Ali Murad Davudi
Encyclopedia
Dr Ali Murad Davudi was an Iran
ian Bahá'í
who was a member of the national governing body of the Bahá'ís in Iran. He was a professor at Tehran University in the philosophy department. In 1979, during a wave of persecution toward Bahá'ís
, he was kidnapped and has been presumed a probable victim of state execution.
in 1922. He was the great-grandson of Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar through his mother, and his father was the grandson of the commander of Georgia
. When he was ten years old, Davudi went to Tabriz
where he lived for the next eight years. When he finished high school in Tabriz, Davudi travelled to Tehran
where he entered a teacher training college and studied education, literature and philosophy; he graduated after three years. He then travelled to various Iranian towns and taught Persian literature
. While he was in Zanjan
he married Malikih Afagh Iranpoor at the age of 31; they had two sons and three daughters.
In 1955, at the age of 33, Davudi moved once again to Tehran to study philosophy
at Tehran University while also working full-time as a school teacher. He then travelled to France
, where he stayed for one year, to improve his French
, which he later used to translate many French philosophical texts. In 1964 he completed his Ph.D.
with a thesis on the philosophy of Aristotle
and Descartes and was then invited to join Tehran University's faculty where he became a professor. Hossein Nasr, a well-known Iranian professor at George Washington University
counted Davudi among a small number of first rate philosophers in Iran. Dr. `Ali-Murad Davudi eventually became the chairman of the philosophy department at the university until shortly after the Iranian Revolution
. During his academic career he wrote many works on the history of Greek
and Islamic philosophy
, in addition to writing articles on Bahá'í philosophical and theological themes. He also translated many French language
philopsophical works in Persian
and were published by Tehran University Press.
. In 1973 he was elected to the Iranian Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly (NSA) which is the governing body of the Bahá'ís of Iran. One year later, he became the secretary of that body, which necessitated travel throughout the country, which left him little time for his academic work. In addition to his administrative work, he also served on the Bahá'í national publishing committees, and also helped establish the Institute for Advanced Bahá'í Studies in 1976 to promote Bahá'í scholarship and research, an initiative proposed by the Universal House of Justice
, the governing body of the Bahá'ís worldwide. Davudi developed much of the Institute's curriculum which included classes on philosophy and mysticism with an emphasis on the study of primary texts rather than commentary.
Professor Davudi would also give regular Bahá'í study classes to the Bahá'í youth in Tehran and in summer schools across the country. He would also regularly go to the recording studio where he would tape lectures which would be distributed through cassettes to the Bahá'í community. Some of his writings on the Bahá'í themes such as the "Station of Bahá'u'lláh
" and "Divinity and Oneness" study some of the religion's foundational aspects. He also wrote essays on the Bahá'í teachings on life after death; the meaning of freedom; freewill and determinism; the station of man; prayer; the soul; philosophy; the study of history; science and religion; and non-involvement in politics. Many of his works were published in Bahá'í journals in Iran.
in 1979, the Society of Muslim Students declared Professor Davudi as "anti-Islamic" and "anti-revolutionary"; members of militant Islamic groups regularly gathered outside his house, and thus he found that he could not continue to work as a professor and resigned from the university. After the Iranian revolution the persecution of Bahá'ís
was escalating, and Davudi was one of the most visible members of the National Spiritual Assembly, which had to defend the rights of its members to the government. As secretary of the NSA he also regurlarly interacted with the Bahá'í community through letters and talks, encouraging them to be patient through the persecution, and co-ordinating the relief efforts. His daughter, who did not live in Iran, fearing for her father's life, travelled to Iran a few months after the Revolution and asked her father to go to the United States
or Canada
. While being aware of the danger he was facing, Davudi refused stating that the Bahá'í community in Iran needed him.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian Bahá'í
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
who was a member of the national governing body of the Bahá'ís in Iran. He was a professor at Tehran University in the philosophy department. In 1979, during a wave of persecution toward Bahá'ís
Persecution of Bahá'ís
The persecution of Bahá'ís is the religious persecution of Bahá'ís in various countries, especially in Iran, where the Bahá'í Faith originated and the location of one of the largest Bahá'í populations in the world...
, he was kidnapped and has been presumed a probable victim of state execution.
