"The most famous incident is the tobacco controversy and the religious edict issued by the late Mirza Shirazi. All the Shiah at that time believed that the ‘ulama’ and mujtahidun are the successors of the Imam of the Age (A) and if the successor of the Imam (A) says something he has to be obeyed. Therefore, when the late Mirza Shirazi declared, “Today, the use of tobacco is unlawful [haram] and tantamount to war against the Imam of the Age (A)” they threw away and smashed their hookahs, and no one knew what happened. Until the day before, the use of tobacco had been lawful and was not a problem. Does God’s decree on the lawful [halal] and the prohibited [haram] change?! Everybody, including the ‘ulama’ and the maraji‘ at-taqlid who issued religious edicts [fatawa] regarded themselves bound to observe this decree of Mirza Shirazi."

AYATOLLAH MISBAH YAZDI (R)