Controversial Iraqi Cleric Arrested in Iran
The arrest in Iran of prominent Shiite cleric Ahmad Qabanji, known for his progressive interpretation of Islam, has sparked fury among his supporters, writes Ali Abel Sadah.
Iranian intelligence services known as “Etilaat” have arrested Ahmad Qabanji, a controversial Iraqi Shiite cleric and Islamic thinker. Qabanji’s ideas have sparked fury among religious authorities in Najaf since he explicitly opposes religious interference in politics, genuinely supports the establishment of a civil state and fervently disapproves of the theory of the “Guardianship of the Jurist” in Iraq.
Qabanji has always maintained that he is seeking to form what he calls a "civil Islam," which functions in compliance with justice and human rights. He claims that the literal interpretation of religious texts results in Islam being unable to catch up with human intellectual development, and therefore, in this case, the religion cannot continue to exist without holding Muslims back.
Qabanji’s family said that he was arrested on Feb. 18, 2013 in the city of Qom, southwest of Tehran, which is known as the center of Shiite religious scholarship in Iran. The reason behind his arrest, as well as the location at which he is being detained, has not been announced.
Al-Monitor secured a copy of a statement issued by his family in which they confirm details of the arrest released by various Iranian sources.
