Who Al-Sistani, the “Shiite Nelson Mandela” and why his meeting with Francis is so important

BAGHDAD.- Who is the Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani and why is your meeting with him today so important dad Francisco in the holy Shiite city of Najaf, one of the highlights of your trip to Iraq?

Al-Sistani, 90, is a sort of pope of the Shiites, a branch of Islam which differs from the Sunnis (majority in the world) and which venerates Imam Ali, cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, whose tomb is in Najaf, the third place of pilgrimage after Mecca and Medina. He is a leader of great moral authority, immensely popular and extremely influential throughout the Shiite world beyond the borders of Iraq. Some might even say that he is really responsible for Iraq, a country whose governments and armed forces seem too weak and unable to defend national sovereignty.

During his meeting with Francis, he told him today that Christians in Iraq must “live in peace and security” and benefit from “all constitutional rights”.

Slender and silent, Al-Sistani is a key figure in Iraqi politics and living symbol of moderate Shia Islam and very different from that of the political theocracy imposed by the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran.

He does not appear in public, receives very few visitors, and delivers Friday prayer sermons through one of his representatives. Born August 4, 1930 in Mashad, Iran, he is a man of peace, to such an extent that some consider him as Nelson Mandela if not of the Arab world, at least of the Shiite world.

“He is an extremely respected personality. And from the moment Saddam Hussein was overthrown, he has been the greatest defender of Iraqi democracy, democratic elections, peace and the rejection of revenge, ”he told THE NATION Chris Clohessey, a South African priest who is a Shia expert at the Pontifical Institute for Arab Islamic Studies.

“I see him almost as a Nelson Mandela from the Arab world, or at least from the Shiite world, because he has the same idea that revenge doesn’t help us, so retaliation is unnecessary, but rather we have to look for others. means. Al-Sistani is a kind of Mandela because he called on the Shiites not to retaliate when Saddam Hussein’s Baath party regime cracked down on them because it was not worth it. At the start of the post-Saddam era, he encouraged people to go and vote. He even particularly encouraged women and even made a fatwa [sentencia] special to say to women: they must go and vote, it is their duty, ”he recalled.

Crucial role against Islamic State

Al-Sistani also had a crucial role in the defeat of the Islamic State terrorist group –Sunnita-, who from 2014 to 2017 occupied two-thirds of Iraq, causing internally displaced people, barbarism, death and destruction, calling on the Iraqis to unite against him.

“In the fight against ISIS, Al-Sistani’s voice was raised very loudly: ‘we must defeat ISIS.’ He also urged the Shiites not to retaliate when there were attacks on Shiite places, telling them that “it is not your Sunni neighbor who is attacking you, these are radical groups, do not retaliate”. In that, I think he was really extraordinary and that is why, I repeat, I consider him a Nelson Mandela ”, he specified.

Clohessey also explained that in the Shiite world there are two “schools”, as if they were Oxford and Cambridge: the Najaf school, run by Al-Sistani, and the Qom school in Iran. .

Called for calm

In recent years, when the Iraqi people have taken to the streets to protest massively against corruption and economic disaster, Al-Sistani called on protesters and the police to remain calm and not to resort to violence. In addition, he called for the resignation of the government and electoral reform, which were successively implemented.

After the murder of General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on January 3, 2020 (decided by former US President Donald Trump), he supported the end of external interference in Iraq.

The two popes

Clohessey underlined the importance of the meeting between what some call the “pope of the Shiites” and the “catholic pope”, who share an austere and discreet way of life.

“Although they come from two very different worlds, Pope Francis and Al-Sistani have a lot in common. Both are men who have come to the fundamental conclusion of the urgent need for peace, not pieces of peace, but real peace, based on justice, ”he said.

In addition, he underlined its importance, taking into account the relationship that the Pope has forged with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, of the University of Al-Azhar, a key figure in the Sunni world (who represents about 80% of Muslims ), with which he signed a Document on the Brotherhood in Abu Dhabi in February 2019, which then inspired the encyclical All the brothers.

“The meeting with Al-Sistani closes the second part of the embrace of the Muslim world, as Pope Francis says,“ I embrace all Muslims, ”not just a group, and I think this will be very well received in the world. world, ”concluded Clohessey.