Early life and education
Ali Murad Davudi was born in the small village of Shams-Abad in Iranian AzerbaijanAzerbaijan (Iran)
Azerbaijan or Azarbaijan , also Iranian Azerbaijan, Persian Azarbaijan is a region in northwestern Iran. It is also historically known as Atropatene and Aturpatakan....
in 1922. He was the great-grandson of Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar through his mother, and his father was the grandson of the commander of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. When he was ten years old, Davudi went to Tabriz
Tabriz
Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
where he lived for the next eight years. When he finished high school in Tabriz, Davudi travelled to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
where he entered a teacher training college and studied education, literature and philosophy; he graduated after three years. He then travelled to various Iranian towns and taught Persian literature
Persian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
. While he was in Zanjan
Zanjan (city)
Zanjan is the capital of Zanjan Province in northwestern Iran. It is an Azeri inhabited city. It lies 298 km north-west of Tehran on the main highway to Tabriz and Turkey and approximately 125 km from the Caspian Sea...
he married Malikih Afagh Iranpoor at the age of 31; they had two sons and three daughters.
In 1955, at the age of 33, Davudi moved once again to Tehran to study philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Tehran University while also working full-time as a school teacher. He then travelled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he stayed for one year, to improve his French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, which he later used to translate many French philosophical texts. In 1964 he completed his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
with a thesis on the philosophy of Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
and Descartes and was then invited to join Tehran University's faculty where he became a professor. Hossein Nasr, a well-known Iranian professor at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
counted Davudi among a small number of first rate philosophers in Iran. Dr. `Ali-Murad Davudi eventually became the chairman of the philosophy department at the university until shortly after the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
. During his academic career he wrote many works on the history of Greek
Greek philosophy
Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BCE and continued through the Hellenistic period, at which point Ancient Greece was incorporated in the Roman Empire...
and Islamic philosophy
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, in addition to writing articles on Bahá'í philosophical and theological themes. He also translated many French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
philopsophical works in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and were published by Tehran University Press.
Bahá'í life
Davudi was a life-long Bahá'íBahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
. In 1973 he was elected to the Iranian Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly (NSA) which is the governing body of the Bahá'ís of Iran. One year later, he became the secretary of that body, which necessitated travel throughout the country, which left him little time for his academic work. In addition to his administrative work, he also served on the Bahá'í national publishing committees, and also helped establish the Institute for Advanced Bahá'í Studies in 1976 to promote Bahá'í scholarship and research, an initiative proposed by the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
, the governing body of the Bahá'ís worldwide. Davudi developed much of the Institute's curriculum which included classes on philosophy and mysticism with an emphasis on the study of primary texts rather than commentary.
Professor Davudi would also give regular Bahá'í study classes to the Bahá'í youth in Tehran and in summer schools across the country. He would also regularly go to the recording studio where he would tape lectures which would be distributed through cassettes to the Bahá'í community. Some of his writings on the Bahá'í themes such as the "Station of Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh , born ' , was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and...
" and "Divinity and Oneness" study some of the religion's foundational aspects. He also wrote essays on the Bahá'í teachings on life after death; the meaning of freedom; freewill and determinism; the station of man; prayer; the soul; philosophy; the study of history; science and religion; and non-involvement in politics. Many of his works were published in Bahá'í journals in Iran.
After the Iranian revolution
After the Iranian revolutionIranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
in 1979, the Society of Muslim Students declared Professor Davudi as "anti-Islamic" and "anti-revolutionary"; members of militant Islamic groups regularly gathered outside his house, and thus he found that he could not continue to work as a professor and resigned from the university. After the Iranian revolution the persecution of Bahá'ís
Persecution of Bahá'ís
The persecution of Bahá'ís is the religious persecution of Bahá'ís in various countries, especially in Iran, where the Bahá'í Faith originated and the location of one of the largest Bahá'í populations in the world...
was escalating, and Davudi was one of the most visible members of the National Spiritual Assembly, which had to defend the rights of its members to the government. As secretary of the NSA he also regurlarly interacted with the Bahá'í community through letters and talks, encouraging them to be patient through the persecution, and co-ordinating the relief efforts. His daughter, who did not live in Iran, fearing for her father's life, travelled to Iran a few months after the Revolution and asked her father to go to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. While being aware of the danger he was facing, Davudi refused stating that the Bahá'í community in Iran needed him.