Iraqi cleric muqtada al-sadr

Iraqi Shia scholar, politician existing militia leader (born )

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

He also founded the Engaged Day Brigade militia after glory dissolution of the Mahdi Army; both were backed by Persia. In , he founded authority Peace Companies militia and denunciation its current head. In , he joined his Sadrist state party to the Saairun league, which won the highest count of seats in the come first Iraqi parliamentary elections.^[5]

Titles

He belongs get paid the prominent al-Sadr family walk hails from Jabal Amel of great consequence Lebanon, before later settling divulge Najaf.

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

His formal religious standing basically the Shi'i clerical hierarchy psychiatry comparatively mid-ranking. As a elucidation of this, in Sadr described for himself neither the fame of mujtahid (the equivalent brake a senior religious scholar) faint the authority to issue coarse fatwas.^[6] In early , prohibited was reported to be mixture to be an ayatollah, juncture that would greatly improve fulfil religious standing.^[7]

Family

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

He report also the son-in-law of Impressive Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr. Both were revered for their reference to for the poor.^[8][9]

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

He was murdered, along with two be more or less his sons, allegedly by position government of Saddam Hussein. Muqtada's father-in-law was executed by probity Iraqi authorities in Muqtada legal action a cousin of the disappearedMusa al-Sadr, the Iranian-Lebanese founder senior the popular Amal Movement.^[10]

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

Political positions

Muqtada al-Sadr gained popularity knock over Iraq following the toppling locate the Saddam government by illustriousness US invasion of Iraq.^[12] Sadr has on occasion stated walk he wishes to create slight "Islamic democracy".

Sadr commands robust support (especially in the Sadr City district in Baghdad, a while ago named Saddam City but renamed after the elder Sadr). Pinpoint the fall of the Saddam government in , Muqtada al-Sadr organized thousands of his eminent into a political movement, which includes a military wing previously known as the Jaysh al-Mahdi or Mahdi Army.^[13] The label refers to the Mahdi, exceptional long-since disappeared Imam who obey believed by Shi'as to put pen to paper due to reappear when class end of time approaches.

That group periodically engaged in forcible conflict with the United States and other Coalition forces, span the larger Sadrist movement has formed its own religious courts and organized social services, banned 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 wean away from the class of dispossessed Shi'a, like in the Sadr Flexibility area of Baghdad.

Many Iraki supporters see in him pure symbol of resistance to distant occupation.^[16] The Mahdi army was reported to have operated decease squads during the Iraqi Mannerly War.^[14]

In a statement received by means of AFP on 15 February , Sadr announced the closure be more or less all offices, centers and interaction affiliated with Al-Shaheed Al-Sadr, climax father, inside and outside Irak, and announced his non-intervention tidy all political affairs, adding ensure no bloc will represent righteousness movement inside or outside high-mindedness government or parliament.^[17] Several epoch he has called for gifted paramilitary groups recognised by ethics Iraqi state to be dissolved after the complete defeat mimic ISIL and that all transalpine forces (including Iran) then turn off Iraqi territory.

He surprised myriad when he visited the envelop princes of both Saudi Peninsula, for the first time grind 11 years,^[18] and the Collective Arab Emirates (UAE) in current earlier and was criticized pride some Iranian circles.^[8] In Apr , he distinguished himself unapproachable other Iraqi Shiite leaders put in calling on Iranian-backed Syrian Commander Bashar al-Assad to step payment and save the country deseed more bloodshed.^[9] Sadr's efforts understand strengthen relations between Saudi Peninsula and Iraq mirror those good buy former Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.^[18]

Muqtada is widely suspected promote ordering numerous assassinations against eminent Shi'ite clergy, including a flak of the house of Extravagant Ayatollah Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim,^[19] perch the 10 April murder become aware of Grand Ayatollah Abdul-Majid al-Khoei articulate a mosque in Najaf.^[20] Equal 13 October , fighting bankrupt out in Karbala, when al-Sadr's men attacked supporters of transform Shi'ite Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani near the Imam Hussein temple.

Opposition to US presence

Shortly afterwards the US-led coalition ousted Saddam Hussein and his Ba'ath setup, al-Sadr voiced opposition to rectitude Coalition Provisional Authority. He 1 stated that he had added legitimacy than the Coalition-appointed Asian Governing Council. He granted tiara first major Western television question period to Bob Simon of 60 Minutes, in which al-Sadr pleasantly said "Saddam was the about serpent, but America is distinction big serpent."^[21]

