The memory of one interview session

Interview with scholars and clergies and recording their memories provides a different account with other social classes.

Many scholars and clergies avoid interviews and recording their memories and most importantly they refuse to state their names and hesitate to indicate concepts which might be perceived as gossip and engagement in scientific and religious affairs occupies them and hinders them from involvement in other aspects; in case they consent to interview, they are not much interested to discuss details. Hence, those involved in the field of oral history are unlikely to refer to this social group and sources of contemporary history.

Due to the projects that I’ve been lucky to work with for couple of years where most of the interviews are with scholars and clergies I have had the honor to have meetings with some of them. Hence, critical experience is earned in this regards that I hope I’ll be able to share them in due time. Here, I’ll refer to one of my sessions briefly.

It was a day in 2010 when I got the opportunity to visit late Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Yahya Ansarie Shirazi with couple of my colleagues and asked him to share stories of his youth.
I knew that illness and weakness due to old age has severely undermined his strength and I shall not expect him to answer all my questions or warmly receive us. However, few brief moments even were valuable.

The meeting was arranged in his small house at the end of an alley in one of the old districts in Qom. We entered the house, went to a simple room in basement one. The old man was standing and waiting for us in his full clerical clothes.

One of the most prominent professors of philosophy and mysticism in the recent decades known as “Sheikh Eshragh” and “Ghodvah Almotalehin” who was Mujahid jurists during resistance was standing in modesty while it seems to be very difficult and greeted all of us and then sat on a bed in the corner of the room. We insisted that he leans back on pillows, he didn’t accept.

His simple life and modesty in accepting to meet with us despite his illness impressed us more.
We briefly explained what we were doing and we asked him to host us with his memories. Ayatollah, explained some issues and when we asked questions he listened carefully and answered. He referred to the elders of his field with respect. I had heard that he was one of the twelve prominent professors who had referred to Imam Khomeini as the supreme leader and dearly respected his mentor. In some stories it is told that when SAVAK(1) banned him from speaking in the mosque in Qom, despite his high scientific status, he would travel to remote villages during Moharram and Holy month of Ramadan to advocate religion and defend Imam Khomeini and his freedom and religious oriented movement and when people would collect money and give it to him, he would return the money to be spent on charity in the same village.

Ayatollah Ansarie Shirazie considered it his religious and humanitarian duty to defend and advocate Imam and he would spare no effort.

In our meeting, when talking about Imam, his eyes would fill with tear and it was hard for him to talk. When telling memories, he also cried and it was when he was talking about Imam Mousa Sadr and his competence. His tears were sign of pure nostalgia and passion. We would like to hear more but considering his health status we had to live early.

He stood up with difficulty and saw us to the door while we had the sweet memories he recounted with kindness and modesty.

Now that Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Yahya Ansarie Shirazi has passed away we would like to praise his friendly and modest attitude. Like others, he had any reason to reject our request for a meeting; not only he didn’t but also cooperated and appreciated the importance of recording events and memories in a greater scale. May God have mercy on him!

Hamid Qazvini
Translator: Nali Haghverdiyan

1- Intelligence service during Pahlavi regime

Persian Link:
http://oral-history.ir/show.php?page=notions&id=212