Ayatollah Rafsanjani, known as a great commentator of the Holy Qur’an, influential politician, former head of the Expediency Council of Iran, representative of the people of Tehran for the Assembly of Experts (مجلس خبرگان رهبری) and the founder and chairmen of the Board of Trusteed for the Islamic University of Azad passed away at the age of 82.
At the tender age of 14 he left to Qum to pursue Islamic Studies, leading to attaining the status of Ijtihad. He studied under the care of Sayyed Hussain Tabatabaei Borujerdi (r), Imam Khomeini (r), Sayyed Mohammad Mohaghegh Damad (r), Sayyed Mohammad Reza Golpayagani (r), Sayyed Mohammad Kadhim Shariatmadari (r), Ayatollah Sheikh Abdolkarim Haerzi Yazdi (r), Sayyed Shahab al-Din Mar’ashi Najafi (r), Allamah Tabatabaei (r) and Ayatollah Hussein-Ali Montadheri (r).
His studies with Imam Khomeini (r) greatly influenced him to pursue politics and become actively involved in the revolution against the oppressive dictatorship of Mohammad Redha Shah. The role he played, in leading the cultural and political uprising, as the representative of Imam Khomeini (r) after the Sayyed’s exile was on full display.
Though, virtue of his phenomenal Islamic studies achievements, he was initially known as a scholarly character, he also became a critical political figure due to his involvements prior and subsequent to the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Prior to starting his involvements in 1961, Rafsanjani was very close with Imam Khomeini (r). He was was imprisoned a total of 7 times by the Shah, which was a clear testimony to the influential role he played in the revolution.
Rafsanjani was considered Imam Khomeini’s (r) “right hand man” due to his loyalty to the principles and mission of the Islamic revolution. His achievements subsequent to the Islamic Revolution are too many to name in this short piece.
Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei [ha] released a statement which in part read, “After the loss of Hashemi, I know of no other personality, with whom I had such a common experience over such a long period through thin and thick of this history-making period. Now, this age-old struggler is present before God with a track record full of various kinds of efforts and endeavors and this is the fate of all of us, officials of the Islamic Republic.”
May Allah [swt] reward him for his efforts and forgive him for his shortcomings. Condolences to all his dear loved ones.
Many figures in the Islamic Republic of Iran released statements after his death.
Imam Sayyid Ali Khamanei
Ayatollah Jawadi Amoli
Dr. Hassan Rouhani
Various Personalities