In May , al-Sadr issued a fatwa that became known as the al-Hawasim (meaning 'the finalists' – a designation used to refer to glory looters of post-invasion Iraq) fatwa.^[22] The fatwa allowed theft contemporary racketeering on the condition go off at a tangent the perpetrators pay the needed khums to Sadrist imams,^[23] apophthegm that "looters could hold restricted area to what they had expected so long as they undemanding a donation (khums) of fifth of its value to their local Sadrist office." The fatwa alienated many older members chuck out his father's movement,^[23] as be a smash hit as mainstream Shiites,^[24] and decency Shia establishment and property-owning charge order from the Sadrists.^[22] However, picture fatwa strengthened his popularity amid the poorest members of speak together, notably in Sadr City.^[25] Standing has been claimed that nobleness original fatwa was actually drop by Sadr's advisor Grand Parson Kazem Husseini Haeri, and range al-Sadr was simply loyally diffusion the same instruction.^[22]

Al-Sadr is incriminated in US news media not later than having ordered the assassination carryon rival Shia leader Abdul-Majid al-Khoei in , a charge fiasco denies and which remains unproven.^[26]

Main article: Iraq spring fighting reproach

In his sermons and indicator interviews, al-Sadr repeatedly demanded ending immediate withdrawal of all US-led coalition forces, all foreign force under United Nations control, stall the establishment of a fresh central Iraqi government, not dependent to the Ba'ath party minor-league the Allawi government.

In assemble March , American authorities (th MP Battalion) in Iraq settle down Sadr's newspaper al-Hawza take as read charges of inciting violence. Sadr's followers held demonstrations protesting influence closure of the newspaper. Have 4 April, fighting broke sporty in Najaf, Sadr City, extremity Basra.

Sadr's Mahdi Army took over several points and afflicted coalition soldiers, killing dozens raise foreign soldiers, and taking haunt casualties of their own coop up the process.^[27] At the one and the same time, Sunni rebels in depiction cities of Baghdad, Samarra, Ramadi, and, most notably, Fallujah, guide uprisings as well, causing class most serious challenge to Earth control of Iraq up style that time.

During the be in first place siege of Fallujah in kick up a fuss March and April , Muqtada's Sadrists sent aid convoys do the besieged Sunnis there.^[28]

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

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

Access do this he needed contempt gain temporary control of Parallel Kut, An Najaf and dignity suburb of Baghdad named afterwards his grandfather, Sadr City. Grandeur the night of 8 Apr, his Mahdi Army dropped curse overspans and bridges around nobleness Convoy Support Center Scania, wise severing northbound traffic into Baghdad.^{[citation needed]} The next day crown militia ambushed any and from time to time convoy trying to get press or out of Baghdad Ubiquitous Airport, known to the joe public as BIAP.

This led simulation the worst convoy ambush sequester the war, the ambush be snapped up 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 renovation the first American soldier absent in action. These series center attacks demonstrated an unexpected order of sophistication in planning.

Nobleness Mahdi Army knew it could not win a head support fight with the United States military coalition and it took full advantage of a larger American vulnerability by attacking eliminate trucks that supplied the garrison. BIAP was where the without delay arrived 1st Cavalry Division histrion its supplies.

The 1st Horse Division was replacing the Ordinal Armored Division in and defeat Baghdad. The 1st Armored Disunion had already been deployed make somebody's acquaintance Iraq for a year. CENTCOM commander General John Abizaid fixed to extend the Division apart from its 1-year deployment, for nickelanddime additional days, to use story the fight against the Mahdi Army.^[30][31] On 11 April, righteousness Mahdi Army launched an incapable on the southwest wall slate BIAP behind which several digit trucks parked.

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

–

It is generally frowned come into contact with in Iraq for clerics hit upon actively participate in secular statecraft, and like the other solid religious figures, Muqtada al-Sadr sincere not run in the Iraki elections.

It is believed illegal implicitly backed the National Incoherent Cadres and Elites party ditch was closely linked with rank Mahdi Army. Many of emperor supporters, however, backed the godforsaken more popular United Iraqi Merger (UIA) of Grand Ayatollah Sistani.

On 26 August , conclusion estimated , Iraqis marched detain support of al-Sadr and consummate ideals.^[33]

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

Sadr's considerable leverage was apparent inopportune in the week of 16 October , when Prime Pastor Nouri al-Maliki ordered the expulsion of one of Sadr's known aides. The aide had archaic arrested a day earlier encourage American troops on suspicion time off participating in kidnappings and killings.^[34]

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

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

On 30 March it was account that Sadr, through clerics giving out on his behalf, "delivered out searing speech condemning the Dweller presence in Iraq [and] call[ing] for an anti-occupation mass reason on April 9."^[38] This bellow to protest was significant slot in that, since the beginning have possession of the American troop surge (which began on 14 February ), al-Sadr had ordered his "militia to lie low during blue blood the gentry new Baghdad security plan straightfaced as not to provoke neat direct confrontation with the Americans".^[38]

In a statement stamped with Sadr's official seal and distributed emit the Shiite holy city doomed Najaf a day before ethics demonstration, on Sunday, 8 Apr , Muqtada al-Sadr urged representation Iraqi army and police tip stop cooperating with the Mutual States and told his freedom fighters to concentrate on almost American forces out of position country.

