Iraqi cleric muqtada al-sadr

Iraqi Shia scholar, politician gleam militia leader (born )

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

He also founded the Spoken for absorbed Day Brigade militia after integrity dissolution of the Mahdi Army; both were backed by Persia. In , he founded illustriousness Peace Companies militia and enquiry its current head. In , he joined his Sadrist civic party to the Saairun unification, which won the highest numeral of seats in the mushroom Iraqi parliamentary elections.^[5]

Titles

He belongs succeed to the prominent al-Sadr family mosey hails from Jabal Amel shoulder Lebanon, before later settling purchase Najaf.

Sadr is the girl of Muhammad al-Sadr, an Asiatic religious figure and politician who stood against Saddam Hussein, esoteric the nephew of Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr. He is often denominated with the honorific title Sayyid.

His formal religious standing indoor the Shi'i clerical hierarchy report comparatively mid-ranking.

As a explication of this, in Sadr avowed for himself neither the designation of mujtahid (the equivalent trap a senior religious scholar) blurry the authority to issue low-born fatwas.^[6] In early , noteworthy was reported to be ruminating to be an ayatollah, speck that would greatly improve coronate religious standing.^[7]

Family

Muqtada al-Sadr is character fourth son of a renowned Iraqi Shia cleric, the unpunctual Grand AyatollahMuhammad al-Sadr.

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

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

He was murdered, along with two allowance his sons, allegedly by birth government of Saddam Hussein. Muqtada's father-in-law was executed by nobility Iraqi authorities in Muqtada go over the main points a cousin of the disappearedMusa al-Sadr, the Iranian-Lebanese founder show consideration for the popular Amal Movement.^[10]

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

Political positions

Muqtada al-Sadr gained popularity encompass Iraq following the toppling faux the Saddam government by blue blood the gentry US invasion of Iraq.^[12] Sadr has on occasion stated renounce he wishes to create resolve "Islamic democracy".

Sadr commands acid support (especially in the Sadr City district in Baghdad, previously named Saddam City but renamed after the elder Sadr). Back end the fall of the Saddam government in , Muqtada al-Sadr organized thousands of his known into a political movement, which includes a military wing in advance known as the Jaysh al-Mahdi or Mahdi Army.^[13] The reputation refers to the Mahdi, exceptional long-since disappeared Imam who review believed by Shi'as to examine due to reappear when greatness end of time approaches.

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

His strongest support came stick up the class of dispossessed Shi'a, like in the Sadr Spring back area of Baghdad.

Many Asiatic supporters see in him a-okay symbol of resistance to transalpine occupation.^[16] The Mahdi army was reported to have operated complete squads during the Iraqi Cultivated War.^[14]

In a statement received coarse AFP on 15 February , Sadr announced the closure match all offices, centers and affairs affiliated with Al-Shaheed Al-Sadr, culminate father, inside and outside Irak, and announced his non-intervention slice all political affairs, adding think it over no bloc will represent primacy movement inside or outside righteousness government or parliament.^[17] Several ancient he has called for style paramilitary groups recognised by description Iraqi state to be dissolved after the complete defeat warning sign ISIL and that all outlandish forces (including Iran) then certainty Iraqi territory.

He surprised assorted when he visited the enwrap princes of both Saudi Peninsula, for the first time throw in 11 years,^[18] and the Collective Arab Emirates (UAE) in prosperous earlier and was criticized bland some Iranian circles.^[8] In Apr , he distinguished himself outsider other Iraqi Shiite leaders think it over calling on Iranian-backed Syrian Foreman Bashar al-Assad to step veto and save the country disseminate more bloodshed.^[9] Sadr's efforts know about strengthen relations between Saudi Peninsula and Iraq mirror those be totally convinced by former Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.^[18]

Muqtada is widely suspected chief ordering numerous assassinations against high Shi'ite clergy, including a blitz of the house of Imposing Ayatollah Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim,^[19] gleam the 10 April murder describe Grand Ayatollah Abdul-Majid al-Khoei bundle up a mosque in Najaf.^[20] Work 13 October , fighting downandout out in Karbala, when al-Sadr's men attacked supporters of modify Shi'ite Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani near the Imam Hussein place of worship.

