Commemorative ceremony for Sheikh Ahmad Gomi

In the name of God the Compassionate the Merciful Speech by H.E. Dr. Nassereddin Heidari Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Kingdom of Thailand On the eve of the 70th Anniversary of the Diplomatic Relations between Iran and Thailand Ayutthaya 23 November 2024

We are all gathered in this worthy place and tomb of Sheikh Ahmad Gomi to respect and pay tribute to him as a divine clergy and businessman who by his mitigation to the Saim land, in 420 years ago, was initiator of cultural, people to people and religious relations between the two old civilizations of Iran and Thailand as we are here to honor his noble personality.

Migration of this great man to Thailand is the turning point for common cultural, and historical relations between the two Asian great nations. The historical narrative of an Iranian cleric and businessman, must be very attractive and stunning for the Iranian and Thai people and throughout of South East Asia, who gained the most prominent political and religious positions in Thailand in his era, through which the impact of Iranian and Islamic rich culture in ancient Thai nation, in particular, in Ayutthaya kingdom to be known that, how is that after passed centuries and in uninterrupted years, his service and presence in Thailand, is revived and remembered.

Thailand has a rich culture of coexistence with freedom for all races and nations and those followers of all religions; and with such characteristics in governance, it has always been open to the views and other cultures, that it has benefited from the development of outside world in order not to be negligent of the world changes.

Sheikh Ahmad Gomi 420 years ago, in such a free atmosphere, has used all his talent and intelligence as special advisor to the kingdom of Ayutthaya, at the same time as a Muslim person with all his honesty and perseverance, to be the special advisor to the King of Siam, and in such a way gained the confidence of the kingdom that became the second high ranking official of the country after his majesty the king.

Subsequently, he became the leader of the Muslim Society in Thailand and with his pure and decent efforts, a lot of Thai people converted to Islam. This great decent man has left a very wonderful memory and image from the Iranians for the Thai people.

And because of his appearance as a clergy, he was able to create friendship, loyalty and honesty of a real Muslim man in the mind and remembrance of Thai people as common cultural legacy of Iran and Thailand that, today we are among his sixth generation, Buddhist and Muslim descendants, gathered here in his tomb, as we are grateful for which, he was a learnt migrant in the Siam land.

The worth hearing and interesting history of Sheikh Ahmad Gomi and his ancestry in Thailand, undoubtedly is the symbol of common cultural values of Iran and Thailand through which, the ancient civilizations of these two lands, have been restoring.

It seems likely that the basic and original reason why common cultural and moral of the Iranians are not considered as alien for Thai people, has been the strong and impactful presence of Sheikh Ahmad Gomi, in this land, that the people of Thailand welcomed him with open-minded in his tomb, glorify his dignity and his high virtue and this honoring rite is held annually for him.

While appreciating organizers of this glorious ceremony, and it is an honor for me and my colleagues in the Embassy and our Cultural Center to participate in this rite, I as the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Thailand, should mention that, we share the tribute and compliment for the status of Sheikh Ahmad Gomi, and we do have all respect for him, as the one, who have established the relationship between the two great nations of Iran and Thailand.

Of course, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the Diplomatic Relations between Iran and Thailand in next year (2025), the tribute and memorial of this noble position of Sheikh is necessary that our memory and thought of him should remain in the list of our programs for anniversary of the 70th years of our Diplomatic Relations and we should hold a seminar or a conference for his honoring.

As some years back the Embassy Cultural Center, has already held a Seminar for him in Thailand, it is now suggested that a similar Seminar to be held with efforts of the Cultural Center and participation of the Royal Thai Embassy in Tehran, with the presence of his descendants and other Iranian and Thai intellectuals in Gom or Tehran.

In conclusion, the remembrance of this elegant poem of Sheikh Mosleh-e-din Sadi’ Shirazi, is my cherish ending that:

Sa’adia, a man of good reputation never dies,

The dead is only he who is ill spoken of

Va salamon Alikom Va rahmatolah.