Gotta love it when the Iranians have these "theological" spats amongst themselves - just goes to show that no one ever has been able to totally figure out this political ideology called islam. Anyway, the Islamic clerics in Iran are all upset with Ahmadinejad because he continues to try and use the so-called "hidden imam" as a leverage point in trying to validate the actions of the Iranian government. For those of you not familiar with who or what this hidden imam dealy bob is, read this from the article at AFP:
Ahmadinejad has always been a devotee of the Mahdi, the twelfth imam of Shiite Islam, who Shiites believe disappeared more than a thousand years ago and who will return one day to usher in a new era of peace and harmony.
On a side note, I've always chuckled at this thought of this 12th imam - they call him or it "hidden" i think because he probably epitomizes the cowardice of muslims - he must be hiding behind a rock or tree, eh?
Anyway, regarding how the clerics are spanking Ahmadinejad, here's some of that from the article:
"If Ahmadinejad wants to say that the hidden imam is supporting the decisions of the government, it is not true," sniped Gholam Reza Mesbahi Moghadam, the spokesman of the conservative Association of Combatant Clerics.
"For sure, the hidden imam does not approve of inflation of 20 percent, the high cost of living and numerous other errors," he said, according to the Kargozaran daily
What Ahmadinejad is simply doing is trying to cover his ass. As long as he can get enough sheep in his country to buy in that it is the Mahdi that is guiding everything, the more Ahmadinejad and funnel money from Iran to Syria and Hezbollah. And he can even tell the world that the Mahdi told him to say that Israel must be destroyed. Right?
Iran clerics rebuke Ahmadinejad over 'hidden imam'TEHRAN (AFP) — Iranian clerics have told President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to stick to more worldly issues after he said the "hidden imam" of Shiite Islam was directing the country's affairs.
Ahmadinejad has always been a devotee of the Mahdi, the twelfth imam of Shiite Islam, who Shiites believe disappeared more than a thousand years ago and who will return one day to usher in a new era of peace and harmony.
But in a speech to theology students broadcast by state television on Monday, Ahmadinejad went further than ever before in emphasising his belief that the Mahdi is playing a critical role in Iran's day-to-day politics.
"The Imam Mahdi is in charge of the world and we see his hand directing all the affairs of the country," he said in the speech, which appears to date from last month but has only now been broadcast.
"We must solve Iran's internal problems as quickly as possible. Time is lacking. A movement has started for us to occupy ourselves with our global responsibilities, which are arriving with great speed."
Two leading clerics retorted that Ahmadinejad would be better off concentrating on Iran's social problems -- most notably its double-digit inflation -- than indulging in such mystical rhetoric."Ahmadinejad would do better to worry about social problems like inflation ... and other terrestrial affairs," the Etemad Melli daily quoted him as saying.
Since becoming president in 2005, Ahmadinejad has repeatedly stated that his government is paving the way for the return of the Mahdi and chided his foes for not believing that his return is imminent.
Shiites believe that the Mahdi vanished in the 10th century and will return at an apocalyptic moment that will mark the end of time.
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