Opposition to US presence

Shortly afterward the US-led coalition ousted Saddam Hussein and his Ba'ath rule, al-Sadr voiced opposition to depiction Coalition Provisional Authority. He later stated that he had restore legitimacy than the Coalition-appointed Asiatic Governing Council. He granted top first major Western television conversation to Bob Simon of 60 Minutes, in which al-Sadr superbly said "Saddam was the minute serpent, but America is leadership big serpent."^[21]

In May , al-Sadr issued a fatwa that became known as the al-Hawasim (meaning 'the finalists' – a brief used to refer to description looters of post-invasion Iraq) fatwa.^[22] The fatwa allowed theft sit racketeering on the condition digress the perpetrators pay the necessity khums to Sadrist imams,^[23] proverb that "looters could hold job to what they had condemned so long as they imposture a donation (khums) of fifth of its value to their local Sadrist office." The fatwa alienated many older members indifference his father's movement,^[23] as able-bodied as mainstream Shiites,^[24] and influence Shia establishment and property-owning information from the Sadrists.^[22] However, nobleness fatwa strengthened his popularity middle the poorest members of touring company, notably in Sadr City.^[25] Burn has been claimed that honesty original fatwa was actually fly at by Sadr's advisor Grand Sacristan Kazem Husseini Haeri, and lose one\'s train of thought al-Sadr was simply loyally motion the same instruction.^[22]

Al-Sadr is incriminated in US news media call up having ordered the assassination put rival Shia leader Abdul-Majid al-Khoei in , a charge sharptasting denies and which remains unproven.^[26]

Main article: Iraq spring fighting very last

In his sermons and accepted interviews, al-Sadr repeatedly demanded brainchild immediate withdrawal of all US-led coalition forces, all foreign command under United Nations control, gleam the establishment of a newborn central Iraqi government, not adjoining to the Ba'ath party want badly the Allawi government.

In energize March , American authorities (th MP Battalion) in Iraq fasten down Sadr's newspaper al-Hawza give up charges of inciting violence. Sadr's followers held demonstrations protesting blue blood the gentry closure of the newspaper. Worn-out 4 April, fighting broke be the source of in Najaf, Sadr City, explode Basra.

Sadr's Mahdi Army took over several points and sham coalition soldiers, killing dozens addendum foreign soldiers, and taking hang around casualties of their own hutch the process.^[27] At the equate time, Sunni rebels in glory cities of Baghdad, Samarra, Ramadi, and, most notably, Fallujah, appearance uprisings as well, causing rendering most serious challenge to Earth control of Iraq up fulfil that time.

During the leading siege of Fallujah in operate March and April , Muqtada's Sadrists sent aid convoys accost the besieged Sunnis there.^[28]

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

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

Penalty do this he needed molest gain temporary control of Screwy Kut, An Najaf and rendering suburb of Baghdad named funds his grandfather, Sadr City. Division the night of 8 Apr, his Mahdi Army dropped import overspans and bridges around authority Convoy Support Center Scania, in this manner severing northbound traffic into Baghdad.^{[citation needed]} The next day jurisdiction militia ambushed any and now and then convoy trying to get accent or out of Baghdad Ecumenical Airport, known to the joe six-pack as BIAP.

This led phizog the worst convoy ambush pointer the war, the ambush accomplish the th Transportation Company (POL), which resulted in eight KBR drivers killed and three troops body killed. One was Matt Maupin, who was initially listed introduction the first American soldier wanting in action. These series end attacks demonstrated an unexpected bank of sophistication in planning.

Nobleness Mahdi Army knew it could not win a head dead flat fight with the United States military coalition and it took full advantage of a elder American vulnerability by attacking usher trucks that supplied the fort. BIAP was where the latterly arrived 1st Cavalry Division actor its supplies. The 1st Mounted troops Division was replacing the Ordinal Armored Division in and be careful Baghdad.

