Imam’s daily schedule in Neauphle-le-Château

Part of memoirs of Haojjat al-Eslam Hadi Ghaffari

Selected by Faezeh Sasanikhah
Translated by M. B. Khoshnevisan

2023-12-19

The Imam used to sit in the yard in the afternoons. Sometimes, this was sometimes done after sunset. There was an apple tree in the yard under which the Imam sat. This tree had been known as a symbol in Europe. And in interviews and news, this tree was mentioned regularly. The Imam was interviewing under this tree. He dealt with the journalists with patience. Anyone who had any questions asked.

France was closed on Sundays, so from Saturday evening, Iranian and Muslim students as well as boys and girls from all over Europe came to France. The Imam had plans for those two nights, and did a continuous cultural work during these days. Usually, the Imam gave speeches on Saturday evenings. His talks were in detail about the revolution and the movement of the Iranian people. Normally, he gave a speech for almost two hours. These speeches were generally about explaining the positions of the Islamic Revolution, and what we want. The Imam said these words on these occasions to enlighten the public's mind. On Sundays, the Imam did not speak, but appeared among the crowd and answered the questions raised by the audience. Everyone who was there asked a question according to his or her mood. Every question that was asked, the imam would answer with patience and generosity. Once, I decided to ask a question too. I made my mind to ask one of the complicated questions that was a problem for me that day. In all revolutions, one of the problems for leaders is that people get tired halfway through, especially if there is killing involved. If the enemies act stronger and... they may tire a nation from fighting.

I raised my hand to ask this question. The Imam said, “Please ask your question.”

I said, “Sir, if one day, the people feel, or you feel, that people are tired of fighting, what do you think about that day?" (I thought that I had raised a complicated question. Even now, if you consider the struggles of the people of India, Palestine, Algeria, etc., this question has a special status.)

In response to my question, the Imam pondered a little and lowered his head. Then he raised their head and said: "There is no problem, they will rest for six months, then they will fight again."

Imam's answer was very simple. I said to myself what a useless question I had asked.

Until the days when the weather was not too cold, the Imam came in the yard among the audience. We insisted to the imam that he should carpet the area with the funds he had, but the Imam did nothing.

There, everyone brought a prayer rug and prayed on the grass in the area. Anyway, we could not make the Imam to accept this. But when the weather got cold and due to rain and snow, he agreed to buy a tent. We bought a very ordinary tent that has the capacity of forty to forty-five people. The daily prayers were performed in that tent under the leadership of the Imam. He prayed the Morning Prayer indoors.

 Source: Memoirs of Hojjat al-Eslam Hadi Ghaffari, The Bureau for the Islamic Revolution Literature, Vol.1, Tehran, Art Center, 1374 (1995), P. 319.