Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh

Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh is a French-Iranian jurist scholar and researcher, with over 40 years of experience as a Quran expert, and is known for his research in the field of Gnosticism, Islam and Christianity. As a human rights activist, his most notable efforts have been towards the push for reform within fundamentalist regimes, such as Iran, and the reform of social or legal practices that are in violation of human rights and freedom of the people. As an academic, he teaches the spiritual path of substantial evolution of an individual based on love, altruism, and spiritual chivalry.

Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh

Biography

Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh was born in Tehran, Iran in 1952. On completion of his studies in Arabian Literature (Tehran 1974) and Law (Tehran 1975), he moved to France in 1976. In Paris he studied Theology and History of Law at the Sorbonne University, as well as Comparative Studies of Islam and Christianity at the University of Lyon for which he received two doctorate degrees. One of his professors was the philosopher and theologian Henri Corbin. After having completed his academic studies he continued his research in the areas of religion, philosophy and various fields of science. Azmayesh was admitted into the lineage of initiates of the Nematollahi-Gonabadi order in 1969, which is the most popular and oldest Sufi order in Iran. Azmayesh is the official representative of the Shah Ni'matullah Wali Gonabadi Order outside of Iran.[1]

Jurist-scholar and author

Azmayesh has over 40 years of experience in the research and study of the Quran. His scholarly work and publications embody an innovative and scientific approach to the Quranic text. His book New Researches on the Quran – Why and how two versions of Islam entered the history of mankind, brings forth many such scientific elements to the text, along with historical findings and contextual elements to the Quran. Some of his other works include – The Teachings of a Sufi Master, The Pearl of Sufism, Heart Meditation: An Introduction to Gnostic Heart Meditation, and Crucifixion: Fact or Fiction?.[2]

Teacher of Substantial Evolution

Azmayesh founded a spiritual school[3] that teaches the Substantial Evolution Path based on the development of the inner aptitudes of each individual, in order to lead the student towards substantial spiritual evolution based on principles of tolerance, love, humility and respect for each human being regardless of their background, religion, skin color, etc. Azmayesh participates in scientific dialogues and conferences with other researchers and academics, such as Peter Antes,[4][5] Rupert Sheldrake,[6] Pim van Lommel,[7][8] Jay Lakhani[9][10] and Markus Peters,[11] conducts lectures and holds workshops throughout Europe. Azmayesh was listed in the Watkins' Mind Body Spirit magazine as one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People.

Human rights activities

Human rights efforts in Iran
Speech at European Parliament in 2011 at the Conference on Human Rights in Iran

Since the onset of the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the growth of extremist ideologies under the name of Islam, Azmayesh has worked to oppose those who propagate extremist ideas based on the false interpretation of Islam.[12] His activities have included talks in the United Nations (UN)[13] as well as an exclusive interview with Ahmed Shaheed,[14] the former United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran, along with meetings and interviews with members of the European Parliament, who are responsible for covering the Human Rights issues in Iran.[15][16]

Through scholarly research he has shown that Human Rights principles are compatible with Quranic principles, and according to the Quran, a Muslim civilisation must be based on mutual respect and equality for all, regardless of race, gender or religious beliefs, and there is no place for any kind of violence.[17] His weekly Radio and online TV programmes, such as Dorr TV,[18] along with the satellite channel PARS-TV,[19] put pressure on extremist elements within the Iranian Regime in order to reform the regimes’ radical movements.

For many years, Azmayesh has spoken in opposition of the practice of stoning in Iran. Through research-findings, he proved that there is no relation between Islam and stoning, and his research highlighted how several tyrants throughout history have used stoning punishments for reasons of power and suppression. As of 2011, the practice of stoning is no longer practised in Iran as a result of the years of advocacy by Azmayesh.

In response to the uprising in 2009 following the presidential elections, he supported the Freedom of expression and free speech, and campaigned for the freedom of prominent political prisoners such as Nasrin Sotoudeh (an Iranian female human rights lawyer),[20] Narges Mohammadi, and religious and ethnic minorities such as Kurds, Baha’i and Sufis.[21][22][23][24] He has been influential in the release of numerous Sufis who were imprisoned by the extremist elements in the Iranian Regime as part of its program to suppress minorities. [25][26]

Human Rights efforts within Europe

In the face of the rise of Islamist extremism in the West, he has spoken at a series of conferences in England, Germany, UK Parliament and the European Parliament, and published research-based proposals and reports to tackling these growing issues of violence and extremism.[27][28][29][30][31]

Azmayesh co-founded the International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights (IOPHR)[32] in February 2014, in order to continue his efforts to protect human rights for all, counter the rise of Islamist extremism and violence, and continue his advocacy for gender-equality and eliminating gender-based violence.

