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'{{short description|Iraqi Scholar}} {{about|an Iraqi [[ayatollah]]|his [[Marja' (Islamic law)|Grand Ayatollah]] brother|Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi}} {{refimprove|date=December 2009}} [[Ayatollah]] [[Sayyid|Sayed]] '''Hadi Almodarresi''' or '''al-Modarresi''' ({{lang-ar|'''هادي المدرسي'''}}; '''Hādī al-Mudarrisī''') (1957– ) is an Iraqi Shi'a scholar and leader. Much of his career was marked by opposition to the government of [[Saddam Hussein]], and he spent many years in exile. Almodarresi returned to Iraq following the 2003 collapse of Saddam's regime, and administers humanitarian projects in Iraq. == Early life == Al-Modarresi was born in 1957 to a family with a long line of top-ranking scholars that dominated the ''hawza'' (Religious seminarie) for many years in [[Karbala]], Iraq. His family includes supreme religious jurists ([[Marja'|marja’a]]) such as Grand Ayatollah [[Mirza Mahdi Al Shirazi]] (grandfather), Grand Ayatollah [[Mohammad Shirazi]] (uncle) and Grand Ayatollah [[Sadiq Shirazi]] (uncle), Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sabzowari (cousin), Grand Ayatollah Sayed Abdul Hadi Al-Shirazi (great uncle), as well as Grand Ayatollah [[Mohammad Taqi Al Modarresi]] (brother). Al-Modarresi started his religious education in the seminary of Karbala at a young age and actively sought his religious studies under the auspices of high ranking scholars. Due to his distinguished abilities Al-Modarresi received the recognition of several Maraje’ (Shi'a jurists) who appointed him as their representative. Being A faith leader in Bahrain, Grand Ayatollah Sabzewari and Grand Ayatollah [[Shahab al-Din Mar'ashi Najafi|Mar’ashi Najafi]] also appointed Al-Modarresi as their representatives. They praised him as a “scholar worthy of taking a leadership position” and urging communities to follow his lead.{{cn|date=March 2018}} == Opposition to Saddam Hussein== Almodarresi's advocacy of political freedom and strong stance against terrorism started from an early age when Saddam Hussein came to power in Iraq. Seventeen members of his wife’s family were executed by Saddam's regime or simply disappeared in the notorious [[Baathist]] penitentiaries. Almodarresi wrote the first book openly attacking the Iraqi regime ever to be published by a religious scholar. Published under a pseudonym in Beirut, the book was titled ''No To Rulers of Iraq'' and sparked a massive political crisis in Baghdad and caused the Baathist regime to issue an ultimatum for the removal of all Lebanese nationals from Iraq within 72 hours.{{citation needed|date=November 2011}} Almodarresi eluded execution by moving from house to house, often living in cellars for months and traveling in disguise. His uncle Ayatollah Sayed Hassan Al Shirazi was gunned down by Iraqi government assassins in Beirut for his role as a key opposition figure to Saddam's regime.{{citation needed|date=November 2011}} ==Bahrain== With the escalation of the Ba’athist repression, al-Modarresi fled Iraq for Lebanon, Kuwait, and finally settled in [[Bahrain]], where he found refuge in 1974,<ref name="EhteshamiQuilliam201622">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NpLJDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA67|title=Security and Bilateral Issues between Iran and its Arab Neighbours|author1=Anoushiravan Ehteshami|author2=Neil Quilliam|author3=Gawdat Bahgat|date=21 December 2016|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-3-319-43289-2|pages=67–}}</ref> and rose to international prominence as an energetic religious leader and opponent of the Ba'ath regime. In 1981, al-Modarresi left Bahrain for Iran. Following his departure, the Interior Ministry issued a statement alleging that he had left due to an expired passport <ref name="RamazaniKechichian198822">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hyXcVOV4G6YC&pg=PA33|title=The Gulf Cooperation Council: Record and Analysis|author1=Rouhollah K. Ramazani|author2=Joseph A. Kechichian|publisher=University of Virginia Press|year=1988|isbn=978-0-8139-1148-9|pages=33–}}</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bahrain-party-closed-idUSBRE86910B20120710 Bahrain closes Islamist party, cites "violent" cleric], Reuters, 10 July 2012</ref> although his criticism of the totalitarian monarchy may have played a role. The regime in Bahrain accused al-Modarresi of being an 'Iranian agent', a boilerplate accusation leveled at most of its critics and designed to discredit pro-democracy proponents. This has been the case even when dealing with human rights activists<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://alwatannews.net/article/737361/Opinion/عملاء-يران-الصراخ-على-قدر-الألم!