Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili

Seyyed Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili
Born	28 January 1926 (1926-01-28) (age 85) Ardebil, Iran

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

Early Life

He was born on 28 January 1926 in City of Ardabil. His father, Mir-Abdul Rahim was a cleric and his mother died when he was a child.

Education

His father sent him to Mula-Ebrahim School in 1940. He went for High Education to Qom 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 about Islam and Religion. He was in Najaf until 1948 when his father died and he returned to Qom. He had also established Mofid University in 1989 and is its president now.

Political Career

Mousavi Ardebili was a supporter of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and was a friend of his. He spoke for Support of Khomeini in 1970's. Khomeini appointed him as Chief Justice of Iran in 1981 after the assassination of Mohammad Beheshti. He was also Acting President of Iran for 2 Months after the impeachment of Abulhassan Banisadr.

When Ruhollah Khomeini died in 1989 Mousavi Ardebili resigned as Chief Justice and returned to Qom. He was followed by Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi.

Family and Personal Life

He was married in 1940 to an Isfahani woman. They have 5 children, 4 son and 1 daughter.

External links

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

Legal offices
Preceded by Mohammad Beheshti	Head of Judiciary System of Iran 1981-1989	Succeeded by Mohammad Yazdi
Political offices
Preceded by Mohammad Beheshti	Acting President of Iran 1981	Succeeded by Mohammad-Ali Rajai

Persondata
Name	Mousavi Ardebili, Abdolkarim
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	28 January 1926
Place of birth	Ardebil, Iran
Date of death
Place of death