Hussein al-Shirazi

Ayatollah Sayyid
Hussein al-Shirazi
سید حسین الحسیني الشیرازي
Personal life
Born1970 (age 53–54)
Karbala, Iraq
ParentSadiq al-Shirazi (father)
Alma materQom Hawza
RelativesMirza Shirazi (great-great grandfather)
Mirza Mahdi al-Shirazi (grandfather)
Mohammad al-Shirazi (uncle)
Hassan al-Shirazi (uncle)
Mujtaba al-Shirazi (uncle)
Mohammed Ridha al-Shirazi (cousin)
Murtadha al-Shirazi (cousin)
Religious life
ReligionIslam
DenominationTwelver Shia

Ayatollah Sayyid Hussein al-Husayni al-Shirazi (Arabic: حسين الحسيني الشيرازي; Persian: حسين حسينى شيرازى; ) is an Iraqi Twelver Shia cleric. He is a son of Grand Ayatollah Sadiq al-Shirazi.[1][2] He is currently the head of his father's office and is residing in Qom, Iran.

Early life and education

Hussein al-Shirazi was born in Karbala, to Sadiq al-Shirazi, a Shia marja', and Siddiqa Thabit, the daughter of Muhammad Thabit, a cleric and orator. A year after his birth, his family were exiled from Iraq, and settled in Kuwait. Ten years later, they migrated to Iran, and settled in Qom.

Al-Shirazi began his religious education at an early stage, and studied under his uncle, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad al-Shirazi, and his father. He also studied under Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad-Sadiq al-Rohani.[1]

Clashes with Iran

Arrest and subsequent protests

Hussein al-Shirazi was forcefully arrested by police in Qom on March 6, 2018.[3] The reasons for his arrest was because he was critical of Velayat Faqih and Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei in a lecture he gave in Qom. In his lecture, he compared Khamenei to the Pharaoh of Egypt.[4]

His arrest sparked outrage from the followers of his father, and as a result of this it led to protests in London, Kuwait and Iraq.[5] In London, protestors–linked to the controversial cleric, Yasser al-Habib–managed to climb onto the balcony of the Iranian Embassy, waving their flags and chanting anti-Khamenei and Islamic Republic slogans.[6][7] The protestors who climbed the balcony and replaced the flag of Iran with the blue flag of al-Habib's organisation (Servants of Imam Mahdi), were arrested. Nobody was hurt during the protests in the embassy.[8][9]

Protests aftermath

Iranian Ambassador to United Kingdom, Hamid Baeidinejad tweeted that the assailants belonged to the "Shirazi Cult", and that the staff in the embassy were well and not harmed.[8]

The current Prosecutor-General of Iran, Mohammad Jafar Montazeri warned that the country's Judicial system will take "any legal action against the supports of al-Shirazi's father, and during an Iranian State TV (IRIB) interview claimed that the Shirazi sect is causing fitna amongst Muslim Sects."[10]

Release

After 13 days of being arrested, Hussein al-Shirazi was released from prison, on bail.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b "Biography » Office of the Grand Shia Jurist Ayatollah Sayid Sadiq Al-Shirazi". Office of the Grand Shia Jurist Ayatollah Sayid Sadiq Al-Shirazi. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  2. ^ "Son Of Senior Iranian Cleric Arrested After Criticizing Islamic Establishment". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  3. ^ "Human Rights Center's message to UN on arresting Sayyid Hussein al-Shirazi". ademrights.org (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  4. ^ "Iran arrests son of Shirazi cleric after calling Khamenei a pharaoh". Al Arabiya English. 2018-02-06. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  5. ^ "Anger in Tehran after Abduction of Son of Prominent Shirazi Cleric". Asharq AL-awsat. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  6. ^ "Who are the Shirazis opposing Iran's Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist?". Al Arabiya English. 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  7. ^ "گفت‌وگوی ایران اینترنشنال با هدایت‌کننده حمله به سفارت ایران در لندن". ایران اینترنشنال (in Persian). 2018-03-10. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  8. ^ a b "Four arrested after balcony protest at Iranian embassy in London". Reuters. 2018-03-09. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  9. ^ "What do we Know About the Shia Group that Attacked the Embassy in London?". IranWire | خانه. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  10. ^ "Iran To Take Legal Action Against Ayatollah Shirazi's Supporters, Says Prosecutor". RFE/RL. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  11. ^ "Photos: Iran releases Ayatollah Shirazi, Imam Hussein Media Group thanks supporters". Shia World's News. 2018-03-18. Retrieved 2021-01-21.