The life story of some of Khuzestani youth became a book

The memoirs of guys of Jazayeri mosque in Ahvaz

Mohammad Ali Fatemi
Translated by Fazel Shirzad

2017-7-25

The book "Homage; the memoirs of a mosque in Ahvaz" is compiled by Ali Maserati, and it is delivered to bookstores by the Office of Culture and Studies of Resistance of Art Center's Provincial Affairs and the Publication of Sureh Mehr.

This book is compiled in 575 pages. Each chapter consists special topics are derived from narrated events of the chapters. Some of the topics are mentioned as follows: "Black Wednesday, the first provincial congress of Islamic association of Khuzestan's student, Mansour Memarzadeh, the second siege of Susangerd, and Asghar Gandomkar and Reza Pirzadeh, the frontage of Farsiat and Hoveyzeh, the epic of Hoveyzeh ( on 6 and 7 January 1981), the frontage of Susangered, operation Imam Ali ( PBHM), the Martyrdom of Hussein Bahrami and Javadi Dagheri operation Tariq al-Qods, the Seminary school of Imam Khomeini, operation Fatah al-Mobin, operation Beit al-Moqaddas, the liberation of Khorramshahr, operation Ramadan, the establishment of secret station Nosrat, operation Khaybar, operation Badr, operation Valfajr 8, operation Karbala 4, operation Karbala 5, the numbers of the mosque's martyrs. Since there is no index for the book, topics, which are mentioned at the beginning of the book, partly clear the subject of book at one glance.

The office of Culture and Studies of Resistance in Khuzestan's Art center make a point to the book; it implies to the geography of writing the book:" it is a documentary historical narration of a prominent an affective mosque in the events and evolutions resulted in Islamic revolution in 1357(1978) and some events after victory in the revolution and Iraqi imposed war in Ahvaz and the role of young and altruist revolution". Alireza Maserati has also written at the preface of the book." The story of the guys of  Jazayeri mosque is a narration that I do lots of interview by using the narration of a narrator or events, where I didn’t attended in, or more interesting memoirs; I retell these memoirs from guys who had attended in events, honestly.

In the introduction of book, we find where the mosque of Jazayeri is placed in the city, and we read the history of the mosque as narrated in memoirs. The postscripts of the book comes from the introduction consists of short biography and explanations which help readers to understand book well.

The chapter one of book is begun by a narration about hot day of summer in 1355(1976); reader become familiar with the climate and current activates in Jazayeri mosque. At the first pages of the chapter, we read about Hussein Panah, who was later known as a poet, writer, director and artist; in those days, as mentioned in the book, he became the booker of Jazayeri mosque.

The narrated events, till the end of chapter two is affected by the events of the last days of Islamic revolution. During these events, the role of Jazayeri mosque and the youth of Ahvaz in those days are narrated; it is a narration of Islamic revolution history in Ahvaz. The activities of the mosque towards the first events in the years after revolution are narrated from the revolution to Iraq imposed war against Iran.

In a parallel way, the narrator of text tell about the revolutionary activities of guys of mosque, out of this climate and Ahvaz city; and he tried to tell the influences of country's current event in these days. This parallel way causes reader to be familiar with the history of Ahvaz in those days; many names, consists of persons and groups, are mentioned in the text; it illustrates that if the book had an index, it would attract the attention of readers, especially history researchers, a lot. The reputation of some names in the history of Iran's Islamic revolution, and words and memoirs, which have been told, is also as a reminder of importance of an index for book.

The memoirs of sacred defense, and the collected material from other narrator about sacred is began from page 185. Hereafter, the memoirs of other narrators are mentioned further, because Jazayeri mosque is near to war area of north, and Ahvaz became a war city. The shortage of memoirs of the first days of war causes the book to be important more. The guys of Jazayeri mosque in Ahvaz, hereafter, will have major in province Khuzestan. As the guys had experience in fighters against Pahlavi regime, they were in ascending affective in the war:" it was reputed that Reza Pirzadeh was so near to Iraqi fighters that he wrote license plate of their tanks. He was a founder of first detective group in Mehr and Aban 1359 (October and November 1980). "

The narration whose detail are considerable, because they trace a certain plan to defend themselves against enemy. If there is an info graphic, these details will represent events, roads etc. besides people. Of course, let's no neglect this point that there are, today, lots of historical and military information about scared defense based on different kinds of war document. Sometimes, the comparison of the narrations in such books with the information causes the narration to be increased; it provides and incentive to gather more details. It also cause, the information of some narration and even their edition and explanation to be improved.

The name of book (i.e. Homage) represents that this book, initially, is to pay homage to the fighters and martyrs of Jazayeri mosque. (As mentioned in the picture and documents of the book, the numbers of martyrs are 1770). In the one hand, this book is a history of one Iran's mosque which has been located in special and historical geography. On the other hand, this book is as a life story of youth who gained experience and hope by the revolution and sacred defense; the martyrs of the revolution and sacred defense became permanent.

 It can be said about the addressees of this book:" the geography people, who are emphasized by the text, are first addressees. Other addressees are Khuzestan's people who are living in central area and familiar with the character of the book. General addressees are those who purse the events of war and sacred defense and Khuzestan is as most memorable city involved in the war.

The present condition of book represents that author of book tried to publish the book according facilities and the climate, as they are available in country, in the field of sacred defense. Besides the advantages of the book it is also better to criticize it, so that there are lots of people from Khuzestan who were affective and famous in sacred defense; this book can be criticized by those who are skillful and experience in the narration of war. In fact, they should think how this text could be ideally written or how far it is to reach. So, the shelf life of this book will be beyond the predictions, and the feedbacks will play a role in improving it. The hopes of enthusiastic readers (special or public) of sacred defense's book is that the troubles to publish and compile such books should be consider more, because the subject of the book, has most values; it is better to offer and publish the books according their values as well.