Memoirs of Marzieh Hadidchi (Part 8)

2017-9-12

Memoirs of Marzieh Hadidchi (Dabbagh)

Edited by: Mohsen Kazemi

Tehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company

‎2002 (Persian Version)‎

Translated by: Zahra Hosseinian

Crying of Hazrate Fatima (Daughter of the Holy Prophet) (SA)

After recovering, I realized what had happened and it was as if I had come back from a world to another world. After four years of that spiritual meeting, I tried to convince my husband to go to Qom from time to time; and through Imam's friends and companions heard about him who lived in exile now, so that we could be informed of his thoughts and plans. Among those whom we visited were the late Rabbani Shirazi, Shahid Mohammad Montazeri, and Mousavi Ardebili. We had good fortune to visit Allameh Tabatabaee several times. These visits and meetings were good opportunities for asking my different questions and receiving more answers in those circumstances and times.

Except for these meetings, I also attended in public lectures and sermon sessions. Finally, one day my husband said: "Marzieh! A leader of congregational prayers has been sent to the neighborhood mosque who has come from the Qom and is one of Imam’s students. If you want we can visit him and ask whether it is possible for you to continue your study in his classes."

It was the best suggestion I could hear. Socializing with Imam’s student was my heartfelt wish.

At the first opportunity, I visited Ayatollah Saeedi, the new Imam of the mosque, and after introducing myself I asked him to allow me to be his student. I insisted and finally he accepted to teach me one or two hours a day. Studying and learning the Sharhe Lomee and Makasib was an excuse to ask my questions about the current events and revealed my doubts. Ayatollah Saeedi answered my all questions with great patience. By passing time, the debates tended toward political orientation and gradually became more prominent. Noticing my interest in political activities, Haj Agha Saeedi gradually encouraged me to enter this area by explaining the political conditions of the day. He himself sometimes answered my political questions, and sometimes asked Imam Khomeini for answer in writing. I remember that, for example, I questioned him about women’s driving and I said that I wanted to drive for accelerating some of my political activities. In the political, social, and cultural conditions of that time, Imam had prohibited it. Shahid Saeedi wrote a letter for Imam in which had explained that an individual with these features and characteristics, like me, wills to drive. Imam replied that she should refer to other maraje' taqlid (Sources of Emulation in Islam).

Since 1967, after several tests, Ayatollah Saeedi involved me directly in the field of battle with raising political issues of society, revolution and struggle, and warning about the threats and pressures of SAVAK on fighters.

One day, Shahid Saeedi asked 16 women, who were his students, to write an article about Hazrate Fatima (PBUH) in the occasion of her birth. I wrote four pages about the "cry of Hazrate Fatima", in which I recalled the philosophy of her crying, and emphasized that the cry of Hazrate Fatima, whose personality is the pole of universe, undoubtedly was not only because of losing her revered father; but she used it as a weapon to show the true face of government and its betrayals and oppressions. It is mistake to think that her crying had been for the sake of "Fadak" and materialism, because her sacred and blessed existence had been immaculate and she has not missed the best. It is mistake to think that her mourning had been due to the losing the Prophet (PBUH), since she has been submissive to the divine providence. In the political atmosphere of that day and in the community where she could not speak, protest, and rise up; he gathered people around her and described her state with crying.

In a part of my article I had mentioned ‘Hassanin and Zaynabin’. "I see a new thought behind it." Shahid Saeedi pointed to the title and said. And when he asked why I have chosen this title, I explained that because Imam Hassan’s and imam Hussein’s personalities are the same, so that we can refer to them as ‘Hassanin’; therefore, the similarities between Hazrate Zaynab’s and Umm Kulthum’s personalities also let us to refer to them as ‘Zaynabin’. I stated that Hazrate Umm Kulthum (SA) is a devoted and self-sacrificing person like Hazrate Zaynab (SA), but we recall Zaynab (SA) more and ignore Umm Kulthum’s self-sacrifices.

