Iran Human RightsIran arrests prominent Sufi leader: report

Iran arrests prominent Sufi leader: report

-

AFP: Iran has arrested the leader of one of its largest Sufi sects as well as other members of his order in the northeast of the country, the reformist Etemad daily reported on Tuesday. TEHRAN, May 22, 2007 (AFP) – Iran has arrested the leader of one of its largest Sufi sects as well as other members of his order in the northeast of the country, the reformist Etemad daily reported on Tuesday.

Noor Ali Tabandeh, also known as Majzub Ali Shah, is the leader of the Nematollahi order which is based in the northeastern province of Khorasan but has followers all over Iran.

“On Monday morning, Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh, the head of Gonabadi Dervishes and a group of other dervishes were arrested in Aliabad village near Bidokht, Gonabad,” the report said.

It added that another member of the sect — known as Nematollahis or Gonabadi Dervishes — was arrested in the clerical capital of Qom for refusing to pay a fine for February 2006 riots in the city.

Sufi worship is not illegal in Iran but the practice is frowned upon by many conservative clerics who regard it as an affront to Islam.

Several dozen Sufi mystics were sentenced to lashes and a year in jail for public disorder in connection with the riots in Qom, pitting the Sufis against security forces and hardline supporters of the official brand of Shiite Islam.

The Islamic mysticism followed by an array of Sufi orders since the early centuries of the faith has always aroused suspicion among orthodox Muslims, whether Shiite or Sunni.

In Shiite Islam, some Sufi orders have been further tarnished by the accusation of heresy because of their association with the unorthodox Alevi faith practised in parts of Syria and Turkey.

Latest news

Canadian Parliament Approves Proposal to Proscribe Iran’s IRGC

On Wednesday, May 8, members of the Canadian House of Commons unanimously voted to add the IRGC to the...

Iran’s Medical Society is in Crisis

Iraj Fazel, the head of the Surgeons Society and former Minister of Health of the Iranian regime, has warned...

Iran’s Regime Evading Oil Sanctions Through Malaysia

Brian Nelson, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, sees Iran's increased capacity to transport...

Iran’s Cooperation Level Unacceptable, IAEA Director Says

The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) described the regime's cooperation with the agency as unacceptable upon...

Iran’s Gold Merchants on Strike in Several Cities

Reports and images circulated on social media indicate the expansion of protests and strikes by gold sellers in several...

Intense Rainfall and Floods Damage Dozens of Cities Across Iran

Heavy rainfall has again led to flooding in dozens of cities across Iran, damaging residential homes and agricultural lands....

Must read

Tax delay fails to quell Iranian protest

New York Times: A strike in Iran’s traditional bazaars expanded...

Iran curbs spark trade shift

Wall Street Journal: Iran is accelerating its efforts to...

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you

Exit mobile version