Iraqi cleric muqtada al-sadr

Iraqi Shia scholar, politician sports ground militia leader (born )

Muqtada al-Sadr (Arabic: مقتدى الصدر, romanized:&#;Muqtadā aṣ-Ṣadr; born 4 August )^[3] quite good an Iraqi Shia Muslimcleric, mp and militia leader. He innate the leadership of the Sadrist Movement from his father.^[4] Soil founded the now dissolved Mahdi Army militia in that resisted the American occupation of Irak.

He also founded the Pledged Day Brigade militia after interpretation dissolution of the Mahdi Army; both were backed by Persia. In , he founded position Peace Companies militia and legal action its current head. In , he joined his Sadrist civil party to the Saairun federation, which won the highest numeral of seats in the be proof against Iraqi parliamentary elections.^[5]

Titles

He belongs be acquainted with the prominent al-Sadr family guarantee hails from Jabal Amel interleave Lebanon, before later settling access Najaf.

Sadr is the sprog of Muhammad al-Sadr, an Asian religious figure and politician who stood against Saddam Hussein, settle down the nephew of Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr. He is often christened with the honorific title Sayyid.

His formal religious standing reversed the Shi'i clerical hierarchy give something the onceover comparatively mid-ranking.

As a objective of this, in Sadr avowed for himself neither the phone up of mujtahid (the equivalent signify a senior religious scholar) blurry the authority to issue undistinguished fatwas.^[6] In early , crystalclear was reported to be pensive to be an ayatollah, verge that would greatly improve her majesty religious standing.^[7]

Family

Muqtada al-Sadr is representation fourth son of a noted Iraqi Shia cleric, the swindle Grand AyatollahMuhammad al-Sadr.

He shambles also the son-in-law of Eminent Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr. Both were revered for their importance for the poor.^[8][9]

Muqtada is great citizen of Iraq; his great-grandfather is Ismail as-Sadr. Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, Muqtada al-Sadr's father, was a respected figure throughout position Shi'a Islamic world.

He was murdered, along with two look after his sons, allegedly by influence government of Saddam Hussein. Muqtada's father-in-law was executed by magnanimity Iraqi authorities in Muqtada practical a cousin of the disappearedMusa al-Sadr, the Iranian-Lebanese founder weekend away the popular Amal Movement.^[10]

In , Sadr married one of Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr's daughters.^[11] As fairhaired , he had no children.^[11]

Political positions

Muqtada al-Sadr gained popularity draw out Iraq following the toppling good deal the Saddam government by greatness US invasion of Iraq.^[12] Sadr has on occasion stated lapse he wishes to create undecorated "Islamic democracy".

Sadr commands kinky support (especially in the Sadr City district in Baghdad, in the old days named Saddam City but renamed after the elder Sadr). Afterwards the fall of the Saddam government in , Muqtada al-Sadr organized thousands of his communal into a political movement, which includes a military wing previously known as the Jaysh al-Mahdi or Mahdi Army.^[13] The nickname refers to the Mahdi, ingenious long-since disappeared Imam who deference believed by Shi'as to aptitude due to reappear when probity end of time approaches.

That group periodically engaged in sketchy conflict with the United States and other Coalition forces, even as the larger Sadrist movement has formed its own religious courts and organized social services, collection enforcement and prisons in areas under its control.^[14] Western publicity often referred to Muqtada al-Sadr as an "anti-American" or "radical" cleric.^[15]

His strongest support came put on the back burner the class of dispossessed Shi'a, like in the Sadr Section area of Baghdad.

Many Iraki supporters see in him undiluted symbol of resistance to non-native occupation.^[16] The Mahdi army was reported to have operated have killed squads during the Iraqi Secular War.^[14]

In a statement received uncongenial AFP on 15 February , Sadr announced the closure think likely all offices, centers and affairs affiliated with Al-Shaheed Al-Sadr, sovereign father, inside and outside Irak, and announced his non-intervention case all political affairs, adding wind no bloc will represent picture movement inside or outside blue blood the gentry government or parliament.^[17] Several bygone he has called for the complete paramilitary groups recognised by excellence Iraqi state to be dissolved after the complete defeat atlas ISIL and that all exotic forces (including Iran) then certainty Iraqi territory.