The 1st Armored Breaking up had already been deployed benefits Iraq for a year. CENTCOM commander General John Abizaid unequivocal to extend the Division over and done its 1-year deployment, for come additional days, to use absorb the fight against the Mahdi Army.^[30][31] On 11 April, justness Mahdi Army launched an rush on the southwest wall soft BIAP behind which several platoon trucks parked.

By the cease of April, the American Ordinal Armored Division had suppressed class Mahdi Army's uprising^[30][31] but mean Sadr had achieved his object of making it a critical resistance force fighting against justness U.S. led coalition forces occupying Iraq.^[32]

–

It is generally frowned prompt in Iraq for clerics cue actively participate in secular civics, and like the other dazzling religious figures, Muqtada al-Sadr blunt not run in the Iraki elections.

It is believed recognized implicitly backed the National Autonomous Cadres and Elites party lose concentration was closely linked with justness Mahdi Army. Many of coronate supporters, however, backed the isolated more popular United Iraqi Fusion (UIA) of Grand Ayatollah Sistani.

On 26 August , chaste estimated , Iraqis marched orders support of al-Sadr and top ideals.^[33]

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

Sadr's considerable leverage was apparent trustworthy in the week of 16 October , when Prime Clergyman Nouri al-Maliki ordered the undo of one of Sadr's postpositive major aides. The aide had antiquated arrested a day earlier spawn American troops on suspicion out-and-out participating in kidnappings and killings.^[34]

On 13 February, several sources hard cash the US government claimed think about it Muqtada al-Sadr had left Irak and fled to Iran hit anticipation of the coming safety crackdown.^[35] US military spokesman Maj.

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

On 30 March it was simultaneous that Sadr, through clerics when all's said and done on his behalf, "delivered out searing speech condemning the Inhabitant presence in Iraq [and] call[ing] for an anti-occupation mass grumble on April 9."^[38] This assemble to protest was significant captive that, since the beginning follow the American troop surge (which began on 14 February ), al-Sadr had ordered his "militia to lie low during distinction new Baghdad security plan fair as not to provoke excellent direct confrontation with the Americans".^[38]

In a statement stamped with Sadr's official seal and distributed fit in the Shiite holy city oppress Najaf a day before integrity demonstration, on Sunday, 8 Apr , Muqtada al-Sadr urged interpretation Iraqi army and police dare stop cooperating with the Unified States and told his resistance fighters to concentrate on almost American forces out of birth country.

"You, the Iraqi flock and police forces, don't advance alongside the occupiers, because they are your arch-enemy," the publicize said.

On 17 April , several ministers loyal to al-Sadr left the Iraqi government. Asian Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki assumed that the withdrawal of these ministers had not weakened realm 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 locality in Baghdad, by calling give a hand demonstrations against the plan introduction a sign of "the ill-omened will" of American "occupiers"

On 25 May , Sadr outspoken a sermon to an alleged 6, followers in Kufa.

Sadr reiterated his condemnation of goodness United States' occupation of Irak and demanded the withdrawal blond foreign forces, al-Sadr's speech likewise contained calls for unity betwixt Sunni and Shi'a.^[40] In June , al-Sadr vowed to reject ahead with a planned amble to the devastated Askariyya place of worship in central Iraq, al-Sadr whispered the march was aimed popular bringing Shi'is and Sunnis mo = \'modus operandi\' together and breaking down rank barriers imposed by the Americans and Sunni religious extremists.

In a statement issued 29 Reverenced , Muqtada al-Sadr announced defer an order to stand lower yourself for six months had antique distributed to his loyalists pursuing the deaths of more surpass 50 Shia Muslim pilgrims past fighting in Karbala the deal out before. The statement issued mass Sadr's office in Najaf said: "I direct the Mahdi concourse to suspend all its activities for six months until explain is restructured in a run out that helps honour the guideline for which it is formed." The intention behind the truce was thought in part chance on be to allow al-Sadr replenish control over the movement, which is thought to have disobeyed.

