By A.K.M. Azam Majeedi

Former President of Iran, Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi (1960-2024), is a leader who has earned an indelible place in the hearts of the people. He dedicated himself to the path of God, worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people, and finally attained the highest title of Shaheed (one who died in the path of God). His life centred on Islamic values and the welfare of the people.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi was born in December 1960 into a conventional, religiously devout family in the city of Mashhad, where Imam Reza (as) is buried. His father was Hujjatul Islam Seyyed Haji Rayes Al-Sadadi and his mother was Seyyeda Ismath Huta Dadh Hussaini. Thus, Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi becomes one of the descendants of Hazarat Zaid bin Ali bin Hussain (as) on both his father’s and mother’s sides. He lost his father at the age of 5 and completed his primary, secondary education and religious education in Mashhad. Later, he completed his higher studies at Hausa, a spiritual college in the holy city of Qom.

Raisi, who participated in the Iranian Revolution of 1979 as a young man, held important positions in Iran’s judiciary after the revolution. In 1981, at the age of 21, he was appointed as a lawyer for the city of Karaj. Then, he worked as a lawyer and deputy prosecutor in Hamadan and Tehran. He served as Deputy Chief Justice from 2004 to 2014, Public Prosecutor from 2014 to 2016, and Chief Justice from 2019 to 2021. From 2016 to 2019, he was the head of the Astane Qudseh Razavi Foundation, the affluent organization that manages the Imam Reza Territory. These positions showed his administrative skills and his commitment to Islamic values.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi initiated his first administrative career in the judiciary at the age of twenty, when he was appointed as an assistant judge in the Karaj City Court. Later he was appointed as a judge, and shortly thereafter, due to his continued dedication, the post of Chief Justice of Hamadan City was handed over to him.

At the age of 23, he married Jamila Sadat, daughter of Ayatollah Alamul Huda, one of the great scholars of Mashhad.

He also served as the head of the National Research Organization for ten years. During this tenure, the organization continued its steady growth and was established as one of the pillars of governance under the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In 2004, Ayatollah Raisi was appointed as the First Deputy Chief of the Iranian Judiciary, and for 10 years, he diligently fulfilled all his duties and responsibilities in the best interests of the country.

After the demise of Ayatollah Wayez Tabasi, he returned to Mashhad in March 2015. He assumed the administrative responsibility of the territory where Imam Riza (as) was buried for 3 years until 2018. It was during this period that he was given the special title ‘Hadimur Riza (as)’. During this short period, he formulated extensive changes in the administrative structure of the Imam Riza (as) territory and successfully implemented various beneficial schemes for the poor and the surrounding villagers.

He returned to the judiciary in 2018 and assumed its leadership role. Through his several commitments and untiring work, he raised the standard of the department. Providing swift and timely solutions to people’s legal cases and problems, taking decisive and tough decisions in corruption cases, documenting judicial records, and modernizing the judiciary are some of the remarkable services Ayatollah Raisi performed during his tenure.

During this period, he realized that the country’s administration was in a state of stagnation, and that the Islamic system, Iran’s resources, and the people’s faith were drifting off from a balanced path. Thus, he wanted to contest the presidential election and serve the national and international communities as best as he could.

Raisi’s rule was people centric. His government worked for the welfare of the poor and for social justice. He was seen as a leader who centred God and served the people. His tireless approach gave vitality to his government. Raisi worked directly with the people, understood their problems, and tried to solve them. His simple lifestyle and closeness to people made him ‘one of the people’. With the guidance of God, he sought to achieve high ideals, which were reflected in his reign.

During his tenure, in recognition of his exceptional services to the people, he was awarded the special titles of ‘Hadimur Riza (a.s.)’ (Servant of Imam Riza) and ‘Sayyidul Mahrumeen’ (Leader of the vulnerable). Following his death, he was given the special title of ‘Shaheed-e-Hidmat’ (Martyr of Service) by the people in recognition of his great service to the national and international communities during his presidency.

Indeed, political change means trusting and enriching the revolutionary youth of the Islamic Republic of Iran, while eliminating their weaknesses and strengthening them. This is the political change that Ayatollah Raisi has produced during his tenure.

In contrast to traditional reformist approaches, the change in perspective of the ideology of the Islamic Revolution means modifying the basic structure associated with justice, efficiency, and goals.

His personal lifestyle was simple and dedicated. His conduct was characterized by honesty and a lack of flattery. These were also reflected in his administration. He prioritized the welfare of the people over his personal life and worked with perseverance and devotion to address it.

During his tenure as President, Shaheed Raisi made his mark in politics by focusing on justice, health, people’s livelihood, and the eradication of corruption, despite the country’s difficult circumstances, including the Corona crisis, economic sanctions, and foreign pressures.

According to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Revolution Imam Khamenei, Shaheed Raisi’s personal and political lifestyle is a model for young people who are loyal, capable, willing to serve the people, and who believe in change.

His political ideology and practical discipline are reflected in the fact that he did not rest on his holidays but turned them into days of service to the people, upon returning from foreign tours he went directly to the office and continued public service and undertook provincial tours.

Therefore, from the national and international perspective, Shaheed Raisi is an exemplary politician who served the people with loyalty and dedication at the national and international levels, without corruption. The speeches of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran in this regard confirm this.

On May 19, 2024, after participating in the opening ceremony of the Kis-Qalasi and Gota Afarin dams on the border of Azerbaijan, in Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province, Raisi died when the helicopter in which he was travelling crashed in the mountains due to bad weather. The next day, on May 20, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared five days of mourning for Raisi’s demise. Raisi’s body was buried at the Imam Riza Shrine in the city of Mashhad, marking the formal end of his spiritual journey.

-A.K.M. Azam Majeedi  is PRO, Iran Cultural Centre, Colombo.