|title='Agents of Iran; The Scream Matches the Amount of Pain'|last=|first=|date=|work=ALWATAN Daily Newspaper|access-date=}}</ref> like [[Nabeel Rajab]] and [[Abdulhadi al-Khawaja|Abdul Hadi Khawaja]] (both of whom are serving long sentences under various pretexts, primarily attempting to “undermine the government” and other trumped up charges that human rights groups have dismissed as farcical<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.amnesty.nl/actueel/bahrain-farcical-trial-of-nabeel-rajab-a-barefaced-assault-on-freedom-of-expression|title=Bahrain: Farcical trial of Nabeel Rajab a barefaced assault on freedom of expression - Amnesty International|work=Amnesty International|access-date=2018-07-09|language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/case-history-abdulhadi-al-khawaja|title=CASE HISTORY: ABDULHADI AL-KHAWAJA|last=|first=|date=|website=Front Line Defenders|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.npwj.org/MENA/Bahrain-NPWJ-strongly-condemns-sham-trial-and-2-years-prison-sentence-against-Nabeel-Rajab.html|title=Bahrain: NPWJ strongly condemns sham trial and 2 years prison sentence against Nabeel Rajab {{!}} No Peace Without Justice|website=www.npwj.org|language=en|access-date=2018-07-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/07/27/bahrain-activist-trial-over-twitter-comments|title=Bahrain: Activist on Trial Over Twitter Comments|date=2016-07-27|work=Human Rights Watch|access-date=2018-07-09|language=en}}</ref>). Resorting to such allegations as well as the use of sectarian rhetoric has allowed the regime to rally its small base against the majority [[Shia Islam|Shi'a]] population, particularly in times of unrest and popular demand for democratic reforms<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Aslan|first=Reza|date=2013-06-30|title=Bahrain's Fake Sectarian War|url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/bahrain/2013-06-30/bahrains-fake-sectarian-war|journal=Foreign Affairs|language=en}}</ref>.Al-Modarresi has been a vocal critic of the regime in Bahrain and its current [[Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa|monarch]] for its violent crackdown on peaceful protestors, including its detention of physicians and nurses<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/bahrain-regime-jails-doctors-who-dared-to-treat-protesters-2363331.html|title=Bahrain regime jails doctors who dared to treat protesters|work=The Independent|access-date=2018-07-10|language=en-GB}}</ref> who treated protestors during the [[Bahraini uprising of 2011|2011 uprising]]. Despite that, he has repeatedly warned protestors against resorting to violence, saying doing so would embolden the regime to continue its slaughter of innocent protestors<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://ahlulbayt.tv/live/|title=ABTV Live Broadcast|last=|first=|date=05/26/2011|work=ABTV|access-date=}}</ref>. In the case of al-Modarresi, smearing him as a pawn of Iran is particularly dubious, given that his relationship with the Islamic Republic has been rocky from the start and members of his family (including, recently, his cousin [[:fa:سید_حسین_حسینی_شیرازی|Hossein Shirazi]]) have been persecuted and imprisoned<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.alarabiya.net/ar/iran/2018/03/10/من-هم-الشيرازيون-وما-هي-خلافاتهم-مع-ولاية-الفقيه؟.html|title=Who Are the Shirazis?|last=|first=|date=|work=Alarabiya News Channel, Dubai, UAE|access-date=}}</ref> for criticizing Iran's [[Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist|theocratic system]] of government. The allegations against al-Modarresi, therefore, have no basis other than the regime itself, and have not been acknowledged or verified by independent sources. Al-Modarresi's relationship with his mentor and maternal uncle Ayatollah [[Mohammad Ali Shirazi]] led to the arrest of many of his supporters in Iran as well as his own displacement into Syria. On May 16, 1973 Al-Modarresi was ordained as the sole representative of Ayatollah Shirazi in Bahrain. His appointment letter states:<blockquote>"''Sayed Mohammad Hadi al-Modarresi has reached an excellent position of scholarship.. Therefore, believers are advised to benefit from him and follow him.. As he is my representative..''"