Draft:Fazlullah Nuri
| Fazlullah Nuri | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Sheikh Fazlullah Nuri |
| Other Names | {{{other_names}}} |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place | Nur
|
| Brith Date | 1259 AH (1843 CE) |
| Death Place | |
| Death Date | 1327 AH (1909 CE) |
| Teachers | Sheikh Razi Al Khidr
|
| Religion | Islam |
Sheikh Fazlullah Nuri (1259–1327 AH) was a Jurist and mujahid Shia scholar in the 14th century AH and a student of Mirza Shirazi. He played an effective role in the victory of the Constitutional Revolution in Iran and believed that the constitution and other legal and criminal laws should comply with Islamic laws.
Sheikh Fazlullah Nuri was one of the combative scholars of the Constitutional Revolution era who reached martyrdom in Mordad 1288 SH (August 1909 CE). He, who sought to make the Constitutional Revolution compliant with Sharia (Mashru'eh), was targeted by biased parties with insults and slander, and was falsely accused of opposing the Constitutional Revolution. Eventually, he was hanged on this charge.
Biography of the Martyred Sheikh
Sheikh Fazlullah Kajuri Mazandarani, known as Nuri, was born in 1259 AH in "Lashk Kajur", a suburb of Mazandaran province. His father, Mulla Abbas Nuri, was among the religious scholars and trusted figures of the people of Nur, Mazandaran[1] and his grandfather, Mirza Taqi Nuri, was one of the greatest scholars of the Mazandaran region.
In his early youth, the Sheikh began studying the preliminaries of the sciences common in his era and migrated to Najaf to complete his studies, benefiting from the presence of great scholars such as Mirza Shirazi, Sheikh Razi Al Khidr, and Mirza Habibullah Rashti[2]. Presence in the classes of these great professors caused him, while being placed among the special students, to reach a high scientific rank and the high level of jurisprudence and ijtihad[3].
The distinguishing feature of him was his confrontation with the Constitutional movement. After the Sheikh found the demand of the intellectuals regarding the "Constitution" arising from Western insight and thought, which was in contradiction with Islamic political foundations, he opposed it. This caused numerous oppositions against him; the end of these oppositions was the spread of a poisoned psychological atmosphere against him and finally his hanging at the age of 70.
Scholarly Status of the Sheikh
The scholarly status of Sheikh Fazlullah was agreed upon by friends and foes. In addition to Islamic studies, he was informed of other sciences and was aware of societal issues and the exigencies of the time. One of those who met the Sheikh writes: No one from friends or foes denied the Sheikh's scientific ranks, but they guessed that his knowledge was limited to only fiqh and usul. The writer understood in several sessions that apart from the aspect of jurisprudence, he had sufficient information about the rest of the sciences[4].
Nazim al-Islam writes: The day the aforementioned (Sheikh Fazlullah) was at Mr. Tabatabai's house, during the discussion in the assembly he said: A mulla from three hundred years ago is not useful for today's work. The Sheikh replied: You have gone too far, rather a mulla from thirty years ago is not useful for today. Today's mulla must be aware of the exigencies of the time, he must also know the relations of states[5].
Edward Browne, the famous researcher and historian, writes: Sheikh Fazlullah was known for perfection in terms of science and adornment and a comprehensive and complete Jurist... a famous mujtahid and a proficient scholar... and in terms of ijtihad was superior to others...[6]. Mehdi Qoli Hedayat said: His scientific status is higher than the two seated Sayyids (Tabatabai and Behbahani). Students and most preachers surround him[7].
Abulhasan Alavi says: Sheikh Fazlullah was known as the first-grade student of Hajji Mirza Hasan Shirazi. He was the reference for religious affairs in the capital[8].
Fereydun Adamiat has written: The thinker of Mashru'eh Constitutionalism was Sheikh Fazlullah Nuri. Among the first-rank scholars whose base in Islamic ijtihad was recognized as superior to Tabatabai and Behbahani[9].
Ahmad Kasravi writes:
Hajji Sheikh Fazlullah Nuri ... was counted among the famous and magnificent mujtahids of Tehran[10].
