| Jalal Al-Din Taheri | |
| Birth Name: | Jalal Al-Din Taheri Hossein Abadi |
| Birth Date: | 1 January 1926 |
| Birth Place: | Isfahan, Iran |
| Death Place: | Isfahan, Iran |
| Known For: | Friday prayers Imam of Isfahan Member of Assembly of Experts |
| Children: | Abdul Hossein Malek Azam Mohammad Hossein Mahdi Ali |
| Relatives: | Abdul Khalegh Taheri |
| Website: | Official website |
Seyyed Jalaleddin Taheri Esfahani (Persian: سید جلالالدین طاهری اصفهانی, sometimes spelled Jalaluddin Taheri or Jalaleddin Taheri, 1 January 1926 – 2 June 2013) was an Iranian scholar, theologian and Islamic philosopher. He was a critic of Islamic extremism and was the representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran.
Taheri was a member of Assembly of Experts and representative of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Isfahan province. In 2002, Taheri resigned after 30 years as prayer leader in Isfahan.[1] Taheri's resignation letter complained of "generalized corruption of religious power in Iran."[2] On 30 June 2009, Taheri wrote an open letter in which he called Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency illegitimate.[3]
Taheri died on 2 June 2013 at near 5 A.M after 35 days of hospitalization due to Respiratory arrest in one of the Isfahan's hospitals. He suffered respiratory disease for a long time.[4] "Tens of thousands" attended his funeral in what was reportedly "Iran's biggest anti-government protest for years". Mourners chanted anti-government slogans such as “the political prisoners must be freed,” and, “Mousavi and Karroubi must be freed,” calling Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a dictator.[5] [6] He was buried in his hometown in Golestan Shohadah cemetery beside his son.