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://modarresi.org/biography/rep_shirazi_pic.htm|title=Ayatollah Shirazi Letter|last=|first=|date=|website=Al-Modarresi Biography|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref></blockquote>In the years following the revolution, the Iranian government forced many of Shirazi's followers, including his nephew Hadi al-Modarresi into exile, until his return to Iraq in the aftermath of the US-led invasion. In 2005, Hadi's brother [[:ar:مستخدم:ميثم_علي~arwiki/محمد_تقي_المدرسي|Taqi]], who is one of Iraq's leading [[Lists of Maraji|Grand Ayatollahs]] traveled to Bahrain on an official visit<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.almodarresi.com/bahr/bahr8.htm|title=News Articles - Office of Grand Ayatollah al-Modarresi|last=|first=|date=|work=|access-date=}}</ref>. At the invitation of the ruling monarch, he spent two weeks meeting officials as well as the community. This put to rest previous unsubstantiated claims that he was involved in an alleged 1981 "coup". In 2015, the Grand Ayatollah was invited by [[Pope Francis]] to a summit of world religious leaders in the Vatican<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sayed-mahdi-almodarresi/pope-ayatollah_b_6288444.html|title=When the Pope Met the Grand Ayatollah, History Was Made|date=2014-12-09|work=HuffPost UK|access-date=2018-07-09|language=en-GB}}</ref> where he delivered an address in the presence of the Pope as well as other global faith leaders. In the video posted by the Vatican, he condemned terrorism, nuclear proliferation, as well as the horrific practice of modern day slavery<ref>{{Citation|last=Casina Pio IV|title=Mohammad Taqi Al-Modarresi {{!}} 2014 {{!}} Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders against Modern Slavery|date=2015-05-22|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnGjHbVC1pY|access-date=2018-07-10}}</ref>. In 2016 he went to [[Australia]], where he met community leaders as well as the Australian Foreign Minister [[Julie Bishop]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.epa.eu/politics-photos/diplomacy-photos/grand-ayatollah-sayyid-mohammad-taqi-al-modarresi-visits-canberra-photos-52603525|title=Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi visits Canberra|website=epa european pressphoto agency b.v.|access-date=2018-07-09}}</ref>. The two discussed Iraq, the war on terrorism, as well as how muslims can be better integrated into the Australian community<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/andrew-twiggy-forrest-on-the-global-freedom/7191790|title=Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest on his anti-slavery work, the Grand Ayatollah and the price of iron ore|date=2016-02-23|website=Radio National|language=en-AU|access-date=2018-07-10}}</ref>.The Anglican Center in Rome stated that "Grand Ayatollah al-Modarresi is probably the second most senior Shia cleric after [[Ali al-Sistani|al-Sistani]]. His call for peace & human dignity is v[ery] significant"[https://twitter.com/AnglicanCentre/status/539744313778143232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E539744313778143232&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.co.uk%2Fsayed-mahdi-almodarresi%2Fpope-ayatollah_b_6288444.html] == Return to Iraq == Upon returning to Iraq after the fall of Saddam’s regime, he was greeted by over 30,000 people in Baghdad and 50,000 in [[Sadr City]] and a similar crowd in his native city of Karbala.{{cn|date=March 2018}} Almodarresi established a television station upon his return to his hometown. He is also involved in several large-scale humanitarian projects in Iraq and has been involved in the building of mosques, schools, medical clinics, orphanages, and has been a stanch advocate of women's rights and consistently speaks out against the oppression of women in his lectures and books. He also facilitates marriage by providing financial help to people who wish to get married and has organized several large mass marriage ceremonies. Almodarresi also founded and currently heads the [[League of Religious Scholars]] which brings together many high ranking Shi’ite scholars or their representatives in Iraq.{{cn|date=March 2018}} ==References== {{reflist}} == External links == *{{official|http://www.modarresi.org}} * [http://www.modarresi.org/biography/index.html Arabic biography], excerpts from a biography of Ayatollah Almodarresi, by Mansour Al Sheikh, "Allamah Sayed Hadi Almodarresi; His Positions, His Thoughts", Beirut, Lebanon 1991. Reprinted in Baghdad, Iraq 2004.] {{DEFAULTSORT:Modarresi, Hadi}} [[Category:1957 births]] [[Category:Iraqi Shia clerics]] [[Category:Politics of Iraq]] [[Category:Iraqi Shia Muslims]] [[Category:People from Karbala]] [[Category:Iraqi people of Iranian descent]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People of the Bahraini uprising of 2011]]'