In a dispute between senior clerics in Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei officially declared Sunday to be the Eid al-Fitr (the end of the holy month of Ramadan), while the majority of high-ranking Shiite clerics in the cities of Qom and Najaf declared it to be on Monday, according to BBC Persian.
Although the new moon conflict is not new among the Shiite clerics in Iran, there is no such thing as an insignificant conflict between senior Shiite clerics and the Supreme Leader since Iran’ post-election state violence this summer. Added to the mix, the recent arrests of many family members of Grand Ayatollahs in Qum only exacerbate the already high tensions.
Mowjcamp listed the Grand Ayatollahs who announced the Eid to be on Monday. The number is obviously more than the last years. Many Muslim Shiites in the world including Iran religiously follow and obey other Grand Ayatollahs (Marja’ Taghleed) in Qum and Najaf, therefore they celebrated Eid on Monday despite the state-run media’s decision to ignore this influential portion of Iran’s religious leadership.
September 21, 2009