And finally Yeprem Khan Armenian - who himself eventually became the executor of the Sheikh's execution order - wrote in his private notes:
Sheikh Fazlullah Nuri... was a high-ranking cleric and his word for the mass of people was considered as revelation[11].
Notes
- ↑ Tehrani, Muhammad Muhsin; al-Dhari'ah ila Tasanif al-Shi'ah, Vol. 15, p. 23.
- ↑ A student of Sheikh Murtada Ansari.
- ↑ Tehrani, Muhammad Muhsin; Mirza Shirazi, translated by Ministry of Islamic Guidance, Tehran, 1362 SH, p. 181.
- ↑ Maktubat, A'lamieh ha, ... va Chand Gozarish Piramun-e Naqsh-e Sheikh Fazlullah Nuri, Muhammad Turkman, Vol. 2, p. 326.
- ↑ History of the Awakening of Iranians, Nazim al-Islam Kirmani, p. 256.
- ↑ The Persian Revolution, Edward Browne, translated by Ahmad Pazhuh, p. 355.
- ↑ Memoirs and Dangers, Mehdi Qoli Hedayat, p. 155.
- ↑ Men of the Constitutional Era, Abulhasan Alavi, p. 81.
- ↑ Ideology of the Constitutional Movement, Fereydun Adamiat, p. 429.
- ↑ History of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution, Ahmad Kasravi, p. 31.
- ↑ Yeprem Khan Sardar, Ismail Ra'in, p. 252.
References
Social Activities
Sheikh Fazlullah Nouri's activities against foreign dominance began upon his entry into Iran and took a specific form during the Tobacco Protest in 1309 AH (1891 CE). He actively participated in this anti-British movement and stood alongside Mirza Hasan Ashtiani at the axis of this movement, which ultimately led to the victory of the religious scholars.
From this time, a disagreement arose between him and Seyyed Abdullah Tabatabai (d. 1328 AH (1910 CE)), who was one of the first-rank mujtahids of Tehran; because, contrary to the fatwa of the great Mirza Shirazi, he ruled on the permissibility of using tobacco and opposed Mirza Shirazi's fatwa with the sentence: "I am a Jurist and Mirza Shirazi is another jurist." On the other hand, he did not pay the necessary attention to the policies of Britain and even during the movement asked the people to go to the British embassy and protest there to seek help from Britain.
The Sheikh was consistently a supporter of Sharia-based Constitutionalism and governance based on divine verses and Quranic laws, and opposed the constitutionalism desired by Westernized intellectuals and British colonialism, examples of which include the three-month protest at the shrine of Shah Abdol-Azim and Marvi School and the publication of the newspaper Da'wat-e Islami.
Ahmad Kasravi, one of the enemies of Sheikh Fazlullah Nouri, has recorded the following from Sheikh Fazlullah in the book History of Constitutionalism:
Listen and let those present convey it to those absent, that the council that I want is a council that all Muslims want, and Muslims want a council whose foundation is Islam; a council that does not contradict the Holy Quran and the Muhammadan Sharia[1].
Accusations
One of the important points of the Sheikh's life is his patience in the face of rumors and accusations attributed to him. Colonialism and Westernized intellectuals, after the fatwa prohibiting tobacco by Mirza Shirazi and its impact on society, realized the danger of the clergy's influence among the masses of people to prevent them from reaching their illegitimate benefits, and therefore tried to break this shelter of the masses of Muslim people.
They spread poisonous rumors about Sheikh Fazlullah on a wide scale; to the extent that even Akhoond Khorasani and Mulla Abdullah Mazandarani and Mirza Khalil Tehrani from the sources of emulation of Najaf who had approved the Constitutional Revolution, were influenced. Imam Khomeini (may God have mercy on him) says in this regard: Even the issue of the late Aqa Sheikh Fazlullah was reflected in Najaf in a bad way such that no voice came from there. This is how they constructed it in Iran and in other places[2].
