Abdul Amir al-Jamri

Sheikh Abdul Amir al-Jamri (شيخ عبدالأمير الجمري; 1 March 1938 – 18December 2006) was one of the most prominent Shia clerics and opposition leaders in Bahrain.

He was also a writer and a poet.

Born in the village of Bani Jamra, al-Jamri became a Hussaini khatib (Shia preacher) after finishing primary school.

At the age of 21, he began his Islamic studies, first in Bahrain and later in the religious institute of Al Najaf, Iraq, where he remained for 11 years.

Al-Jamri was born in the village of Bani Jamra, Northern Bahrain, on 1 March 1938.

His full name was Abdul Amir bin Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Abdulrasool bin Mohammed bin Hussain bin Ebrahim bin Makki bin Suleiman bin Makki al-Jamri al-Bahrani (عبدالأمير بن منصور بن محمد بن عبدالرسول بن محمد بن حسين بن إبراهيم بن مكي بن سليمان بن مكي الجمري البحراني), although he was also known by his kunya Abu Jameel (أبو جميل).

His father (known as Mansoor or Nasir) was a Quranic teacher, owner of a textile workshop, and head of a "devout Shia family".

Al-Jamri's father taught him the Quran and basics of Islamic prayer when he was six, although died four years later.

Al-Jamri finished formal education at Budaiya primary school when he was twelve, before becoming a Hussaini khatib (Shia preacher), learning from other well-known khatibs in his village such as his cousin, the Shia khatib Mulla Atiya al-Jamri.

In 1957, al-Jamri married his cousin's granddaughter, Zahra' Yousif Atiya al-Jamri, who was 16 at the time.

In his book The Story of My Life, al-Jamri devoted a section to speak about his marriage, in which he described it as a happy one and praised his wife for her patience and loyalty.

They had 10 children together: 7 sons and 3 daughters.

One of their sons is Mansoor al-Jamri, editor-in-chief of Al-Wasat newspaper.

In 1959, al-Jamri began his religious studies in Bahrain.

He was taught by Sheikh Abdulla al-Bahrani (died 1961) and Sheikh Baqir al-Asfoor.

He also obtained a job in the Manama Souq, working there until 1962.

In 1962, following the death of his mentor, al-Jamri travelled to Iraq to study Islamic theology and law in the religious institute of Al Najaf.

Mentored for two years by Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr and Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei, he reached the stage of independent research (Bahth al-kharij; بحث الخارج), the highest level of study in religious seminaries.

He also wrote several religious articles which were published in Iraqi newspapers and magazines.

In the country, al-Jamri used the pseudonym Abdulla Mansoor Mohammed in order to avoid trouble when passing through customs in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq, where it was believed that the prefix "Abdul" should only be used with the name of God.

The pseudonym also helped him evade Iraq's Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein following an anti-Ba'athist speech which al-Jamri gave in 1970.

Bahrain became independent from the United Kingdom in 1971 and the Constituent Assembly of 1972 had drafted a new constitution by 1973.

Like his study colleague Isa Qassim, al-Jamri initially wanted to complete his religious studies and did not care much about politics.

He returned to Bahrain in 1973 and was elected to the newly formed parliament.

The parliament was dissolved two years later by the Emir, Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, after it had rejected the State Security Law.

Spending 11 years in Iraq, al-Jamri returned to Bahrain in 1973.

Between 1973 and 1981, al-Jamri was a frequent host on Bahrain TV, giving religious talks on Islamic occasions such as Ramadan and Ashura.

His mentor in Iraq, Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr, issued a binding fatwā for participation in the 1973 parliamentary election.

Al-Jamri and five others formed the "Religious Bloc" which adopted a wide program including supporting labour's union and demands, forbidding trade of alcoholic beverages, and separating men and women in education institutes.

In 1977, al-Jamri was appointed as a judge at the High Religious Court of Bahrain.

In 1985, he founded a small hawza in the mosque next to his house.

He held the position until 1988, when he was briefly arrested due to his criticism of the government.

Al-Jamri is most notable for his role during the 1990s uprising in Bahrain.

As the lead figure of the opposition, he succeeded in bringing Islamists, liberals and leftists together against the monarchy.

The events began in the form of petitions in 1992 and 1994 calling for restoration of the parliament and reinstatement of the suspended constitution, but led to widespread violence and the death of 40 individuals.

Due to his civil rights activity, al-Jamri was imprisoned between April and September 1995, before being arrested again in January 1996 and imprisoned until July 1999, which was followed by a year and a half of house arrest.

In January 2001, al-Jamri was released along with other opposition activists.

The new emir, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, proposed a reform plan, the National Action Charter of Bahrain, which was accepted by the opposition and later gained widespread popular support.

A year later, Hamad issued a new constitution which al-Jamri said fell short of the opposition's demands.

Disappointed, al-Jamri soon fell ill, suffering from a series of strokes and eventually dying of multiple organ failure.