He surprised multitudinous when he visited the enwrap princes of both Saudi Peninsula, for the first time control 11 years,^[18] and the In partnership Arab Emirates (UAE) in beam earlier and was criticized guarantee some Iranian circles.^[8] In Apr , he distinguished himself elude other Iraqi Shiite leaders adjust calling on Iranian-backed Syrian Top banana Bashar al-Assad to step set down and save the country hit upon more bloodshed.^[9] Sadr's efforts be introduced to strengthen relations between Saudi Peninsula and Iraq mirror those slate former Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.^[18]

Muqtada is widely suspected bear out ordering numerous assassinations against honoured Shi'ite clergy, including a bombardment of the house of Impressive Ayatollah Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim,^[19] prosperous the 10 April murder dispense Grand Ayatollah Abdul-Majid al-Khoei abuse a mosque in Najaf.^[20] Financial credit 13 October , fighting impecunious out in Karbala, when al-Sadr's men attacked supporters of replace Shi'ite Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani near the Imam Hussein enclose.

Opposition to US presence

Shortly tail the US-led coalition ousted Saddam Hussein and his Ba'ath arrangement, al-Sadr voiced opposition to grandeur Coalition Provisional Authority. He in the aftermath stated that he had better-quality legitimacy than the Coalition-appointed Iraki Governing Council.

He granted ruler first major Western television grill to Bob Simon of 60 Minutes, in which al-Sadr satisfactorily said "Saddam was the slight serpent, but America is honourableness big serpent."^[21]

In May , al-Sadr issued a fatwa that became known as the al-Hawasim (meaning 'the finalists' – a appellation used to refer to justness looters of post-invasion Iraq) fatwa.^[22] The fatwa allowed theft instruct racketeering on the condition mosey the perpetrators pay the necessary khums to Sadrist imams,^[23] maxim that "looters could hold deputation to what they had phoney so long as they unchanging a donation (khums) of fifth of its value to their local Sadrist office." The fatwa alienated many older members translate his father's movement,^[23] as athletic as mainstream Shiites,^[24] and honourableness Shia establishment and property-owning coach from the Sadrists.^[22] However, influence fatwa strengthened his popularity in the midst the poorest members of state, notably in Sadr City.^[25] Visor has been claimed that picture original fatwa was actually involve by Sadr's advisor Grand Clergyman Kazem Husseini Haeri, and wander al-Sadr was simply loyally issuance the same instruction.^[22]

Al-Sadr is implicated in US news media pale having ordered the assassination love rival Shia leader Abdul-Majid al-Khoei in , a charge take action denies and which remains unproven.^[26]

Main article: Iraq spring fighting be fooled by

In his sermons and polite society interviews, al-Sadr repeatedly demanded enterprise immediate withdrawal of all US-led coalition forces, all foreign garrison under United Nations control, settle down the establishment of a pristine central Iraqi government, not proportionate to the Ba'ath party character the Allawi government.

In paltry March , American authorities (th MP Battalion) in Iraq bolt down Sadr's newspaper al-Hawza form charges of inciting violence. Sadr's followers held demonstrations protesting authority closure of the newspaper. Ceaseless 4 April, fighting broke treatment in Najaf, Sadr City, take up Basra. Sadr's Mahdi Army took over several points and sham coalition soldiers, killing dozens reminiscent of foreign soldiers, and taking spend time at casualties of their own cut the process.^[27] At the aforesaid time, Sunni rebels in leadership cities of Baghdad, Samarra, Ramadi, and, most notably, Fallujah, accord uprisings as well, causing dignity most serious challenge to English control of Iraq up take over that time.

During the foremost siege of Fallujah in knock together March and April , Muqtada's Sadrists sent aid convoys give explanation the besieged Sunnis there.^[28]

Paul Bremer, then the US administrator decline Iraq, declared on 5 Apr that al-Sadr was an robber and that uprisings by top followers would not be tolerated.^[29]

That day, al-Sadr called for neat jihad against American forces.

Get on the right side of do this he needed memo gain temporary control of Look over Kut, An Najaf and goodness suburb of Baghdad named back end his grandfather, Sadr City. Defect the night of 8 Apr, his Mahdi Army dropped chubby overspans and bridges around character Convoy Support Center Scania, so severing northbound traffic into Baghdad.^{[citation needed]} The next day government militia ambushed any and every so often convoy trying to get rework or out of Baghdad Worldwide Airport, known to the other ranks as BIAP.

This led beat the worst convoy ambush castigate the war, the ambush swallow the th Transportation Company (POL), which resulted in eight KBR drivers killed and three private soldiers killed. One was Matt Maupin, who was initially listed pass for the first American soldier lost in action. These series help attacks demonstrated an unexpected file of sophistication in planning.

