Look at the expression on his face...
Posted on 12/15/2005 7:01:25 AM PST by Valin
BAGHDAD — There is an Arabic phrase that aptly describes Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani's role in this week's elections: "Absent yet present." Sistani, who wields vast influence among Iraq's majority Shiites, has not publicly endorsed any candidates.
But there's little doubt of his choices — and why.
The Iranian-born cleric has issued a binding fatwa, or edict, instructing followers to vote in Thursday's parliamentary elections. He did not endorse any particular candidates, but his cryptic warning against "splitting the vote and risking its waste" suggested his support for major Shiite religious parties grouped in the United Iraqi Alliance. The Sunday fatwa urged Shiites to vote for those "who can be trusted with their principles and safeguard their high interests." By avoiding an explicit endorsement of the Shiite coalition, Sistani can give the appearance of staying above the political fray, sticking to his role as the spiritual mentor of Iraq's Shiites.
But the wording appears to be a subtle message to followers to vote for the alliance, made up of mostly loyal Shiite parties. "Typically, Sistani is being very, very clever," said Vali Nasr, an expert on Shiites who lectures on national security affairs at the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, California.
"Once he tells them to go out and vote, they know who to vote for and it's not the Kurds, the Sunnis or the secularists." A frail man in his mid-70s, Sistani has been a major influence on Iraq's political scene since the 2003 overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime. That leverage has been at the heart of an ongoing and somewhat divisive debate on the role of the clergy in a post-Saddam Iraq where religious groups, both Sunni and Shiite, are shaping the nation's political future.
Sistani'a associates maintain that he sees himself as a father figure working for the interests of all Iraqis. But many, including secular Shiites, believe he is promoting Shiite interests with the aim of enshrining the community's place as Iraq's dominant political force.
The debate over the clergy's role was fuelled by Sistani's endorsement of the Shiite alliance in general elections held in January, a decision that helped the alliance emerge as the largest single bloc in the now-outgoing parliament.
That decision enraged the alliance's rivals, like former prime minister and secular Shiite Iyad Allawi, who has repeatedly warned that the clergy's involvement in politics could be the prelude to an Islamic state in Iraq.
Even with Sistani not openly supporting the alliance, his picture is on the tens of thousands of election posters belonging to the alliance. Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, an alliance leader, defended the use of Sistani's image in the campaign in a news conference Monday, arguing that the practice did not violate any election regulations.
Associates of Sistani, however, have said he was disappointed with Jaafari's alliance-led government and had no plans to repeat his public support for it in Thursday's vote.
Some evidence even suggested that this may indeed be the case. He has, for example, broken the habit of regularly receiving at his home in the holy city of Najaf the alliance's leaders, like Abdul-Aziz Al Hakim, another cleric, and Ahmed Chalabi, a former Washington insider.
But the minority Sunni Arabs who boycotted the January elections are expected to vote in large numbers Thursday, a move that would almost certainly eat into the share of the Shiites and the Kurds in the next 275-seat parliament.
Right...it's a "no lose" situation for Sistani.
Just out of curiousity, what's his ethnicity? I know he was born in Iran, but is he Persian or Arab?
He's not encouraging them to vote United Alliance. He IS disappointed in their performance and he's disgusted with them for allowing Sadar to practically take over Basra.
The thing that Is important, is he's a "Sayyed," which is one who claims to be a descendant of imam ali (look at their turbans... the black turban is supposed to signify this). Anyways, this makes him an Arab.
Thanks, I just realized - of course he is Shia not Sunni, so he's a natural born enemy of the Sunni arabs, why can't these people just get along? LOL!
Sorry, clarification.. I went to look it up to check what I just posted and black turbans in shia islam can also signify scholars. Hes still a "sayyed" tho!
I think I can smell an arab now regardless of the colour of his turban..thanks, that's another one for my cult vocabulary; sayyad, claiming descent from imam ali.
Its true for a shiite head, but for a sunni, "sayyed" going to relate to (ie descendant of; ancestor probably raped by) the head pedophile himself.
Look at the expression on his face...
Voters lining up in the Sunni region of Barwana.
but but but...they are all arabs, right? And now, what about the Hashemites, are they Sunni? They must be...because the King of Jordan claims descent from the the profit, (sic) doesn't he?
But but but...mohammad's male offspring (thankfully) all died in infancy, and only a daughter survived. Fatima? She carried on her father's business, (he was a merchant, remember?) He profited from the booty his band of cutthroats took from the camel caravans after they slaughtered the owners or sold them for ransom...that's how he got to be called a profit, wasn't it?
How am I doing so far?
And; send Your greetings, salutations, grace, and blessing onto Hussein son of Ali, Imam and leader of the believers, the heir to the profits, and the proof, reason, and demonstration of God the Creator, Nurturer, and the Lord of the universe.
http://www.duas.org/Sahraz/imammehdihtml/1TO24.htm
SEE?
(Hint 1: You eat with only the right, unless you're visiting shaitan.
Hint 2. They don't use T.P.)
Man, I wouldn't want to smell those fingers on his left hand either.
That pic could be good material for a "caption this pic" thread.
I was looking for a Merry Christmas dua, but cound find it there. Hey, if they dont want my dinars, I'm off to spend a few shekels elsewhere...
Trust you. I never thought of that...
Btw, I like the "only wahabbi bad, islam good" myth better. Wonder were the ayatollah and his version of islamic shiite fits in to that rose tinted world view, because they sure don't follow ibn wahhab...
From the same link:
2. In greetings and salutations to the profit..."
We got it all wrong, there never was a prophet named mohammad all they are boitching about is the rising prices of camels and the pittance (they claim)we are paying for their oil...follow the money!
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