A memory regarding ulema’s sit-in in Tehran University

Translated by: M.B. Khoshnevisan

2024-6-10

This activity and going back and forth continued until two or three nights before the Imam's arrival in Iran, when Bakhtiar prevented him from entering. Mr. Jalali Khomeini called and said that all the prayer leaders should gather in the university. We must sit down and stand in front of the government so that the Imam would definitely come. In short, we also took clothes and enough food for one day and went to university. The ulema and prayer leaders had all been divided. They had also come from other towns. East of Tehran on one side and west of Tehran on the other. May God have mercy on the late Mr. Seyed Majid Iravani, he was the head of the clergy in the west of Tehran, the east of Tehran was entrusted to Hajj Mr. Jalali Khomeini and the responsibility of most of the prayer leaders who were from the east of Tehran was entrusted to him. They had also come from other cities. As I remember, Ayatollah Agha Seyyed Jalal Taheri Isfahani had come from Isfahan.

The first time that I [Hojjatoleslam Valmoslemin Seyed Mohammad Javad Pishvaee] visited Mr. Taheri was there. He was a very strong fighter. The people of Isfahan, who were all his followers, accompanied him. We found out that the people of Isfahan were preparing themselves for the Imam's arrival. What they were doing was interesting. They connected electrical wires and speakers. They prepared everything from the university to the airport. Because it was said that he would come to the university and give a speech. For this reason, they erected speakers and wired up to the Revolution Square and a little to Azadi Street and all around the university. They were even preparing for the arrival party and lighting. I saw this activity of people of Isfahan there. A special group came from Isfahan for the lights. Indeed, Isfahan has a significant contribution in the revolution and later in the war, and this is not without the blessing of the ulema and scholars of Isfahan. Among the important scholars of Isfahan, we should mention people like the late Ayatollah Khademi and then Mr. Seyed Jalal Taheri.

During this time, they gave speeches in turn in the mornings. Often, Mr. Beheshti, Motahari and Montazeri gave speeches and Ayatollah Khamenei returned to Mashhad after the speech because he had plans there as well. Of course, some scholars had just been released from prison. They were in prison for a while. Mr. Taleqani had just been released at that time. He came from his home to the university during the day and did not stay at night. But he came to the university and the mosque every day to share his efforts. Sometimes, he would stay for lunch. Every day after praying we had lunch. The prayer leaders were different. Once there was Mr. Motahari and once there was the late Mr. Taleqani. Other times some other prayer leaders. The bazaaris in Tehran also distributed bread and dates for lunch. Once when they were distributing the bread and dates, late Ayatollah Taleqani said in a loud voice, “Please, help yourself, please.” Then he said with a laugh and in a good mood’ “Be sure that you will not find such things after the revolution!” At night, they had divided the rooms in the university for sleeping. Martyr Beheshti respected the late Taleqani very much. Every time Mr. Taleqani was there, none of them came forward as prayer leaders. The late Motahari was the same. In that situation, respect was maintained. At night, the men of eastern Tehran were accommodated in a hall. Each person was given a mattress and a blanket to sleep on. We put down a blanket and furled the abaya, the winter abaya was our pillow.

The three nights that we sat in the university passed like this. On the day of Imam's arrival, they said that the ulema lined up in front of the university as Imam was coming and wanted to give a speech. We all looked forward to him. It was 10 o'clock, then 11 o'clock, and12 o'clock. The Imam did not come. We asked what the matter was? They said that the pathway of the Imam had been changed and he had gone directly to Behesht Zahra Cemetery from the airport. After that, we prayed and returned home. As a result, we could not get a car and walked from Ferdowsi Square to Imam Hossein Square, which was called Fouzieh Square at that time. Less than a week after the Imam's arrival, I met him in Alavi school.

Source: The Follower of Rouhollah, Memories 44, Memoirs of Hojjatoleslam Valmoslemin Seyed Mohammad Javad Pishvaee, Tehran, Orooj, 1399 (2020), pp. 102-104