Dr. Alimorad Davoudi was an Iranian philosopher, professor, writer, translator, and a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iran, the governing body of the Bahá’í community at the national level. He was an esteemed scholar, recognized for his deep knowledge of Greek and Islamic philosophy, the history of religions, and his unwavering commitment to academic integrity.
Born in 1922 in the small village of Shams-Abad in Iranian Azerbaijan, Davoudi spent his youth in Tabriz, where his family embraced the Bahá’í Faith. Unlike many of his peers, he dedicated much of his adolescence to study and research.
After finishing high school, he moved to Tehran to enroll in a teacher training college. While working full-time as a schoolteacher, he later pursued doctoral studies in philosophy at Tehran University. In 1964, he earned his Ph.D., and his scholarly contributions quickly gained recognition. He was subsequently invited to join the university's faculty, where he rose to the position of chairman of the philosophy department.
Throughout his academic career, Dr. Davoudi wrote extensively on the history of Greek and Islamic philosophy, as well as on Bahá’í philosophical and theological themes. He translated numerous French-language philosophical works into Persian, many of which were published by Tehran University Press and became essential textbooks for students.
In addition to his academic work, Dr. Davoudi served as secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iran, a role that placed him at the forefront of defending the rights of Bahá’ís amid escalating persecution. He maintained correspondence with Bahá’ís across the country, offering encouragement and coordinating relief efforts.
Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the persecution of Bahá’ís intensified, and Dr. Davoudi became a visible target. The Society of Muslim Students labeled him "anti-Islamic" and "anti-revolutionary." Members of militant Islamic groups frequently gathered outside his home, making it impossible for him to continue his work as a professor. Despite these threats, he remained steadfast in his advocacy for justice, urging Bahá’ís to remain patient in the face of oppression. His prominence made him a marked figure in the new regime’s crackdown on religious minorities.
On November 11, 1979, while taking his daily walk in Laleh Park near his home in Tehran, Dr. Davoudi was kidnapped. He never returned. His disappearance became one of the first cases of enforced abduction and execution of intellectuals and religious minorities in post-revolutionary Iran, a practice that later expanded and became known as the "chain murders."
Dr. Davoudi was more than a philosopher—he was a man dedicated to truth, freedom of thought, and academic rigor. His commitment to both philosophy and his faith never wavered; despite the growing risks he faced. He was a true advocate of intellectual and personal freedom, warning against the dangers of Stalinist-style dictatorship, whether in religious or political forms. Unlike those who compromised philosophy for power, he sought to uphold its noble spirit as a path to truth-seeking, independent thought, and human dignity.
To this day, no information has surfaced regarding his fate. His abduction remains a haunting reminder of the persecution faced by intellectuals and religious minorities in Iran. [- B. Sabet]
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