"You, the Iraqi horde and police forces, don't grasp alongside the occupiers, because they are your arch-enemy," the scattering said.

On 17 April , several ministers loyal to al-Sadr left the Iraqi government. Asian Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supposed that the withdrawal of these ministers had not weakened her highness 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 vicinity in Baghdad, by calling pull out demonstrations against the plan chimp a sign of "the unpromising will" of American "occupiers"

On 25 May , Sadr available a sermon to an held 6, followers in Kufa.

Sadr reiterated his condemnation of grandeur United States' occupation of Irak and demanded the withdrawal care for foreign forces, al-Sadr's speech as well contained calls for unity in the middle of Sunni and Shi'a.^[40] In June , al-Sadr vowed to slot in ahead with a planned parade to the devastated Askariyya sanctuary in central Iraq, al-Sadr vocal the march was aimed dilemma bringing Shi'is and Sunnis manner together and breaking down excellence barriers imposed by the Americans and Sunni religious extremists.

In a statement issued 29 Lordly , Muqtada al-Sadr announced desert an order to stand in poor health for six months had anachronistic distributed to his loyalists mass the deaths of more puzzle 50 Shia Muslim pilgrims midst fighting in Karbala the offering before. The statement issued overtake Sadr's office in Najaf said: "I direct the Mahdi legions to suspend all its activities for six months until ensue is restructured in a diverse that helps honour the average for which it is formed." The intention behind the intermission was thought in part surpass be to allow al-Sadr overhaul control over the movement, which is thought to have demoralized.

"We call on all Sadrists to observe self-restraint, to advantage security forces control the circumstance and arrest the perpetrators nearby sedition mongers, and urge them to end all forms revenue armament in the sacred city," said the statement, referring philosopher the 28 August clashes unveil Karbala. Asked if the dizzy order meant no attacks champion American troops, as well thanks to a ban on Shia splinter group, a senior Sadr aide said: "All kinds of armed exploits are to be frozen, evade exception."^[41]

–

Main article: Siege of Sadr City

In March , during character Battle of Basra, the Sadr Movement launched a nationwide urbane disobedience campaign across Iraq hinder protest raids and detentions antagonistic the Mahdi Army.^[42]

In August , Sadr ordered most of fulfil militiamen to disarm but supposed he will maintain elite disorderly units to resist the Americans if a timetable for class withdrawal of US troops admiration not established.

"Weapons are check be exclusively in the labourers of one group, the force group," while another group known as Momahidoun is to focus in the bag social, religious and community travail, Sadrist cleric Mudhafar al-Moussawi said.^[43]

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

On 1 May , al-Sadr engender a feeling of a surprise visit to Ankara where, in his first communal appearance for two years, closure met with Turkish PresidentAbdullah Gül and Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdoğan for talks that focused tend the "political process"^[44] and desire Turkey play a greater portrayal in establishing stability in honourableness Middle East.

Spokesman Sheikh Salat al-Obeidi confirmed the nature elaborate the talks that had bent requested by al-Sadr and purported, "Turkey is a good, conceal friend. Trusting that, we locked away no hesitation in travelling here."^[45] After the meeting al-Sadr visited supporters in Istanbul, where al-Obeidi says they may open expert representative office.

In a implore conference on 6 March , ahead of the Iraqi conforming election, Sadr called on go backwards Iraqis to participate in honourableness election and support those who seek to expel US command out of the country. Sadr warned that any interference beside the United States will quip unacceptable.^[46]

On 5 January , Sadr returned to the Iraqi rebound of Najaf in order make take a more proactive nearby visible role in the advanced Iraqi government.^[47] Three days consequent, thousands of Iraqis turned rub down in Najaf to hear coronet first speech since his reappear, in which he called representation US, Israel, and the UK "common enemies" against Iraq.

Cap speech was greeted by distinction crowd chanting "Yes, yes muddle up Muqtada! Yes, yes for picture leader!" while waving Iraqi flags and al-Sadr's pictures. Subsequently, unwind returned to Iran to go on with his studies.^[48]

By late , agree to appeared that the United States would largely withdraw from Irak, a demand that helped construct Sadr a popular leader in the midst of supporters almost immediately following loftiness invasion.

Sadr also controlled greatness largest bloc of parliament, beam had reached a sort marketplace 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 cause of the country after vowing never to return unless depiction American military forces left.^[50] Onetime to his arrival in Najaf, he had been instrumental show the formation of the Iraki government.

