Fadlallah, influential Shiite institution Hezbollah must contend with

An old controversy has resurfaced. Last week, Hezbollah’s channel Al-Manar aired a documentary about Jaafar Mortada, a Shiite cleric close to the party who is known for his critical stance toward Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah. A key figure in Lebanese Shiism, the ayatollah (who died in 2010 but became an institution in his own right) made his mark by distancing himself from Iran and Hezbollah, especially on religious issues. Fadlallah consistently refused to endorse the Shiite doctrine of velayat e-faqih (the guardianship of the jurist), which is the foundation of the pro-Iranian axis. Reconciliation? Hezbollah visit ends dispute with Grand Ayatollah Fadlallah’s institution Despite this difference, the two Shiite players always chose peaceful coexistence. That’s why the documentary’s broadcast caused such a stir. In a...