his personality and converted to the religion of Islam. The then Germany Ambassador to Bahrain was one of them who, through learning the Arabic language with Dr. Amari, became fascinated by the richness of his personality.
Assistance of Maraji in Constructing the Mosque and Islamic Center
Having maintained good relations with the scholars and informed them of the Association's activities, he traveled to Iran to request assistance from Ayatollah Borujerdi. He met Ayatollah Borujerdi, and upon encouraging him regarding Ali Amari, he promised assistance.
After two weeks, Ayatollah Borujerdi's letter reached him, and subsequently, Hojjat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin Mohagheghi entered Hamburg as the first Imam of Congregation. With the presence of Hojjat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin Mohagheghi, the Islamic Association took on a different character. In addition to Qom, Mohagheghi also represented the resident scholars of Iraq. With his presence, the congregational prayer was performed more prominently than before, and the number of members and guests increased day by day. Dr. Amari, through his influence, often held religious ceremonies in government spaces. However, at times, this was not sustainable, and after going through legal procedures, a plot of land was purchased to build a Mosque by the order of Ayatollah Borujerdi.
Ayatollah Borujerdi emphasized that this land should be purchased in a reputable area, befitting Islam and Iran, and in the best location in Hamburg. A merchant named Haj Qasem Hamadani was assigned to pay the mosque costs, and a land of four thousand square meters was purchased to create a comprehensive mosque.
When the Mosque and Islamic Center of Hamburg were established, Dr. Amari and several others were members of the Board of Trustees of this important center in Hamburg.
Martyr Beheshti
In Farvardin 1344 SH (mid-April 1965 CE), Ayatollah Dr. Beheshti departed for this city with the mission of completing the construction of the Hamburg Mosque and organizing the affairs of Muslims in Germany. The Muslims of Hamburg remembered the sweet memory of the presence of a cleric during the period of Master Mohagheghi and had also experienced the bitterness of being deprived of the presence of the clergy. The welcome ceremony for Dr. Beheshti was carried out with enthusiasm and passion in the presence of a multitude of Muslims.
The most important task was organizing the Mosque building. With the planning of Ayatollah Dr. Beheshti, the "Board of Trustees for the Mosque Construction" was formed with more members. The members of this seven-person board were: Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Beheshti, Dr. Ali Amari, Manouchehr Iqbal, Karim Nematollahzadeh, Mohammad Khosrowshahi, Hassan Veladi, and Dr. Iraj Meshiri.
Larzadeh, one of the famous architects of his time, was among the supervising and technical engineers of this mosque. Since the period of Martyr Beheshti was considered the beginning of the presence of Muslims in Europe, one of the most important activities of Ayatollah Beheshti was starting discussions on rapprochement among Islamic sects. At the initiative of Martyr Beheshti, the name of the Islamic Association was changed to Islamic Center. Henceforth, Amari's residence became a place for meetings of scholars and dignitaries who came to the Hamburg Center. Among the personalities who were always present at the Islamic Center and supported their efforts was Imam Musa Sadr.
Preparing the mosque building was only the first step. Ayatollah Dr. Beheshti was not someone to be content with this action. He thought of higher horizons. One of his thoughts and wishes was that to expand and upgrade the mosque's activities, especially in connection with other nationalities, the "Islamic Center of Hamburg" should be registered alongside the mosque so that religious activities would expand from the level of Iranians to all Muslims of different nationalities and even the German and European society. With the correct strategy designed by Ayatollah Dr. Beheshti, the Islamic Center of Hamburg was registered in February 1966 CE, and its cultural activities began at the level of Germany and other European countries.
Storm Documentary
(The documentary "Storm" made by Mohammadali Farsi addresses a lifetime of activities by Dr. Ali Amari, an Iranian physician residing in Germany; the Hamburg Mosque, which is known today as a base for Muslims, is one of his achievements. Dr. Ali Amari is an Iranian physician residing in Germany who, in addition to practicing medicine, is engaged in other matters, most of which have formed around the axis of his religious beliefs. Animal slaughter, ritual washing of the deceased, translating and language teaching are among his activities. Also, the Hamburg Mosque, which is known today as a base for Muslims, is one of the achievements of a lifetime of his activities.) The measures of Ayatollah Dr. Beheshti caused the Hamburg Mosque and Islamic Center to be noticed by other Islamic schools and upgraded to the level of an international Mosque; so much so that in its Congregational prayer and Friday prayer, various Islamic nationalities and schools attended with sincerity, purity, and unity. Later, this tradition continued, and the Friday prayer of the Hamburg Mosque became a symbol of Islamic unity.
Death
Dr. Amari passed away on 23 Aban 1402 SH (14 November 2023 CE) in Germany. A memorial service was also held by the Islamic Center of Hamburg to keep the memory and reminiscence of that great man alive.
Condolence of the World Assembly of Ahlul Bayt
Dr. "Ali Amari", one of the senior members of the General Assembly of the World Assembly of Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) from Germany, who had also attended several General Assembly sessions in Tehran, passed away.
He continued his university studies up to a PhD in Pediatrics and completed preliminary seminary studies in the city of Hamburg. He was a board member of the Islamic Center and the Imam Ali (peace be upon him) Mosque in Hamburg and also worked as an official translator of German, Persian, and Arabic languages.
Cooperation in establishing the Islamic Libraries Institute in Hamburg, establishing a special cemetery for Muslims, constructing an Islamic slaughterhouse, establishing and managing the Islamic Association in Hamburg, and holding Islamic lectures and conferences are among the other Ahlul Bayt-related activities of Dr. Amari.
The deceased was among the pioneers of the initial core of launching this center from the first days of the establishment of the Imam Ali (peace be upon him) Mosque and Islamic Center in Hamburg, and had an effective role in shaping and pursuing its affairs.
The World Assembly of Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) asks God Almighty for infinite mercy and forgiveness for Dr. "Ali Amari" and requests divine patience and consolation for the survivors.
See also