Introducing the book "Sit for a While Until It Rains..."

A description of life of martyred teacher Sayyid Amir Hossein Mousavi, narrated by Shamsi Falahati, the martyr’s wife

Fereydoon Heidari Molkmian
Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2021-9-7

"Sit Down for a While Until It Rain (Andaki Benshin ke Baran Bogzarad...", written by Leila Davarzandi and published in 2021 by the Zanjan’s Office of Resistance Culture and Studies in Sooreh Mehr Publications (affiliated to Hozeh Honari), it has been marketed in 280 pages and 1250 copies at a price of 550,000 Rials.  

In the first sight, the first thing that attracts attention is cover of the book, in which one feels that the designer has been tasteful in preparing it. In addition, the work has a good and acceptable printing and binding.

According to the list, contents of the book are: Instead of Introduction, the fifteen chapters, Martyr's Will, Pictures and Documents. In the introduction, the author points out that "this book is a simple and intimate book from a wife, the narrative of a short but romantic life." (p. 12)

"Sit Down for a While Until It Rains..." is memories of Ms. Shamsi Falahati from herself tongue, through which she discusses her acquaintance with Sayyid Amir Hossein Mousavi and marrying her and their marriage life, and finally her husband's martyrdom. Through this, reader of the book being familiar with a corner of this martyred teacher's life. On the other hand, the author's work should not be ignored too; she has tried to interview and converse the martyr’s wife, family and friends within three years. Even during this time, she goes to Abdal village with the martyr’s family several times to see closely whatever she was supposed to bring in the book. As she emphasizes, being in that beautiful rural house helped her greatly in writing these memories. After each interview session, she would sit on the computer and listen to the recordings. As she was doing typing, new questions raised for her that she would write down to ask at the next interview session. In the meantime, she sometimes surfed the Internet to adapt her hearings from the narrator to the historical events of the Revolution and the Holy Defense. In some cases, she had meeting with them to talk and reach a same conclusion. Then after end of the interviews, she began to write parts of the text, that sometimes at the request of the narrator, some parts of which were removed, and some parts were completely rewritten so that the memories would eventually be narrated to the audience in a story-like and fluent manner. In this way, the author succeeds in bringing the work to rewriting and the final writing stage.

In the first chapter of the book, the narrator describes different periods of education; from going to Maktab at the age of seven to Haji Massi (Masoumeh) Khanum and ending reading Qur'an during two years and then passing six elementary grades in Alaei School. For three years, she was at Shahdokht High School in Zanjan and then went to Bandar Abbas’s training college to study. Then she returns to Zanjan and teaches third grade at Khaghani School, which coincided with 1978, when the revolutionary struggles of the people were becoming more and more widespread. Sayyid Amir Hossein Mousavi is also her colleague at the same school who meet with her and likes her hijab, modesty, and beliefs and becomes determined to propose to him.

Chapters 2-7 are devoted to preparing marriage and starting a marriage life while teaching and accompanying people's struggles until the complete victory and fruition of the Islamic Revolution. It is then that their first child is born and sometimes they go on family tours. Hot summers that arrived they decided to spend three months in their ancestral village. They walked together in the garden in the evenings. Amir Hossein dealt with the garden task: pruned trees, took care for flowers, opens the waterway, and she (Shamsi) also hugs their son Meysam and follows him. Anyway, they had a good time.

Chapter 8 begins on September 22, 1980, with a sudden influx of the Iraqi army to the western and southern borders and an airstrike on several Iranian airports. It is announced through the news that a number of Iraqi Migs are flying over airports of Tehran and Tabriz. The news of the next day suggest the bombings spread. Airports of several cities and different parts of Sanandaj and Dezful, Tabriz Power Plant, Hamedan Air Base and several other provinces have also been targeted by Iraqi bombardments. An open declaration of war! Finally, at the end of Mehr (October), Imam Khomeini commands for Jihad, and people either one by one or in group are eager to make a contribution to the battlefield against the enemy. Shamsi is active in her school in different ways, which has become a popular base, and provides supplies for warriors such as food and clothing. Although Amir Hossein has also a heavy responsibility in education, but now for a while he just talks of going to the front all day and night. That he should go, and they take care of themselves (Shamsi and his son Meysam). Finally, the promised day arrives: he packs his bag and quietly goes to the front. This is his first departure to the front.

In the ninth chapter, along with the previous chapter, Shamsi speaks of Amir Hossein's intention to go to the front again and his steadfast decision in this regard, and that she herself is pregnant again. It is the last month of her pregnancy that Amir Hossein is ready to go to the front. While Shamsi presses her lips tightly on each other so that she not burst into her tears, and sees him out to the entrance, but when she closes the door, she feels something collapse inside her. She opens the door again and looks at him through the door to count his steps when he crosses the alley. But Amir Hossein doesn't look behind at all. She stands at the same state for a few moments. Finally, she closes the door and sits there behind the door, weeps her heart out and sheds tears.

Chapters 10 to 15 are entirely devoted to Ms. Shamsi Falahati's account of martyrdom of her husband, Sayyid Amir Hossein Mousavi, and then birth of their daughter Kulthum after when her martyred father departed heavenward, her early visits to grave of the martyr, playing both the role of mom and daddy for her children, raising children, be in solitude in the darkness with photos of the martyr, talking and having a heart-to-heart with him, and crying at the time when Meisam and Kulthoom are slept. Take refuge in One God and talk to Him and ask Him for help and be satisfied with God's pleasure. Thus, as the children grow older and older, when their mother wants to teach them something, she gives them an example of their father's life and talks about it, and then the children try to follow in the footsteps of their martyred father, pattern him and implement his pattern in their lives.

The end of the book is decorated with two wills from the martyred teacher Sayyid Amir Hossein Mousavi, who has written the first one to his wife and reminds him of the necessary orders regarding some personal and religious issues, and in the second, asks his family and friends and in general his religious siblings for religious pardon, and after mentioning some issues, he finally advises everyone:  «... Never forget proximity to God and piety and not being separated from the Qur'an and addressing those who suffer, and patience in the way of God." (p. 260)