Shahid Saeedi collected all the articles and after reading them, called me and said:

"Mrs. Dabbagh! You should sign this article!"

"Why?" I asked.

"If we print this article without a signature, SAVAK suspect it." he replied, "We have to submit an article with signature and name!"

"Ok, no matter." I said.

I put my signature underneath the article. He looked at me and smiled. I found out that he wanted to test me and know how much I’m responsible.

A Lucrative business

By passing time, Ayatollah Saeedi commissioned a lady of my classmates and me to do various tasks. He gave us Imam's Fatwas, which received from Najaf, and asked us to write them on small papers and distribute them when in various shops we go shopping.

One day, Shahid Saeedi gave me Imam Khomeini’s the rule of the jurisprudent book, which was handwritten, and said: "Take this book and transcribe it. Use carbon paper to make a few copies. When it is finished, bring it for me." During the day I could not transcribe the book; so, in the evening, I fed my children and ask them to do their homework and put the little babies to sleep, then began transcribing. It took about two weeks to finish the transcription. When I handed over several copies of the book to Shahid Saeedi, he enjoyed my work very much and assigned me more important duties afterwards.

Shahid Saeedi arranged some training camping on his own initiative. With his guidance, I chose young girls and women who could ask their fathers or husbands permission to cooperate and participate in camps. Our first camp was daily and all five or six ones whom I had selected, took part. I asked my mother to look after my bigger children and I took my little babies with me to the camp.

The camp site was a pleasant garden in the Mardabad, Karaj. Mr. Saeedi himself arranged everything and we did not know who the owner of garden was. We had to pass a lot of main and side streets in Karaj to reach it. A Turkish-speaking woman, called Company, brought bread, cheese and fruits for us. Shahid Saeedi, in order not to be identified, came there at nights without wearing aba and turban and taught us. These camps were held several times and in the last one the number of participants was eighteen.

The plurality of tasks and missions had been so much that I had no opportunity to deal with my house works and my children’s upbringing. One day my husband told me that he is not happy I’m following these things. "Your duties has increased," He said, "and you come home late; maybe you will be at risk." and I agreed not to continue.

The next day, Shahid Saeedi called to charge me doing a duty. I told him that my husband doesn’t permit me to go on doing such tasks. "Please ask Mr. Dabbagh to come here [mosque] today evening. I want to speak with him." Those days, my husband obtained our livelihoods by working for commission and trading rice and oil. I told him about Mr. Saeedi’s message in the afternoon when he came back home.

In the evening, we went to the mosque together. After usual greetings, Shahid Saeedi said, "Mr. Dabbagh! There are a few people who are going to do business and want you to enter into a partnership with them." My husband said, "Haj Agha! I neither have money, nor capital and time; I fail to grasp business. Why they want me to be their partner." Ayatollah Saeedi said, "They want neither your money, nor your time and skill, but they want you to have a share in their interests." Mr. Dabbagh said wonderingly: "They are certainly crazy. They want to work with their own capital and then share me in their interests." Shahid Saeedi said, "Wise or mad, don’t think about it. It is their opinion. Tell me do you accept it or not?" Mr. Dabbagh who was shocked by the suggestion said, "Haj Agha! I can’t understand, how...? " Shahid Saeedi smiled and quietly said:" It's very simple. It means that don’t interfere with your wife's activities. She is a talented and courageous person. Let her fight against oppression for Islam. Whatever its divine rewards are, you are involved." With a little contemplation, my husband said: "Haj Agha! Marzieh is the servant of Islam, Qur'an and Mr. Khomeini. I won’t say anything and I won’t interfere. I accept whatever you recognize as the best interests of her."

In this way my husband permitted me to continue my political activities. And during these years, when I was fighting, prisoned and I was away from home, he really never reprimand me. And he took the responsibilities of the home and the family, and I was completely busy in fighting.

To be continued…