Mohammad Khatami the Philosopher President

Shades of Islamism Mohammad Khatami The Philosopher President

Seyyid Mohammad Khatami was born In his speech at the UN General Assembly Islamic Republic. Films and books that FARZIN VAHDAT in Ardakan in the central province of in September 1998, Mohammad Khatami presented an unorthodox point of view Yazd in 1943. He is the son of Ayatol- proposed to analyse the principle elements of also were allowed to be promulgated, lah Ruhollah Khatami who founded American culture in terms of Puritan history despite the conservatives’ fierce oppo- the seminary there. Khatami finished and influence. Similarly, in an interview with sition and the closure of many newspa- his primary and secondary schools CNN, he invoked Tocqueville’s Democracy in pers and journals and banning of films in Ardakan and then attended Qom America to highlight the religious foundations and books. Seminary in 1961. It is noteworthy that of American democracy, a gesture that caused Khatami paid significant attention to before finishing his seminary stud- a vexatious envy among some American women’s rights in general and to their ies he received a bachelor’s degree in politicians and political pundits. In this essay rights for political and social participa- philosophy from the secular University the author argues that such references reflect tion. He proposed establishing institu- of Isfahan, a relatively rare experience not just Khatami’s erudition but also highlight tions such as political parties, trade un- among Shii clergy at the time. In 1969 central tenets in his political philosophy.1 ions, and associations to realize their Khatami entered another secular in- civic engagement, even though his stitution of higher education, the University of Tehran, from which he success in practice has been very limited. Yet, even on the ideational earned a master’s degree. Later he returned to Qom seminary to attend level, Khatami has revealed some reservation on women’s right to par- philosophical classes with renowned religious scholars such as Ayatol- ticipate in their society and state. He acknowledges that women need lah Motahhari. Khatami was a political activist in the Islamic movement to increase their presence in the public sphere to realize their poten- Khatami at before and during the revolution of 1979. tials, yet maintains that such activities detract from their essential role the UN General Khatami was elected to represent the people of Ardakan and nearby in the family. Assembly, Meibod in the first session of the Islamic Majlis in 1980, and in 1981 As a philosopher and social thinker, Khatami’s success seems much September Ayatollah Khomeini appointed him as the head of the influential Kay- greater in the shaping of Iranian political culture than the concrete re- 1998 han newspaper. In 1982, he became the Minister of Culture and Islamic forms in the legal realm and guidance. During the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, he served in different in institution building dur- capacities including deputy and head of the Joint Command of the ing his eight years of presi- Armed Forces and chairman of the War Propaganda Headquarters. In dency. On the other hand, 1989 Khatami again became the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guid- despite his attempt to de- ance during the presidency of Hashemi Rafsanjani, but after three rive a genuine discourse on years, and under pressure from conservative forces, he chose to resign modern human empower- his post rather than struggle to stay in power. ment and freedom through Reason occupies a central position in Khatami’s thought. As a Shia, he interpreting Islamic meta- firmly believes in the concept of justice and accordingly finds freedom physics as well as western of choice to be both closely intertwined with reason, and indispensa- modern thought, according ble to its exercise. Since reason presupposes a notion of human agency to Khatami the carrier and Image and entails freedom, Khatami maintains that Islam has always been a beneficiary of this empow- religion with the potential to achieve human liberation. However, the erment and freedom is not not available widespread and chronic conditions of tyranny in Islamic lands after the the individual. Very much era of the so-called Righteous Caliphs prevented the realization of this like some of his revolution- online potential. As a result of this historical tyranny, in Khatami’s view, the ary intellectual forefathers ideas pertaining to freedom and human rights among Muslims have such as Ali Shari’ati, Khatami remained suppressed and never had a chance to develop. has castigated the individual Khatami’s own discourse and agenda professedly aim at reversing very often as he equates in- this trend through an interpretation of Islamic sources. For this reason dividualism with license and he has elaborately discussed the notion of freedom. He maintains that denounces it as capitulating a major task of the prophets of monotheistic religions had been to re- to the appetites and desires move the internal and external bonds of servitude from the hands and of the individual. feet of the people, and help them to attain freedom, which is the most Yet, it would be unwar- noble desire of all humans throughout history. Historically, whatever ranted to consider Khatami’s came into conflict with freedom, Khatami maintains, was damaged eight years of presidency as

or defeated. Even righteousness, when it countered freedom, was total failure. To be sure, he © REUTERS, 1998 harmed. Justice, faith, progress, or social justice, when they opposed surely promised much more freedom they all suffered. Medieval Christianity and Communism were than he could deliver in terms of expansion of Note both defeated because in the name of religion and the idea of social freedom and human and citizenship rights. Nev- 1. This article is partly based on a longer paper, justice they opposed freedom. ertheless, the expansion of discourse on rights “Religious Modernity in Iran: Dilemmas Yet, freedom for Khatami is not absolute. Every society sets some and freedoms and democracy has promoted the of Islamic Democracy in the Discourse of limits on freedom. In an Islamic state, no one has the freedom to say tenets of civil society in Iran by raising popular Mohammad Khatami,” Comparative Studies anything she or he pleases as no other state allows such an abso- expectations and the demand for its implemen- of South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East 25, lute freedom. Freedom of speech that might disrupt the foundations tation. no. 3 (2005). of Islam and oppose the rights of the public cannot be allowed. But within these limits, everybody is free to express their views. During Khatami’s tenure there was an attempt to implement these ideas: criti- Farzin Vahdat is currently teaching at the International Studies Programme at Vassar College. cal journals and newspapers were permitted to be published in the Email: [email protected]

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