Abdollah Javadi-Amoli: Difference between revisions

Abdollah Javadi Amoli (Persian: عبدالله جوادی آملی‎; born 5 May 1933) is an Iranian Twelver Shi'a Marja. He is a conservative Iranian politician, philosopher and one of the prominent Islamic scholars of the Hawza. Research and thinking center, describes him as a well-known, outstanding thinker in various fields of Islamic sciences and a distinguished figure in exegesis, jurisprudence, philosophy and mysticism. The official website for his scientific foundation, Isra, It is states that his ideas and views have been guidance the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and that "his strategic and enlightening guidance" has been "extremely constructive" during the past three decades. He is known as one of the biggest critics of the banking system in Iran. <ref>"Esra International foundation for Revealed Science". www.portal.esra.ir. Retrieved 2017-05-30. </ref>

He was born in 1933 in Amol, north of Iran to a clerical family. After finishing elementary school he joined Amol seminary in 1946 to seek religious studies. His father, Mirza Abul Hassan Vaez Javadi Amoli, was one of the scholars of Amol city <ref>"معرفی حضرت استاد - دفتر". javadi.esra.ir (in Persian). Retrieved 2017-05-31</ref>

Among different Islamic disciplines, he has been specially dedicated to the exegesis of the Quran. His exegesis courses started in 1976 and has been ongoing to date. <ref>"معرفی حضرت استاد - دفتر". javadi.esra.ir (in Persian). Retrieved 2017-05-31</ref>

8. Intellectual etiquette <ref>"معرفی حضرت استاد - دفتر". javadi.esra.ir (in Persian). Retrieved 2017-05-31</ref>

Javadi Amoli was the leader of Ayatollah Khomeini's mission to Mikhail Gorbachev, the leader of USSR in January 1988. <ref>Study Islam, Khomeini Suggests to Gorbachev </ref> <ref>Ayatollah Khomeini's massage to Gorbachev </ref>

On 27 November 2009, he announced his resignation from an influential position as the Friday Prayer Leader in Qom, saying that one should not hold such a position if one has not proven helpful. <ref>Iranian cleric, Ayatollah Amoli resigns his position </ref> He had previously protested unethical approaches to election campaigns. <ref>Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli criticizes unethical approaches in election campaign, Islamic Republic News Agency Archived June 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine </ref> During his farewell address, Amoli clearly pointed out that his resignation was not due to differences with the government but due to health reasons. He continues to attend Friday congregational prayers in the city of Qom even after resigning as the Friday prayer leader. <ref>The Last Friday Congregational Led by Ayatollah Javadi Amoli Archived December 1, 2009, at the Wayback Machine </ref>

In response to a question about the impact of mainstream music on soul, Javadi Amoli said "sometimes a supplication arouses a young Muslim and sometimes a ghazal or a qasida but the pleasure of a ghazal is never found in songs since songs cause only a false pleasure, but ode is a nectar that results in true permanent pleasure. Such are the ghazals by Hafez and Saadi." He further said that there are plays that "awake animalistic temper in man" but that he also knows ones that "revive man's angelic mood inducing detachment from lust and anger." <ref>"انواع موسیقی و تفاوت غزل با ترانه از نگاه آیت‌الله جوادی آملی". www.khabaronline.ir (in Persian). Retrieved 2017-05-31. </ref>

In answer to another question about permissibly of "spiritual and mystical music," Javadi Amoli argued that man's practical reason can find true softness when it becomes occupied with prayer, supplication and ritual crying, becoming as a result obedient to man's theoretical reason —  which is cultivated in turn by philosophy and theology — thus abstaining deeds disliked by God. Reciting and composing pleasant poems and prose are highly influential in softening the practical reason to this end whereas musical instruments causes only a "false" softness: "there's a difference when one cries for the oppression bore by Imam Husayn compared to when one shed tears only as a result of hearing the beats of mourning plays." This is the hazard posed by the so-called "mystical" music, Javadi argued. <ref>"موسیقی عرفانی از نگاه آیت‌الله جوادی‌آملی". ایسنا (in Persian). 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2017-05-31. </ref>

