Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi

Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi (Persian: عبدالحمید اسماعیل‌زهی) is an Iranian Sunni cleric who is regarded as a "spiritual leader for Iran’s Sunni population", according to Reuters.[3] Ismaeelzahi enjoys support of the overwhelming majority of Baloch people in Iran, who hail him as their Molavi.[2]

Shaykh al-Islām Molavi

Abdolhamid
Ismaeelzahi on 10 December 2016
Personal
Born
Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi

c. 1946/1947 (age 74–76)[1]
ReligionIslam
NationalityIranian
DenominationSunni
JurisprudenceHanafi[2]
CreedMaturidi
Muslim leader
Websitehttp://abdolhamid.net/

He is the imam of the Makki Mosque in Zahedan[4] and the director of the Jamiah Darul Uloom Zahedan, the main seminary in the city.[5]

Views

Ismaeelzahi is a vocal critic of the status of freedom of religion in Iran and an advocate of nonviolence.[6] He has stated that capital punishment is "not suitable" and should be "used only when there are no other alternatives".[6]

On 2 August 2017, he sent a letter to Ali Khamenei addressing concerns over the “issue of religious discrimination in Iran”, which was publicly replied to.[7]

Travel restrictions

Ismaeelzahi is under alleged travel restrictions imposed by the establishment. In July 2014, he was barred from leaving the country.[1] In 2017, it was reported that the restriction was intensified, barring him from any travel except to Tehran.[8] However, in December 2018, he was allowed to visit Muscat, Oman to meet the Iranian Baluch minority living there.[9]

Accolades

References
  1. Philipp Breu, translated by John Bergeron, "Sunnis in Iran: The Zahedan network", Qantara, retrieved 15 November 2017
  2. Ahmad Reza Taheri (2013), "The Sociopolitical Culture of Iranian Baloch Elites", Middle Eastern Studies, 46 (6): 973–994, doi:10.1080/00210862.2013.810079, S2CID 144860635
  3. Bozorgmehr Sharafedin (6 August 2016), Sami Aboudi and Robin Pomeroy (ed.), "Iranian Sunni cleric says executions may inflame regional tensions", Reuters, retrieved 15 November 2017
  4. Adelkhah, Fariba (2015). The Thousand and One Borders of Iran: Travel and Identity. Iranian Studies. Vol. 27. Routledge. p. 116. ISBN 978-1317418979.
  5. Brigitte Maréchal; Sami Zemni, eds. (2013). The Dynamics of Sunni-Shia Relationships: Doctrine, Transnationalism, Intellectuals and the Media. Iranian Studies. Vol. 27. Hurst Publishers. p. 175. ISBN 9781849042178.
  6. Behdad Bordbar (13 April 2014), "Iranian Sunni cleric says government asked for help to free soldiers", Al-Monitor, retrieved 15 November 2017
  7. "Iranian Sunni leader voices concerns to Khamenei", Al-Monitor, 7 September 2017, retrieved 15 November 2017
  8. "Iran's Sunni Leader Says Discrimination Is A Big 'Problem'", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 12 November 2017, retrieved 15 November 2017
  9. @Khaaasteh (23 December 2018). "Iranian top Sunni cleric Abdulhamid, who was said to be banned from leaving Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. "This week in human rights in Iran (December 18-January 8)", Majzooban, 2013, archived from the original on 16 November 2017, retrieved 15 November 2017
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