Ayatollah Dastgheyb Backs Rafsanjani Remarks

Mousavi' Facebook is really trying to demonstrate the amount of clerical support the Reform movement has. Here is a post about Ayatollah Seyyed Ali-Mohammad Dastgheyb supporting the remarks made by Rafsanjani at last Friday's prayers and stating that the demands of the opposition must be heard.

Dastgheyb argues violence against the people cannot save the Islamic Revolution; instead the government must work to earn the trust of the people again. He also states with regard to Rafsanjani, "threatening and humiliating him for saying true words is unacceptable." Here is the full translated text:

"To the respected Ayatollah Hashemi-Rafsanjani, the Head of the Assembly of Experts and the Expediency Council and the long-time friend of the departed Imam [Khomeini] (God bless him) and the Islamic Revolution:

Everyone listened to your thoughtful advices in Tehran’s Friday Prayer on July seventeenth, and you reinstated the concerns of many people of this country that are all Muslims and true admirers of the Prophet of Islam (Mohammad, peace be upon him) and warned about the resentment of these majority of people. We witnessed the beating of the defenseless people especially the academics. Filling prisons and harsh interrogations are not hidden from anyone.

You proposed some good suggestions for relative console: releasing all the prisoners [detained after the election], comforting them and their families, and letting them to say their logical words freely; and also for the public media not judging with bias.

I make a humble remark that from the past until today people have been supporters of Foghaha (high-ranked religious figures). The use of cold weapon or even perhaps firearms, and imprisonment for the followers of these Foghaha and for the admirers of Islam and clergy mean turning back from the religion and loneliness, and this not only has no benefits but will even have drawbacks, and this is not the meaning of protecting the government and one could not save Islam and the Revolution this way.

This kind of behavior will distance people from the government and Islam. United States, Russia, China or any other super-power has never been our ally and will never be. The benefit is in friendship and companionship with the people. What I heard in Ayatollah Hashemi-Rafsanjani’s remarks was thoughtful. Threatening and humiliating him for saying true words is unacceptable.

In any case, it is necessary to listen to the logical requests of admirers of Imam [Khomeini] and the Revolution, Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mr. Karoubi, and Mr. Rezaee that many people voted for them, as this way we will certainly become close to a great number of people. Furthermore we warn that the history of Muslims, especially Shias attests that until this day Maraje and scholars have been the reference and refuge for the people, therefore the thoughtful and fair words and speeches of Maraje and scholars should show this, so that there won’t be any suspicion of separation between the people and Maraje and scholars."

Translated by: Sara Azad