Nov.17.2008

Relation between cleric system and partisanship (Part One)

Relation between cleric system and parties which have been controlled by clergymen was a challenging and important problem from long time ago. After revolution when cleric undertook executive posts and accepted the responsibility of governing, the challenge has been increased. Cleric system has ever had a hard and special protocol which is unknown for others. Before revolution there was a unique emphasis on cleric system when traditional cleric tried to keep theological schools independent also  keep religion and clerics far from harm of government and modernity which were threatened both religion and cleric system. A few clerics, who were fond of having activity in parties or using the existed modern order, had been criticized obviously and had to tolerate various accusations.  Brothers Party in Shiraz which was established by Ayatollah seyed Nooredin Shirazi or the activities which ayatollah Shariatmadari had done in the framework of Islamic promotion and Islamic Magazines both were criticized by Islamic schools and it was some instances of encountering between independency of cleric and keeping internal protocols of Islamic schools in the route of modernism , which whom separated from clerics turn toward them. Fans of the revolution and the open minded was opposed it and they believed such behaviors caused to break the unity and resistance of schools in front of the government. After revolution despite of huge differences in the nature of process when ruling clerics showed their political role more than religious, like any other country in the world that politicians govern , clerics should accept faction framework in familiar parties’ competition to be able to acquire power or lose it. But there is still the previous idea in religious schools. It is even obvious from Imam Khomeini’s behavior, who was a powerful clergyman in Islamic schools. He believed that clerics should be totalitarian and making parties caused to reduction clerics effects. Although there was some exceptional cases like confirmation the meeting of cleric’s activists.