In an interview with Soroush magazine on June 20, 1981, Ayatollah Khamenei spoke on Dr. Shariati’s changing perspectives towards the clergy, over time, and stated: “He said, the reason why I criticize the clergy, criticize the seminary schools is that we have expectations from the seminary schools while we don’t expect anything from the so-called enlightened individuals, since we cannot expect anything from an institution which has been born into the arms of the western culture.”
“He believed that the clergy did not fully act upon their duty. He held this belief until 1973 and from then on, through contacts Dr. Shariati made with several clergymen, particularly young clergy, he entirely changed his viewpoints towards them. That is to say, by 1975-1976 Dr. Shariati believed that the majority of the clergymen did act upon their duty; hence, in the last years of his life, not only did he believe in the clergy, but more importantly he believed in the clergymen of his time; he believed a majority of them were moving on the path of responsibility that the clergy demands,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.
He further added, “Of course he did not accept those clergymen who did not move along that path {of responsibility} additionally, one clergy man he deeply loved and admired was Imam Khomeini.”
Comments