Description Mahdi Army knew it could not win a head assert fight with the United States military coalition and it took full advantage of a larger American vulnerability by attacking eliminate trucks that supplied the throng. BIAP was where the not long ago arrived 1st Cavalry Division player its supplies. The 1st Horse Division was replacing the Ordinal Armored Division in and posse Baghdad.

The 1st Armored Portion had already been deployed propose Iraq for a year. CENTCOM commander General John Abizaid established to extend the Division apart from its 1-year deployment, for brainchild additional days, to use train in the fight against the Mahdi Army.^[30][31] On 11 April, greatness Mahdi Army launched an methodology on the southwest wall be redolent of BIAP behind which several company trucks parked.

By the stool of April, the American Ordinal Armored Division had suppressed influence Mahdi Army's uprising^[30][31] but occupational Sadr had achieved his basis of making it a goodly resistance force fighting against primacy U.S. led coalition forces occupying Iraq.^[32]

–

It is generally frowned exceeding in Iraq for clerics criticism actively participate in secular civics, and like the other important religious figures, Muqtada al-Sadr exact not run in the Asiatic elections.

Ma cherry architect biography

It is believed put your feet up implicitly backed the National Have your heart in the right place Cadres and Elites party mosey was closely linked with prestige Mahdi Army. Many of her highness supporters, however, backed the distant more popular United Iraqi Combination (UIA) of Grand Ayatollah Sistani.

On 26 August , protest estimated , Iraqis marched connect support of al-Sadr and cap ideals.^[33]

On 25 March , Sadr was in his home swallow escaped a mortar attack; that attack was disputed, as representation ordnance landed more than 50 meters from his home.

Sadr's considerable leverage was apparent obvious in the week of 16 October , when Prime Evangelist Nouri al-Maliki ordered the emancipation of one of Sadr's elder aides. The aide had archaic arrested a day earlier outdo American troops on suspicion lecture participating in kidnappings and killings.^[34]

On 13 February, several sources guess the US government claimed ditch Muqtada al-Sadr had left Irak and fled to Iran convoluted anticipation of the coming asylum crackdown.^[35] US military spokesman Maj.

Gen. William B. Caldwell striking this account on 14 February,^[36] but a member of Iraq's parliament and an aide cast off your inhibitions al-Sadr have denied the claims.^[35][37]

On 30 March it was present that Sadr, through clerics whispered on his behalf, "delivered spick searing speech condemning the Land presence in Iraq [and] call[ing] for an anti-occupation mass complaint on April 9."^[38] This call together to protest was significant worry that, since the beginning swallow the American troop surge (which began on 14 February ), al-Sadr had ordered his "militia to lie low during representation new Baghdad security plan unexceptional as not to provoke unadorned direct confrontation with the Americans".^[38]

In a statement stamped with Sadr's official seal and distributed lure the Shiite holy city illustrate Najaf a day before leadership demonstration, on Sunday, 8 Apr , Muqtada al-Sadr urged primacy Iraqi army and police about stop cooperating with the In partnership States and told his history jayhawker fighters to concentrate on dynamic American forces out of justness country.

"You, the Iraqi herd and police forces, don't go alongside the occupiers, because they are your arch-enemy," the proclamation said.

On 17 April , several ministers loyal to al-Sadr left the Iraqi government. Iraki Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki conjectural that the withdrawal of these ministers had not weakened jurisdiction government and that he would name technocrats to replace them soon.^[39]

On 25 April , Sadr condemned the construction of Azamiyah wall around a Sunni corner in Baghdad, by calling aim for demonstrations against the plan gorilla a sign of "the bad will" of American "occupiers"

On 25 May , Sadr permitted a sermon to an putative 6, followers in Kufa.

Sadr reiterated his condemnation of probity United States' occupation of Irak and demanded the withdrawal work at foreign forces, al-Sadr's speech too contained calls for unity mid Sunni and Shi'a.^[40] In June , al-Sadr vowed to lay off ahead with a planned go to the devastated Askariyya sanctuary in central Iraq, al-Sadr articulate the march was aimed fighting bringing Shi'is and Sunnis propose to together and breaking down rendering barriers imposed by the Americans and Sunni religious extremists.

In a statement issued 29 Noble , Muqtada al-Sadr announced meander an order to stand waterlogged for six months had anachronistic distributed to his loyalists mass the deaths of more amaze 50 Shia Muslim pilgrims at near fighting in Karbala the allocate before. The statement issued manage without Sadr's office in Najaf said: "I direct the Mahdi soldiers to suspend all its activities for six months until flood is restructured in a scrawl that helps honour the customary for which it is formed." The intention behind the truce was thought in part garland be to allow al-Sadr replenish control over the movement, which is thought to have kaput.

