Abdolrahim Soleimani Ardestani

عبدالرحیم سلیمانی اردستانی به ۶ سال حبس، جزای نقدی و خلع لباس روحانیت محکوم شد

Abdolrahim Soleimani Ardestani was sentenced to six years in prison, a fine, and defrocking (removal of clerical attire).

The Spinoza of Iran? | The Future of Islam in the Islamic Republic featuring Haj Sheikh Abdolrahim Soleimani Ardestani, Scholar of Religions, Retired Professor at Mofid University, and Former Member of the Assembly of Teachers and Scholars of the Qom

سلیمانی اردستانی: جمهوری اسلامی به یک حکومت فردی تبدیل شده

Soleimani Ardestani: I do not believe in clerical rule.

سلیمانی اردستانی: تا چندصد سال آینده هم نمی‌توانید با این مردم صحبت از حکومت دینی کنید!

Soleimani Ardestani: You will not be able to speak to these people about religious government for the next few hundred years!

سلیمانی اردستانی: آیت الله مصباح بشدت طرفدار حکومت فردی بود

Soleimani Ardestani: Among the current clergy, I do not see anyone who possesses the competence to govern the country.

سلیمانی اردستانی: به ملت ایران بسیار خوشبینم

Soleimani Ardestani: I am very optimistic about the Iranian nation.

The people weigh the country's best interests and make decisions rationally.

سلیمانی اردستانی: مشخص نیست ۲۴ ساعت پس از فوت رهبر فعلی از همین مجلس خبرگان چه چیزی در می‌آید

Soleimani Ardestani: It is not clear what will emerge from this very Assembly of Experts 24 hours after the passing of the current Leader.

A hypocritical society cannot be predicted.

سلیمانی اردستانی: اگر آقای خامنه‌ای رویکرد خود را عوض کند، من هم مدافع او می‌شوم

Soleimani Ardestani: If Mr. Khamenei changes his approach, I too will become his supporter.

With this current direction, I am not optimistic [about reaching the third leadership].

سلیمانی اردستانی: اسلام امروز در ذهن اکثریت جوانان جامعه ما جایگاهی ندارد

Soleimani Ardestani: Islam no longer holds a place in the minds of the majority of our society's youth today.

For these 46 years, we have been paying the price for a single mistake (the occupation of the U.S. Embassy).

سلیمانی اردستانی: آنچه امروز از ولایت فقیه تفسیر می‌شود، فاجعه است!

Soleimani Ardestani: What is being interpreted as Velayat-e Faqih today is a catastrophe!

Throughout history, the majority of Shiite jurists believed that something called Velayat-e Faqih (in the sense of the rule of the jurist) does not exist.

Soleimani Ardestani: This system has not achieved its goals and has caused severe damage to both the religion and the worldly lives of the people.

I believe in fundamental reforms.

Soleimani Ardastani: The Islamic Republic has been transformed into an individual rule (or a one-person government).

I believe there is no such thing as an Islamic Government!

Soleimani Ardastani: Ayatollah Mesbah (Yazdi) was fiercely in favor of individual rule (authoritarian rule/monocracy).

Among traditional scholars, Ayatollah Mesbah (Yazdi) had the worst reaction (or attitude/approach) toward the new human rights system.

سلیمانی اردستانی: رهبری به آقای مصباح گفتند شما مطهری زمان هستید!

Soleimani Ardastani: The Leader told Mr. Mesbah (Yazdi) that he is the Motahhari of our time!

The only commonality I see between these two people is that both of their turbans are white!

سلیمانی اردستانی: قرائت جمهوری اسلامی از اسلام، یک قرائت بی‌سابقه است

Soleimani Ardastani: The Islamic Republic's interpretation (reading) of Islam is an unprecedented interpretation.

In this interpretation, a republic has been formed in which the people have no role whatsoever (are powerless).

سلیمانی اردستانی: حراست‌ها، دادگاه‌ ویژه روحانیت و... یک دستاورد داشته‌اند و آن هم منافق‌پروری بوده!

Soleimani Ardastani: The security offices the Special Clerical Court, and so on, have had one achievement, and that is fostering hypocrisy!

[These agencies] have turned human beings into hypocrites who speak according to the government's wishes, but their belief is something else.

سلیمانی اردستانی: کسی در تلویزیون امام علی و پیامبر را تندخو و گوشت‌تلخ معرفی کرد؛ ولی هیچ صدایی از حوزه بلند نشد!

Soleimani Ardastani: Someone on television portrayed Imam Ali and the Prophet as ill-tempered and disagreeable; yet, not a single voice was raised from the seminary !

When ethics disappear, commitment also disappears; this is how corruption becomes widespread and institutionalized.

سلیمانی اردستانی: آمادگی توهین‌ها و تهمت‌ها را داشتم

Soleimani Ardastani: I was prepared for the insults and accusations.

My hypothesis was that the reading (interpretation) presented of Shia Islam destroys ethics.

سلیمانی اردستانی: هرگاه دین متصدی حکومت شده، خودْ ضربه خورده است

Soleimani Ardastani: Whenever religion has taken charge of government, it has been harmed itself.

What I have seen in these 48 years is completely consistent with my studies in the history of religions.