Is Sane'i the Next Montazeri?

When Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri died three days ago, perhaps the most nagging question on everyone’s mind was who would replace a man of such stature. When his son was asked about who he’d designated as his successor, Montazeri’s son Ahmed replied calmly that his father told him, “The people will decide.” And the people have decided. Maybe not as openly as one would wish, but they surely have.

And the next spiritual leader of Iran’s reformist movement is none other than Montazeri’s old friend, Grand Ayatollah Yousef Sane’i. Perhaps no other cleric seemed as obvious a choice as him, however, not only are his credentials important, but so are his political, religious and social views. And his rise is being helped by the Iranian government.

Today started with government-owned media quietly inserting the word Imam before Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s name. This is surely not only a mockery of the Shi’ite faith – according to which Khamenei is not even a source of jurisprudence – but also of common sense. It is a direct consequence of candid suggestions by reformists and clerics alike to posthumously elevate Montazeri to the rank of Imam.

Khamenei was quick to order his men to do the same for him before anyone else did it for Montazeri. It was also an attempt to elevate Khamenei above all the other existing Shi’ite clerics – including Iraq’s Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, who is the highest ranking Shi’ite cleric alive – so that no one could replace Montazeri – who was senior in rank to Khamenei.

At the same time, reports from inside Iran suggest the government has ordered Basij and other paramilitary troops to enter Qom and surrounded Sane’i house and office – as well as Montazeri’s. Reports also suggested that Security Forces broke into Sane’i’s office today and hung a picture of Khamenei on the wall.

Rumors abound as to what would be the fate of Sane’i. The man after all has been one of the most vocal critics of the government and Ahmadinejad and has repeatedly called for the halting of hostilities against peaceful protesters by the security forces.  He is now paying for those statements. The government seems to have made up its mind that now that Montazeri’s gone, Sane’i must be silenced. That plan would work perfectly, if the Iranian people didn’t have something to say about it.

As the news of the attack on Sane’i’s house circulated, droves of people from the nearby cities of Isfahan and Najafabad started flocking to Qom. Witnesses reported hundreds of people departing for the city with one purpose only – to protect Sane’i. And within those people, there were cries of hatred and anger for the government and of love and affection for the successor of Montazeri’s legacy. And why not?

Grand Ayatollah Yousen Sane'i with reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi in this undated photo.

Sane’i is the perfect man to replace Montazeri. He represents the same brand of moderate Islam that Montazeri espoused. This includes his stance that women have equal rights with men and can be judges and sources of jurisprudence. He has denounced suicide bombings, considers nuclear weapons as being against the soul of Islam and forbidden and perhaps shockingly, even believes that followers of other religions if they are sincere would go to heaven.

(Watch Sane’i blasting Ahmadinejad four months ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJrhXcIjmsg)

These are the qualities that endeared him to the late Montazeri and this is the reason why today, thousands of people from around Iran announced their willingness to defend him against the government. It seems likely that the government will continue to press Sane’i. People have already begun to flock towards him. The question is, is he ready to pick up Montazeri’s pen and fight tyranny? Considering what he’s been doing the past few months, the answer is a resounding yes.

Grand Ayatollah Yousef Sane’i's official website: http://saanei.org/?view=02,00,00,00,0

Read his views on gender equality from 2007: http://www.roozonline.com/english/news/newsitem/article/2007/june/03//grand-ayatollah-endorses-end-to-gender-discrimination.html