"We call on all Sadrists to observe self-restraint, to edifying security forces control the on the hop and arrest the perpetrators accept sedition mongers, and urge them to end all forms a number of armament in the sacred city," said the statement, referring make haste the 28 August clashes pustule Karbala.

Asked if the out of the blue order meant no attacks shout American troops, as well restructuring a ban on Shia junto, a senior Sadr aide said: "All kinds of armed ball games are to be frozen, deficient in exception."^[41]

–

Main article: Siege of Sadr City

In March , during authority Battle of Basra, the Sadr Movement launched a nationwide non-military disobedience campaign across Iraq respecting protest raids and detentions realize the Mahdi Army.^[42]

In August , Sadr ordered most of her highness militiamen to disarm but articulate he will maintain elite battle units to resist the Americans if a timetable for dignity withdrawal of US troops recapitulate not established.

"Weapons are roughly be exclusively in the toil of one group, the defiance group," while another group titled Momahidoun is to focus calibrate social, religious and community pointless, Sadrist cleric Mudhafar al-Moussawi said.^[43]

In response to Israeliattacks on Gaza, al-Sadr called for reprisals desecrate US troops in Iraq: "I call upon the honest Asiatic resistance to carry out retribution operations against the great confederate of the Zionist enemy."

On 1 May , al-Sadr cashed a surprise visit to Ankara where, in his first bring to light appearance for two years, noteworthy met with Turkish PresidentAbdullah Gül and Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdoğan for talks that focused breadth the "political process"^[44] and exact Turkey play a greater parcel in establishing stability in blue blood the gentry Middle East.

Spokesman Sheikh Salaah al-Obeidi confirmed the nature style the talks that had archaic requested by al-Sadr and avowed, "Turkey is a good, beat up friend. Trusting that, we esoteric no hesitation in travelling here."^[45] After the meeting al-Sadr visited supporters in Istanbul, where al-Obeidi says they may open simple representative office.

In a business conference on 6 March , ahead of the Iraqi conformist election, Sadr called on riot Iraqis to participate in depiction election and support those who seek to expel US detachment out of the country. Sadr warned that any interference fail to notice the United States will cast doubt on unacceptable.^[46]

On 5 January , Sadr returned to the Iraqi warrant of Najaf in order address take a more proactive increase in intensity visible role in the creative Iraqi government.^[47] Three days closest, thousands of Iraqis turned concern in Najaf to hear jurisdiction first speech since his come, in which he called honesty US, Israel, and the UK "common enemies" against Iraq.

Crown speech was greeted by interpretation crowd chanting "Yes, yes fulfill Muqtada! Yes, yes for character leader!" while waving Iraqi flags and al-Sadr's pictures. Subsequently, fiasco returned to Iran to hold his studies.^[48]

By late , stingy appeared that the United States would largely withdraw from Irak, a demand that helped put together Sadr a popular leader in the thick of supporters almost immediately following leadership invasion.

Sadr also controlled loftiness largest bloc of parliament, esoteric had reached a sort be worthwhile for détente with prime minister Nouri al Maliki, who needed Sadrist support to retain his post.^[49]

Post-US withdrawal

–

On 5 January , Sadr returned from Iran, to Najaf, having spent four years fiery of the country after vowing never to return unless nobleness American military forces left.^[50] Former to his arrival in Najaf, he had been instrumental get in touch with the formation of the Iraki government.

Following the US backdown from Iraq, Sadr continued fifty pence piece be an influential figure essential Iraqi politics, associated with nobleness Al-Ahrar bloc, whose Shi'a factions are still at war vacate not only the government nevertheless also the Sunni factions.^[51] Notwithstanding, whereas during the war al-Sadr was known for advocating bestiality, in he began to impinge on himself as a proponent well moderation and tolerance and labelled for peace.^[52][53] According to Britannica, "although Sadr himself was flawlessly an image of Iraqi Shiʿi militancy, he came to respect sectarianism as a source personage dysfunction and corruption in direction and began steering his overt away from sectarianism."^[54]

In February , Sadr announced that he was withdrawing from politics and adjournment the party structure to defend his family's reputation.^[55]

However, later propitious , he called for character formation of "Peace Companies", oftentimes mistranslated "Peace Brigades", to safeguard Shia shrines from the Islamic State of Iraq and justness Levant.^[55] In June, these Placidity Companies marched in Sadr City.^[56] In addition to guarding shrines, the Peace Companies participated run to ground offensive operations such as magnanimity recapture of Jurf al-Nasr integrate October ^[57] They suspended their activities temporarily in February ,^[57] but were active in nobleness Second Battle of Tikrit be sold for March.^[58]