Statements of Great Figures
Imam Khomeini (may God sanctify his soul):
The late Sheikh Fazlullah stood firm that constitutionalism must be Sharia-based. Laws must be in accordance with Islam. At the same time that he stated this matter and the supplement to the constitution was also due to his efforts, the opponents, the foreigners who saw such power in the Clergy, did something in Iran that they created a court for Sheikh Fazlullah the mujahid and Mujtahid of high status, and a deviant pseudo-cleric tried him[3].
A'yan al-Shi'a:
He is among the great Iranian scholars, rather all people, even his opponents, agree that he was the most knowledgeable and pious scholar of his time in Iran[4].
Rayhanat al-Adab:
He is among the great mujtahid scholars and distinguished jurists and Muhaddiths of the Imamiyyah school in the early fourteenth century AH. All his time was spent in promoting religious rules through teaching and authoring, and he was the source of many religious services[5].
Allameh Amini author of Shuhada-yi Rah-e Fazilat:
The personality under discussion is among the leaders of Muslims and standard-bearers of knowledge and religion and the greatest scholar of Tehran; virtue and literature poured from his speech and expression[6].
Jalal Al-e-Ahmad in the book Westoxication:
I consider the corpse of that great man on the gallows like a flag that was raised on the roof of this country's house as a sign of the dominance of Westoxication, after two hundred years of struggle[7].
Ma'arif al-Rijal:
He was a scholar among the icons of Islam, carrying the banner of truth and faith, and the greatest religious leader who struggled against atheists and sinners and restrained them from their deviation. He was (may God have mercy on him) a literate poet who recited Arabic and Persian poetry[8].
Notes
- ↑ Quoted from Mustadrakat A'yan al-Shi'a, Vol. 4, p. 144.
- ↑ Quoted from the book Namadaran-e Rahel, p. 152.
- ↑ Namadaran-e Rahel, p. 151.
- ↑ Mustadrakat A'yan al-Shi'a, Vol. 4, p. 138.
- ↑ Rayhanat al-Adab, Vol. 5-6, p. 262-363.
- ↑ Shuhada-yi Rah-e Fazilat.
- ↑ Westoxication, p. 78.
- ↑ Ma'arif al-Rijal, p. 158, Vol. 2.
After the Martyrdom of Sheikh Nuri
Numerous indications and evidence suggest that after the Sheikh's murder, the Akhund realized the anti-Islamic nature of the radical faction and attempted through various means to eradicate them. Among these was the ruling on the deviation of Taqizadeh's faction and his companions from Islam, and the necessity of his removal and expulsion from the Consultative Assembly. Ultimately, he decided to come to Iran to reform the Constitutional affair, but they martyred him. In this regard, first pay attention to the following reliable historical report:
Mr. Mohammad Wa'iz Zadeh Khorasani is the son of Sheikh Mahdi Wa'iz Khorasani, who was a great preacher in Mashhad during his era. Wa'iz Zadeh, narrating from his father, relates an interesting story about the Akhund's struggle (after the Sheikh's murder) with the radical Constitutional faction, which is worth hearing. He writes, narrating from his father (Sheikh Mahdi Wa'iz):
Many of the ulama supporting Constitutionalism, when they understood the deceptions, opposed Constitutionalism and regretted their support. After the establishment of Constitutionalism and the formation of the Parliament, a secret letter from the late Akhund Khurasani, a major supporter of Constitutionalism, arrived in Mashhad....
The Akhund had written in that letter: Our goal from Constitutionalism was the establishment of justice and the promotion of Islam, not that they impose heavy taxes on the people and... Therefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim to fight against Constitutionalism[1].
From the late Akhund and Mazandarani, in the interval between the Sheikh's martyrdom and the Akhund's suspicious and early death, many proclamations and statements were issued explaining the Islamic nature of the Constitutionalism they envisioned, and severely criticizing the performance of westernized and secular Constitutionalists, the mention and explanation of all of which requires a voluminous book.
See also
Notes
- ↑ Hozeh Magazine, No. 41, November 1990 – January 1991, pp. 27–28 (Ayam: Details of the story are found on page 5 of the same issue).