Reza in Revolution

Memoirs of Hujjat al-Islam Reza Motalebi

Compiled by: Mahya Hafez
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad

2025-5-20

Hujjat al-Islam Reza Motalebi is a cleric from Isfahan. Before the revolution, he was the imam of the Fallah Mosque – which was later renamed Abuzar Mosque. By his presence and efforts, Abuzar Mosque soon became a base for supporters of the Imam and the revolution. After the victory of the revolution, he played a role in uniting forces and maintaining political vitality in southwest Tehran. His memories are narrated in a book titled “Reza in Revolution” written by Hujjat al-Islam Saeed Fakhrzadeh.

The book begins with a short introduction by the narrator and then a foreword by the author. The foreword explains the method of writing the book and how the interviews were conducted during thirteen sessions in 2016. The author emphasizes: “In the final text, an attempt was made to measure the time of events with similar documents and narratives; although the perspectives of individuals in describing the details of the events differ, and basically no two narratives match in detail.” After that, the book’s content is organized into seven chapters in the first person.

The first chapter of the book, titled "The Passion for Life," deals with the narrator's family and economic, social, and religious situation. He was born in the village of Karbakand near Isfahan in 1938 AH. In this chapter, after introducing his father, mother, and brothers, he recounts brief memories of his childhood and adolescence.

In the second chapter, titled "Isfahan Seminary," we read about how the narrator entered the Isfahan Seminary. In this chapter, in addition to explaining the situation of the Isfahan Seminary, he introduces some of its scholars.

In the third chapter, titled "Emigration to Qom," the narrator talks about continuing his studies at the Qom Seminary, his marriage, and his missionary trips to the villages of Kashan and Karaj.

The fourth chapter, titled "The Beginning of the Movement," begins with the preparations and grounds for the beginning of the revolution, and continues with issues such as the death of Ayatollah Boroujerdi, the authority of Imam Khomeini (RA), the idea of ​​an Islamic government, the Faiziyeh incident, the conscription of students, the 15th of Khordad Movement, and so on. In this chapter, the narrator also talks about the position of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Reza Golpayegani and Seyyed Kazem Shariatmadari.

After living in Qom for several years and engaging in teaching and preaching activities, the narrator decides to migrate to Tehran. In the fifth chapter of the book, titled “The Age of the Mosque,” ​​he explains how he was appointed as the Imam of the Fallah Mosque by Imam Khomeini and how Shahid Mahallati introduced him to the local people. In this chapter, after describing activities such as establishing a library and accounts of weekly meetings of the clergy and following up on the situation of prisoners and exiles, he describes the celebration of Haj Mustafa Khomeini, and then how he was arrested by SAVAK, endured prison, and finally was released.

The sixth chapter is called “The Scent of Victory,” which begins by describing how the narrator returned to the mosque after his release and narrates the events of the first days of the revolution.

In the last chapter, “The Mosque; "The Base of the Revolution and the System" is a corner of the activities carried out in the Abu Dhar Mosque after the Islamic Revolution and in the Sacred Defense until 2016.

The book ends with documents, photographs, and finally a list of announcements.

The first edition of the book "Reza in Revolution" was published in 335 pages and 1250 copies, in paperback and priced at 290,000 Toman (Iranian currency) in 2023 by Sooreh Mehr Publications.