|
Ayatollah Sistani is the main religious figure in Iraq and is considered by many analysts to be one of the most influential actors in the Iraqi tragedy.
He began his religious education in Mashhad and then moved to study at the Shiites' holy city of Qom in central Iran. He then traveled to Iraq to study in Najaf under Grand Ayatollah Abul-Qassim Khoei.
Sistani settled down and raised a family in Najaf. He gained a key position in the city's community when he was made marja (religious reference) by Ayatollah Khoei in the 1960s.
Western media called Sistani the most politically influential figure in post-war Iraq although he adopted a low-profile approach in the first months after the invasion. The occupation forces, aware of his power, always hailed him for his moderate views.
Ayatollah Sistani has rarely made political statements and has frequently demanded that his Shiite supporters not get involved in the country's politics.
But in October and November 2003, he became increasingly intolerant of the US policies in Iraq.
He opposed a US plan to transfer power to an unelected interim government in June 2004, saying "We want free elections and not appointments."
Many regard Ayatollah Sistani as the most silent and the most influential player in the Iraqi arena.
|
