The custom of writing memoir of Ayatollah

Hamid Ghazvini
Translated by Fazel Shirzad

2017-1-15

Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani passed away on 19^th Day 1395 (January 10, 2017), and his political and social activities were brought to an end at the age of eighty two. Hashemi was an Iranian paramount politician at the last four decades, and the most of his memoirs are published as an interview and transcription; these memoirs has attracted lots of addressees. The memoirs are one of the several gainful and documentary references for Islamic Revolution and republic of Iran, and they are available for people.

In the early decade of seventies, for first time, the book" Hashemi Rafsanjani in the period of political struggle", consisted some interviews with him about the years before the revolution, was published in two volumes; the second volume is involved in documents of those days.

Afterward, his transcriptions were published in some of the newspapers as footnote in the middle decade of seventies in 1370. Next, one book has being published yearly as a report card and memoirs of Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Hashemi Rafsanjani, as he said frequently, believed that the events of the beginning of the revolution were not recorded in order well, because the negotiations of important meeting were not recorded. In those days, of course, some believed that the revolution would not be survived and it could be failed very soon; all of revolutionists would be captured. Some also believed that the documentation should not be done, because they did not expect the revolution to be established well. Hashemi, but, paid seriously attention on writing of memoirs; he had been writing some notes daily, one page for one day, about personal affairs and important domestic and foreign events yearly on the calendar of each year since Farvardin 1360 (April 1981).

For the most important reason of writing memoir, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani stated: "Regardless lots of responsibilities and works, I recorded the memoirs ambitiously, because I knew that those, who were not accord with the main goal of revolution. Before revolution and at the pinnacle of struggles, when I was in prison and I was an escapee for political condition, I tried to write according the demands of society. After revolution, I was not able to focus on a special issue, because I have taken lots of responsibilities. But, those, who were not able to accord themselves with the main goal of revolution, wrote and record the history of revolution in their perspective. So, I establish the Center for Writing History to record the historical events of revolution. I, by myself, interviewed with authorities of the revolutionary center about the history of the revolution; these interviews were published in two volumes with documentations. I know that the publication of such memoirs of writer, mentioned families and those who are still alive is not void of problem and negative feedback. But I think, it might be led to a positive and formative results."

To help and improve the system is the main goal of Hashemi to publish the memoirs which spent his life in. As the matter of fact, Hashemi tried to show some sides of decision making in the high level of the revolution, instead of seeking reputation, and informed researchers and historians about the decisions.

Some books are published in this field, such as " Revolution and Victory"; the memoirs of years 1357(1979) and 1358, " Revolution at a Crisis"; the memoirs of year 1359 ( 1981), " Passing Over Crisis";  the memoirs of years 1360 (1982), " After Crisis" : the memoirs years 1361(1983), " Revolution and Challenge"; the memoirs of years 1362 (1984), "Towards Fate"; the memoir of year 1363 ( 1985), " Hope and Concern"; the memoirs of year 1364(1986), " the Pinnacle of Defense"; the memoirs of year 1365(1987), " Defense and Policy"; the memoirs of 1366(1988), " the End of Defense, the State of Development"; the memoirs of 1366, " Construction and Reconstruction"; the memoirs of year 1368(1990), " Moderation and Victory" the memoirs of years 1369 (1991), Construction and Development"; the memoirs of year 1370(1992), " the Affluence of Construction"; the memoirs of 1371(1993), " the Solidity of Construction"; the memoirs of year 1372 (1994). Among these books, the books of years 1357, 1358 and 1359 were written later, but other ones were provided daily.

What is the significance of Hashmi's memoirs?

Hashemi Rafsanjani had a relationship with Imam Khomeini since middle of decade of 1330(1952), and he attended in the center of leadership since the commencement of the revolutionary movement. He also had a crucial role in establishing of Islamic Republic of Iran; and he was always one of the main members of the revolution; therefore, what he has stated is valuable.

The memoirs of Hashemi Rafsanjani is valuable on the another side; these memoirs were written daily and during the life when he had a seat of responsibility. Memoir, according to the measure of value, will be valuable, if they are written daily, because of problem of forgetting and carefulness.  

Another feature of these memoirs is that they are predicate ones. Hashemi tried to avoid of analyzing and judging as much possible. Hashemi's style of writing is like as note, it can be supposed that the original notes may be written shorter. In fact, he has written just the heading of events, and didn’t involve in the wordage and completion of expression.

Far and near reactions

The publication of memoirs and handwriting of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani is not an unusual and unexpected matter because of his endless attendance of in the important political crisis of the revolution. The publication of the memoirs was always involved in the different reaction, and caused to some criticisms and question, besides admiration and celebrations, but he usually responded the questions indirectly or stood in silence. Perhaps, because of a decrease in these problem, he, at first, gave the books Ayatollah Khamenei (the leader) to study before to be published.

Anyway, history is a field of challenge; it is not strange that there are different perspective on the memoirs of Hashemi. It should be noted that the custom of writing memoir politically was paid attention rarely; these memoirs are only ones published, with lots of volume, by one of the contemporary diplomats during his life and in Iran. So, Hashemi is one of bravest diplomats, because he published his memoir to be judged. He has interviewed with media a researcher; some of his interviews are published or will be published; in this term, he is a record-holder. Other diplomats might follow him in such way.