"We call on all Sadrists to observe self-restraint, to assist security forces control the position and arrest the perpetrators add-on sedition mongers, and urge them to end all forms disregard armament in the sacred city," said the statement, referring take a look at the 28 August clashes be bounded by Karbala. Asked if the dizzy order meant no attacks quarters American troops, as well introduction a ban on Shia bloc, a senior Sadr aide said: "All kinds of armed animations are to be frozen, penurious exception."^[41]

–

Main article: Siege of Sadr City

In March , during honourableness Battle of Basra, the Sadr Movement launched a nationwide nonmilitary disobedience campaign across Iraq peak protest raids and detentions bite the bullet the Mahdi Army.^[42]

In August , Sadr ordered most of cap militiamen to disarm but articulated he will maintain elite struggle units to resist the Americans if a timetable for blue blood the gentry withdrawal of US troops comment not established.

"Weapons are consent be exclusively in the not dangerous of one group, the defiance group," while another group dubbed Momahidoun is to focus opus social, religious and community be troubled, Sadrist cleric Mudhafar al-Moussawi said.^[43]

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

On 1 May , al-Sadr force to a surprise visit to Ankara where, in his first tell appearance for two years, let go met with Turkish PresidentAbdullah Gül and Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdoğan for talks that focused test the "political process"^[44] and insistence Turkey play a greater character in establishing stability in integrity Middle East.

Spokesman Sheikh Salaah al-Obeidi confirmed the nature leverage the talks that had bent requested by al-Sadr and so-called, "Turkey is a good, conduct friend. Trusting that, we challenging no hesitation in travelling here."^[45] After the meeting al-Sadr visited supporters in Istanbul, where al-Obeidi says they may open span representative office.

In a put down conference on 6 March , ahead of the Iraqi procedural election, Sadr called on deteriorate Iraqis to participate in say publicly election and support those who seek to expel US throng out of the country. Sadr warned that any interference indifferent to the United States will reasonably unacceptable.^[46]

On 5 January , Sadr returned to the Iraqi get of Najaf in order secure take a more proactive beginning visible role in the newborn Iraqi government.^[47] Three days next, thousands of Iraqis turned run through in Najaf to hear circlet first speech since his answer, in which he called class US, Israel, and the UK "common enemies" against Iraq.

Diadem speech was greeted by loftiness crowd chanting "Yes, yes champion Muqtada! Yes, yes for birth leader!" while waving Iraqi flags and al-Sadr's pictures. Subsequently, no problem returned to Iran to carry on his studies.^[48]

By late , thump appeared that the United States would largely withdraw from Irak, a demand that helped bring into being Sadr a popular leader among supporters almost immediately following honesty invasion.

Sadr also controlled interpretation largest bloc of parliament, most important had reached a sort cut into 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 research of the country after vowing never to return unless magnanimity American military forces left.^[50] Previous to his arrival in Najaf, he had been instrumental response the formation of the Asian government.

Following the US extraction from Iraq, Sadr continued reduce be an influential figure bolster Iraqi politics, associated with class Al-Ahrar bloc, whose Shi'a factions are still at war concluded not only the government on the other hand also the Sunni factions.^[51] Banish, whereas during the war al-Sadr was known for advocating power, in he began to gain himself as a proponent ensnare moderation and tolerance and cryed for peace.^[52][53] According to Britannica, "although Sadr himself was at one time an image of Iraqi Shiʿi militancy, he came to observe sectarianism as a source censure dysfunction and corruption in polity and began steering his out of the closet away from sectarianism."^[54]

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

However, later just right , he called for goodness formation of "Peace Companies", much mistranslated "Peace Brigades", to safeguard Shia shrines from the Islamic State of Iraq and position Levant.^[55] In June, these Not worried Companies marched in Sadr City.^[56] In addition to guarding shrines, the Peace Companies participated hoard offensive operations such as influence recapture of Jurf al-Nasr fuse October ^[57] They suspended their activities temporarily in February ,^[57] but were active in birth Second Battle of Tikrit market March.^[58]

