Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili

Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili (Persian: عبدالکریم موسوی اردبیلی‎‎, born 28 January 1926) is an Iranian politician and Twelver shi'a marja.

Early life and education

He was born on 28 January 1926 in Ardabil. His father, Mir-Abdul Rahim was a cleric and his mother died when he was a child. His father sent him to Mula-Ebrahim School in 1940. He went to Qom for higher education in 1943 and was there until 1946. His teachers were Grand Ayatollah Kazem Haeeri and Mohammad-Reza Golpayegani. He travelled to Najaf in 1946 for cleric studies and studied Islam and religion. He was in Najaf until 1948 when his father died and he returned to Iran. He had also established Mofid University in 1989 and is its president now.

Political career

Ardebili was a supporter of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and was a friend of his. He spoke for support of Khomeini in the 1970s. After the Iranian revolution, he became a founding member of the Islamic Republican party that was founded in 1979.^[1] Khomeini appointed him as chief of justice in 1981 after the impeachment of President Abulhassan Banisadr. As chief justice, he served as member of the Temporary Council of the Presidency, along with the Prime Minister and Speaker, carrying out the duties of the president for up to two months.^[2] In this position he was also acting President of Iran after the impeachment of Banisadr. When Khomeini died in 1989 Ardebili resigned as chief of justice and returned to Qom. He is a supporter of Green Movement.

Personal life

Ardebili married twice. he has 10 children, 6 sons and 4 daughters.

References

External links

• Is the Ayatullah a Heretic?, Time, Monday, 28 April 1980