When leading ayatollahs and opposition members called for Iranians to observe a day of mourning for the deaths of student protestors in Qum in 1978, they effectively ____________________________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

By calling for a day of mourning that fused political protest with religious rituals, the ayatollahs and opposition members were able to unite their cause with the credibility and authority of the religious establishment, thus empowering themselves and granting themselves more legitimacy in their opposition to the shah's regime. This move did not carry out the desires of the shah, absolve his regime of wrongdoing, or dismiss the concerns of the families of the students.

When Leading Ayatollahs and Opposition Members Called for Iranians to Observe