Question No. 3364 2 November 2023 Official answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat) verified سطح محتوا: مقدماتی

Is Clerical Dress Sacred in Itself?

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Dear questioner, Master Ali Saei

Tracking code: #Q-3364

Is clerical dress sacred in itself, regardless of who wears it—even a thief? Put another way, when a thief wears clerical dress, does the garment lose its sanctity?

Subject category: Ethics and Spirituality Critique and review

The essence and first answer at a glance (60-word summary)

The garments of the God-conscious command special respect because the wearer's piety leaves its mark on them. A garment’s distinction comes from the virtue of the person wearing it, just as Abraham’s Station attained its rank through his presence (AS). Clerical dress has no sanctity in itself. If a scholar does not live by what he knows, his garments become a uniform of hypocrisy and deceit.

Answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat)

Teacher and researcher in the intellectual tradition of wisdom and the Ahl al-Bayt | Soroush Bamdadān Cultural Center

The garment of the God-fearing is held in special esteem because the wearer’s piety leaves its mark upon it—as with the garment of Joseph, peace be upon him, which restored the sight of Jacob, peace be upon him. The honor of a garment, then, derives from the honor of its wearer, just as a place is honored by the one who inhabits it. The Station of Abraham attained its distinction through Abraham, peace be upon him. A garment, in itself, confers no honor on a person. If a scholar does not practice what he teaches, his clothing becomes a garment of hypocrisy and deception.

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Is Clerical Dress Sacred in Itself?

The essence and first answer at a glance (60-word summary)

Answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat)

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