In a meeting with members of the national conference on legal alliance of the Muslim world, Amoli argued that Muslim unity is not achieved merely through preaching, but requires distinguishing the nature of disagreement to find out whether it is in beliefs or merely a difference in inclinations. He referred to history of Shia when different denominations avoided clashes despite different views and united with each other based on jurisprudence as a shared asset. He further argued that "Qur’an and Logic can be counted as the sole factor for alliance of all Muslims." <ref>News, Hawzah (2017-05-02). "Ayatollah Javadi Amoli: Qur'an, sole way towards unity among Muslims". Retrieved 2017-05-30. </ref> In another meeting with Maulana Hatem Zeky al Din, a senior cleric of Indian Ismailis, held in Asra International Institute, Javadi Amoli stated that the core of unity among Muslim community is the Quran as well as the Ahl ul-Bayt adding, "Both the holy Quran and Ahl ul-Bayt (a.s) brought the message of monotheism to mankind and invited them to worship Allah; If the Muslim community truly adheres to Ahl ul-Bayt and Quranic teachings their actions will lead to Islamic unity and there will be no discord among the Muslim Ummah." <ref>Hawzah (2016-10-30). "Ayatollah Javadi Amoli: Adherence to Ahlul Bayt fosters Muslims' unity". Retrieved 2017-05-30. </ref>

In a meeting on 5 February 2016 with Monsignor Liberio Andreatta, the head of the Vatican Pilgrimage Organization on Wednesday, Grand Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi-Amoli stated that if the followers of the Abrahamic religions properly follow their prophets, there wouldn’t be any conflict between them. He described Takfiri ideology, terrorist groups and proxy wars as creation of "the arrogant powers" hinting at Israel and the United States <ref>"Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli calls on unity in meeting with Vatican official | Shafaqna English". en.shafaqna.com. Retrieved 2017-05-30. </ref>

On another occasion he stated that owing to the fact that Divine-inspired prophets have all confirmed their successors, thus approving other faiths, followers of all monotheist faiths have always had peaceful coexistence in Iran which is "a model for the global community."  He further added that civil society will never be established at gun point. "Relying on waging wars and accumulating warfare, the mankind will never manage to build an exalted civilization, as all civilizations throughout history have been established under the umbrella of divine revelations, knowledge, and briefly speaking, the pen,' said the ayatollah. <ref>"Peaceful coexistence with all faiths in Iran a model for world". www.irna.ir. Retrieved 2017-05-30. </ref>

Regarding the Nuclear weapons in February 2014, he said in a video message that the official message of religion and humanity is that weapons of mass destruction should not be produced. <ref>Ayatollah Javadi Amoli's message to the National Nuclear Conference

In a meeting with Secretary General, Mr. Mohammad Javad Hasheminejad from Habilian Association, an Iranian NGO specializing in terrorism research, Javadi Amoli criticized the West's classification of the Lebanese Shia resistant organization Hezbollah as terrorist while "depicting some Takfiri groups as freedom fighters," arguing that the West's definition of terrorism is based on its own interests and passion, whereas "we believe divine sources must be relied upon and used to bring justice. So we will never have double standards. We never consider terrorists as freedom fighters neither will we take defenders of national sovereignty as terrorists. While they [West] support one side of the conflict today and name them as terrorists tomorrow, if their interests necessitate it.” <ref>"West's definition of terrorism serves its interests". Mehr News Agency. 2016-04-27. Retrieved 2017-05-30.</ref>

In a meeting with a member of Iranian parliament, Javad Amoli criticized the structure of Iran's economy, saying that an economy based on exporting raw materials such as crude oil is not right. "We must process the oil through various means and then export it,” the ayatollah added. <ref>NR, Reporter. "Ayatollah Javadi Amoli: Iran safe, powerful while neighbours suffer from terrorism". Retrieved 2017-05-30. </ref>

In a meeting on May 12, 2016 Javadi Amoli lamented the low rate of per capita book reading in Iran despite being "a country of wisdom and rationality" with its people being "socially aware." <ref>Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. "Ayatollah Javadi Amoli in meeting Minister of Culture: Saudis must know that holy sites are not their monopoly". www.farhang.gov.ir. Retrieved 2017-05-30.</ref>

Javadi Amoli has repeatedly protested the usury of some banking activities under the guise of Islamic banking. His speech with hatred and tears in the classroom about usury had wide repercussions. He in his other criticisms on december 2016 said, Bank of Iran sucks blood people. <ref>Ayatollah Javadi Amoli criticizes banking system</ref>

All works in Persian except noted otherwise. <ref>"آثار - پژوهشگاه معارج". maarej.esra.ir (in Persian). Retrieved 2017-05-30. </ref>

• Tasnim Exegesis (40 vols published as of Oct. 2016) <ref>"جلد چهلم تفسیر تسنیم آیت الله العظمی جوادی آملی منتشر شد" (in Persian). Retrieved 2017-05-30. </ref>

• The Sealed Drink (translit Rahiq Makhtum; Exposition of the Transcendent Theosophy of Mulla Sadra, 17 vols. published as of Jan. 2017) <ref>"جلد هفدهم "رحیق مختوم" منتشر شد" (in Persian). Retrieved 2017-05-30. </ref>