IOPHR is an active not-for-profit organisation and think tank based in the United Kingdom. It is a research-based organisation, with the aim to preserve human rights for all, and eliminate threats to the safety and security of society.[33] IOPHR conducts conferences in the UK Parliament,[34] European Parliament,[35] and across Europe,[36] working closely with other activists, researchers, academics, public bodies such as the London Metropolitan Police, and other public service officials.

gollark: It's documented in PS#ABB85797: "Utilizing unknown means possibly involving direct bytecode manipulation, [REDACTED], and side-channel attacks, the program [DATA EXPUNGED], potentially resulting in a cascading failure/compromise of other networked computers and associated PotatOS-related systems such as the ODIN defense coordination network and Skynet, which would result in a ΛK-class critical failure scenario."
gollark: All *known* copies of it were deleted because it is very dangerous.
gollark: Anyway, right now it seems to mostly be inactive. But there's not a good way to tell how much it's doing. Occasionally some stuff with "Siri" in it trips the potatOS code filtering, but it seems to mostly just be people testing the potatOS code filtering.
gollark: I had to *block* it in PotatOS, because it could cause a ΛK-class critical failure scenario.
gollark: Nope!

References
  1. "The Gonabadi Dervishes: Gnostics, Royal Advisors, Political and Religious Adversaries". Kayhan/.
  2. "Seyed M. Azmayesh Books". seyedazmayesh.com/.
  3. "Heart Meditation: An Introduction to the Gnostic heart". heartmeditation.eu.
  4. "Video "A Discussion on Human Rights, Heart Meditation and Altruism"". 20 December 2016.
  5. "Report "The Compatibility of Human Rights Principles and Religious Values"". 5 October 2016.
  6. "Consciousness and the extended mind with Dr. Rupert Sheldrake and Dr Seyed Azmayesh". 25 November 2011.
  7. "A Dialogue on Consciousness and Spirituality with Dr. Pim van Lommel and Dr. Azmayesh". 23 January 2015.
  8. "Herz-Dialoge - Gespräche zu Bewusstsein & Spiritualität (German language)". 23 January 2015.
  9. "Video "Understanding Consciousness with Jay Lakhani"". 8 July 2011.
  10. "Video "Science and Spirituality-Creation & Human History According to Sacred Scriptures"". 2 January 2018.
  11. "Wisdom from the heart with Dr Peters and Dr Azmayesh". 7 February 2014.
  12. "Article "Dissident warnings from Iran"". Huffington Post, 28 June 2012.
  13. "Video "A Call to Iranians to Unite – United Nations Human Rights Council"". 24 July 2011.
  14. "Video "Exclusive Interview with Ahmad Shaheed on Human Right Conditions in Iran in Dorr TV"". 16 September 2015.
  15. "Video "Freedom of Thought, Belief and Expression - Religious and Ethnic Diversity in Iran" (Persian language)". 22 March 2012.
  16. "Report "Speech at the European Parliament"" (PDF). 29 November 2011.
  17. "Article "I oppose the false Muslims"". 7 September 2016.
  18. "Dorr TV (Persian language)".
  19. "PARS TV (Persian language)".
  20. "Article "A Profile on Nasrin Sotoudeh"". 16 September 2015.
  21. "Article "Open Letter to the department of justice in Iran on the situation of Dervishes"". 3 October 2010.
  22. "Article "Interview with Dervishes' Spokesperson: Clashes and Widespread Arrests of Gonabadi Dervishes"". 7 September 2011.
  23. "Article "An Interview with Dr. Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh: "Sufis Believe in the Absolute Necessity of the Separation Between Religion and Politics"". 22 July 2010.
  24. "Video " BBC Persian – An Interview with Dr. Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh" (Persian language)". 19 June 2011.
  25. "Article "Iran Escalates Repression Against Sufis"". 5 January 2011.
  26. "Video "Tishk TV – An Interview with Dr. Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh"". 7 July 2011.
  27. "Article "How can we protect democracy from Islamic extremism?"". The Parliament Magazine, 24 February 2016.
  28. "Report "Conference at European Parliament: "Extremism, Islam and Democracy – Why and How Two Versions of Islam Entered the History of Mankind?""". IOPHR, 1 March 2016.
  29. "Article "Better Understanding of the Quran Holds Antidote to Islamic Extremism"". Friends of Europe, 11 April 2016.
  30. "Article "Are Human Rights and Islam Compatible?" – Conference at the European Parliament"". IOPHR, 18 October 2016.
  31. "Article ""Antidotes to Islamist Extremism" – Conference at the European Parliament"". IOPHR, 2 May 2017.
  32. "International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights".
  33. "International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights - Aims and Objectives".
  34. ""Are Human Rights and Islam Compatible? – Conference at the UK Parliament"". IOPHR, 6 December 2016.
  35. ""Are Women's Rights in Islam Compatible with Modern Society? – Conference at the European Parliament"". IOPHR, 3 May 2017.
  36. "Report "Security Jam 2016: Friends of Europe"". IOPHR, June 2016.
  • Website about Azmayesh
  • Movie showing an action "A face for Freedom in Iran" inspired by Azmayesh
  • Current news on the activities of Azmayesh in Europe and the Human Rights situation in Iran
  • German Website reporting about the activities of Azmayesh
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