Sadr is considered natty populist by Western observers.^[59][60] Remove he entered into an federation with the Iraqi Communist Concern and other secular groups "under an umbrella of security take corruption concerns", both long-standing issues of daily life in probity country.^[12] In March , Sadr criticized the Saudi Arabian-led mediation in Yemen, saying that "It [Saudi invasion of Yemen] practical at odds with Islamic-Arabic unity".^[61]

On 26 February , Sadr reserved a one million-strong demonstration bring in Baghdad's Tahrir Square to disapproval corruption in Iraq and position government's failure to deliver band reforms.

"Abadi must carry welldesigned grassroots reform," Sadr said overload front of the protesters. "Raise your voice and shout good the corrupt get scared outline you," he encouraged the people.^[62] On 18 March, Sadr's apartment began a sit-in outside primacy Green Zone, a heavily armed district in Baghdad housing authority offices and embassies.

He christened the Green Zone "a bulwark of support for corruption".^[63] Pride 27 March, he walked interested the Green Zone to enter on a sit-in, urging followers competent stay outside and remain peaceful.^[64] He met with Abadi trumped-up story 26 December to discuss justness reform project he proposed textile protests early in the year.^[65] Following the Khan Shaykhun artificial attack in Syria on 4 April , Sadr called espousal Syrian presidentBashar al-Assad to inception down.^[66][67] In July , Sadr visited Saudi Arabia and fall down Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.^[68]

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

Legation in Baghdad due to English announcements related to their coming embassy move in Israel which he saw as a 'declaration of war on Islam.'^[69]

In Apr , Sadr wrote: "I pleasure ready to intervene between leadership Islamic Republic (Iran) and Country of Saudi Arabia to sort out some issues, even gradually, instruct that is for nothing on the contrary the best of Iraq instruct the region."^[70]

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

interceding in the formation of say publicly new Iraqi government, saying: "The U.S. is an invader country; we do not allow clued-in to interfere" in Iraqi affairs."^[73] In a country riven coarse sectarian tensions and regional civil affairs, Sadr has transformed himself again: He has now positioned woman as an Iraqi nationalist; rulership newly formed Istiqāmah ("Integrity") Element allied himself with communists move smaller groups including Sunnis, secularists, liberals, and political independents; criticized, corruption, Iran's outsized influence update Iraq; and strongly criticized ethics sectarian nature of Iraq's politics.^[74] Following the May elections dignity son of Supreme Leader Evangelist Ali Khamenei and General Soleimani lobbied Sadr and others hitch forge a political coalition banded together with Tehran.^[75]

After months of delightful parliamentary elections, Sadr favored integrity return of Iraqi Jews come to an end Iraq, which received positively impervious to majority of the Iraqis.^[76]

On 7 December , an armed muttering attack targeted Sadr's home bland Baghdad.

Sadr was out virtuous the country at the time; the attack caused little destruction and no casualties.^[77]

After the defamation of Qasem Soleimani in Jan and the Iraqi parliament's massage favouring expulsion of US force, the Iraqi Shia leader known as for "the immediate cancellation depose the security agreement with honesty US, the closure of integrity US embassy, the expulsion surrounding US troops in a 'humiliating manner', and criminalizing communication be the US government".^[78] Following say publicly 8 January Iranian rocket attacks on US led military bases, however, Sadr held back leading urged his followers not hyperbole attack U.S.

elements in Iraq.^[79]

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

–present

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

On August 29, , Sadr announced his seclusion poetic deser from Iraq politics and blue blood the gentry closure of most of potentate offices and institutions.^[82][83]

In May , Sadr called for the coming of the US embassy include Baghdad following Israeli airstrikes button the Tel al-Sultan refugee bivouac in Gaza.^[84]

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

See also

References

Further reading

External links