Memorial of Mr. Seyed Mostafa Khomeini

Compiled by: Islamic Revolution Website
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad

2022-5-18

One of the effective events in the crystallization of Imam Khomeini's movement was the martyrdom of his son and scientist, Ayatollah Seyyed Mustafa. The news of the martyrdom of "Hajj Seyed Mostafa" affected many clerics and believers in Birjand. Even those who did not fight [against Pahlavi regime] were unhappy in his absence. In those circumstances, the establishment of a commemoration assembly for that wise scholar who was the Imam's friend and helper could have been an ointment for the hearts of the religious people, especially for the consolation of his followers. On this occasion, a commemorative assembly was held by the city's ulema in the Ayatollah Ayati Mosque, and people from different walks of life participated in that assembly. I, who had been banned from the pulpit and speech for the reasons mentioned above, was sitting in the audience like the others, waiting for the speech. While Ayatollah Nabagh Ayati, Ayatollah Rabbani and some scholars and clerics were present at the head of the parliament, Ayatollah "Sheikh Mehdi Fazel" introduced me to the pulpit.

      I said, "I have been banned from the pulpit and speech for a long time and I am excused from giving sermons. In addition, my father has emphasized that I should refrain from going to the pulpit and making a speech for now." Ayatollah Fazel was upset in front of a crowd who were aware of our words and said angrily: "Your father's words are respectable, ‌ but they (police officers) were wrong to ban you from the pulpit! Secondly, he forbade you from the pulpit, to say that they did not forbid you. "There is no problem, do not go to the pulpit, but speak standing up." Some clerics and trustees present in the parliament also agreed with Mr. Fazel and insisted on this. When I saw a situation like this, I stood by the pulpit and gave a speech. The situation in the parliament was so tense that it was felt that the audience was expecting to hear a few words of political speech. For this reason, I devoted my speech to describing the character of Mr. Seyyed Mustafa as a powerful arm of Imam Khomeini, and then I emphasized the importance of his services to the Imam and Muslims, under the authority of their father. Then, in a speech, I mentioned some words against the government's policies and the problems that the authorities at home and abroad had created for Imam and Haj Mustafa,!

      Although my speech on that day was improvised and unplanned, it was exciting and interesting for the audience. Some people even stood around the pulpit from the excitement until the end of the ceremony and listened to me! I was so excited to see this scene that I announced at the end of the speech; "I will stand by the pulpit and give a speech until the ban is removed!"

      Following this speech, I was summoned to the police station; I do not know why Mr. Najafi, the police chief, came out in peace and friendship with me and said by offering condolences: "Mr. Diani!, We have enough anti-Islamic problems. You calm down until we reach these problems. Just yesterday, several young strangers were taken to a police station that was distributing Christian books at a High School. When we questioned them, they said: We did it with the permission of the governor and the head of education." I got angry and said: "the head of education made a mistake and made a big mistake by allowing Christianity and Armenian books to be distributed among Muslim children in Islamic high schools." Then I handed them over to the police to be chased away from the area ...!"

He finally gave me some advice in simple words and said: You are free, you can go!"

Source: Asadollahi Gazar, Ahmad, ‌ Maryam Sobhanian, Sheikh Ismail: Life and Times of Hojjatoleslam Sheikh Ismail Dayani, Tehran, Surah Mehr, 1400, pp. 210-212.