Bibliographer Abdolhossein Haeri honored

TEHRAN,June 28(MNA) – Iranian bibliographer and expert on Persian manuscripts Abdolhossein Haeri was honored during a ceremony arranged by Iran’s House of Books (IHB) on Tuesday. Department of Islamic Sciences of the Academy of Sciences of Iran Director Mostafa Mohaqeq-Damad, Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Cultural Affairs Bahman Dorri, and IHB Director Ali Shojaei Saiin attended the ceremony. In a short speech delivered by Mohaqeq-Damad, he said that anti-hypocrisy has been the major characteristic of Haeri’s father, Ayatollah Abdolkarim Haeri, founder of the Qom Seminary. Mohaqeq-Damad, who is also a relative of Haeri, said that the seminary was established to fight against hypocrisy, adding, “My uncle (Abdolkarim Haeri) defined virtue as fighting against hypocrisy.” Haeri, who was next to make a brief speech, recalled the time he was the head of Majlis Library. “In those years, there was a document in an envelope which proved that the Qolhak Garden has been rented by the British Embassy. But the envelope was lost and I could never find it again,” he said. “Majlis Library possesses lockers, in which precious documents are preserved. The document proving the garden was rented by the embassy was kept in one of these lockers, but the envelope has not been found yet. This has been a pain in my heart and I have been suffering all these years, so I thought it best to mention it here,” he said. “I hope the officials listen and follow the case seriously to help find the document,” he added. However, the garden is currently being expropriated by the British Embassy, and a number of Iranian legal experts and the relevant officials are still exploring ways to pursue the case. The ceremony was brought to an end handing a plaque of honor to the master.