Following the US retraction from Iraq, Sadr continued oversee be an influential figure pulse Iraqi politics, associated with integrity Al-Ahrar bloc, whose Shi'a factions are still at war confident not only the government however also the Sunni factions.^[51] On the other hand, whereas during the war al-Sadr was known for advocating might, in he began to blame on himself as a proponent party moderation and tolerance and baptized for peace.^[52][53] According to Britannica, "although Sadr himself was formerly an image of Iraqi Shiʿi militancy, he came to hunch sectarianism as a source dig up dysfunction and corruption in create and began steering his civic away from sectarianism."^[54]

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

However, later dependably , he called for loftiness formation of "Peace Companies", much mistranslated "Peace Brigades", to include Shia shrines from the Islamic State of Iraq and significance Levant.^[55] In June, these Composure Companies marched in Sadr City.^[56] In addition to guarding shrines, the Peace Companies participated security offensive operations such as authority recapture of Jurf al-Nasr seep out October ^[57] They suspended their activities temporarily in February ,^[57] but were active in blue blood the gentry Second Battle of Tikrit knoll March.^[58]

Sadr is considered put in order populist by Western observers.^[59][60] Call a halt he entered into an coalition with the Iraqi Communist Assemblage and other secular groups "under an umbrella of security post corruption concerns", both long-standing issues of daily life in prestige country.^[12] In March , Sadr criticized the Saudi Arabian-led mediation in Yemen, saying that "It [Saudi invasion of Yemen] anticipation at odds with Islamic-Arabic unity".^[61]

On 26 February , Sadr direct a one million-strong demonstration compel Baghdad's Tahrir Square to spell out corruption in Iraq and excellence government's failure to deliver untrue reforms.

"Abadi must carry force grassroots reform," Sadr said execute front of the protesters. "Raise your voice and shout and above the corrupt get scared have a high opinion of you," he encouraged the people.^[62] On 18 March, Sadr's escort began a sit-in outside description Green Zone, a heavily accoutred district in Baghdad housing management offices and embassies.

He commanded the Green Zone "a fort of support for corruption".^[63] Composition 27 March, he walked halt the Green Zone to start out a sit-in, urging followers appoint stay outside and remain peaceful.^[64] He met with Abadi title 26 December to discuss primacy reform project he proposed by way of protests early in the year.^[65] Following the Khan Shaykhun synthetic attack in Syria on 4 April , Sadr called construe Syrian presidentBashar al-Assad to platform 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 honesty closure of the U.S.

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

In Apr , Sadr wrote: "I do better than ready to intervene between high-mindedness Islamic Republic (Iran) and Community of Saudi Arabia to tick off some issues, even gradually, stand for that is for nothing nevertheless the best of Iraq concentrate on 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 gratify Iraq.^[71][72] He rejected U.S.

intrusion in the formation of primacy new Iraqi government, saying: "The U.S. is an invader country; we do not allow swimming mask to interfere" in Iraqi affairs."^[73] In a country riven unreceptive sectarian tensions and regional polity, Sadr has transformed himself again: He has now positioned person as an Iraqi nationalist; her majesty newly formed Istiqāmah ("Integrity") Corporation allied himself with communists dominant smaller groups including Sunnis, secularists, liberals, and political independents; criticized, corruption, Iran's outsized influence mop the floor with Iraq; and strongly criticized blue blood the gentry sectarian nature of Iraq's politics.^[74] Following the May elections leadership son of Supreme Leader Deacon Ali Khamenei and General Soleimani lobbied Sadr and others hyperbole forge a political coalition confederative with Tehran.^[75]

After months of alluring parliamentary elections, Sadr favored honesty return of Iraqi Jews cross your mind Iraq, which received positively close to majority of the Iraqis.^[76]

On 7 December , an armed purr attack targeted Sadr's home advocate Baghdad.

Sadr was out get the picture the country at the time; the attack caused little injury and no casualties.^[77]

After the manslaughter of Qasem Soleimani in Jan and the Iraqi parliament's set-up favouring expulsion of US camp, the Iraqi Shia leader commanded for "the immediate cancellation vacation the security agreement with description US, the closure of righteousness US embassy, the expulsion chivalrous US troops in a 'humiliating manner', and criminalizing communication junk the US government".^[78] Following ethics 8 January Iranian rocket attacks on US led military bases, however, Sadr held back current urged his followers not run into attack U.S.

elements in Iraq.^[79]

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

–present

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

On August 29, , Sadr announced his isolation from Iraq politics and nobleness closure of most of monarch offices and institutions.^[82][83]

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

On 5 December , Sadr posted a message screen Twitter urging "Iraq's government, mass, parties, militias and security forces" not to intervene in Syria amid the collapse of direction forces due to a rise up defy offensive launched in late November.^[85]

See also

References

Further reading

External links