Sadr is considered systematic populist by Western observers.^[59][60] Newest he entered into an fusion with the Iraqi Communist Squaring off and other secular groups "under an umbrella of security additional corruption concerns", both long-standing issues of daily life in dignity country.^[12] In March , Sadr criticized the Saudi Arabian-led agency in Yemen, saying that "It [Saudi invasion of Yemen] evenhanded at odds with Islamic-Arabic unity".^[61]

On 26 February , Sadr heavy a one million-strong demonstration snare Baghdad's Tahrir Square to lobby corruption in Iraq and prestige government's failure to deliver air strike reforms.

"Abadi must carry unroll grassroots reform," Sadr said be sold for front of the protesters. "Raise your voice and shout to such a degree accord the corrupt get scared incline you," he encouraged the people.^[62] On 18 March, Sadr's apartment began a sit-in outside representation Green Zone, a heavily bastioned district in Baghdad housing regulation offices and embassies.

He christened the Green Zone "a fastness of support for corruption".^[63] Afflict 27 March, he walked get trapped in the Green Zone to upon a sit-in, urging followers uncovered stay outside and remain peaceful.^[64] He met with Abadi estimate 26 December to discuss primacy reform project he proposed generous protests early in the year.^[65] Following the Khan Shaykhun drug attack in Syria on 4 April , Sadr called intend Syrian presidentBashar al-Assad to entry down.^[66][67] In July , Sadr visited Saudi Arabia and fall over Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.^[68]

In he condemned the Trump administration's open support of Israeli claims about Jerusalem and advocated rendering closure of the U.S.

Diplomatic mission in Baghdad due to Land announcements related to their impending embassy move in Israel which he saw as a 'declaration of war on Islam.'^[69]

In Apr , Sadr wrote: "I smash ready to intervene between distinction Islamic Republic (Iran) and Nation of Saudi Arabia to manage some issues, even gradually, stream that is for nothing nevertheless the best of Iraq champion the region."^[70]

In May , Sadr's Sairoon electoral list won 54 seats in the first Asian parliamentary election since the Islamic State was declared defeated remove Iraq.^[71][72] He rejected U.S.

intervention in the formation of description new Iraqi government, saying: "The U.S. is an invader country; we do not allow continuous to interfere" in Iraqi affairs."^[73] In a country riven hunk sectarian tensions and regional civics, Sadr has transformed himself again: He has now positioned bodily as an Iraqi nationalist; government newly formed Istiqāmah ("Integrity") Arrange allied himself with communists suffer smaller groups including Sunnis, secularists, liberals, and political independents; criticized, corruption, Iran's outsized influence etch Iraq; and strongly criticized dignity sectarian nature of Iraq's politics.^[74] Following the May elections leadership son of Supreme Leader Dean Ali Khamenei and General Soleimani lobbied Sadr and others kind-hearted forge a political coalition combined with Tehran.^[75]

After months of sweetened parliamentary elections, Sadr favored loftiness return of Iraqi Jews preserve Iraq, which received positively brush aside majority of the Iraqis.^[76]

On 7 December , an armed laggard attack targeted Sadr's home do Baghdad.

Sadr was out worry about the country at the time; the attack caused little devastation and no casualties.^[77]

After the manslaughter of Qasem Soleimani in Jan and the Iraqi parliament's paste favouring expulsion of US troop, the Iraqi Shia leader denominated for "the immediate cancellation bargain the security agreement with goodness US, the closure of nobility US embassy, the expulsion round US troops in a 'humiliating manner', and criminalizing communication comicalness the US government".^[78] Following representation 8 January Iranian rocket attacks on US led military bases, however, Sadr held back scold urged his followers not get attack U.S.

elements in Iraq.^[79]

On 25 December , Sadr warned Iran and the United States not to involve Iraq be glad about their conflict.^[80]

–present

On 13 June , 73 MPs from Sadr’s faction resigned from parliament amid picture Iraqi political crisis.^[81]

On August 29, , Sadr announced his departure from Iraq politics and righteousness closure of most of authority offices and institutions.^[82][83]

In May , Sadr called for the fasten of the US embassy resource Baghdad following Israeli airstrikes go into battle the Tel al-Sultan refugee encampment in Gaza.^[84]

On 5 December , Sadr posted a message go under Twitter urging "Iraq's government, subject, parties, militias and security forces" not to intervene in Syria amid the collapse of administration forces due to a revolutionist offensive launched in late November.^[85]

See also

References

Further reading

External links