Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive):

Profile

Born in 1970 Sitra-Wadyan. Married and a father to two sons and a daughter.
Obtained a Bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies from the Al-Mustafa University.
Husseini Pulpit Preacher.
Former Member of Parliament, represented the island of Sitra in 2010 elections.
Member of Al-Wefaq Society's political bloc.
Member of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.
Head of Public Relations Committee of Al-Wefaq Society.
Head of Al-Wefaq's Communication Team.
Active member of a number of committees and teams in Al-Wefaq.
President of Sitra Clerics Council.
President of Islamic Fajr Center.
Member of the Islamic Scholars (Ulama) Council.
Member of the Board of Trustees of Al-Ghadeer Islamic Education Center in Sitra.

Brief Background:

He finished his high school education at Isa Town High School in 1987. During that time, he was always harassed by security forces since he was reciter of Husseini Eulogies, thus negatively affecting his studies.

He was arrested several times. These arrests started from the 1980s until the end of the 1990s when the country witnessed unrest. In July 1997, his apartment was raided once again and was asked to attend the intelligence department. He traveled to Qatar and then to Iran to pursue his Islamic studies, for he began studying in Bahrain in 1989 and his studies were interrupted a number of times for many reasons.

He stayed in the Iranian city of Qom for 11 years from 1997 until 2008 to complete his studies and he used to travel to Kuwait, India, Oman, Qatar and other countries to preach and deliver religious sermons.

Some of his most prominent teachers are Sayed Khadhem Al-Ha'iri, Sayed Moneer Al-Khabbaz Al-Qatifi, Sheikh Hassan Suaidan, Sheikh Moueen Daqiq, Sheikh Mohamed Al-Obaidan, Sheikh Hani Al-Banaa and others.

He taught in a number of Islamic education universities for 7 years and in 2008, he returned to Bahrain and established the Islamic Fajr Center (for education and teaching).

Testimonies:

President of Al-Wefaq's Shura Council, former MP Sayed Jameel

1st: Sheikh Hassan Isa is known for his wide social as well as religious relations with clerics and their religious jurisprudence offices, through which he played a huge humanitarian role by helping people in need. He has been doing this for decades. There are poor and deprived people who depend on him to provide them with aid so that they would be able to put food on the table. As for the claims that he funded people involved in terrorist operations, it is just impossible and is even one of the issues that the Sheikh stands strongly and firmly against. Everyone knows this, including a faction of the authorities. He is one of the strongest opponents of these actions and has a prominent role in distancing dozens and even hundreds of youths residing in his area from violence and similar acts. Everyone can testify to this because his efforts to protect the youth and keep them away from violence were evident and clear.

2nd: Sheikh Hassan played the role of a guide and preacher for many youth groups in different areas across the country, urging them to adhere to a peaceful approach in order to have the legitimate demands of the Bahraini people met. He achieved great success in this field, also thanks to his likable character and influence on the social movement.

3rd: Since he was a member of parliament and a prominent religious scholar and social activist, he had many connections with officials in the Ministry of Interior whom he contacted in order to prevent any security tensions from erupting in villages and towns. They also are aware of this role of his.

4th: All the guidance and preaching he practiced was in coordination with Al-Wefaq that has always adopted a peaceful approach as the only way leading to the fulfillment of the Bahraini people's legitimate and just demands.

Sheikh Hassan is an absolutely peaceful national Islamic figure, who knows his duties towards his people and country, and no one can deny that. Detaining him over these charges is shocking to many people, especially that he has always urged many of the residents of his area and other areas to distance themselves from violence and anything related to violence, and he has dedicated his preaching for this purpose.

Al-Wefaq Shura Council Member Hamed Khalaf

Sheikh Hassan Isa was fully committed to adopting a peaceful approach in calling for democratic transition in bahrain and the ceiling of his movement was the Manama Document that Al-Wefaq and other opposition societies issued. He is a religious scholar who feels the people's pains, sufferings and different needs and works on solving their problems. He is also a political speaker and Husseini pulpit preacher, which means that he abides by Islamic restrictions by "enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong", and he always openly expresses his opinions rationally. All his viewpoints backs the people's demands to achieve a democratic transition.

Al-Wefaq Member and Husseini Eulogies Reciter Abduljabbar Al-Osfour

I met Sheikh Hassan Isa before he became a Sheikh (religious scholar). One of my friends in Sitra introduced me to him. He was a well-known Husseini eulogies reciter there. The very first time you meet him, you immediately discover his kind personality. He warmly welcomed me and greeted me with a cheerful attitude that he always enjoys. We sat together for long hours and discussed many things. I even knew him on a more personal level; he used to always make humorous comments about the accents in Sitra and Diraz, and that's how our relationship and friendship began.

He loved people and used to always help others and engage in society. He tries his best to be a servant for the people and be close to them; that was even before he became a Sheikh. He never complained about the work he did to help others. You would always feel kindness and geniality around him. He always had an open door for people to come and be close to him. He used to get to know people of all ages, young and old. He used to meet people in mosques and on the streets. He was never a "nobody". He was well-known in his village and other areas. The votes he gained didn't come from nowhere. He had a place in people's hearts.

After the 1990s uprising erupted, we were imprisoned together. We never lost contact after that. During the February 14 revolution, he became an MP after gaining many votes, in addition to receiving the blessing of Al-Wefaq and clerics. He was a known and prominent figure in society, thus he gained the majority of votes.

Many people asked the Sheikh for help and consultation. He used to feel the people's joy and grief and visit the families of martyrs and deprived families as well.

Since Sheikh Hassan was polite, kind, determined and active, he became one of the authorities' targets. Because he wanted to achieve justice and equality and rejected discrimination, the regime wanted to arrest him.

Sheikh Hassan realised that the only way to success is a path full of obstacles. He was completely aware of that and carried on in this path. He was peaceful and denounced every act of violence. He was a member of a licensed political society and religious scholar who called for non-violence. It is very strange that he got arrested. He is one of the figures who should not be handcuffed and put behind bars, along with Sheikh Ali Salman, Milad, Abdulwahhab, and Mushaima'.

Arabic Issue